More than 300 works by Van Gogh are featured in the “Beyond Van Gogh” exhibit. (Photos by Thomas Hegewald)
By Thomas Hegewald WKTV Contributing Writer
Vincent Van Gogh’s life story has been adapted to film in various iterations and there is widespread exposure to his masterpiece, “The Starry Night” and to his tragic life. A quick search yields that this Dutch, Post-Impressionist artist produced nearly 900 paintings within a ten year period. Yet, none of this prepares his admirers for an immersive experience of his life and artwork.
Through July 9, DeVos Place is currently hosting the immersive exhibit “Beyond Van Gogh,” featuring more than 300 of Van Gogh’s paintings. The exhibit is comprised of three rooms. In the first room, attendees weave through lit up panels with text – historical information on Van Gogh and quotes from his correspondence with his brother, Theo. Following this, attendees walk into the “Waterfall” room. Here, images and designs project onto the front-facing wall and then “pour” down onto and across the floor.
“Starry Night Over the Rhone” is just one of the many Van Gogh paintings featured. (Photo by Thomas Hegewald)
The third room contains the main gallery. Here, screens cover all four sides from floor to almost ceiling, with three additional, square columns in the center. While an instrumental soundtrack – of period or complementary pieces – plays, Van Gogh’s art flows across the screens. Digital animation and transitions enhance the illusion of the immersive quality by evoking a sense of being there as the brush strokes appear and the paintings fill and sometimes move across the screens. For one piece, a blank canvas is the initial image, then lines are drawn until a town square is fully rendered. Next, color flows into the piece filling in, between and around the lines until it is emblazoned with vibrant, complementary colors and brush strokes full of movement and vitality.
A row of portraits transitions to landscapes then to flower bouquets and back to landscapes – showcasing Van Gogh’s style evolving and developing over time. Audience members stand, sit or walk around the space – looking in awe at the projected pieces. Are we viewing Van Gogh’s artwork with empathy, knowing his plight or are the pieces wrought with emotions to begin with? While “fear” doesn’t seem to be encased in any of the pieces, there is a sense of urgency, of something … emerging.
Several of Van Gogh’s self portraits are part of the exhibit as well. (Photo by Thomas Hegewald)
A detailed sketch of landscapes and farm fields fills the screens. Then an instrumental version of the Beatles, “Here Comes the Sun” plays through the speakers as color fills in – like pasture grasses and leaves on trees becoming lively shades of green. A sense of vitality sweeps through the room along with it. The screens darken for a transition. White dashes form swirls against a dark blue background – intensifying in quantity and motion as it evolves, fills in, and becomes … “The Starry Night.”
Numerous segments from paintings occupy the screens and floor – like different colored panels. Randomly, in each one, a signature appears, as though written as we watch, until all the panels bear the same, singular name, Vincent.
The “Beyond Van Gogh” exhibit is open 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. Sunday – Thursday and 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the DeVos Place, Exhibit Hall A, 303 Monroe Ave. SE. Some (single) tickets are still available. Individual tickets are $23.99 – $83.99 depending on the package selected. The exhibit runs through July 9.
In honor of National HIV Testing Day, the Kent County Health Department (KCHD) is partnering with community organizations to offer “Wellness in the Park” at three parks in Grand Rapids. The KCHD will provide free HIV and STD testing and several other self-care related services including access to health care information and resources, outdoor games and activities, and free snacks and drinks.
The Wellness in the Park events will occur at the following locations and times:
Martin Luther King Jr. Park 1200 Franklin St SE, Grand Rapids Monday June 27, 1 p.m.- 4 p.m.
Heartside Park 301 Ionia Ave SW, Grand Rapids Wednesday, June 29, 1 p.m.- 4 p.m.
Garfield Park 250 Burton St SE, Grand Rapids Thursday, June 30, 1 p.m.- 4 p.m.
National HIV Testing Day is June 27 and this year’s theme is “HIV Testing is Self-Care.” Self-care is critical to an individual’s physical and mental health. It is estimated that 13 percent of people who are infected with HIV do not know that they have the virus because they have never been tested. Getting tested and knowing one’s HIV status will equip residents with the information needed to keep them healthy and is an act of self-care.
Kent County has a higher-than-average percentage of people who are diagnosed with HIV at a later stage, meaning they have AIDS or Stage 3 HIV at the time they test. Testing for HIV is important because there are often no symptoms when someone has HIV. Once someone is diagnosed with HIV, medications will help bring the level of the HIV virus in their blood to a point where it is “undetectable,” meaning they are not able to spread the virus to others. With medications, people living with HIV can live long and healthy lives.
Free HIV testing is always available by appointment at KCHD’s Fuller Clinic by calling (616) 632-7171.
It is finally nice in West Michigan, which means lots of beach time, but as the recent scare this week at Grand Haven beach reminded many knowing how to handle a rip current is key to water safety.
Grand Haven State Park does not have lifeguards but does utilize a flag system to let beachgoers know conditions.
