Category Archives: 3-bottom

One patient’s story demonstrates the impact of Trinity Health Kidney Center

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, Kent County, Our Cities, , , ,

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

Nathan Hannum (standing) with his donor, Kyle Hess. (Courtesy, Trinity Health)

Some years ago, Nathan Hannum received the diagnosis that he had IgA nephropathy, also sometimes called Berger’s disease, that occurs when an antibody called immunoglobulin A (IgA) builds up in the kidney resulting in inflammation that can hamper the kidneys’ ability to filter waste from your blood.

It was a slow decline of kidney function, taking about 18 years for Hannum to drop to about 80% function and then in 2020, the decline started to take a steep dive, with him losing about 20% of functionality.

“So it was a pretty steep deal, but at the end of the year I was in a better position than a lot of other patients in that even though my function had gone down so far, I didn’t have to have dialysis,” he said.

When Hannum and his family moved to Grand Rapids about 15 years ago, he discovered there was only one renal kidney doctor’s office in Grand Rapids at that time, which was associated with the Trinity Health Kidney Transplant Center.

“I had been told I would probably want to get it done there just because it’s close to home,” Hannum said. “There are other options. We could have gone to the University of Michigan or Detroit or Chicago, but the ability to have the facility close to home was a big part of the decision.”

Trinity Health Kidney Transplant Center marks its 50th anniversary this year. (Courtesy, Trinity Health Kidney Transplant Center)

Marking a golden anniversary

The Trinity Health Kidney Transplant Center in Grand Rapids marks its 50th anniversary this year. There are six such centers in the state of Michigan with Trinity Health Kidney Transplant Center (formerly theMercy Health Saint Mary’s Kidney Transplant Center) being the only adult kidney transplant center on the west side of the state.

Since its opening in 1973, more than 2,800 kidney transplants have occurred, improving the lives not only of the patients but of their loved ones and caregivers.

“Our team takes great pride in reaching this 50-year milestone,” said Jill McNamara, MSN RN, Transplant services liaison for the Kidney Transplant Center. “One of the ways we are celebrating is to reflect on the patient stories that show our team just how many people have been touched by their care.”

Hannum admits he was one of those patients who benefitted from that expert care.

“You know sometimes you go in for procedures and they just start working on it and don’t really tell you what is going on. They might ask you what your name is to make sure they’re working on the right person,” Hannum said. “(The Trinity) nurses were fantastic at explaining ahead of time what was going to happen and why they were poking me for this and why they were asking me about that and the doctors were the same way.”

Hannum’s story

Hannum’s process started a couple of years before his surgery with doctors encouraging him to start compiling a list of potential donors. Having been a pastor for the past 25 years, Hannum, who is currently serving at Jenison Christian Church, has a network of contacts.

Left, Nathan Hannum with his donor, Kyle Hess. (Courtesy, Trinity Health Kidney Transplant Center)

In 2022, the Trinity Health Kidney Transplant Center became the only adult transplant center in Michigan to partner with the National Kidney Register (NKR), the largest paired donation program in the world. The NKR has the largest living donor pool, making the likelihood of finding a match potentially faster than other paired programs.

“I sent a big ask to my friends and family and said if you are still interested, here’s the number to call and I was fortunate that a lot of them did,” Hannum said. “There were at least two matches and I think there were probably more than that for me.”

Once a donor was found, the next step was a series of tests, blood and others, to assure there were no underlying issues. It was through those tests, Hannum learned he had prostate cancer. While appreciative that it was discovered, especially since Hannum had no cancer symptoms, the diagnosis was a setback for Hannum, but only a couple months.

Finally cleared for the transplant surgery, Hannum said the next biggest hurdle was scheduling. The surgery took place in December of 2021.

Utilizing technological innovations

Robotic live donor nephrectomy has created even more opportunities for live kidney donation. (Courtesy, Trinity Health Kidney Transplant Center)

For patients like Hannum, Trinity Health Kidney Transplant Center offer one of the latest technological innovations, robotic live donor nephrectomy. This process has created even more opportunities for live kidney donation. A live kidney donation is when a kidney is removed from one healthy patient and donated to a patient who has renal/kidney failure. Previously, these nephrectomies were performed laparoscopically, using small incisions, with the surgeon using his hands during the procedure.

“With a robotic procedure, we still make incisions into the abdomen, but instead of using two hands, a surgeon has four robotic arms available at one time to also control the instruments and camera,” said Joel Stracke, DO, surgical director of the Kidney Transplant Center. “The nice thing about this approach is that we are able to make the large incision needed to remove the kidney much lower on the patient’s abdomen – under the pant line.”

The robot not only offers remarkable precision during surgery, but studies have shown that following a robotic donor nephrectomy, patients experience less pain and less need for narcotics.

Feeling like your 15 years younger

Every person responds differently to their transplant, Hannum said, adding that in his case, aftercare was mostly routine.

“The moment I woke up from my surgery, I felt better and my wife even told me even before I said anything. She said ‘Your eyes are brighter, and your skin color is different and it’s just amazing,’” he said. “ I can’t describe what it was like to be out of the ‘kidney fog’ just when you wake up.”

While there have been bumps along the way, a year later, Hannum said he feels 100% better, adding that he has felt 15 years younger this past year, “which is pretty fantastic.”

“Our main priority is to provide our patients with individualized, compassionate and expert care,” McNamara said. “Over the last 50 years, our program has become one of the largest and most successful community hospital-based transplant programs in the country. As we look forward to the next 50 years and beyond, we will continue to focus on our patients and their families, offering advanced surgical techniques and innovative donor options that offer more hope to our patients.”

The Trinity Health Kidney Transplant Center currently has six surgeons and five nephrologists. In 2022, it completed 102 transplant surgeries: 37 living donor recipients and 65 deceased donor recipients. There are approximately 300 patients at the center currently on the waiting list, 155 which were added last year.

To learn more about the Trinity Health Kidney Transplant Center or how to become a living kidney donor, visit www.TrinityHealthMichigan.org/Transplant

Residents ask questions about why, impact of proposed millage increase

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

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

Residents listen to the presentations on the May 2 millage proposal for a 1.5 mill increase. (WKTV)

On Thursday, the City of Wyoming hosted the first of three public meetings on its May 2 millage proposal that would be dedicated to fund police and fire.

About 35 residents and community and city leaders were at the meeting which took place at the KDL Wyoming branch. The city is seeking a millage rate increase of 1.5 mills for a period of five years. For a $200,000 residential home, which has a taxable value of $100,000, the additional cost would be about $150 annually.

If approved on May 2, the proposal would generate an additional $4 million in revenue each year. The revenue would help fund 14 police officers and 13 firefighters.

Mayor Kent VanderWood, Chief Kim Koster, and Interim City Manager John McCarter discussed the number of factors, such as the 2008 recession, lost in revenue sharing, and the decline of paid-on call volunteer firefighters that have impacted the funding of police and fire. Koster noted the city currently has 1.3 officers for every 1,000 city residents which is below the national average of 2.4. If the millage passed, the city would be at 1.6 officers per 1,000 residents. Koster said the police department has handled 3,583 cases, which have doubled in the past seven to eight years, and that fire has responded to 7,900 calls, which is about 645 calls per firefighter.

McCarter pointed out that the city has not had a millage rate increase since 2010 when the current dedicated millage for public safety was approved. The city’s current millage rate is 11.89 mills. That millage was renewed in 2014 and made permanent in 2018. The city did seek a request to be able to use some of its library funds for park improvements in 2017 and sought an income tax in 2022 for public safety and park improvements, which failed.

Residents asked a variety of questions about the millage, what it will fund and how the additional funding would impact the city. Some of those questions are summarized below with the responses from city officials.

The state of Michigan has a $9 billion surplus, so does it have more money available to fund more firefighters and police officers for the City of Wyoming?

Interim City Manager John McCarter: The City of Wyoming receives funding from property taxes and state shared funding. Within state shared funding, there are two types: constitutional, which is money that always comes to the city and the state cannot touch it; and statuary, which has been cut over the years. Governor Gretchen Whitmer in her budget has a 7% increase on that statuary just for public safety. The amount is about $55,000 with it costing about $130,000 for a fully funded police officer.

We have reached out to the state to see if there is any other money available that we are not aware of and we have been told there is not. We are grateful for what we are receiving and we appreciate that increase but we really can’t rely on the state to get us to that $4 million-level that we are needing. 

What about grants?

Interim City Manager John McCarter: The city utilized the United States Department of Justice Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Program to hire six officers about a year and half ago. The trouble with grants is that they sunset. The COPS grant steps down. It is 75% the first year, 50% the second year, and then about 25% the third year, and then with that grant you not only have to cover all those costs but you have to retain all those officers one year after the funding is done. So the grant funding is temporary and it always has strings attached.

So we have sought grant funding and we continue to. We have sought out on the fireside as well. We haven’t been successful, but we are still trying.

To clarify on the (COPS) grant that is expiring: if this millage does not get passed, how many officers would the city be at risk losing?

Chief Kim Koster: It would be 10 officers. We have to maintain that staffing for at least two and half years and then that funding would be gone. The grant covers 50% the second year and about 25% the third year for those six officers and there is an additional four that the city is covering.

Mayor Kent VanderWood talks to residents after the meeting. (WKTV)

Interim John McCarter: In our general fund, we carry a fund balance for emergencies and we have a policy minimum, and we can go about two and half more years and support the staff that we have now, assuming that property values come back to earth and do not continue to climb the way they are. So we can support them that long but we have to seek other sources after that.

Mayor Kent VanderWood: When we decided at the council level to accept that grant to hire those additional officers, we knew it would come time that we would have to fund those within our budget and not the COPS grant. It is kind of like when you buy something on a credit card, you know the bill is going to come. So that is kind of what we are facing right now.

So it is 17 public safety officers that are not being funded by the current public safety millage. These are being paid out of our general fund surplus right now. So what this millage will allow us to do is continue to staff at that level plus add 10 more public safety officers. 

Are you counting those ones you may no longer have after the grant funding in the millage proposal?

Chief Kim Koster: Yes, so there are 10 current police officers and we would add four through the proposed funding. (For a total of 14 police officers.) On the fireside, it would be 13, seven are already hired and we would hire six additional. 

How many total police officers and firefighters does the City of Wyoming have?

Chief Kim Koster discusses why the city needs to increase its police and fire staffing. (WKTV)

Chief Kim Koster: We have 99 sworn police officers, which includes myself, and with the additional four that would make 103. On the fireside, for those in fire suppression, meaning these are firefighters who go out and fight fires and are not assigned to other duties, we have 33 and it would be 39 if we hire the additional six.

 

So a total of 10 additional public safety officers (and seven firefighters) who are not funded by the current public safety millage who would be part of the 27 officers who would be funded under the proposed millage.

Can you describe what the dedicated traffic enforcement would look like?

We have a crime analyst that was part of the COPS grant. She would be able to identify high intersections for traffic crasheswhere we could deploy some of our community service officers there to run red light violations or radar in other areas where we get complaints. A lot of neighbors complain about speeding traffic. So if we receive many of those complaints around an area, we would respond.

Some of the response times and rates that you mentioned, if this passes and in a year, if we want to see how this is doing, are those response times listed anywhere?

Earlier in the meeting, Koster stated that the response times are 5.16 minutes when the first vehicle arrives on the scene. According to the National Fire Protection Association, the standard is four minutes, which the department hopes to achieve with the additional fire staff funded by the proposed millage.

Chief Kim Koster: We do an annual report so you would get to see it in the annual report which usually comes out at the end of February or March. Note: The report is also available at the city’s website, under the “Public Safety – Police” tab.”

The next meetings are March 27 at 7 p.m. at the Gezon Fire Station, 2300 Gezon Pkwy. SW, and April 27 at 7 p.m. at the Wyoming Police Station, 2300 DeHoop Ave. SW. Koster said both events will be more meet-n-greets with opportunities for the public to talk with police officers and firefighters.

January ‘euphoria’ fades as economic indicators swung negative in February

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Finances

By Chris Knape
Grand Valley State University

Brian Long is a local business forecaster. Credit: GVSU

The “back-to-work euphoria” of January has faded and economic indicators edged back into negative territory in West Michigan during February, according to the latest survey from Grand Valley State University’s Seidman College of Business.

The Current Business Trends survey of West Michigan manufacturers released March 8 found key indexes sliding as new orders and production soured after an unexpectedly rosy outlook in January.

“Overall we had expected business conditions to soften in 2023 and this month’s report is a confirmation of that trend,” said Brian Long, director of supply chain management research at the Seidman. “We expect interest rate-sensitive industries to retreat, but are still expecting that the pent-up demand for automotive will keep the West Michigan economy positive.”

Based on responses from the survey, Long said he also expects a positive outlook from aerospace firms, while the prospects for the office furniture business “remain far less certain.”

“However, even if the markets for office furniture remain soft, a major collapse like we’ve seen in other downturns is unlikely,” Long concluded.

Both the short- and long-term business outlook indexes slid back into negative territory after showing a more upbeat outlook in January.

Broader indicators are showing the world economy proving resilient despite the war in Ukraine, Long said.

“The world economy is not as grim as you might imagine,” he said. “The J.P. Morgan international survey of purchasing agents indicates that we are absolutely at break-even now. Some countries are down, but enough countries are up right now that the average is at a break-even point.”

GVSU’s Current Business Trends survey indexes are tracked based on whether survey respondents report “up,” “same,” “down” or “N/A” to questions about business conditions.

Here’s a look at some key indexes:

  • Sales (new orders): -17 in February vs. +18 in January
  • Production: -7 in February vs. +21 in January
  • Employment: +17 in February vs. +18 in January

Lead times also improved in the survey, which Long noted was a strong indicator that supply chains are continuing to loosen up, despite continued shortages and high prices for specific commodities.

View the complete March 2023 report and an archive of previous reports at the Seidman College of Business website.

National organization hosts memorial for Flying Tiger Line Flight 739

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Senior Living, ,
The 60th anniversary memorial event that took place on 2022. (Wreath Across America)

Sixty-one years ago on March 16, 1962, Flying Tiger Line Flight 739 (FTLF 739) and its crew, departed on a secret mission sanctioned by the President John F. Kennedy, to fly to Vietnam. This secret Vietnam reconnaissance mission went missing with no trace of the plane or its passengers ever found. Onboard were 93 United States Army soldiers and 11 civilian crewmembers.

On Thursday, March 16, 2023, at 12pm ET, national nonprofit Wreaths Across America (WAA) will be holding a special live ceremony to remember all those lost that day and honor their families.

To watch this event live on Facebook, click here.

Very little is known about what happened to FTLF 739, its crew and passengers, and due to the circumstance surrounding this mission, the names of those lost have not yet been added to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. However, today many families and loved ones of these heroes still fight to have their loved ones recognized for their contributions to our freedom and shared history.

Of the 93 soldiers who were on the flight, two were from Michigan: Specialist James Taylor from Olive Branch and Private Stanley McEntee from Detroit.

Presently, the only monument that bears the names of these American heroes was erected by a private citizen, Wreaths Across America founder Morrill Worcester, on his balsam tip land in Columbia Falls, Maine.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lockheed_L-1049H_N6918C_FTL_LGW_29.08.64.jpg

“When I first heard the story about this mission, I was shocked to learn that nothing has been done for these families,” said Morrill Worcester. “I said that day, that we would do something to make sure these people are honored and remembered, and to hopefully give some closure to these families.”

The inscription on the FTLF 739 monument in Maine reads:

“Missing in action; Presumed dead. Flying Tiger Line Flight 739 went missing on March 16, 1962, with 93 U.S. Army soldiers on board. These men and their flight crew perished in what would become one of the biggest aviation mysteries out of the Vietnam War era.

“The names of those who gave their lives and who remain missing are inscribed here so the they will be said aloud and their memory will live on.”

Kent County Sheriff officers recovers stolen mail

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

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

The Jeep recovered by Kent County Sheriff’s Department. (Courtesy, Kent County Sheriff’s Department)

Just before 1 a.m. March 8, deputies received information that a Jeep stolen out of Kalamazoo was in the area of Byron Township.  Kent County Sheriff units closed in and attempted to stop the vehicle near 84th Street and U.S. 131.

The Jeep fled from deputies, but nearby units were able to use spike strips along U.S. 131 at 100th Street. The vehicle continued to flee until it stopped along U.S. 131 near the Dorr exit. The Allegan County Sheriff’s Office assisted the Kent County Sherrif deputies in taking two suspects into custody.

More than 100 pieces of stolen mail were found inside the vehicle. This includes multiple credit and debit cards, checks, and other assorted mail. The mail was stolen from the Kalamazoo area, Ottawa County, and Byron Township.

  

Mail found in the stolen car. (Courtesy, Kent County Sheriff’s Department)

A 40-year-old man and a 37-year-old woman, both from Kalamazoo, are lodged at the Kent County Jail on charges related to the stolen vehicle, flee and elude, and possession of burglary tools. Kent County Sheriff detectives are still sorting through the mail to contact victims.  Kent County Sheriff has been in contact with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for the possibility of a federal investigation.

Mailboxes are protected by federal law and crimes against mailboxes (and the mail inside) are investigated by Postal Inspectors. Mail theft is a serious crime; although it’s considered a lesser offense than mail fraud. Under federal law, mail theft is penalized by up to 5 years of imprisonment.

Woodland Mall to feature Mad Hatter Tea Party and seasonal photo ops with Easter Bunny

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, West Michigan, West Michigan Design Week
(Courtesy, Woodland Mall)



By WKTV Staff

greer@wktv.org



As the end of winter nears, Woodland Mall invites guests to celebrate the start of spring with its whimsical Mad Hatter Tea Party and springtime bunny photo opportunities.

The Mad Hatter Tea Party will begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 18. The Alice in Wonderland-themed event will include special appearances by Alice and the Mad Hatter himself.

There also will be spring-themed crafts, snacks and games until 1 p.m. The event will mark the return of seasonal photo opportunities, available through Saturday, April 8.

(Courtesy, Woodland Mall)


“Our Mad Hatter Tea Party is a fun and interactive twist on the classic Lewis Carroll story with activities that are entertaining for the child in all of us,” said Mikia Ross, interim senior marketing director. “Children can create their own Mad Hatter hat, enjoy tea and cookies and take family portraits as part of the fun.”

Photos with the bunny will be offered in the Macy’s Court from noon to 8 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays and noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays. For the last weekend, extended hours of 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. will be offered on Friday, April 7 and Saturday, April 8. 




(Courtesy, Woodland Mall)



Beginning March 20, pets can join in for photos from noon to 7 p.m. every Monday through April 3. Feathered and whiskered pets of all kinds are welcome as long as they are kept on a leash or in a carrier at all times. Owners also must sign a release prior to visiting.

 

Digital photo packages are available with add-ons such as prints and frames. Reservations are encouraged and can be made online. Walk-up visits are permitted when space is available.

More information on the Mad Hatter Tea Party can be found at ShopWoodlandMall.com.

Kentwood Traffic Alert for Thursday, March 9

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



By WKTV Staff

greer@wktv.org


A temporary four-way stop will be in place Thursday, March 9 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the intersection of 32nd Street SE and Breton Avenue SE while traffic signal maintenance is completed. 

 

Drivers are asked to use caution when driving through the area and to be prepared for delays. If possible, it is recommended to seek an alternate route to avoid possible slowdowns.

 

For more information or questions, contact the Department of Public Works at 616-554-0817 or ePublicWorks@kentwood.us. 

Building sustainable streams of retirement income

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Finances, Senior Living,

By David Stanley
Integrity Financial Service, LLC

(Pxhere.com)

Our parents and grandparents both taught us that making mistakes was part of life.

Some mistakes are easier to recover from than others. But when it comes to money and time, the closer you are to retirement, the less time you have to recover from bad money moves. My advice is not to take any chances you can’t afford. As you near retirement, you’ll need to spend more time creating an investment approach that aligns each account to its specific goal for cash flow requirements during retirement. The worst times for your investment portfolio to take a hit are somewhere in the five years before and five years after you retire. Some have called this the red retirement zone. Lose money in this segment, and it will significantly impact how you spend and withdraw money throughout your retirement years.

Here’s a new retirement approach. It’s not about being rich; it’s about having the income needed to have peace of mind. We may never tire of discussing lessons from The Great Recession, which hit two groups especially hard–teens who saw their parents lose a home or job, and boomers who saw their savings depleted precisely at the wrong moment in life. So proper financial planning for retirement is crucial to your success. Boomers need to learn that they are leaving the accumulation phase of their life and now will be focusing on asset protection, sustainable income, and distribution of their assets over the next 30+ years.

Many people are in this category express extreme insecurity regarding the reality of ever retiring and having a sufficient income stream during their retirement years. So what can Worry-Free retirement income solutions offer you? Our planning provides a retirement income trifecta.

First is a guaranteed sustainable way to maintain income in retirement.

Second, are potentially higher income payments than you can achieve anywhere else.

A third is a reduction of some of the market risk from your overall portfolio before and during the years of your retirement when you can’t afford to endure the consequences of a market downturn. It may be true that money can’t buy you love, but it can buy happiness in retirement, as sufficient amounts of guaranteed income equal a happy retirement.

Planning with certainty is the new strategy for retirement income. For nearly two decades, financial advisors subscribed to the notion that their clients could spend 4% annually of their accumulated savings in retirement and not run out of money. No more. Between market volatility, inflation, volatile interest rates and an uncertain economy, advisors are questioning the traditional approaches to retirement income. Of course, what you consider an uncertain economic environment depends on who is reporting the news and what day it is. But it doesn’t matter if you’re properly planned.

Simply put, today’s retirement portfolios demand a smarter balance of growth and safety to effectively achieve a stream of lifetime income. The good news is that the answers to the challenge are emerging in the form of improved strategies that promise to generate more income at less cost and with less market risk.

Don’t be like Scarlet O’Hara, who said, “I can’t think of that right now. If I do, I go crazy. I’ll think about it tomorrow.”

It would be best if you thought about it today.

Dave Stanley is the host of Safe Money Radio WOOD1300 AM, 106.9 FM and a Financial Advisor and Writer at Integrity Financial Service, LLC, Grandville, MI 49418, Telephone 616-719-1979 or  Register for Dave’s FREE Newsletter at 888-998-3463  or click this link:  Dave Stanley Newsletter – Annuity.com  Dave is a member of Syndicated Columnists, a national organization committed to a fully transparent approach to money management.

Kent County Sheriff arrest seven connected purse snatchings, thefts

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Hard News, , ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
WKTV Managing Editor

A police car and detective’s vehicle was hit by the suspect’s car as they tried to leave the scene. (Courtesy, Kent County Sheriff’s Office)

The Kent County Sheriff’s Department announced it had arrested seven individuals suspected to be involved in a series of purse snatchings in the Greater Grand Rapids area.

Just after 2 a.m. this morning a Kent County Sheriff sergeant on patrol in the area of 28th Street and 1-96 located a stolen vehicle, a Jeep, that had its to a recent purse snatching in Kent County. The Jeep was later located at a nearby hotel.

As more deputies arrived long with a KCSO detective assigned to the Metro Pattern Crimes Task Force (MPACT), units started to move in on the vehicle. The Jeep attempted to flee the parking space and struck a detective’s vehicle and a police cruiser.

Five people in the Jeep were taken into custody. As the investigation unfolded, two additional people in a hotel room were arrested along with other stolen property located. Stolen purses from recent thefts, a stolen handgun, and stolen merchandise were among some of the items recovered. All seven suspects have been arrested: a 19- and 16-year-old female from Grand Rapids, a 17-year-old and two 16-year-old males from Grand Rapids, an 18-year-old male from Plainfield Township, and a 17-year-old male from Gaines Township.

Sgt. Eric Brunner, the public information officer for the Kent County Sheriff’s, said the department is working with local law enforcement agencies to determine if the group may be related to other purse snatchings adding that the department does believe “they will find that there more involved than just these people.”

Wyoming Department of Public Safety public information officer Lt. Andrew Koeller said he was not certain if these individuals were directly related to any of the purse snatching cases in the Wyoming area. He said Wyoming detectives continue to the Wyoming cases.

The case has been sent to the prosecutor’s officer for review of charges to the stolen care, firearm, and stolen property.

‘Petty Crimes’ provokes not so petty questions of systems of justice

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Recreation, Reviews, , ,

By Kerri VanderHoff
WKTV Contributor

Six random strangers are stuck in a room until they figure out how to come to a consensus. In today’s polarized world, one wonders how that is even possible. Yet, if a system based on law is to function properly, then much depends upon agreeing to follow it. And democracy – where all citizens are considered equal under the law – needs a system based on law to exist. But when it comes right down to it – the system and the law – well, those are two distinct things to consider.

This is the dilemma that Petty Crimes, written by local playwright Kristin Andrea Hanratty, explores in its 90-minute world premiere production this week at Actors’ Theatre.

Veteran actor Greg Rogers is Clayton, the older white male stepping sincerely and assuringly into the role of jury foreman. (Courtesy, Actors’ Theatre)

The crime itself is minor, a simple misdemeanor requiring only six jurists; it should be a quick deliberation and then everyone gets back to their own lives. But the characters and the context complicate things.

The play takes place in one setting, a cramped room that serves as an alternate deliberation space due to a much bigger trial happening at the same time. The other trial has overtaken the regular facilities as well as the public imagination, and with it a disruptive media frenzy. This displacement reveals but one layer of context that counteracts the idea of equal justice. The jurors are uncomfortably (even if for some, just physically) aware of what garners attention in society, and what is overlooked, as their deliberations proceed.

While instructed to dutifully fulfill their part of the legal process and follow the narrow parameters of the law, real life and lived experiences creep in through the cracks of their contained environment (as do the flies). Much like the mismatched chairs in the room that each negotiate for their own, perspectives and privilege sorts itself out.

The cast nimbly understands the broader representation each role brings to the table, including veteran actor Greg Rogers as Clayton, the older white male stepping sincerely and assumingly into the role of jury foreman; Bryanna Lee as Becca, the enthusiastic young legal student fascinated and distracted by the process; and Ruth Ann Molenaar as Eileen, a mature Black woman whose agency resides in keenly knowing how to read a room filled with all the others.

Ruth Ann Molenaar is Eileen, a mature Black woman whose agency resides in keenly knowing how to read a room filled with all the others. (Courtesy, Actors’ Theatre)

Interesting how a single, comfortable new office chair can say so much about dominant ideology, its hegemonic gestures of equality, and its actual heir apparent in this system we uphold, for better or worse.

This production is a respectable debut of an original work, and it is a play that deserves to live on in future interpretations by theatres across the country. Kudos to Actors’ Theatre in Grand Rapids for recognizing this and initiating the launch.

For more information about the play or for tickets, visit actorstheatregrandrapids.org

Making oral healthcare accessible to all seniors

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, Kent County, Senior Living

By Brandon Beck
Contract Administrator
Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan

When a person retires, they may lose their dental insurance making it difficult to keep up on oral health care. (Pxhere.com)

Oral Health is an integral component of overall health. Diseases of the mouth are closely linked to other serious health conditions in the body. Yet access to dental services can be a serious barrier for older adults to maintain their oral health. Dental coverage is a benefit often linked to an employer, so coverage can change significantly after retiring. Advocacy at the national, state, and local levels are working to reform oral health and increase access for older adults.

Locally, the Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan (AAAWM) supports oral health in a variety of ways. In Kent county, the Kent County Senior Millage (KCSM) network provides low-cost dental services to Kent County residents 60 years or older in partnership with Cherry Health and Exalta Health. AAAWM is also a member of the Kent County Oral Health Coalition, a group focused on advocacy and outreach in the West Michigan. Each year, AAAWM partners with Grand Rapids Community College to host Senior Dental Day; an event that helps older adults engage their oral health and find a new dental provider. For more information on Senior Dental Day 2023, taking place on March 20, email brandonb@aaawm.org

Within the rest of the AAAWM region, made up of nine counties: Allegan, Ionia, Kent, Lake, Mason, Mecosta, Montcalm, Newaygo, and Osceola the recently created Oral Health Plan applies. At the state level, Michigan has created the 2025 Michigan State Oral Health Plan that consists of three goals to improve the oral health of Michigan residents. Each goal is supported by implementation strategies and activities for healthcare providers and advocates to utilize. The three goals are as follows:

  1. Michiganders understand the value of daily oral health care and preventative dental care and have the tools to care for their mouth every day.
  2. Michigan citizens, dental professionals, and medical providers understand the connection between oral health and overall health.
  3. Michiganders have access to preventative and restorative oral health care because the state has developed the necessary infrastructure to effectively serve everyone.