Under a new land use order that allows the Department of Natural Resources shutdown the Grand Haven State Park on Tuesday, June 21, after water conditions prompted several rescues. Under the new order, the DNR can prevent or fine a person who enters waters under their jurisdiction when certain conditions are present such as harmful bacteria, dangerous weather conditions or rough waves, as was such the case on June 21.
According to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, there has been 46 possible great lakes drownings so far in 2022, of which 19 have been in Lake Michigan. Lake Michigan is considered the deadliest lake of all the Great Lakes and one of the deadliest lakes in the United States due to the number of drownings.
One of the leading causes of those drownings are rip currents, channelized currents of water flowing away form shore at surf beaches.
To help raise awareness about rip currents, WKTV will be again airing the special “Respect the Power,” on June 28 at 9:30 a.m. and June 30 at 5 p.m. on Comcast Channel 25.
If caught in a rip current, relax and don’t swim against the current. Rip currents do not pull people under the water.
The video was produced by the Great Lakes Beach & Pier Safety Task Force and was created in memory of Andrew Burton Fox and Daniel Reiss, both who were swept off the Grand Haven pier and drowned in Lake Michigan.
According to Grand Haven officials, rip currents and powerful breaking waves are common in the area of the pier. But education, including recognizing what a riptide looks like and what to do if you are caught in one, can increase the chances of a happy outcome.
From the “Respect the Power” website, it states that the Great Lakes are better understood as inland seas rather than lakes. Storms, not the lakes, can easily generate waves up to 30 feet in the most sever weather. However, even smaller waves can be dangerous.
When waves break, water is pushed up the slope of the shore. Gravity pulls this water back toward the lake. When the water converges in a narrow, river-like current moving away from the shore, it forms what is know as a rip current. Rip currents can be 50 feet to 50 yards or more wide. They can flow to a point just past the breaking waves or hundreds of yards offshore. You can sometimes identify a rip current by its foamy and choppy surface. The water in a rip current may be dirty from the sand being turned up by the current. The water may be colder than the surrounding water. Waves usually do not break as readily in a rip current as in adjacent water.
Moving at one to two feet a second, sometimes up to eight feet which is faster than any Olympic swimmer, a rip current can sweep even the strongest swimmer away from the shore.
According to both the “Respect the Power” and the National Weather Service websites, if caught in a rip current, try to relax. A rip current is not an “undertow” and will not pull you under. Do not try to swim against the current as this is very difficult, even for an experience swimmer. If you can, swim parallel to the shore until you are out of the current, then swim directly toward shore. If you are tired, tread water and float and call and wave for assistance. The current will carry you to the end or head of the current, where once rested you can swim back to shore.
Some other water safety tips:
1. Learn to swim.
2. Check with a lifeguard or with the park’s current conditions board before entering water.
3. Never swim alone.
4. Never dive headfirst into unknown waters or shallow breaking waves.
5. Piers are navigational structures and not designed as walkways, proceed at your own risk.
6. Do not jump or dive off pier structures.
7. Avoid piers when waves begin to spill over the pier surface.
8. To avoid rip currents, avoid swimming in areas that are discolored with sand and has a choppy or foamy surface.
9. If caught in a rip current, swim parallel to shore (about 30-50 yards) to get out of the rip current before swimming to shore.
10. Protect yourself from the sun. Use sun screen.
The formal dining attire in the “Dressing the Abbey” exhibit is complimented by pieces from the Muskegon Museum of Art. (Photo by Thomas Hegewald)
By Thomas Hegewald WKTV Contributing Writer
I was a little late in becoming a fan of the television series Downton Abbey. It was in its second or third season before I started watching it (from the beginning).
A detail look at the bearded silk of a debutante’s gown. (Photo by Thomas Hegewald)
Initially, it was the title sequence that pulled me in by capturing in carefully composed and choreographed shots the details of life in that time period and setting. I instantly knew that this was a high quality television production where everything, down to minute detail, would be accurate.
Once I started watching, the characters and storylines continued to hold my attention. An integral part of bringing those varied characters to life was the period clothes they wore. During that time period (and setting) people (especially women) changed their attire multiple times during the day to dress appropriately for an event or activity they were participating in. In Downton Abbey, the costumes themselves then played a large role in establishing each character’s personality which in turn helped to engage viewers in watching the series.
“Dressing the Abbey,” a new exhibit at Muskegon Museum of Art, features 35 costumes from the Downton Abbey™ television series, which ran for five seasons, premiering in 2010. The costumes range from high formal (and intricately beaded), casual tweeds for outdoor or hunting, to humble servants’ uniforms. Exhibits Development Group, based in Minnesota, provided the exhibit components – which included the costumes on mannequins with a few accessories like a bike, horse saddle and rack (also featured in the television series).
Muskegon Museum of Art Director of Marketing Kristina Broughton told me how the museum searched through its permanent collection for period pieces of art to compliment the exhibit. As backdrop to exhibit vignettes, there are oil paintings, prints, Tiffany glassware as well as actual furnishings from the Hackley and Hume homes – on loan from the Lakeshore Museum Center.