Nationally, the 2021 report Oral Health in America by The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) calls for a policy that mandates dental coverage in Medicare, stating it would reduce health inequities by assuring older adults have access to preventative and other oral health services. Most individuals lose their employee provided dental insurance after retirement, putting their oral health at risk. Additionally, adults are living longer than ever before, increasing their risk for chronic health conditions. Accessing dental services can be especially challenging for older adults who are disabled, homebound, or cognitively impaired as services cannot be provided in the home. 

There is much work to be done in oral healthcare reform, and there are numerous ways you can show your support and advocate for these important issues. For more information about local efforts, visit the Kent County Oral Health Coalition’s website or follow them on Facebook. For more information about oral health advocacy in our region, contact AAAWM Advocacy Coordinator Sherri Harris at sherrih@aaawm.org

Update: Police investigating incidents at two local hotels

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

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

Local police are investigating two Saturday incidents at separate hotels, one in Wyoming and the other in Kentwood.

Fight at Hampton Inn

UPDATE: The Wyoming Department of Public Safety Investigative continues to investigate this incident. the facts of this case were presented to the Kent County Prosecutor’s Office. After reviewing thefts of the incident, the Kent County Prosecutor’s Office issued a warrant for Austin Custsinger of Tennessee on the charge of Involuntary Manslaughter. Chutsinger was arraigned at the Wyoming 62A District Court on March 7.

The deceased individual involved in this incident has been identified as 35-year-old Joshua Willow of Pennsylvania.

Detectives have confirmed tight physical altercation occurred between Curtsinger and Willow. During this physical altercation, Willow sustained injuries that provide to be fatal.

Wyoming police officers responded to a fight in progress involving multiple individuals at 12:20 p.m Saturday, March 4.

According to the police report, when officers arrive, they located an unresponsive male in the parking lot. Despite lifesaving efforts, the male was pronounced deceased at the scene. The initial investigation indicates that the deceased became unresponsive during the course of the physical altercation. Other individuals involved in this incident were identified and interviewed by investigators. The circumstances surrounding this incident remain under investigation.

The deceased is a 35-year-old male from out of state. His name has not been released.

Detectives are continuing to investigate this incident. The police report stated that although it is early in the investigation, it is believed all individuals involved in this incident have been located and there is no threat to the public.

Shooting at Delta Hotel

(Courtesy, City of Kentwood)

UPDATE: The Kentwood Police Department has released the identify of the individual of the shooting death as Jaquarrie Garrett, 22, from Georgia. The medical examiner has ruled his death a homicide with the cause being multiple gunshot wounds. Investigators are still actively working this case. No further information is being released at this time.

The Kentwood Police Department is investigating a shooting that resulted in a homicide.

Officers responded to a call about a shooting at the Delta Hotel, 3333 28th St. SE, Saturday, March 4. Officers located at 22-year-old male that despite Kentwood Police officers and Fire Department personal attempted first-aid along with EMS, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The incident is currently being investigated with the police report stating that the Kentwood Police Department does not believe there to be any immediate threat to the public at this time.

Community Action Statement

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the respective police departments. Wyoming Police may be reached at 616-530-7300. The Kentwood Police Department Detective Bureau may be reached at 616-656-6604.

Anonymous tips can be submitted through Silent Observer at 616-774-2345 or SilentObserver.org

Library patrons save as KDL breaks records

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Education, Non-Profits, Recreation, , ,

By D.A. Reed
Contributing Writer

KDL Grandville Branch Library Jocelyn talks with a patron about book selections. (Courtesy, Kent District Library)

Kent District Library (KDL) reached a record-breaking 1,964,465 digital checkouts and 5,054,032 physical checkouts in 2022.

Recognized by the Library Journal Index of Public Library Services as one of America’s Star Libraries, KDL received the highest five-star rating.

“This award is a reflection that people use and place a high value on the services that they get from Kent District Library,” said Katie Zuidema, marketing communications specialist for KDL.

Money saving opportunities

One of the reasons KDL has surpassed previous engagement numbers is due to patrons realizing they can save hundreds of dollars each year by using free KDL resources instead of purchasing those same resources by other means.

KDL offers a number of programs. KDL Outreach and Programming Specialist Susan Erhardt reads to children. (Courtesy, Kent District Library)

“People are increasingly finding that many of the things they pay hard-earned dollars for are already available at the library—magazines such as Consumer Reports, training from LinkedIn Learning, streaming movie services and more,” said Randy Goble, KDL’s director of engagement, in supplied material. “It adds up to a huge savings.”

In 2022, the average KDL user saved $1,348 by checking out physical and digital items, and digital resource checkouts are more popular than ever.

“Technology is so accessible,” Zuidema said, “and some people’s reading habits changed during the pandemic when libraries were closed for a time.”

Reader usage of digital resources has grown every year, in part to a large collection that serves community members of all ages and interests, and also due to 24/7 access to that collection.

“Where the Crawdads Sing” was the most checked out book from KDL in 2022.

“Digital access continues to be the fastest growing segment of public library resources,” stated KDL’s Executive Director Lance Werner in supplied material. “We’re thrilled to be able to meet people wherever they are, to provide them with books, movies, audiobooks and more.”

Finding popular and current books and resources is also an appealing aspect of KDL.

The highest circulating title KDL readers borrowed in 2022 through KDL’s digital collection was Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, topping both ebook and audiobook categories. The book was a 2022 film starring Daisy Edgar-Jones.

Other popular ebook and audiobook titles borrowed were Verity by Colleen Hoover, The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, The Maid by Nita Prose, and The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles.

How can patrons experience these resources?

Readers in Kent County just need a valid KDL library card to access digital books from KDL’s OverDrive-powered digital collection—compatible with any major device—and many other physical and digital resources.

“It’s a great time to sign up for a KDL library card,” Zuidema said. “When someone signs up for a library card, they now select their interests from 14 categories, including music, movies and writing. This information helps staff members share what services might be most exciting or useful to the new patron.”

Zuidema noted that KDL branches offer more than just books and movies. PerkPass program has complimentary guest passes to area attractions. Items such as Nintendo Switch game consoles, GoPro Cameras and Wi-Fi hotspots are available through Beyond Books Collection and KDL offers a variety of free programs for all ages.

Programming continues to be a priority in all 20 KDL branches. In 2022, KDL hosted 4,403 online and in-person programs with 181,265 in attendance.

“Our communities are showing up and expressing appreciation for our free, engaging and impactful programs for all ages,” Zuidema said.

What if you don’t have a KDL library card?

Zuidema was adamant that everyone is welcome in all KDL branches.

Attending KDL programs does not require a library card, and guest passes are available for usage of the library’s computers. The KDL Cruiser bikes are also available for checkout without a library card.

Readers with a card from Grand Rapids Public Library and other libraries part of the Lakeland Library Cooperative can place 15 items on hold through KDL, while KDL cardholders can place up to 70 items on hold.

KDL’s digital collection, databases, PerkPasses, and Beyond Books items like hotspots, Switch consoles, iPads, etc. do require a library card.

“KDL exists to further all people,” said Zuidema. “We truly offer something for everyone. No matter what you are looking for within our walls or on our website, we want you to find it. No matter who you are, you are welcome here.”

Connecting with patrons

A resident recently thanked KDL for saving her money by having a recently-released novel. (Courtesy, Kent District Library)

Zuidema said they love hearing from patrons, whether in-person, via email—or by notes left inside returned books.

One KDL librarian found a note thanking them for saving that reader $29 by having a recent Janet Evanovich book on the shelf.

Some items, however, are left accidentally.

“Once a staff member found a $100 bill inside of a returned book and worked diligently to find the owner,” Zuidema said. “I think they will use cheaper bookmarks from now on!”

How to get started

Visit kdl.org/ecard to apply for a KDL library card. Download the Libby app or visit kdl.overdrive.com to get started borrowing ebooks, audiobooks, and more. Visit KDL’s Spring Kaleidoscope page for new programs and offerings, and kdl.org for more information on all KDL services and resources.

Local foundation encourages residents to ‘feed the shelter’

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

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

Many shelters in the U.S. struggle to feed the pets in their care and communities, especially as inflation impacts food costs and donations. Throughout March, BISSELL Pet Foundation is raising awareness to encourage community support for shelters with its “Feed the Shelters®” campaign. The foundation is calling on pet lovers nationwide to donate food to their local shelter to make a lifesaving difference for a hungry pet.

Volunteers donate food items to the Kent County Animal Shelter. (Courtesy, BISSELL Pet Foundation)

“Donating food to your local shelter makes a difference for pets in need—whether it fills bowls in the shelter or for pets in need through community food assistance programs,” said Cathy Bissell, Founder of BISSELL Pet Foundation.

Resources are stretched thin at Michigan shelters—and shelters nationwide—as these organizations experience longer stays for pets, increased owner surrenders and staffing issues. Shelters are community assets dedicated to keeping people and their pets together. Whether open admission or private, shelters support their communities through pet food assistance programs, free and low-cost community clinics, obedience classes, reuniting families with stray pets, and much more. At BISSELL Pet Foundation, we are committed to supporting shelter,  and our “Feed the Shelters” campaign allows us to spread the love for all that shelters do and raise awareness to drive food donations.

“We hope our “Feed the Shelters” campaign will get community members through the doors of their local shelter to not only make a lifesaving food donation, but to also learn more about getting involved at their shelter,” said Bissell.

Participating in “Feed the Shelters” is easy:

  1. Find your local shelter’s wish list and see what food they need.
  2. Visit your shelter and take a photo or video of you dropping off your donation.
  3. Share your donation photo/video on social media with #FeedTheShelters and tag @Cathy_Bissell and @BISSELLPets
  4. Tag your friends and family to participate!

All year long, BISSELL Pet Foundation receives requests to help hungry pets from our network of more than 5,700 shelters and rescues. BISSELL Pet Foundation keeps bellies full by providing Feed the Shelters program grants to animal welfare organizations across the country. Grant recipients can then offer meals to their pets and donate meals to the neediest pets in their communities through pet food pantries and other lifesaving pet food resources. Since the program’s inception in 2020, the foundation has provided 1,850 904 meals to hungry pets.

Fentanyl testing strips legal and widely used in Michigan

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health

By Judy Putnam
Capital News Service

 

Fentanyl testing strips are used “off label” to detect dangerous fentanyl in street drugs. (Courtesy, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

LANSING – New dollars distributed to groups fighting substance abuse can be used to purchase strips that test whether drug dealers cut heroin or other street drugs with often-deadly fentanyl.

The simple paper strips are illegal in some 20 states.

But fentanyl test strips, along with sterile needles and opioid overdose reversal medication called naloxone, are among a wide range of “harm reduction” tactics the Department of Health and Human Services supports. The department recently announced it was distributing the first funds from national lawsuits settled in 2021 against prescription opioid manufacturer Johnson & Johnson and three distributors.

 

“We are actually saving lives with these supplies,” said Lauren Hodson, a harm reduction analyst for the department who, until recently, worked in prevention services with the Detroit Recovery Project. “We get that direct feedback from people using the substances.”

Often mixed with other street drugs

Fentanyl is a cheap, synthetic opioid often found in street drugs including cocaine, methamphetamine and fake prescription pills. It’s also manufactured legally as a painkiller.

 

Its potency has driven a dramatic rise in overdose deaths across the nation and in Michigan.

According to Health and Human Services, the state had 3,096 overdose deaths in 2021, up from 2,738 in 2020.

 

Deaths have grown tenfold since 2000, and each year outpace deaths from car crashes, the department notes.

Fentanyl is 50 times more powerful than heroin and 100 times more than morphine, according to the Centers on Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC reports it as a major contributor to both fatal and nonfatal overdoses.

Reversing course on testing strips

Fentanyl testing strips initially were used to test urine for illicit drugs. They cost about $1 per strip.

 

For several years, they’ve been used “off label” to test street drugs, using a tiny amount of the drug mixed with water before dipping in the strip.

A June 2022 report from Legislative Analysis Public Policy Association, a Washington, D.C., nonprofit that drafts model state laws on substance use, found that using fentanyl strips is legal in 25 states, including Michigan, but illegal under laws in other states prohibiting drug paraphernalia.

Since that 2022 report was released, more states – Ohio, Georgia, Tennessee, Louisiana and Pennsylvania, according to news reports – legalized the strips and still more are debating legalization.

Some opponents argue that the testing strips promote drug use, but many states are reversing course as fentanyl-related overdoses rise.

Michigan never outlawed the testing strips though it has a law dating back to 1978 that criminalizes drug paraphernalia. The law applies only to those selling drugs, according to the association’s study.

Settlement used for ‘syringe service programs’

The opioid settlement will total nearly $800 million to the state and local governments over 18 years as part of a $26 billion national settlement. As part of the first $39 million received by the state, Health and Human Services said it’s distributing $3.9 million to 34 nonprofits and health departments operating “syringe service programs” offering clean needles and other supplies to those using street drugs.

Those groups have grown from five in 2018 to 34 today, according to Lynn Sutfin, a department public information officer. Many have distributed fentanyl testing strips using private donations because they weren’t allowed to buy syringes, testing strips and other supplies with federal drug prevention dollars until the Biden administration approved it in 2021.

Sutfin said the state’s approach to addiction is supportive and promotes “change at your own pace.”

“Get some of these individuals in the door, and maybe they are ready at some point to take that next step,” she said.

The movement in Grand Rapids

Steve Alsum, the executive director of the Red Project in Grand Rapids, said his syringe services group serves six counties: Kent, Ottawa, Muskegon, Newaygo, Lake and Allegan. It offers naloxone in three more counties: Mason, Oceana and Montcalm.

From October to December 2022, the group served 3,300 individuals and distributed 4,800 fentanyl testing strips.

“First and foremost, fentanyl testing strips are a tool that enables people to have a greater degree of knowledge of what they’re putting in their body. People can then use that to make decisions to reduce the risk,” he said.

 

He supports the use of fentanyl testing strips but said they aren’t perfect.

For example, they can’t identify all forms of fentanyl. Because fentanyl has grown so pervasive in heroin, most heroin samples test positive, he said.

 

The strips have been more useful in recent months to identify fentanyl contamination in cocaine and methamphetamine, he said.

What is happening up north

Kelly Rumpf, a health educator at the Dickinson-Iron District Health Department in the Upper Peninsula, said fentanyl strips, along with sterile needles, naloxone, sharps containers and alcohol wipes, are at the health department office in Kingsford.