Butler and head housekeeper attire. (Photo by Thomas Hegewald)
Muskegon Museum of Art also went as far as to paint an accent wall violet to complement one of the Dowager Countesses’ violet themed costumes. The end result of such thought and execution is that the inclusion of period pieces enhances the sense of being there. Where mannequins stand in formal attire of a tux or beaded gown, behind them are portraits of aristocrats in oil and an ornately carved wood table and chairs – giving a sense of a formal dinner party. Complimenting a display of less formal dresses, though no less intricately designed, are a number of Tiffany lamps and glassware.
Broughton also pointed out that the costume designers always sought to use period pieces when creating the custom-made clothing – like period fabric. In one piece, it is noted that the jacket for a dress ensemble was actually made out of a period tablecloth.
Each exhibit grouping features printed information regarding the character/scene in which the costume was worn as well as additional historical information regarding a particular setting or activity. Period pieces from Muskegon Museum of Art’s collection or on loan are also identified for inquisitive visitors, like me.
As a draw for younger attendees of the exhibit, Muskegon Museum of Art created a space focused on children’s toys at the time as well as a touch and feel area. Visitors of any age can test their tactile skills by feeling the difference between types of fabrics hanging from a wall.
“The Dressing the Abbey” exhibit runs through Sept. 12 at the Muskegon Museum of Art, 296 W. Webster Ave, downtown Muskegon. Check muskegonartmuseum.org for information on gallery hours and entry fee.
KDL is looking for local champions in literacy for its KDL Literacy Champion award.
Jeopardy! champion James Holzhauer openly admits that it was the children’s nonfiction section of his library that helped him bring home big winnings and, as a thank you, he donated some of those winnings to local libraries in his area.
Country singer and musician Dolly Parton has always believed that not being able to read was what kept her own father from accomplishing his goals in life and for that reason she started Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in East Tennessee.
Former First Lady Barbara Bush’s work as an educator carried over into her public life as she became an advocate for literacy which lead to the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy.
Holzhauer, Parton, and Bush have been recognized as literacy champions, a person who has gone above and beyond to improve literacy within their own community.
The Kent District Library hopes to recognize and an individual and organization who have gone above and behind to improve literacy in the Kent County area through its newly created KDL Literacy Champion Award.
“Literacy is the foundation of all learning for our children and throughout life,” said KDL Executive Director Lance Werner. “There are many people and organizations who have exceptional passion for literacy, creating a profound impact on life in our community. The KDL Literacy Champion Award shines a light on and celebrates them.”
The award will be given to one individual and one organization who does or has done something exceptional to promote literacy. To find those individuals and groups, KDL has opened public nominations through July 31. Nominations may be submitted online at kdl.org/literacychampion.
Nominees should have demonstrated leadership and exceptional achievement in advancing reading. Individuals can be teachers, tutors, school librarians, authors, and others. Organizations can be schools, non-profit services, for-profit businesses, and government entities.
Nominations will be reviewed by a panel from KDL and its Board of Trustees. Winners will be publicly announced and celebrated on Sept. 15 at the eighth annual Literary Libations Gala. Each winner will receive $1,000 in cash, a crystal trophy and two tickets to the KDL’s Literary Librations Gala.
In an interview last year, the Diatribe Executive Director Marcel “Fable” Price and teaching artist Foster “AutoPilot” to discuss 49507 Project initiative. (WKTV)
By Sheila McGrath WKTV Contributing Writer
The Diatribe relies on funding of all kinds to do its work.
But a recent $75,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts will give the nonprofit Grand Rapids arts organization more than just a financial boost.
“The reason this is such a huge deal is historically, NEA grants have gone to pretty large, prestigious organizations in the city of Grand Rapids,” said Marcel Price, founder and executive director of The Diatribe. “The NEA opening funding like this to organizations that are our size really gives us capacity, and allows us to show national as well as local funders alike how well we can be responsible stewards of federal dollars.”
“Enjoying the Roots of Our Positive Struggle,” by E’lla Webber, is located at 40 Acres Consulting, 703 Eastern Ave. SE. (Photo by Leda Theres for The 49507 Project.)
The funds will go to The Diatribe’s 49507 Project, which is in its second summer of bringing beauty and neighborhood pride to an underserved side of Grand Rapids. Last year, Black and Brown artists with the project created seven large-scale murals on buildings around south Grand Rapids. In addition to the murals, the 49507 Project features programming for young people, community listening sessions, and a youth-organized community art unveiling.
The Diatribe was one of 51 organizations across the country to get an Our Town grant from the NEA. The funding is designated for projects that integrate arts, culture, and design activities into efforts that strengthen communities by advancing local economic, physical, or social outcomes.
“The arts contribute to our individual well-being, the well-being of our communities, and to our local economies,” said NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson. “The arts are also crucial to helping us make sense of our circumstances from different perspectives as we emerge from the pandemic and plan for a shared new normal informed by our examined experience.”
An NEA grant requires a higher level of bookkeeping and tracking than other types of funding, so The Diatribe’s success with this NEA grant will help them secure additional grants from large donors in the future, Price said.
“A lot of people in Grand Rapids, when it comes to art, they believe there’s only one view of what art can be or where it can be,” he said.
This year, the group is bringing eight more murals to the 49507 zip code. Price met with city officials on June 20 to get approval for the design of the murals.
A key component to the 49507 Project is community engagement. (Supplied)
“All of the buildings have been primed and are ready. All of the artists have been selected and all the paint has been ordered for their murals, so this is the last step and then they’re off and running,” he said.
The murals will tell the stories of the area’s people, neighborhoods and businesses at a time when tensions continue to exist there, particularly with the April shooting death of Patrick Lyoya at the hands of former Grand Rapids Police officer Christopher Schuur. Price said that this a great year to show that residents of the 49507 zip code have the capacity to build the kind of neighborhood they would like to see.
“People in our listening sessions have been saying, ‘My kids seeing artists who look like them painting in our neighborhoods is inspiring beyond words,’” Price said.
The participating artists and locations of this year’s murals are:
Samaria J’s Salon Suite, 701 Grandville Ave SW; artist Arturo Morales Romero
Load A Spud, 1721 Madison Ave SE; artist Edwin Anderson
Farmers Insurance, 2435 Eastern Ave SE; artist Wanda Morena
Mr. B’s Party Store, 1216 Kalamazoo Ave SE; artist Rryuhn Dotson
Aleman Auto Repair, 1801 Division Ave S.; artist Hugo Claudin
Cisneros Tires, 800 Division Ave S.; artist Alynn Guerra
Office of Mary Malone, 1956 Eastern Ave.; artist Mila Lynn
Dégagé Ministries is excited to host Unhoused, a film series on the causes, realities, and solutions to homelessness. The event series will include two films shown at Wealthy Theater on June 22 and July 20 from 6-9 p.m., followed by an outdoor community celebration at Dégagé Ministries, 144 Division Ave S, on Aug. 10 from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Each film will be followed by a Q&A with representatives from various organizations, including Mel Trotter Ministries, Family Promise, and Network180. Grand Rapids Poet Laureate Kyd Kane will moderate all sessions.
The film series will culminate in an Outdoor Community Celebration on Aug. 10 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., outside Dégagé Ministries at the corner of Cherry and Sheldon Avenue. This celebration will feature local food trucks and a live poetry reading by Kane. Food and drink will be available for purchase at all three events, but are otherwise free for the public.
The first film featured, Us & Them, documents ten years in the lives of four individuals facing homelessness. Directed by Krista Loughton and Jennifer Abbott, the film explores the challenges of homelessness, and the powerful transformations created through human connection.
The second film, The Public, continues the theme by retelling a story of civil disobedience in Cincinnati, as people turned to a public library for shelter from the outdoor elements. Both films seek to explore and educate the general population about the complexities of homelessness in our community, and wider society.
“Homelessness is a multi-faceted issue with widespread effects in our city,” says Dégagé Ministries Executive Director Thelma Ensink. “Our goal is to bring the complexities of homelessness to light, and promote education and conversation in our community.”
Make sure to check in with your older adult regulars to make sure their needs are being meet. (pxhere.com)
June is World Elder Abuse Awareness month! This month works not only to educate people on the topic of elder abuse, but also to increase reporting numbers as elder abuse is under-reported and start discussions on how to recognize and prevent this abuse. The International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and the World Health Organization at the United Nations (UN) launched the first World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) on June 15, 2006 in an effort to unite communities around the world in raising awareness about elder abuse.
Elder abuse is widespread. Every year an estimated five million, or one in 10 older Americans are victims of elder abuse, neglect, or exploitation. And that’s only part of the picture: Experts believe that elder abuse is significantly under-reported, in part because so many of our communities lack the social supports that would make it easier for those who experience abuse to report it. This is where you can help by knowing the warning signs and reporting abuse when you suspect it. When we come together, we can prevent elder abuse from happening.
Some Warning Signs of Abuse
Elder abuse includes financial abuse/scams, neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse. Kent County Elder Abuse Coalition Coordinator Cassie Caple, who is also the contract administrator with the Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan, explained a few of these warning signs.
“Whether you are a professional with an older adult client, or a family member checking in on a loved one, a few physical things you can look out for include unexplained bruises, reports of recent falls, and sudden weight loss,” Caple said. “Or if you are having a conversation and they mention something along the lines of unpaid bills, feeling lonely, or perhaps not taking their medication, these can be signs of abuse as well. So, it is really good to check in, ask what they might need, and have that heightened awareness.”
Taking the time to intentionally check in with the older adults in your life is a great first step. It is recommended that you have this conversation with the older adult alone so they can feel safe in sharing any concerns.