The service, which helps 150 to 200 people a year, depends on word of mouth because local officials have shied away from promoting it, fearing public backlash, Rumpf said.

“People look at it like we’re enabling,” she said.

But it’s needed because the area has a high hepatitis C rate that can be spread by sharing needles, she said.

“It’s building momentum,” Rumpf said of the syringe services program.

What is happening at the state’s capital city

Julia Miller, the executive director of Punks with Lunch Lansing, said she views testing strips as one way to remind substance users to be careful and think about recovery. Her group feeds people who lack housing, provides warm clothing and staffs an office at a former church called the Fledge where syringe services are offered.

Fentanyl testing strips are a routine part of the outreach to about 35 people a week.

“It’s making more people aware of what they are using,” she said.

 

Miller added that getting a test that is positive for fentanyl doesn’t mean users throw those drugs out.

“Most of them tell me they make sure they use a little less of it or make sure they have someone with them,” who could administer overdose aid, she said.

Motor City joins the fight

Community Health Awareness Group in Detroit enrolls about 2,500 people in its syringe service program, said Barbara Locke, its director of prevention programs.

Fentanyl testing has been used for a few years, she said, and her group has worked on educating drug users on how to use the tests.

“Knowledge is power,” Locke said. “Fentanyl is so dangerous. We don’t want them to overdose. They don’t want to overdose. Nobody wants that.”

Wyoming announces summer concert lineup

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Entertainment, Recreation, , ,

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

The Soul Syndicate returns to Wyoming’s Concerts in Park on Aug. 1. (Supplied by the band)

There is about 103 days until the first Wyoming Concert in the Park takes place, but who’s counting?

Certainly not the Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department.

“We are thrilled to be able to announce the concert series and help everyone think about those warmer days that are ahead,” said Wyoming Parks and Recreation Director Krashawn Martin.

The Parks and Recreation Department has taken over the coordination of the annual free concert series, which will run every Tuesday from 6—8 p.m. at Lamar Park, 2561 Park St. SW, from June 13 to Aug. 8. (Note: There are no performances during the week of July 4.) All concerts will be recorded by WKTV and aired on Comcast Channel 25 and streamed at WKTV.org.

“This year we are bring some traditional favorites along with some fresh fun to our concert series,” Martin said. “We also are incorporating some different elements to this year series as well.”

Returning favorites The Reverend Jesse Ray (June 13), Cabildo (June 27), and The Soul Syndicate (Aug. 1) will be joined by series newbies Michael Hulett (June 20), La Furia Del Ritmo (July 25) and Patty PerShayla & The Mayhaps (Aug. 8) (For a complete rundown of the performers, music, and dates, go to the end of this story.)

Along with the main stage performers, plans are underway for pre-show entertainment and activities that will be for all ages.

Local food trucks will be on-hand with the the Parks and Recreation Department currently taking reservations for the concert spots.

Cabildo also is returning with a performance on June 27. (Supplied)

“We are focusing on local food trucks of the Greater Grand Rapids area,” Martin said, adding the food truck line-up will be announced at a later date. “We are hoping to provide a space that brings people together to enjoy local bands and local food trucks.”

Concertgoers may bring their own food, however alcohol is not permitted in the park. Attendees also may bring blankets and chairs to sit on while enjoying the performances.

“We’re excited to see the bands and to see everyone happy, enjoying the summer weather and our parks,” Martin said.

The Concerts in the Park 2023 Lineup:

June 13: The Reverend Jesse Ray is a one-man band, rock ’n’ roll experience.

June 20: Michael Hulett is a musician and vocalist who performs a variety of music such as jazz, R&B, pop, rock, and a sprinkling of country music.

June 27: Cabildo is a West Michigan-based alternative Latin rock collective that brings a unique blend of cambia, ska, folk, and other genres of music from Latin America.

July 11: Sarena Rae is a Grand Rapids based vocalist covering a variety of musical genres.

July 18: Klay N’ The Mud is a West Michigan-based cover band.

July 25: La Furia Del Ritmo will perform Latin music.

Aug. 1: The Soul Syndicate offers up classic soul, R&B and funk.

Aug. 8: Patty Pershayla & The Mayhaps features a former small-town pageant queen who has turned into a rock ’n’ roll powerhouse. 

State budget proposal aims to fill kids’ hunger gap

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Education, Food, Hard News,

By Sophia Brandt
Capital News Service

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has proposed a new $160 million for school lunches to help close the hunger gap created when federal funding ended. (Pxhere.com)

LANSING – Michigan schoolchildren may be at risk of going hungry due to the federal government eliminating funding for free meals in public schools after the pandemic.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is now pushing a new $160 million proposal to close the hunger gap created when federal funding ended. If passed, Michigan would be the fourth state to offer free meals to all public school students.

“Regardless of the community, there are always hungry kids,” said Daniel Connors, the director of food and nutrition services at Chippewa Valley Schools in Macomb County.

Free meals were part of COVID relief

In July 2022, statewide free meals were no longer federally funded in Michigan. This school year, free and reduced meals programs are limited to families who cannot cover the costs.

The previous funding was provided through COVID-19 relief from the federal government. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says families have to go back to the way things were pre-pandemic.

 

According to the Michigan League for Public Policy, around 715,000 kids in the K-12 public school system qualified for free and reduced meals in 2021, based on household income.

Access to all

Overall, about 1,443,456 children were enrolled in public schools in the 2021-22 school year, according to Michigan School Data.

Offering free meals for all students “removes the burden of worrying about paying for school meals, both for students and families. It also removes the stigma that may be associated with eating school-provided meals and removes the stress of filling out paperwork from parents,” said Mary Darnton, the food service director for Jenison & Hudsonville Schools in Georgetown Township, between Grand Rapids and Holland.

Darnton is also the president of the executive board of the School Nutrition Association of Michigan.

Connors said children who cannot afford a meal and don’t receive benefits may be given an alternative meal in some districts. When that happens, it may add to the stigma surrounding free and reduced meals.

“It is comforting at every level for teachers, parents, administrators and lunch workers. We just want to be able to feed our students and have that be the focus without worrying about paperwork and signatures,” Darnton said.

Connors said a lot of teachers keep snacks in their classroom cabinets. If children are getting school-provided meals, that weight is lifted off of teachers.

Not everyone meets the qualifications

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s guidelines use household size and gross income to determine eligibility.

 

Darnton said, “The thing with the guidelines is that they are set at the federal level. If a family is $1 over the income limit, we can’t extend the benefits. On paper, it may look as though the family does not qualify, but in real life the money for school meals may not be in that family’s budget.”

Whitmer has proposed that the state spend $160 million, which will cover free breakfast and lunch for 1.4 million students at K-12 schools, in the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.

If free meals become available to all public school students again, Darnton said the main challenge will be learning how to work within the new system.

Darnton said that providing free meals during the pandemic helped prepare school districts to do so again.

“Challenges for food service directors, like me, will be knowing participation will rise and making sure we can get supplies, staffing and training. We will have to learn how to feed students for free,” she said.

What is happening across the country

California, Maine and Colorado have moved away from traditional eligibility-based free and reduced meal programs and now offer free meals to all students.

 

According to the Food Research and Action Center, located in Washington, D.C., California and Maine passed legislation in 2021 to continue providing free meals even after the federal support ended.

In 2022, Colorado voters passed a proposal that raised taxes for incomes over $300,000. The added revenue will fund the Healthy School Meals for All Program to offer free lunch in public schools, said the National Conference of State Legislatures.

 

Michigan would become the fourth state with free school meals for all students if lawmakers adopt Whitmer’s proposal.

With rising inflation, grocery bills have been adding up, Darnton said, and enabling kids to eat breakfast and lunch at school five days a week will ultimately improve household financial situations.

 

Darnton said, “This is money that gets to stay at home and in the household.”

That means families can use that money for things like rent, utilities and everyday necessities, Darnton said.

“No matter what socioeconomic background, if it means smoother mornings, kids who are ready to learn and fewer discipline issues, schools are here and ready to feed those kids,” she said.

Sophia Brandt

Sophia Brandt is a journalism major with a concentration in writing, editing and reporting. She expects to graduate from Michigan University in spring 2024. Her goals include publishing impactful stories and working for a newspaper in a big city.

Broadway Grand Rapids announces 2023-2024 season

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Recreation, , , , ,

By John Gonzalez
WKTV Contributor

Broadway Grand Rapids President and CEO Meghan Distel and Bob Bucci from Broadway Across Grand Rapids announces the 2023-2024 season. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)

Not one, but two Michigan premieres highlight a “thrilling”new season for Broadway Grand Rapids, which announced its 2023-2024 shows on Monday as part of a preview at DeVos Performance Hall.

Celebrating its 35th anniversary, BGR will bring the Michigan premiere of Broadway’s most Tony Award-winning new show of the season, “MJ,” and the musical comedy revival of “Funny Girl,” announced president and CEO Meghan Distel.

Other shows include: “Disney’s Aladdin,” the entertaining “TINA- The Tina Turner Musical,” and the critically acclaimed new play, Harper Lee’s “To Kill A Mockingbird.” In addition, patrons will have the option to add the ever-popular “Les Misérables” and “Wicked.”

“We are thrilled to celebrate our 35th anniversary season with such a stellar line-up” Distel said. “From ‘MJ’ to ‘Aladdin,’ the season is diverse, wildly entertaining, and truly offers something for everyone. It’s the very best of Broadway, adds vibrancy to our city, and keeps Grand Rapids on the map as a cultural destination.”

Ticket Prices

Five-show season packages which include “Funny Girl,” “TINA-The Tina Turner Musical,” “Disney’s Aladdin,” “To Kill A Mockingbird,” and “MJ,” start at $225 and are available now at BroadwayGrandRapids.com/Subscribe, at the Broadway Grand Rapids box office located at 122 Lyon St NW (Monday – Friday 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.) or by calling the dedicated subscriber hotline at 1-866-928-7469 (Monday – Friday 10a.m. – 5 p.m.).

Season ticket holders have the option to add “Les Misérables” and “Wicked” to their package now. All subscribers are guaranteed the same seats for each show in the five-show package and receive exclusive benefits including interest free payment plan, flexible exchanges, online ticket management, and ability to auto-renew year after year.

For current season ticket holders, the deadline to renew is Monday, March 27.

All performances will be presented at DeVos Performance Hall in downtown Grand Rapids.

Subscription Series

Broadway Grand Rapids President and CEO Meghan Distel and Bob Bucci from Broadway Across Grand Rapids announce that “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical” will be part of the 2023-2024 season. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)

FUNNY GIRL – Featuring one of the greatest musical scores of all time, including classic songs “Don’t Rain On My Parade,” “I’m the Greatest Star,” and “People,” this bittersweet comedy is the story of the indomitable Fanny Brice, a girl from the Lower East Side who became one of the most beloved performers in history, shining brighter than the brightest lights of Broadway.

TINA – The Tina Turner Musical – “TINA–The Tina Turner Musical” is the triumphant story of the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll set to the pulse-pounding soundtrack of her most beloved hits. “TINA–The Tina Turner Musical” presents Tina’s journey against all odds to become one of the world’s most beloved artists of all time. Featuring her much loved songs, “TINA–The Tina Turner Musical” is written by Pulitzer Prize award-winning playwright Katori Hall and directed by the internationally acclaimed Phyllida Lloyd.

Disney’s ALADDIN – Discover a whole new world at ALADDIN, the hit Broadway musical. From the producer of The Lion King comes the timeless story of ALADDIN, a thrilling new production filled with unforgettable beauty, magic, comedy and breathtaking spectacle. It’s an extraordinary theatrical event where one lamp and three wishes make the possibilities infinite.

Jacob Dickey, who stars as Aladdin in the Broadway production of Disney “Aladdin.” performs during the season announcement event. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)

Harper Lee’s TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD – All rise for Academy Award winner Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation of Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterwork. The New York Times Critic’s Pick TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD is “the most successful American play in Broadway history” (60Minutes). New York Magazine calls it “a real phenomenon. Majestic and incandescent, it’s filled with breath and nuance and soul.” With direction by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD has quickly become “one of the greatest plays in history” (NPR).

MJ – The music. The moves. The icon. Now, the unparalleled artistry of the greatest entertainer of all time comes to Grand Rapids. MJ, the multi–Tony Award-winning new musical centered around the making of the 1992 Dangerous World Tour, begins a tour of its own. Created by Tony Award-winning Director/Choreographer Christopher Wheeldon and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage, MJ goes beyond the singular moves and signature sound of the star, offering a rare look at the creative mind and collaborative spirit that catapulted Michael Jackson into legendary status.

Package Add-Ons

LES MISÉRABLES – Cameron Mackintosh presents the acclaimed production of Boublil and Schönberg’s Tony Award- winning musical phenomenon. LES MISÉRABLES. Set against the backdrop of 19th century France. LES MISÉRABLES is a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. Seen by over 130 million people worldwide in 53 countries and 22 languages. LES MISÉRABLES still undisputedly “one of the greatest musicals ever created” (Chicago Tribune).

WICKED – WICKED, the Broadway sensation, looks at what happened in the Land of Oz…but from a different angle. Long before Dorothy arrives, there is another young woman, born with emerald-green skin — smart, fiery, misunderstood, and possessing an extraordinary talent. When she meets a bubbly blonde who is exceptionally popular, their initial rivalry turns into the unlikeliest of friendships…until the world decides to call one “good,” and the other one “wicked.” From the first electrifying note to the final breathtaking moment, WICKED—the untold true story of the Witches of Oz—transfixes audiences with its wildly inventive story that USA Today cheers is “a complete triumph! An original musical that will make you laugh, cry, and think.”

For more information about events visit www.BroadwayGrandRapids.com

What is an irrevocable Life Insurance Trust, and how does it work?

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Finances

By Dave Stanley
Integrity Financial Services, LLC

“The things you do for yourself are gone when you are gone, but the things you do for others remain as your legacy.” – Kalu Ndukwe Kalu

Created to own and control a life insurance policy or policies while the insured is alive, Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts (ILITs) are tools that are sometimes recommended by estate and planners. ILITS also manages and distributes proceeds from a policy when an insured dies.

ILITS have three components: a grantor (creator of the trust), a trustee (manager of the trust), and a beneficiary or beneficiaries. Beneficiaries are those who receive the assets of the trust when the grantor dies.

In an ILIT, the trustee purchases the policy or policies, and the trust becomes the owner. When insurance benefits are paid out upon the grantor’s death, the trustee collects those funds, pays any estate taxes due, along with outstanding debts such as legal fees and probate costs, then distributes the rest to the beneficiaries.