Reporting Abuse
Once you are educated on what to look out for, and feel that abuse may be occurring, it is time to take action. If you have concern that an older adult in your life is not in a safe and healthy living situation, you can report this to reputable agencies. Below are a few reliable places to start:
Adult Protective Services investigators protect vulnerable adults and staff will investigate allegations within 24 hours after the report is received. APS has a 24/7 Hotline: 855-444-3911 where anyone is able to make a report.
Long Term Care Ombudsman advocate for residents in long term care facilities: 1-866-485-9393 or visit www.mltcop.org
Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Complaint Hotline takes complaints against various state licensed and federally certified health facilities, agencies, and programs: 800-882-6006 or visits www.Michigan.gov/lara
If you’d like further resources on elder abuse, the Kent County Elder Abuse Coalition at www.protectkentseniors.org specializes in compiling up-to-date information on scams, advocating for seniors, and remaining dedicated to the elimination of elder abuse in Kent County and the surrounding areas. The Michigan Elder Abuse Task Force through the state of Michigan at www.michigan.gov also shares a number of resources. And lastly, the Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan can connect you with community resources at (616) 456-5664.
Earlier this month, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (“MDHHS”) issued a Final Order granting Havenwyck Hospital, Inc., a subsidiary of Universal Health Services, certificate of need approval for 60 adult psychiatric beds, allowing Universal Health Services and Trinity Health Michigan, in a joint venture, to open a new freestanding inpatient behavioral health hospital in Byron Center, improving access to care for patients.
The new facility will be named Southridge Behavioral Hospital and will be located near Trinity Health’s current facility on 64th Street and Byron Center Avenue. Southridge Behavioral Hospital will accommodate up to 96 beds, including the 60 adult beds plus 24 geriatric beds previously approved by MDHHS. The new facility, to be located near the Trinity Health Medical Center in Byron Center, is anticipated to open in 2024. The hospital will employ approximately 170 full-time and part-time employees including physicians, nurses, therapists, mental health technicians, administration, dietary and housekeeping personnel.
“With CON approval of the 60 inpatient behavioral health beds, we are eager to start construction of the new hospital as expeditiously as possible,” said Diane Henneman, LCSW, Senior Division Vice President, Behavioral Health, UHS. “Trinity Health has a strong reputation as an anchor in West Michigan and we are thrilled to partner with them in bringing more accessible care to more patients – ultimately improving and saving lives.”
The design of the new hospital incorporates today’s 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 new Southridge Behavioral Hospital will seamlessly tie into a growing network of affiliated behavioral health services in the area, including UHS-operated Forest View Hospital and Trinity Health Michigan’s new partnership with Network180 to open a Behavioral Health Crisis Center for the rapid availability of assessment services on a walk-in basis. Further, the new Southridge Behavioral Hospital will provide additional provider and patient choice in the market, specifically at an easily accessible location south of Grand Rapids.
“We look forward to working with UHS to enable the availability of more inpatient behavioral health options in our region,” said Matt Biersack, MD, President of Trinity Health Saint Mary’s. “It is a strategic imperative that we prioritize solutions for individuals in crisis presenting to local hospitals, including our Trinity Health emergency departments, as well as other referral sources. The new facility will be a receiving site enabling initiation of appropriate care, faster.”
In March 2022, an administrative law judge upheld an initial decision by MDHHS to award CON approval for development of the new behavioral health hospital. The Department issued the Final Order approving the project on June 6, 2022.
This year’s One Book, One County featured book is “The Caring Me I Want to Be!” (WKTV)
A local organization and Woodland Mall have partnered to promote reading through the One Book, One County initiative.
“Meeting families where they are has always been important to us,” said Family Futures Partnership Coordinator Susi Alonso. “Our partnership with the Woodland Mall is allowing us to better serve our Kent County families by being present somewhere they can easily access us.”
The nonprofit Family Futures will be distributing the book “The Caring Me I Want to Be” by Mary DiPalermo on select Fridays and Saturdays in June. There is a limited supply of the books.
Along with the book, the campaign provided a calendar of activities parents could use to engage their children based on the book such as writing a letter to a friend telling them why you like them or going outside and counting all the different signs of spring. The calendar will be available during the book distributions at Woodland Mall.
More than 20 local organizations participated in the program to help distribute the books, which includes Family Futures, a nonprofit that works to create communities in which all children are supported to achieve their full potential. The organization does this by supporting families with children ages 0-5. Family Futures works with parents to understand their children’s development, supporting them every step of the way and connecting them to resources when needed.
Members of the One Book, One County campaign hold up this year’s selection. (WKTV)
Family Futures and Woodland Mall have been working together since April. Family Futures has been tabling at different locations throughout the mall and handing out sensory bottles, toys, and connecting families to Connections and Healthy Families Kent County, it’s two main programs. Family Futures was also the recipient of a $1,000 donation from the Woodland Mall from a social media fundraising effort.
“We are fortunate to have an ongoing partnership with Family Futures, an organization that provides great programming for families,” said Woodland Mall/PREIT Interim Senior Marketing Director Mike Ross. “We are thankful that they are able to provide experiences for our shoppers and we love hearing the laughter and seeing the smiles from the children in the mall when they are engaging with the families.”
Clean and usable items may be dropped off on June 25 and 26 at 2929 Ottawa Ave. SW, Grandville. (Supplied)
Have some unwanted items that need a new home? Cherry Health is looking for gently used or new items for an upcoming community thrift sale in support of the Sheldon House, a program focused on breaking the stigma of mental illness.
Cleaned and usable items may be dropped off from 4-7 p.m. Saturday, June 25, and Sunday, June 26, at 2929 Ottawa Ave. SW, Grandville. Items that will not be accepted are mattresses, sleeper sofas, cribs/car seats, tube TVs, stuffed animals, and hazardous chemicals/waste.
If you are looking for assistance in cleaning out, Moxie Life Organizing, which is partnering with Cherry Health for the sale, offers serves from life consulting to full-service decluttering, organizing, and staging.
The sale will be at the same location, 2929 Ottawa Ave., SW, on Wednesday, June 29, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Thursday, June 30, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Half price items will be available starting at noon on June 30.
Sheldon House is a clubhouse model program that provides support, opportunity and resources to adults with mental illness in Kent County. With the help of personal staff, members attending Sheldon House have a place to feel accepted, needed and supported. Other benefits include gaining skills, obtaining employment, pursuing education opportunities and building a support system.
The upcoming sale proceeds will be used to support Sheldon House’s members who are aspiring to achieve their personal goals and contribute to the communities they live in. Cherry Health’s Sheldon House program is one of 47 Clubhouse Programs in Michigan and among hundreds of clubhouses worldwide. The accredited program provides strong outcomes, including improved physical and mental health, decreased hospitalizations, reduced incarcerations, greater employment opportunities, and increased overall quality of life for those living with mental illness.
For more about the Sheldon House project and the sale, visit the Sheldon House website.
Moxie Life Organizing helps turn this into……an organized space that looks like this.
The Fulton Street Farmers Market will host a Summer Solstice Celebration! on Tuesday. (Supplied)
The Fulton Street Farmers Market will be hosting its Summer Solstice Celebration! Tuesday, June 21, from 4-8 p.m.
We welcome everyone to come celebrate 100 years of food, farming, art, and community. This event is a non-market event, meaning there are no vendors besides concessions as this is a celebration we want our farmers, food producers, and artisans to attend and enjoy themselves while mingling with each other and the community.
This is a family-friendly event for all ages, featuring a kid’s craft activity hosted by The Monstorium, an artisan market vendor. There will be live music by four musicians throughout the evening who are regular performers at the Saturday markets. Fae Floral are making a flower archway for participants to pose for selfies and group shots to capture the fun of the evening. There will be beer, seltzer, and cider available for purchase as well as the release of the market’s signature centennial beer the Solstice Sambucus created in collaboration with two market vendors and crafted by Speciation Artisan Ales. The Solstice Sambucus is an elderberry basil Saison.
The following concessions will be available during the event: Street Chef Shaw, Los Jalapenos, Agua Fresca, Momma D’s Kitchen, Around Baking Company, Ollie’s Donuts, Any Colour You Like Popsicles, and Tor’s Tonics.
There is no charge to attend the event, and everyone is welcome. The market is located at 1145 Fulton St E, Grand Rapids. For more information check out the Fulton Street Farmers Market website at: www.fultonstreetmarket.org.
From being a dirt road to being a major thoroughfare, 28th Street is a roadway of history in the Greater Grand Rapids, especially for the City of Wyoming.
So much so, that the Wyoming Historical Commission has spent the last year compiling a new book “From Beals Road to 28th Street, a History of The Miracle Mile.” The book is being released this Saturday with copies available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Wyoming Historical Room, located inside the KDL Wyoming Branch, 3350 Michael Ave. SW.
“We like to think of ‘The Miracle Mile’ as a scrapbook that not only outlines the commercial history from South Division Avenue to Byron Center Avenue but will likely jog many found memories for our readers,” said David Britten, who headed up the project. “It should be a valuable addition to anyone’s local history collection.”
The project is the result of conversations held during Metro Cruise last August as visitors stoped at the Historical Commission’s booth in the Rogers Plaza area, Britten said.
Studio 28 was the first megaplex and one of the largest movie theaters in the world. It was located along 28th Street.
The result is 122-page, 8-1/2by-11 inch book containing more than 200 photos and dozens of advertisements and articles from the earliest years.
In “The Miracle Mile” book, there are three sections detailing the growth of the commercial corridor from 1946 through 1973. A section titled “The Early Years” outlines the changes over time in the road, itself, the Rogers School, and the first few businesses in what was then a rural, farming section of Wyoming Township.
During that time period, 28th Street has been called many names, Beals Road, the Sunset Strip of Grand Rapids and of course, The Miracle Mile.