What are the benefits of an ILIT?

The primary reason most people consider an Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust is to help mitigate estate taxes. Over the past few years, the government has increased the estate and gift tax exemption to $11.58 million per individual. Since the majority of people don’t come anywhere close to that amount, the tax benefits of an ILIT are not as attractive as they once were.

Still, there are other reasons people choose an ILIT. These include:

· Beneficiary incapacity: If a life insurance beneficiary is incapacitated, having an ILIT can prevent the court system from controlling the proceeds.

· Provides cash to pay expenses: If there are estate taxes or other debts, an ILIT will provide immediate money to pay those expenses.

· More control: A properly-designed ILIT gives you more control over the policy or policies and the use of proceeds.

· Income for a spouse: An ILIT can provide Income to your spouse without that money being included in the spouse’s estate.

· Potential protection for heirs: Depending on the state in which you live, proceeds from life insurance payouts may have protection from creditors.

· Ability to include a “Spend-Thrift” Provision: If you have an heir or heirs who have issues managing money, your ILIT trust can contain a spend-thrift provision. A spend-thrift provision pays your beneficiaries monthly instead of giving them a lump sum upfront.

ILITS are not for everyone. They have some definite cons worth considering:

  • ILITS generally cannot be modified. The “irrevocable” part of an ILIT means that it is nearly impossible to make changes other than changing your trustee. Once you place a policy in an ILIT, you give up all rights to that policy. You cannot reassign it to a different trust or entity. ILITS are complex and nuanced legal vehicles requiring the expertise of an attorney who specializes in trusts. They are rather expensive to create and maintain, and you should consider these costs.
    • ILITs can be very expensive to create and maintain. An ILIT is not something you can do yourself with online software. It requires the often pricey services of an experienced estate planning attorney. In addition to setup costs for an ILIT, there are also ongoing expenses that can add up.

While an ILIT offers certain advantages for high-net-worth individuals, it is far from the only option. There are many different kinds of trusts. Each of these trusts are designed to solve specific estate issues.

If you are considering forming a trust, use an authorized professional and experienced trust designer (attorney) who understands your goals and unique financial situation to see if an ILIT is the best choice. Legal representation is important when considering an ILIT; never attempt this alone.

Dave Stanley is the host of Safe Money Radio WOOD1300 AM, 106.9 FM and a Financial Advisor and Writer at Integrity Financial Service, LLC, Grandville, MI 49418, Telephone 616-719-1979 or  Register for Dave’s FREE Newsletter at 888-998-3463  or click this link:  Dave Stanley Newsletter – Annuity.com  Dave is a member of Syndicated Columnists, a national organization committed to a fully transparent approach to money management.

Wyoming hosts meetings on May millage proposal

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

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

Starting in March, City of Wyoming residents will have the opportunity to attend public informational meetings about the upcoming May millage proposal that would provide funding to support public safety needs including staffing.

In October, the Wyoming City Council approved a ballot proposal for a millage rate increase of 1.5 mills for a period of five years. For a $200,000 residential home which has a taxable value of $100,000, the additional cost would be about $150 annually.

 

If approved on May 2, the proposal would generate an additional $4 million in revenue each year. The revenue would help fund 14 police officers and 13 fire fighters.

 

“This would bring us back up to where the staffing was about 20 years ago,” said Chief Kim Koster. “While we have had an increase in population we have not kept up with that growth through our police and fire staffing.”

Various factors have impacted staffing

There are are number of factors that have caused this situation. About 20 years ago, the country faced the 2008 recession with the city reducing staffing across the board which included police and fire. During that period, the city also lost several major employers, such as Studio 28 and the 36th Street GM plant.

Chief Kim Koster (Supplied)

Another factor is the increased training requirements that have made it difficult for paid-on call firefighters to maintain required standards. The city has seen its paid-on-call staff go from 40 to 6. The Wyoming fire department also handles the highest number of calls in the area, around 265 per firefighter. The City of Grand Rapids averages 124 calls per firefighter while the City of Kentwood averages about 110 calls per firefighter. This sometimes means there is no city firefighters available to respond for calls for service with other cities such as Grand Rapids and Kentwood sending people to respond.

The calls for service are not just for fires, but for a variety of safety issues such as tree damage, wires down, vehicle crashes, gas leaks and medical calls.

On the police side, the city has about 1.3 police officers per 1,000 people which is below the national average of 2.4. This does impact response times. Koster also noted due to the volume, complexity and severity of calls for service, officers do not have the time for self-initiated, proactive activities. Just like the fire department, sometimes there are no officers available to respond to calls for service.

Increase staff = enhance crime prevention

The increase in police staff would enhance crime prevention and improve traffic safety, Koster said, adding that it also would result in faster police and fire response times to emergencies in the city.

There is about .36 of a firefighter for every 1,000 Wyoming residents. (Supplied)

The additional fire staffing would reduce the city’s dependence on mutual aid from other municipalities. In 2020, the city had to rely on other departments 140 times because its fire department was on another call. The additional staffing also would allow the city to fully staff its four fire stations 24/7, something that has not happened in a while, Koster said.

The city has seen some of those benefits with the hiring of 10 of the officers needed through the United States Department of Justice Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Program. Through the funding, which decreases every year over a three-year period, the public safety department was able to add an afternoon community police unit which has helped with safety of residents as well as problems in the neighborhoods and businesses, Koster said.

On the fire side, seven of the 13 firefighters have been hired, which has helped to reduce the city’s reliance — a little — on mutual aid and provide limited staffing to the stations that currently have none, she said.

Opportunity to meet those in the field

If the millage is passed, it would sustain those added positions along with adding four positions to police and six to fire.

According to City of Wyoming Communication Specialist Brianna Peña-Wojtanek, the first meeting, March 9, will be an informational format with Koster, Interim City Manager John McCarter, and Mayor Kent Vanderwood presenting information about the millage proposal and where the city is now for police and fire staffing. The other two meetings, March 27 and April 27, will provide information along with opportunities for residents to meet and talk to city police officers and firefighters.

For more about the millage, visit wyomingmi.gov/millage. At the information website site is a tax calculator for residents to determine how the proposed millage would impact their property taxes. 

Reward money increased to $5,000 for Santino Ysasi homicide

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Hard News,

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

Santino “Tino” Ysasi (Supplied)

“Protector.” That is the one word that Santino Ysasi’s sister said would best describe her bother.

“He was the big brother of seven,” said Christina Mller, of Greenville, adding there were eight children in their family. “He looked out for us. He mostly taught us what life was about. He was the protector.”

Ysasi, 46, was killed on Oct. 19 at around 3:30 a.m. behind the now closed St. James Catholic Church on Bridge Street NW. Someone discovered his body around 9:45 a.m. The Kent County Meidical Examiner ruled the death a homicide but has not shared how Santino “Tino” Ysasi died.

Family man

Born and raised in Grand Rapids, Ysasi worked for his grandfather, Martin Morales, who owned Little Mexico Cafe on Grand Rapids’ West Side. He also worked worked at Adobe, Beltline Bar, and Casa Martina. He was a businessman, running a business removing personal items after an eviction. He also worked at Fence Consultants, running a crew for the company, and eventually did roadside service.

Recently, Ysasi had fallen on hard times and was homeless, living behind the St. James Catholic Church.

“He was not one to ask for help,”Miller said, adding that most of the family were unaware that he was homeless. “Living in Greenville, I would see him at family events and he never said anything about needing help.

“If I had known, I would have had him come up and stay with me. He would not have liked it because he was city boy,” she said with a small laugh, “but he didn’t say anything and I think it was because he didn’t want to put any stress on me.”

Along with leaving behind his siblings and mother, Ysasi was the father of five and the grandfather of two. Family was important to Ysasi, Miller said, adding he did everything he could to support his family.

Reward raised to $5,000

His family is hoping that a recent increase to reward money for tips to the person or persons responsible for the death of Ysasi, will help bring closure. The reward money for tips is now $5,000.

“It is really hard to move forward because we don’t know why,” Miller said. “It is the reason I decided to add the $1,800 to put the award at $5,000. The economy is a little tough right now and I am hoping this will help encourage people to come forward.”

From WOODTV, the video released by the Grand Rapids Police Department on a person of interest in the Santino Ysasi homicide.

Earlier this month, the Grand Rapids Police released video of a person walking around the scene and are hoping people will take note of how the individual is dressed and other features to help identify who the person is.

“No one can figure out why,” Miller said. “We have talked to those in the homeless community and they have told us Tino always keep things cool and tried to work things out between people.

“For now the focus is on gettin justice for Tino and proving the family with some peace.”

Anyone with information about Santino’s homicide and who is involved is urged to contact the Grand Rapids Police Major Case Team at 616-456-3380 or Silent Observer, safely and anonymously, at 616-774-2345 or at silentobserver.org. State law protects Silent Observer’s tips and records which assures anonymity. Silent Observer will pay the enhanced $5,00 reward for information given to one of its tip lines that leads to the killer’s arrest.

Hoping to make a difference

Miller said while the family can not rollback time and prevent what happened to Ysasi, they do recognize they can make a difference to those living on the street. It is why they are giving back to the homeless community by hosting a hot dog event in March.

“Having the opportunity to talk to so many people in this community and hear their stories, especially during the candlelight vigil for Tino, it really has changed my perspective on when I see someone on the street asking for a dollar,” Miller said.

Advocates say affordable housing budget proposal falls short

3-bottom, ,

By Andrew Roth
Capital News Service

Making older homes energy efficient is one concern. (Pxhere.com)

LANSING – While Gov. Gretchen Whitmer called for the state to invest $437 million in affordable housing in her budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year, environmental advocates say she didn’t go far enough.

Whitmer’s proposal falls far short of the $1.6 billion investment environmental groups hoped for after some Democratic legislators pushed unsuccessfully for that amount last year.

Charlotte Jameson, the chief policy officer for the Michigan Environmental Council, said Whitmer’s proposed budget is a good starting point to begin negotiating with the Legislature.

“The important building blocks are all there for further negotiations,” Jameson said.

Whitmer acknowledged that her budget is unlikely to be passed exactly as presented, joking in a press conference, “That’s going to be pretending. We know how this process goes.”

Moving in the right direction

José Reyna, the executive director of the Grand Rapids nonprofit GreenHome Institute, said that even though the plan falls short of what organizations in the “Resilient Homes Michigan” coalition hoped for, he is still pleased with what Whitmer included.

Jose Reyna (Courtesy, Green Home Institute)

“It’s incremental, and that’s typically how funding works in government,” Reyna said. “To move in that direction was a positive signal of things to come in the future.”

Whitmer’s proposal for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1 includes funds to improve energy efficiency through rebates on home appliances, develop new affordable housing options and rehabilitate vacant, underused and blighted structures.

Her new $437 million affordable housing proposal comes on top of an additional $300 million for housing the Legislature recently approved for this fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30.

 

That budget supplement included money to convert underused properties, like vacant factories and schools, into housing and small businesses.

Addressing the need for middle-class housing

The need for middle class housing has to be addressed. (Pxhere.com)

It also included funding for the “Missing Middle” program, which builds housing for middle-class families. Whitmer expanded eligibility for that program.

 

Whitmer’s office noted that someone earning the median income in the state could afford a house priced around $175,000, but the average cost of a new home is $307,000.

Additionally, half of renters spend more than 30% of their paycheck “just to keep a roof over their heads,” Whitmer’s office said.

 

Employees making minimum wage would have to work two full-time jobs to afford the fair market value rent of a two-bedroom home, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition in Washington, D.C. They would have to work 61 hours per week to afford a one-bedroom home.

And that’s before accounting for utilities and other costs, which can be especially pricey in aging homes that are poorly insulated and have energy-inefficient appliances.

Making homes more energy efficient

Consumers Energy and DTE customers also face increasing utility costs because of the spike in fossil fuel prices. Low- and moderate-income households spend between 6% and 21% of their income on energy, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Whitmer’s office notes that 47% of the state’s housing stock was built before 1970, highlighting the need for improvements to energy efficiency.

Jameson said, “Electric and gas utility bills for Michiganders are set to hit an all new high next year as rising costs for methane gas and fossil fuels get passed on to customers.”

Jameson said that investing in weatherization and transitions to electric heat pumps and other energy technology would help consumers avoid the “sticker shock brought on by a dependence on volatile fossil fuels.”

According to a report from the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, every $1 invested in reducing energy waste in homes – through more efficient windows, lighting and other technologies – could save homeowners $3.20 or more on future energy bills.

Laura Sherman, the president of the Michigan Energy Innovation Business Council, said weatherizing homes is not only good for the environment, but also for the economy.

 

“Weatherization is an important tool for reducing home energy costs while ensuring our homes are safe and comfortable,” Sherman said. “These projects also support and help grow Michigan’s workforce.

 

“Advanced energy companies employ close to 120,000 people in Michigan, with the majority of those jobs connected to energy efficiency,” she said.

Weatherizing not always always possible

However, weatherizing older houses is challenging due to other side effects of their age.

 

According to the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, 25% of all weatherization projects across the state are deferred because the buildings need a new roof or upgrades to remove carbon monoxide to qualify for funding administered by the state.

 

That proportion is even higher in older areas like Detroit, where the deferral rate is as high as 75%.

Briana DuBose, the director of strategic community initiatives for Detroit nonprofit EcoWorks, said further investment would help address socioeconomic disparities in the impacts of climate change.

“Low-income communities and communities of color are shouldering the impacts of our climate crisis and are the least able to cope with rising costs,” DuBose said.

 

DuBose said the full investment of $1.6 billion would have ensured that “we are building wealth by investing in communities that we have historically left behind.”

Buildings and appliances are the third-highest producers of greenhouse gas emissions in the state.

“Buildings are responsible for close to 20% of Michigan’s greenhouse gas emissions, and combustion of fossil fuels indoors from heating and cooking leads to unsafe levels of toxic air emissions in our homes,” DuBose said.

The state’s first Statewide Housing Plan

Reyna said proposals for more state spending on affordable housing could face challenges from legislators and groups who oppose development incentives.

Whitmer signed an executive directive earlier this month reorganizing how the state funds and builds housing. The change shifted the administration of some grants from the Michigan Strategic Fund to the State Housing Development Authority, a move that her office says allows more flexible funding to promote and expedite housing innovation.