For around 90 years, 28th Street has served as the southern gateway helping residents and travelers move east and west, serving as the southern border of the Beltline, a bypass route around the city. At one time it was the second busiest highway in the State of Michigan and home to so many hamburger joints, it was said you could have a different one every day and not eat at the same place for three months.
In 1957, US-131 was completed with direct access on and off of 28th Street. It immediately caused change along the roadway.
In the fifties, McDonald’s opened its first restaurant in the West Michigan area along the stretch of 28th Street in Wyoming. Rogers Plaza would open in 1961 followed by Southland (now 28th West Plaza). Rogers Plaza was the first major modern shopping center in Kent County and caused a tremendous change in metropolitan area shopping.
And just what Rogers Plaza did for shopping, Studio 28 did for movie attendance as Studio 28 was the first megaplex and one of the largest movie theaters in the world.
It was in the Rogers Plaza parking lot during the 2021 Metro Cruise that the idea for “The Miracle Mile” book came about. Rogers Plaza was the first shopping center in Kent County and it is located on 28th Street. (WKACC)
More stores sprouted up on 28th Street, which was widened to five lanes, and that was about the time the nickname “The Miracle Mile” was attached to the street. According to “A City of Wyoming – A History,” also produced by the Wyoming Historical Commission, Fred Eardley’s Trading Post at Burlingame Avenue anchored The Miracle Mile on the west, and Ben Duthler built a supermarket at Clyde Park at the east end anchor. Other new stores were Stone’s Shoes, Rogers Department Store (which would become the largest department store in the county), Feighner Drugs, TerMeer Hardware, Suburban 5 and 10 Store, Meijer, Eberhards food stores, Holiday Lanes, and several gasoline stations.
The book also includes a short biography of Abram J. Longstreet, a forgotten pioneer of Rogers Heights community. In fact, Fruit Basket/Flowerland is located on the original Longstreet farm and Clyde Park is actually named after the Clydesdales that were once located on the farm. The Wyoming High School football field is named after Longstreet.
Books are $20 and beside Saturday, will be available during Metro Cruise, Aug. 26 and 27, and during the History Room’s normal hours which are 9:30 a.m. – noon Tuesdays and 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. the first and third Saturdays of the month. For more information, visit the Wyoming Michigan History Room’s Facebook page.
Grand Rapids African American Health Institute will host a program about Black Men and Mental Health tonight. (pxhere.com)
The Grand Rapids African American Health Institute will host the second in a series of community conversations focused Black Men and Mental Health on Thursday, June 16.
The event is from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Center for Community Transformation, 1520 Madison Ave. SE. The program will look at such issues as systemic racism, policing, health inequities, complex trauma, and a myriad of other struggles. The series of community conversations will equip youth, families, community members and other key support systems with information on how to address these issues in the Black community.
Trained professionals will present information and teach need skills from a place of health, wholeness, and strategy to help participants put into action the change they want to see in their communities and homes.
To register for this event or future Community Conversations, click here. The third Community Conversation — Black Women and Mental Health — will be on July 21. For more information about the program, visit GRAAHI.com.
The first of four Summer Markets will be taking place this Saturday at HŌM Flats at 28 West, 1401 Prairie Parkway SW. The event is from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
At last year’s event, a customer looks over a flower arrangement from Wyoming-based Periwinkle Flor Co. (WKTV)
“We are excited to bring this opportunity back to the city,” said Brianna Peña, communications specialist for the City of Wyoming.
Last year, HŌM Flats had approached the city about hosting a public market, which city officials were also considering. The two groups decided to partner hosting two fall events which met with success.
Building off of that, it was decided to host four markets, all through the same partnership of the City of Wyoming and HŌM Flats.
“It is in preparation for the community to host and establish a consistency for these local markets in Wyoming,” Peña said for the reason of expanding the number of markets to four this year.
One of the goals of city officials is to establish a public market within the city limits. Some discussion has centered on using the northern portion of the Site 36, which the city retained after the sale of the property to Franklin Partners.
At each the markets there will be food trucks and artisan vendors offering an array of items such as handmade clothing, jewelry, keychains, and art.
At this Saturday’s event, the food trucks are Curry in a Hurry, which will be offering food selections form India such as Butter Chicken and Traditional Curry with Rice, and Simply Sweet Confections, which will be featuring a selection of its popular macarons.
Also on Saturday, there will be free ice cream to the first 200 attendees and face painting.
The remaining Summer Markets are set for:
July 16, 10 a.m. – 2 p.,. Pinery Park, 2301 DeHoop Ave. SW
Aug 19, 3-7 p.m., 28 West Parking lot, 1345 28 West Place, (near the former Lindo restaurant)
Sept. 16, 3-7 p.m., Wyoming City Hall, 1155 28th St. SW
The Kentwood Fire Department recently welcomed a new fire engine that will enable it to continue providing leading fire and medical services to the community.