Last year, Whitmer released the state’s first Statewide Housing Plan with goals to build or rehabilitate 75,000 housing units, weatherize and improve energy efficiency for 15,000 homes, and make housing more secure for 100,000 families.

Grand Valley board approves campus Master Plan

3-bottom, Area Education, Education, Hard News,

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

GVSU Board of Trustees approves a new Master Plan. (Courtesy, GVSU)

The Grand Valley State University Board of Trustees approved the university’s Master Plan at its Feb. 24 meeting at the Pew Grand Rapids Campus. Trustees heard the plan is designed to embrace technology and create an environment for diverse learners and advance equity.

The plan envisions a more cohesive footprint at the Pew Grand Rapids Campus, providing more greenspace with a “campus quad” near the Seidman Center, a student center/dining hall and a new Center for Talent, Technology & Transformation known as Blue Dot, among other improvements.

“The approval of the campus Master Plan does not represent a commitment of capital, but does help focus the vision and anticipated capital projects for Grand Valley campuses and aligns them to support Reach Higher 2025,” said Trustee Elizabeth Emmitt. “It is exciting to imagine how the campuses will evolve and think about the impact on our community.”

Blue Dot would serve as a keystone component of a planned renovation and expansion of the Eberhard Center, which is located adjacent to the Grand River in downtown Grand Rapids.

In Allendale, the plan shows a more pedestrian friendly layout with more modern living centers, a renovated and expanded Kirkhof Center and continued improvements of athletics facilities.

One major idea includes converting Campus Drive to focus on pedestrian and bus traffic while diverting most traffic to Laker Drive. The plan also calls for the phased replacement of Kistler, Copeland and Robinson living centers, which are the original living centers from the 1960s, with more modern facilities.

At the Health Campus in Grand Rapids, plans call for adapting and renovating classrooms and other areas for new technologies and to better accommodate nursing and health sciences curriculum.

The board also heard a presentation from Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police Brandon DeHaan about safety measures and planning on campus in the wake of the shootings at Michigan State University.

The presentation followed a February 23 campus safety briefing DeHaan hosted with President Philomena V. Mantella and Sgt. William O’Donnell, Grand Valley’s emergency manager.

In other board action:

  • Jesse Bernal, chief of staff to the president and vice president for Inclusion and Equity, said Grand Valley is leading Michigan in advancing diversity and inclusion. Bernal presented highlights from the Division of Inclusion and Equity’s annual report, stating Grand Valley’s graduation rates for students of color and underrepresented students surpass rates of those cohorts at other Michigan public universities. Bernal said equity gaps on campus are closing due, in part, to the coordinated approach to inclusion and equity adopted in 2015.
  • Trustees approved the reauthorization of four public charter school academies, Chandler Woods Charter Academy, in Belmont; East Arbor Charter Academy, in Ypsilanti; and two Michigan Mathematics and Science Academy locations in Warren. Trustees also approved appointment or reappointment of charter school board members.
  • Trustees welcomed the return of Shelley Padnos and the new appointment of Ronald Hall to the board. Padnos, an attorney and the current executive vice president of PADNOS, a company known for its innovative recycling process, previously served on the board from 2007-2014. Hall, a Southeast Michigan business leader and attorney, is new to the board. Both were appointed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to eight-year terms beginning February 2.

Turkey farms spared so far from avian flu

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Environment, Hard News, Health, Local Business, Local Food, , ,

By Dan Netter
WKTV Contributor

The avian flu has not harmed Michigan’s commercial turkey farms to date. (Photo by Mikkel Bergmann)

LANSING – While avian flu has disrupted poultry flocks in Michigan and spurred higher egg and chicken prices, turkeys in Michigan – wild and farmed alike – have been spared from the virulent disease, industry leaders and government officials say.

Megan Moriarty, a wildlife veterinary specialist for the Department of Natural Resources, said the agency conducted surveillance for avian flu last spring and fall, finding the virus primarily in swan, geese, ducks, vultures and eagles and, on a lesser scale, hawks and falcons.

Moriarty said no cases of avian flu among wild turkeys were found.

Turkeys have less risk factors

Turkeys are at less risk of infection than many other bird species because of a handful of factors, Moriarty said.

Wild turkeys are not scavengers, so they don’t get sick from eating infected animals. They also don’t travel together in colonies, meaning mass transmission of avian flu is unlikely, she said.

Avian flu, according to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, has been found in domestic backyard flocks of poultry in 15 counties in the state.

No cases have been reported so far in 2023, according to the department’s communications director, Jennifer Holton.

Nancy Barr, the executive director of the Michigan Allied Poultry Industries, said avian flu has been spotted in one commercial flock of turkeys since the start of 2022, but turkey farmers have prevented its spread to other flocks since.

Barr said since that initial case in 2022, turkey farmers have implemented biosecurity measures like perimeter buffer areas that control which people and vehicles can enter a farm.

Not crossing the line

“They draw an imaginary line around the outside of the farm and they have certain restrictions for any vehicles or people that come across that line to make sure that they aren’t potentially bringing anything from the outside,” Barr said.

A more important biosecurity measure is the line of separation at a barn door, according to Barr.

That means only farmworkers can enter barns where turkeys are housed, she said. Those workers have had no contact with other poultry and change clothes and sometimes shower before going in.

“That’s probably one of the most primary things they do,” Barr said. “Equipment is cleaned or designated just for that house. So it’s thinking about every single thing that comes into that house to keep those birds healthy.”

Spring migration a concern

Barr said that turkey farmers are nervous about the upcoming northward migration of other birds from the South this spring.

According to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, symptoms of avian flu in birds include sneezing, coughing, diarrhea, nasal discharge, swelling in body parts, loss of energy and appetite, discoloration and sudden death.

 

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in 2021, Michigan ranked 10th in the nation for numbers of turkeys raised, with 5.1 million annually.

Ottawa and Allegan counties are the only two counties with more farmed turkeys than human residents, according to the USDA. Ottawa County produces 70% of Michigan’s commercially raised turkeys.

Protecting the local turkey industry

Ottawa County Emergency Management Director Louis Hunt, who handles avian flu matters, said the county takes the disease seriously because of the threat posed to turkey producers in the area.

He said when he has visited farms that have turkeys and other poultry, the precautions taken by the producers were “impressive.”

“First of all, you’re met with all the signs that these are biosecure facilities, and I guess that sounds intimidating,” Hunt said about his farm visits. “They have taken great pains to keep separated any potential vectors” of the disease.

On his visits, Hunt had to certify that he had no contact with any poultry in “multiple” days. He also had to be decontaminated and change his clothes.

 

He said owners of backyard flocks in Ottawa County have received information about what to watch out for and were ordered to immediately report any infection.

As for the upcoming migratory season, Moriarty said the DNR is preparing for a resurgence of cases in the spring and flu for wild birds, based on last year’s experience.

“Migration and large-scale movements of different bird species, it’s kind of a perfect scenario to have the virus be mixing and moving across the landscape,” he said.

Barr said Michigan is in the “Mississippi flyway,” a major bird migration route, producers will be watching their flocks diligently to ensure as little infection as possible.Most producers will assume the migrating birds are potentially infected. 

Dan Netter is a journalist who started at Michigan State University in 2019. His interest in journalism includes policy reporting, identity reporting and a little bit of news design. Other places where Dan’s work has appeared include The State News and 101.9 WDET-FM. His favorite song is “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” by Marvin Gaye.

Ford International Airport invites West Michigan artists to submit proposals for wall art installations

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Travel, West Michigan, , ,
The mural, “Chickens Don’t Fly Too Much,” was designed and installed by local artist Reb Roberts in 2020 in the Ford International Airport. The 80-foot mural is part of the Airport’s Public Art Program (created in partnership with the Frey Foundation) and is located on the ramp leading up to Concourse A. (Courtesy, Ford International Airport)



By WKTV Staff

greer@wktv.org



The Gerald R. Ford International Airport is requesting proposals for murals and 2D wall art applications to be displayed in the newly expanded $110 million Concourse A.



Designed by architect Jorge Barrero of HKS, Concourse A will mimic the experience of arriving in West Michigan. Artists should aim to complement West Michigan’s identity from the blues of Lake Michigan and the natural tans of the dunes to the grays and purples of the urban core to the greens of the forests and farmland in between.

“This new modernized concourse was designed to reflect the unique characteristics of our region,” said Tory Richardson, Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority president and CEO. “Our design team was very intentional about creating opportunities within this new space to showcase the diverse talents of our local art community.”

The Concourse A project – part of the Elevate capital expansion program to enhance the Airport’s facilities and infrastructure – is designed to reflect the culture of the region. This $110 million extension will more than double the length and width of the existing concourse to meet the growing passenger demand for air travel.


90,000 square feet of new space

New dining options, amenities, such as an executive lounge, and retail options will be located throughout the 90,000 square feet of new space.

Thanks to support from the Frey Foundation, the Ford International Airport will continue to invest in the local art community through its public art program. Concourse A will feature three art mediums, including custom terrazzo flooring, a suspended art installation and wall art.

Artists interested in submitting proposals for mural and 2D wall art can find more information at flyford.org/elevate/opportunities. Submissions are due March 26, 2023.

Ford International Airport announces local artists selected to feature terrazzo art installations

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Travel, West Michigan, ,
(Courtesy, Ford International Airport)



By WKTV Staff

greer@wktv.org



The Gerald R. Ford International Airport is pleased to announce that four local artists have been selected to install permanent terrazzo floor art designs in the $110 million Concourse A expansion.

Thanks to support from the Frey Foundation, the Ford International Airport will continue to invest in local artists through its public art program. The Concourse A extension – part of Elevate capital expansion program – will feature three art mediums, including custom terrazzo flooring, a suspended art installation and wall art. The four artists selected to feature their terrazzo designs include:

  • George Eberhardt III
  • Kim Nguyen
  • Maureen Nollette
  • Michael Pfleghaar

“We are thrilled to feature these talented artists, each of whom brings a unique viewpoint of West Michigan, in our newly enhanced and modernized Concourse A,” said Tory Richardson, Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority president and CEO. “With millions of passengers passing through our Airport every year, we are delighted that the diverse talents of our art community will be showcased to all coming to our region.”

Each terrazzo design reflects a different aspect of West Michigan — from the blues of Lake Michigan to the natural tans of the dunes, the grays and purples of the urban core to the greens of the forests and farmland in between. Artists crafted designs to complement the physical context of the local region while also expressing the non-physical perception, diversity and unique identity of the larger West Michigan community.

George Eberhardt III, inspired by aspects of Katsushika Hokusai’s “The Great Wave off Kanagawa,” referenced Lake Michigan and its water elements in his design that measures a diameter of 15 feet.



George Eberhardt III. (Courtesy, Ford International Airport)



With a background in program development and curriculum design, Eberhardt focuses on enriching the lives of youth and diverse communities as an artist, muralist and art teacher. A previous ArtPrize® winner, Eberhardt’s mural work can be seen across West Michigan with pieces at Slows BBQ in downtown Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids Public Schools, West Grand Neighborhood Organization, Roosevelt Park Neighborhood Association, Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts, among many others. 



Kim Nguyen. (Courtesy, Ford International Airport)

Kim Nguyen referenced the cities and towns of Grand Rapids and surrounding West Michigan areas while also including representations of Grand Rapids’ agricultural, medical and manufacturing industries in her design. Her installation will pay homage to our community’s former moniker, “Furniture City,” while winding the Grand River and Grand Rapids’ proximity to the shores of Lake Michigan.

“I am overjoyed and feel incredibly honored to be one of the artists helping new residents and future travelers see the beauty of our home through artwork beneath their feet,” Nguyen said. “I have always felt a fondness for airports because they bring me the thrill of travel, and in the case of Ford International Airport, the relieving feeling of being almost home.

“I have a photograph where I am two years old and meeting my three older brothers at Ford International Airport, it is there that I met them and my grandparents for the very first time. Though I was born in Grand Rapids, my family are refugees and immigrants from Vietnam, and I can’t imagine what they felt when they landed here in West Michigan.”



Maureen Nollette. (Courtesy, Ford International Airport)




Maureen Nollette, inspired by a photograph she took of a Sand Cherry shrub on a roadside beach in Michigan, created designs to showcase the vastness of the Lake Michigan Dunes and the region’s native flora.

Nollette is currently the visiting assistant professor at Grand Valley State University in the department of Visual & Media Arts and was previously a resident artist for the Josef and Anni Alvers Foundation and Ngo Le Korsa Project in Sinthian, Africa, as well as for the Marble House Project in Dorset, Vermont.










Michael Pfleghaar recently completed a collection of plein air paintings which was translated into his terrazzo designs to replicate West Michigan’s natural forestry and agriculture.

Michael Pfleghaar. (Courtesy, Ford International Airport)

Pfleghaar has permanent collections at the Grand Rapids Art Museum, Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, Steelcase, Inc., Herman Miller, the State of Michigan and Grand Valley State University. Apple, HBO, CBS, ForeSee, Hayworth and Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts are a few of the organizations that have utilized his illustrative artwork.


The four terrazzo designs will be installed in highly visible locations for direct interaction with passengers. The artists worked closely with contractor, Central Tile and Terrazzo Co., to ensure the terrazzo accurately matches their artistic intent. 

The installation of the terrazzo art pieces is expected to be completed by June 2023. For more information about the artists and the capital expansion program, Elevate, visit flyford.org/elevate.

Byron Center will be the home of a new behavioral health hospital

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

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

A rendering of the front of the new Southridge Behavioral Hospital which will be located near the corner of 64th Street and Byron Center Avenue. (Courtesy, Trinity Health)

The groundbreaking of new 96-bed freestanding inpatient behavioral health hosptial located near the corner of 64ht Street and Byron Center Avenue is scheduled for this summer as plans for the facility progress.

Southridge Behavioral Hospital is a joint venture partnership between University Health Services and Trinity Health. In June of 2022, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) issued a Final Order granting Havenwyck Hospital Inc., a subsidiary of University Health Services, a certificate of need approval for 60 adult psychiatric beds, allowing University Health Services and Trinity Health Michigan to move forward with plans for the new facility.

“We are excited for the future opening of Southridge Behavioral Hospital, because we know there is an incredible need for inpatient services in our community,” said Matt Biersack, MD, president of Trinity Health Grand Rapids. “The acquisition of the land and design development are key milestones to making our vision a reality. We are excited to break ground this year, when we will really begin to see the hospital take shape.”

Southridge Behavioral Hospital, which is scheduled to open in 2025, will accommodate up to 96 beds, which includes the 60 adult beds plus 24 geriatric beds previously approved by MDHHS. The facility will be located at 2145 64th St. SW near Trinity Health Medical Center in Byron Center. The location is just south of the City of Wyoming and Byron Center boundary.

The design of the new hospital incorporates modern, innovative, evidence-based care elements that focus on patient safety. Programming will be tailored to individual patient needs, with core psychiatric services and counseling supplemented by enrichment activities such as art therapy, music therapy, pet therapy, and outdoor activity.

 

The facility will employ approximately 170 full-time and part-time staff including physicians, nurses, therapists, mental health technicians, administration, dietary, and housekeeping personal.

The Southridge Behavioral Hospital is designed to tie into the growing network of behavioral health services in the area, including UHS-operated Forest View Hospital and Trinity Health Michigan’s new partnership with Network 180 to open a Behavioral Health Crisis Center for the rapid availability of assessment services on a walk-in basis.

For more about the Southridge Behavioral Hospital, visit www.soutridgebh.com.

After a two-hear hiatus, Walk for Warmth returns

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

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

The Kent County Community Action’s 2023 Walk for Warmth will take place March 4. (Pxhere.com)

On average, households will pay 12.7 percent more for home heating this winter, according to the National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association (NEADA), which means more people may struggle to pay their heating bills.

With that in mind, the Kent County Community Action will bring back its Walk for Warmth event, designed to raise awareness and funds for heating fuel assistance programs.

 

“All of the money raised from this event will go straight to people who need help in keeping their utilities on,” said Gustavo Perez, the director of the Kent County Community Action.

The Walk for Warmth is a statewide event with local communities usually hosting the walk in February. The Ottawa County Community Action Agency hosted its event at the beginning of February. The Kent County Walk for Warmth is set for March 4. Participants will meat at 8:30 a.m. at the Kent County Community Action (KCCA) offices, 121 Martin Luther King Jr. St., Suite 110. The walk starts at 9 a.m. and will travel the block around the KCCA offices, which is Martin Luther king Jr. Street to Sheldon Avenue to Sycamore Street to Jefferson Avenue.

According to a recent report from NEADA, the national rate of utility arrearages (the amount of money families are behind on their electric and gas bills) is at about $16.6 billion since the end of the last winter season. About 20.8 million households, that is about one out of six, owed an average of $791. This is up slightly from June 2022 when the total arrearage place stood at about $16.3 billion and the average amount owed was about $783.

Closer to home, Perez said he is still compiling the 2022 numbers however, in 2021, Kent County Community Action helped more than 4,000 houses with gas, electric and water.

The Kent County Community Action provides a number of programs to Kent County residents, one of which is the Utility Assistance Program. Residents do need to qualify for the assistance.

In the past, when people did no qualify, Walk for Warmth funds were used, however; due to the COVID pandemic, KCCA was not able to host the walk for the past two years with the Walk for Warmth fund currently unavailable to assist homeowners.

“What this allows is for raised funds to help close the gap for those who cannot keep the utilities on in their homes,” Perez said.

The goal for this year’s event is to assistant more than 20 households, which means the 2023 Walk for Warmth would need to raise around $10,000.

“We are working with people who are facing shut-off, so we are only helping them get caught up so they can keep the heat on,” Perez said. “We are not paying for a single home’s heat for a year, but only the amount to make sure the heat does not get turned off.”

Those interested in participating in the walk or donating can register online at accesskent.com/departemtns/communityaction/walk_for_warmth.htm or click here. 

Coping with the aftermath of the MSU shootings

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, , ,

By Starr Commonwealth

Dr. Caelan Soma (Supplied)

As Michiganders struggle to deal with the aftermath of the Feb. 13 shootings at Michigan State University, many are juggling conflicting emotions: anger, fear, sadness, rage, grief, helplessness and others.

That’s all normal in light of the trauma we collectively witnessed Monday night, according to Dr. Caelan Soma, the chief clinical officer for Starr Commonwealth in Albion, Mich. Many watched the search in real time for the lone gunman who terrorized the East Lansing campus, killing three and sending five to the hospital before turning the gun on himself.

And many, Soma says, are struggling for answers days later.

Soma says the first step is validating the feeling that this was a very scary situation that elicited an acute stress response for many of us, whether we had a student or loved one on the MSU campus or a child on a campus across the country or we are Michiganders without a direct connection.

“You begin to relate to what those kids experienced last night and put yourself in their position,” Soma  said. “Even if you are safe at home, understand the person is no longer a threat and logically know the danger has passed, you can take on a lot of those symptoms and reactions as well.”

Those stress hormones can continue to roil in our bodies for weeks, keeping us on a high state of alert with fear and worry. Soma notes the next step is to find things that make you feel safe – and that can have little to do with logic.

“Telling yourself that the police have the shooter, he can’t hurt anyone anymore, that everyone is safe and lockdown is over isn’t helpful,” Soma explained. “What you have to do is help your body return to a state of balance.”

That can differ person by person, but Soma says it often comes back to connecting with people – hearing the voice of a loved one, spending time with friends, being able to discuss what happened and how you are feeling and then hearing others are feeling the same way. Other body-based ways to help you feel comfort and safety might include cozying up to watch a movie, listening to music, baking cookies, going for a walk or anything that helps you get your body back in balance.

“Our stress response is intense anxiety, and telling people to chill out doesn’t help,” she says. “They need to feel their body is chilling out and experiencing a sense of safety. It doesn’t matter how old you are.”

Founded in 1913 as a home for runaway and homeless boys, Starr Commonwealth has grown and evolved over the decades to provide community-based programs, education and behavioral health services that create and promote universal hope, boundless love and limitless success for children. Starr recognizes that trauma is real – but it does not seal an individual’s fate.

For more information about Starr Commonwealth and its services, visit starr.org.

5 ways to keep your heart healthy in 2023

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, medical moment, ,

By Ronald Grifka
University of Michigan Health-West

The recent cardiac arrest of the Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin during a Monday Night Football game coincides with the beginning of American Heart Month, and the annual February focus on cardiovascular health. Focus is needed for any health plan to be a success, but executing that plan poses a distinct challenge.

With many new research studies, medications, supplements and therapies available, formulating a health plan that most adults can maintain throughout the year can be confusing. Here are five tips that should be both sustainable and successful.

1. Diet and exercise

The familiar trope ― more exercise, healthier diet ― remains the best place to start. The benefits to your heart of a healthy diet and exercise can fill a library of books.

 

Adding exercise is an important tool for a healthy heart. (Pxhere.com)

The typical American diet is riddled with too many calories, excessive carbohydrates, and the wrong type of fats. An unhealthy diet can lead to numerous health problems including diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart attacks, strokes and cancer, just to name a few. Billions of dollars are spent on these health problems caused by an unhealthy diet and lack of exercise.

 

Without making changes, an unhealthy lifestyle can rob us from months and years of great life with our family and friends. Are those chips, dips and large sodas more valuable than another healthy year or two with your kids? Grandkids? Friends? Travel?

Let’s make 2023 the year we get off the couch, put down the remote control and cell phone, choose a small beverage (instead of the supersize) and get some exercise.

2. Drink more water

As we eat better and exercise more, another health problem comes into focus: chronic dehydration.

Drink plenty of water to make it easier for your heart to pump blood. (Pxhere.com)

Sixty percent of our body is water, so better hydration is beneficial to many bodily systems ― including circulation. Keeping the body hydrated helps the heart more easily pump blood through the blood vessels to the muscles. It helps the muscles work more efficiently, effectively reducing the heart stress on well-hydrated individuals.

A myriad of problems results from dehydration, including muscle cramps, fatigue, headaches, and immune system dysfunction, just to name a few. Take your water bottle to work or school, fill it several times a day, and enjoy the benefits of drinking water. The cost is almost nothing, while the benefits are enormous.

3. Remember your annual check-up

Annual check-ups are important. (Pxhere.com)

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many in-person health examinations and preventative studies were canceled. Now is the time to make sure you see your health care provider to get a thorough physical examination and recommended tests (blood work, x-rays, etc). These include screenings for diabetes, hypertension, and other diseases of the heart.

In addition to annual check-ups, don’t forget any important screening tests for your demographic group, such as a colonoscopy or mammogram. As the pandemic wanes, we are starting to see patients returning for evaluation. Unfortunately, we are detecting advanced health problems that were ignored during the pandemic. The treatment for these ignored problems will be more demanding, aggressive, expensive ― and possibly less successful.

 

See your healthcare provider soon to get a thorough physical exam, and recommended tests to prevent any avoidable health problems.

4. Quit smoking

Heart attacks are side affects from vaping and legalized recreational marijuana. (Pxhere.com)

The U.S. has done an amazing job to decrease cigarette smoking. The detrimental health effects of smoking are profound, well-documented, and affect every system in the body.

 

In the last few years, however, vaping and legalized recreational marijuana use have eroded our progress. Heart attacks are among the many side effects of smoking, which also include oral cancers, lung cancers, strokes and COPD (emphysema). Chemicals used in popular vape flavors like clove, mint and vanilla can harm blood vessel cells that help keep the heart healthy.

Make 2023 the year to not light up or vape.

5. Sleep

Getting seven to nine hours of sleet every night is another healthy step. (Pxhere.com)

One additional concern to mention: we all need 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night. This might mean turning off the TV, not surfing the internet as long, or putting down our video games.

Studies show short sleep duration or poor sleep quality is associated with high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol and atherosclerosis. Habitual short sleep increases the chance of cardiovascular events.

Sleep also keeps us alert and attentive for the following day. Get a good night’s sleep, so the following day is yours to conquer!

Ronald G. Grifka, MD, FAAP, FACC, FSCAI is the Chief Medical Officer of University of Michigan Health-West, and Cardiologist at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital

Commentary: Mass shooting coverage shows crucial role of student journalists

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, , , ,

By Eric Freedman
Capital News Service

Eric Freedman (Supplied/Capital News Service)

LANSING – When the horrendous shooting occurred on the Michigan State University campus, student journalists rushed in to cover the tragedy, its impact on the university and community, the investigation and university security.

Their reporting and photos about the Feb. 13 attack that killed three students and seriously wounded five others has appeared prominently in local and national media.

For example, the majority of student correspondents for Capital News Service, our public affairs reporting practicum, were quickly on the job, reporting for The State News – the independent student newspaper – Lansing City Pulse, Impact 89 (WDBM-FM) radio and Michigan Advance.

Articles by another MSU journalism student have been featured in the Washington Post.

In my role as a journalism professor, I see their professional-caliber work as a vivid demonstration of the importance of training the next generations of news gatherers and storytellers.

That’s increasingly crucial in an era when traditional U.S. mainstream news media – magazines and newspapers, radio and television stations – are slashing staff, merging companies, even going out of business. The trend is depriving the public of timely, fair, ethical and accurate information and news.

One damaging result is the growing number of “news deserts” in the United States, counties without a newspaper of their own.

The nonpartisan Center for Community News has been researching the growth of university-led, student-staffed news services that give students real-world experience while providing communities with the news they need.

 

“Millions of Americans get their news from student reporters working in university-coordinated newsrooms, news labs and classes,” the center pointed out in a study released earlier this year.

 

Such collaborations “are high-touch programs in which faculty teach and mentor students, edit and assign work and coordinate with media partners — enabling local stories that would not exist otherwise,” according to the center, which is based at the University of Vermont.

I fully endorse the center’s assertion that “local news is more than just a trusted source of critical information: It’s an essential ingredient in a healthy democracy. Communities with dedicated local news organizations report higher levels of civic engagement, social cohesion, and effective problem-solving.”

The center says, “We connect student journalists at every stage of life with local news organizations to help build a world in which every community has access to reliable information by and for the people who live there.”

MSU has two such news services.

Credit: Asher Freedman

Students in Capital News Service, now in its 41st year, report on Michigan public policy, government and politics for about 45 newspapers and online news outlets across the state.

Our subscribing member news organizations range in circulation size from the Detroit News to small community publications such as the WKTV Journal. They range geographically from Iron Mountain to Sault Ste. Marie in the Upper Peninsula and from the Northern Lower Peninsula to Sturgis and Three Rivers in Southwest Michigan and Monroe, Blissfield and Adrian in Southeast Michigan.

Our second student-news service, Great Lakes Echo, reports on the environment – including energy, transportation, environmental justice and environmental health – in Michigan and the other Great Lakes states and Canadian provinces. Many of those stories are reposted by other news organizations in the region.

Elsewhere in the state, broadcast students at Eastern Michigan University partner with National Public Radio affiliate WEMU to produce audio stories, according to the Center for Community News.

Nationally, more than 100 colleges and universities have some type of academic-news collaborations, according to the center. In other Great Lakes states, there are also statehouse-focused programs run by the University of Illinois and by the State University of New York at New Paltz.

“Universities and colleges can provide leadership and resources to address the local news crisis,” the center’s January report said. “Many are doing something, but many could do more.”

They need to prepare students to cover the news that matters and the news that engages the public, whether it’s a mass shooting, the impacts of climate change, elections, pandemics, fluctuating gas prices, even the World Series and the Oscars.

As the center’s report puts it:“Democracy needs local news. Colleges and universities are part of the solution. Students are looking for meaningful experiences, and to learn by doing.”

Eric Freedman is the director of Capital News Service and the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism at Michigan State University.

‘Five weddings and an engagement’ all on Valentine’s Day

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, Holidays, Recreation
  • Morenas Event Venue is located in Kentwood. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)
  • Setting the stage. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)
  • Heading down the aisle. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)

By D.A. Reed
WKTC Contributor

“I’m feeling good,” said Chloe Kimber (soon-to-be Jenne) as she stood in the Morenas Event Venue bridal room waiting for her wedding to begin. “I’m sure I’ll be nervous once I get up there.”

Chloe, however, looked anything but nervous. Smiling and appearing completely at ease, she held her bouquet of flowers loosely as she talked with her mother.

Officiant Zara Northover presides over the wedding of Chloe Kimber and Alexander Jenne. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)

High school sweethearts, Chloe and fiancée Alexander Jenne decided to participate in Morenas Mini-Mony Day on Feb. 14 after her mother sent her the link from a news article, leaving the couple only a month to prepare.

Even though Chloe and Alexander planned for a 2024 wedding, Chloe shrugged and said, “Why wait?”

The bride admitted that she didn’t have any specific “wants” for her wedding, so Mini-Mony Day worked well for the couple. When asked where Chloe found her elegant knee-length dress, she laughed and struck a pose as she responded, “Amazon. Same day delivery.”

Chloe and Alexander were the first to get married at Morenas Event Venue, the upscale event space in Kentwood, on Valentine’s Day. Couples were offered a luxury high-end event for only $50.

“We understand that some couples are looking to have a nice wedding but are not in the position to pay the hefty price tag that can entail,” Britney Hoskins, owner of Morenas Event Venue, said in supplied material.

Hoskins launched Mini-Mony Day on Jan. 1, organizing the entire event in just a few weeks.

The idea came to Hoskins while designing a photoshoot. “This is my specialty,” said Hoskins. “I do huge, grandiose setup(s), and then nobody sees it until it’s in a magazine. I thought, this year, what if we leave up our shoot for people to get married on Valentine’s Day? We were already doing something beautiful and decided to let people utilize it to actually get married.”

Britney Hoskins, owner of Morenas (WKTV/D.A. Reed)

Hoskins adorned the 5,000 square foot event space with white, gold, and red, including a lavish ceiling installation valued at $10,000. Heavenly Designs supplied lighted signs and balloons, and BD’s Dysfunktional Entertainment provided music.

Officiant Zara Northover drove in from Detroit to marry the five couples who participated in Mini-Mony Day, Charla Dee Photos provided photography services, and BreAna Harris created mini cakes for each couple.

Mini-Mony Day saw five couples joined in marriage, and one proposal, with Hoskins overseeing it all and making sure things ran smoothly and that clients were comfortable.

Within a span of 30 minutes, couples were treated to a wedding ceremony, signing of the marriage license, mini cakes, a first dance, a group family dance, and photographs—all provided by vendors at virtually no cost to the couples.

“The vendors are just as important today (as the couples) because they are giving of their time and energy,” said Hoskins. “They are excited to be here for these couples, and that makes the whole ambiance so different.”

Giving back to the community is important to Hoskins, even though it might not always be easy

For many business owners, giving away free products and services isn’t a viable option. What Hoskins found among this group of vendors was a willingness to give freely.

“No one did the bare minimum,” Hoskins said. “All of us gave our best versions, and that makes it so much more special.”

Chloe Kimber and Alexander Jenne feed each other cake. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)

“This is a feel-good (event),” Hoskins continued. “In business, mostly everything is about money. Sometimes we just get to give the feel-good moments, and I’m really excited about that.”

Hoskins’s desire to create memorable events for people shows in her thoughtful design of Morenas Event Venue.

“I’ve done this for eight years,” said Hoskins, “so when I designed Morenas, I genuinely tried to think of all the ‘woes’.”

Private rooms for the bride and groom that are easily accessible all day long were a must-have on Hoskins’s list. “(Often) our brides will disappear from the chaos and take a moment to breathe,” Hoskins said.

Rooms for caterers to store food, a back door for vendors to enter and exit discreetly, a glass bay door, and ample parking were all carefully thought out in the design.

Morenas Event Venue isn’t Hoskins’s first foray into business

Hoskins founded Allure Limousine in 2013 and currently owns a Detroit-based award-winning event planning company called The Top Pic Collective.

Top Pic also encompasses The Luxe Rental Collective, a 7,000 square foot warehouse in Sterling Heights where she rents supplies to other designers and brides who want to DIY. “It’s a designer’s haven,” said Hoskins.

Splitting her time between Grand Rapids and Detroit, Hoskins said that Morenas Mini-Mony Day was special to her because she was there to see it all.

“I don’t always get to see my weddings,” Hoskins said. “It’s actually a rarity. I come and set up before the bride ever sees it and tear down after the bride has left, so a lot of times I never get to meet them. So when I get to stick around to see the weddings, I am emotional.”

Helping others create memorable events is Hoskins’s way of sharing the blessings she has been given in the business world: “Giving back to the community is really important to me.”

For more information on events and inventory rentals at Morenas Event Venue, visit www.morenasgr.com.

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

West Michigan consumers have watched egg prices skyrocket, and wonder why

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Hard News, Local Food, West Michigan, , , ,
More than 58 million birds have been affected by the avian influenza outbreak countrywide, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. (Photo courtesy, pxhere.com)



By D.A. Reed

WKTV Contributor



Extraordinary price hikes on eggs over the past year and continuing inflation costs have had consumers and local business owners concerned.



340 Million: Prior to the avian influenza outbreak in 2022, that was the number of laying hens across the United States. 15 million of those hens could be found in Michigan.



Those numbers average one hen for every consumer in the country.



“For every citizen in the United States, there was one laying hen,” said Ernie Birchmeier, Senior Relations Specialist with the Michigan Farm Bureau.

More than 58 million birds affected countrywide

Since the avian influenza outbreak, however, over 58 million birds were affected countrywide, creating a hitch in egg production that resulted in higher prices for one of the country’s main staples.


(Source: USDA Rural Development)



In January of 2022, the average cost of a dozen large Grade A eggs was $1.93. During the past year, consumers were hard pressed to find a dozen of those same eggs for under $5.

“We lost about 45 million laying hens across the country from that influenza outbreak. That has had an impact on the size of the laying flock in the United States and has decreased egg production,” Birchmeier said.

Various strains of avian influenza are an annual occurrence.

“Typically, when you have an avian influenza outbreak, it is spread during the spring and the fall when wild birds migrate back to the north from the south and vice versa in the fall,” Birchmeier said. “When you co-mingle those birds, they bring different sets of diseases and will typically cause an influenza outbreak.”

The number of birds affected by influenza is not normally so high. So why was the bird population hit so hard in 2022?

“In 2022, (avian influenza) lasted all year, during both seasons,” Birchmeier said. “So it’s continued to have an impact.”


(Courtesy, pxhere.com)



When will egg prices decrease?

Birchmeier said there have been reports of consumers seeing a softening in egg prices, with many lowering to more normal levels. But he cautions that it will take time to see a significant change.

“It takes time for eggs to be set, then for those eggs to hatch,” said Birchmeier, relaying that birds are typically 5-1/2 months old before they start laying. “It’s going to take time to replenish those flocks.”



(Source: Bureau Labor of Statistics)



Labor, transportation and energy costs add to the price

Consumers are urged to remember that labor, transportation and energy costs also are up and that factors into the cost of food along with the influenza outbreak.

There was a general food inflation of around 20 percent in 2022. Add in the impact of a reduction in egg production, and it influences those prices even more.

Farmers replenishing flocks helps soften prices

“If we can get through spring without any major problems, and farmers can replenish those flocks, we should see a decrease, a softening, of egg prices back down to more normal levels,” Birchmeier said. “It’s just going to take time for supply to catch back up (with demand).”

(WKTV/D.A. Reed)

For many local businesses, eggs are a staple — one needed in abundance.


“It’s hard to be a breakfast place (right now),” said Delanie Haisma, a server at Anna’s House restaurant. “That’s a common thing that we supply.”


But Haisma also said that the post-pandemic general inflation is what has had the biggest impact on their business.



When asked if Anna’s House has increased prices due to rising egg prices, Haisma said, “Since the eggs have gone up, no, but about a month before that happened, we did raise our menu prices by 25 to 75 cents on a couple of items.”

Continuing supply issues also have had a large impact.


“It’s hard to keep stuff in stock, and sometimes we have to go through a third party,” Haisma explained.

Other local restaurants also have had to adjust menu pricing due to general inflation.

Real Food Café recently instituted a three-percent surcharge to all checks to offset fast-rising expenses, including rising employee wages, fuel charges, and the escalating cost of food and other goods.



Even though rising prices have stunned most consumers, Birchmeier urges buyers to consider the true value of a dozen eggs priced at $5. “That’s still a pretty good value when you consider the amount per egg. Forty cents per egg is still a pretty good value compared to a lot of foods.”

Perspective also plays a role in remembering the value of a product: “Five dollars for a dozen eggs versus $5 for that cup of coffee you stood in line and waited for,” Birchmeier said.

Michigan spared major avian flu outbreaks

Birchmeier went on to say that although the entire United States has been impacted by the influenza outbreak, Michigan as a whole has been spared any major outbreaks in our laying flock, and that other areas of the country are paying more for eggs than Michiganders.


“We are very fortunate in this country to have the food supply that we do,” Birchmeier said. “And we have choices. And we have the ability to shop around.”


Birchmeier encourages consumers to shop around for better prices than what they may find at their usual store.

“Very seldom do we ever have to worry about whether or not there is product on the grocery store shelf,” Birchmeier said. “We saw that for the first time in many people’s lives in our country during the pandemic. But our farmers are out there every day to make sure that we have a wholesome and abundant food supply in this country.”

Extra bio security measures in Michigan

Egg-laying facilities have tight bio security measures implemented by farmers that have been in place for many years. Because of these extra steps, Michigan has been spared major outbreaks in our laying flocks.


(WKTV/D.A. Reed)

Controlling traffic flow on and off the farm, regulating the number of visitors to the farm, and making sure trucks are cleaned as they enter and leave the farm, are all steps Michigan farmers have taken to diligently keep diseases from their flocks.

“Our farmers know they need to protect the birds inside those buildings,” Birchmeier said. “For their livelihood, but also to make sure that they are producing a (safe) product for the consumer.”


Conspiracy theories put to rest

With emotions running high and bank accounts running low, Birchmeier warns against incorrect theories about causes for the egg price hike.



“We have to be very careful about everything we read on the internet and social media and make sure that we are getting accurate information rather than potential theories.”

There are other factors as to why chickens may not be laying eggs. In the winter months, it is common for chickens to go into a molt, or molting process, during which it is typical for chickens to stop laying eggs.

Regardless of the reason, Birchmeier said it is important to remember that production and distribution systems are already set and in place no matter how much farmers produce in a year.



“If there is a chink in the armor, or a link in the chain that’s broken, that’s when we run into disruptions,” he explained. “A lot of our consumers don’t understand that because we never have to think about it. (Food) has always been there.”

‘It all comes back to perspective’

“Relative to the rest of the world, we are in a fantastic position here in the United States to have a wholesome, abundant, affordable food supply typically all of the time,” Birchmeier said.

He explained the importance of understanding that farmers are greatly impacted by all this as well.



“We’re feeling the brunt of high labor, high energy costs, as well, across our food production system. But farmers themselves can’t pass those costs on, they have to absorb them, versus other manufacturers and goods and services (that) typically add those costs on and pass them along to the consumer. We see our ups and downs in the agricultural department from an economic standpoint as well.”

Birchmeier strongly encourages consumers to know the facts before jumping to conclusions, and to ask farmers if they have questions.



“We are glad to share our information because we’re all together in this.”

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

Woodland Mall to host Unity Walk to honor MLK and African American Live Museum during Black History Month

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, West Michigan, Woodland Mall, ,
Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley (red scarf) takes part in a previous Unity Walk to Honor Martin Luther King Jr. at Woodland Mall. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)



By WKTV Staff

greer@wktv.org


Woodland Mall will host the second annual Unity Walk to Honor Martin Luther King Jr. with the City of Kentwood and the ninth African American Live Museum with New Hope Baptist Church on Saturday, Feb. 25.

To kick off the day’s events, community members are invited to gather at the food court inside Woodland Mall, 3195 28th St. SE, at 11 a.m. for a walk that will end in front of Von Maur at 11:30 a.m. A ceremony will immediately follow and feature welcoming remarks from Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley, a proclamation presented by various community members, live music and refreshments.

 “We’re grateful for the opportunity to again host our Unity Walk to Honor MLK at Woodland Mall,” Kepley said. “It will be the start to a great day celebrating the life and work of Martin Luther King Jr., as well as other leading African American figures through New Hope Baptist Church’s Live Museum. We welcome community members of all ages to join us.” 

More than 25 live performances

The Unity Walk will be followed by the African American Live Museum presented by New Hope Baptist Church. Starting at 1 p.m., community members can witness more than 25 live performances featuring notable African American figures throughout history and in current culture across several areas, including politics, sports, science, arts and entertainment. Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and Judge Kentaji Brown Jackson will be among the legends appearing throughout the mall until 5 p.m. 



John Davis portraying Carter G Woodson — 2019 Live Museum at Woodland Mall. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)

A distinguishing factor of the Live Museum is how the performers, ranging in age from 10 to 66, bring their persona to life by adopting mannerisms of the legendary figures they are portraying while sharing facts and stories from their lives. Visitors can watch and listen to the performances to learn about the figures and enjoy the realistic depictions. 

 

“The African American Live Museum is one of our outreach ministries with the intentionality of relationship building,” said Dr. Cathy Large, drama ministry leader of New Hope Baptist Church. “This is a great opportunity to help educate the community about the historic achievements of Black Americans and to share the wonderful talents of our performers.” 





The Live Museum was an annual event for many years at the mall until the pandemic. Mikia Ross, interim senior marketing director for Woodland Mall, says the mall is thrilled for its return, along with the continuation of the Unity Walk. 

Quentin Henry Jr portraying Langston Hughes — 2019 Live Museum at Woodland Mall. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)





“We are proud to partner with the City of Kentwood and New Hope Baptist Church to offer these impactful events,” Ross said. “Both will give our guests the opportunity to learn through personal connections and interactive experiences.”

 

For more information about the Feb. 25 events at Woodland Mall, visit ShopWoodlandMall.com/events.

Upcoming Lenger’s Video Series program features popular video by Sid Lenger

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, Recreation, Senior Living, ,

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

Sid Lenger

The Wednesday’s Mr. Sid’s Video Series will feature an original video by Sid and Beulah Lenger.

The video is “America Then,” which will be followed by a presentation by Mike Martin on “Presidents We Need to Especially Remember in 2023.”

Mr. Sid’s Video Series is Wednesday, Feb. 15, at 2 p.m. at Marge’s Donut Den, 1751 28th St. SW. There is a 15-minute hymn sing that starts at 1:45 p.m.

The program is hosted by friends of Sid Lenger, who was a Wyoming residents and World War II veteran. Lenger died in 2003 at the age of 100.

The series runs every third Wednesday of the month. Upcoming presentations are:

March 15: WOTV’s Terri DeBoer will lead discussions of her new book “Grieving Well: A Healing Journey Through the Seasons of Grief”

April 19: Will feature several immigrants sharing their stories of hopes and challenges and adjusting to a new world.

May 10: Grand Valley State University History Professor and Director of GVSU’s Veteran History Project James Smither will present “Death and Life in the Big Red One: A Soldiers Journey from North Africa to Germany.”