The Spartan Metro Star pumper replaces a fire engine retired from the department’s fleet last year. Built by Charlotte-based Spartan ER, the new fire engine will be housed at Fire Station 3 on Eastern Avenue SE and be put in service soon.
“We regularly service and replace emergency vehicles to ensure they are operating optimally,” Kentwood Fire Chief Brent Looman said. “This new engine is an investment in the safety of our community.”
The vehicle has a 450-horsepower clean diesel engine and a 500-gallon water tank with an environmentally safe foam system. It is also equipped with more than 2,000 feet of fire hose, a 1,500 gallon-per-minute pump and life-saving medical equipment. The new engine cost $572,000 and is expected to be in operation for 18-20 years.
The new vehicle was built using the same specifications as other vehicles in the fleet, which is critical for firefighter safety and streamlined maintenance.
After the cab was constructed, it was transported to Spartan’s sister facility in Brandon, South Dakota, where the body of the vehicle was built. Looman and Battalion Chief Clarence Patterson recently visited to inspect the engine before its arrival in Kentwood.
“The inspection is a crucial step in the process that ensures the truck is built to our specifications,” Looman said. “Spartan ER and CSI Emergency Apparatus have been phenomenal partners and, once again, have equipped us with a quality fire engine that will serve our community for years to come.”
More information about Kentwood Fire Department is available at kentwood.us/fire.
The Kent County Animal Shelter will become a stand-alone department answering directly to administration. (Supplied)
Following the nationwide best practices in animal welfare and public safety, Kent County has announced it will be restructuring its animal shelter and animal control operations.
On July 1, the animal shelter will become a stand-along county department report directly to the administration. It is currently under the Kent County Health Department. With that change, the animal control operations will be reassigned to a dedicated, special tailed team at the Kent County Sheriff’s Office.
“Best practices in animal welfare and animal control are Kent County’s top priority in restructuring these operations,” said Kent County Administrator Al Vanderberg. “We consulted subject matter experts and community members and commissioned extensive research into county-level animal shelter and animal control operations before recommending these changes. These decisions are data-driven and reflect nationwide best practices in animal welfare, as well as public safety.”
Kent County Animal Control
Animal control will be reassigned to the Sheriff’s Office because these operations are largely a function of law enforcement. The team will be led by certified law enforcement officers including a KCSO Enforcement Division lieutenant and two Enforcement Division sergeants who will oversee daily operations and staff. Staff will include a civilian animal control supervisor and civilian special deputies who will be supported by community outreach, media relations and training staff already at the Sheriff’s Office.
Kent County Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young
At a meeting on June 9, the Kent County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved recommendations from its Legislative and Human Resources Committee and Finance and Physical Resources Committee to create and fund the three full-time animal control unit supervisors at the Sheriff’s Office.
“For years, KCSO officers have worked cooperatively with Kent County animal control officers in response to calls and to carry out the law enforcement aspects of these operations,” said Kent County Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young. “With these changes, animal control operations will be led by sworn law enforcement officers trained to provide oversight and to protect due process in rapidly unfolding legal and civil rights matters.”
While the animal control officers will be civilian positions and will not have arresting authority, the certified Sheriff’s deputies in the animal control unit will have authority to make arrests when there is cause to believe a crime has been committed.
To prepare for these changes, the Sheriff’s Office is developing a new Kent County Animal Control Ordinance to replace the Kent County Health Department Animal Control Regulations that have been on the books for more than 20 years. Starting July 1, the new ordinance will apply anywhere in the county where local city, township or village ordinances are not already in place. Existing local ordinances will supersede the Kent County Animal Control Ordinance.
How and When to Contact Animal Control
If a Kent County resident encounters an animal emergency – an animal is attacking a person, or a pet is in immediate danger – they should call 911. Otherwise, residents should call the Kent County Sheriff’s Department dispatch at 616-632-7310 if they encounter a stray dog, in the case of a dog bite, or to report a suspected case of animal cruelty or neglect.
The primary focus of Kent County Animal Shelter will be the care and welfare of lost and abandoned animals. (KC Animal Shelter)
Kent County Animal Shelter
With the restructuring announced today, the Kent County Animal Shelter will maintain primary responsibility for the care, shelter and feeding of lost and abandoned animals in Kent County. The change in reporting directly to the administration will allow the Kent County Health Department to focus more exclusively on human health.
“Our mission hasn’t changed. We remain keenly focused on reuniting pets with their families and finding safe and loving new homes for animals when needed,” said Kent County Animal Shelter Director Angela Hollinshead. “We value the assistance that many community leaders and animal welfare agencies have provided in support of that mission and of the animals in our care over the past several years. We look forward to working with these leaders and organizations to formalize and increase community support in the months ahead.”
Following the restructuring, County administration and the animal shelter will explore the possibility of establishing a foundation and “friends group” to increase financial and volunteer support for the shelter.
Heritage Hill Garden Tour will feature 10 private gardens and two organization gardens in this year’s event. (Supplied)
Ten private gardens and two organizational gardens will be part of the 2022 Heritage Hill Garden Tour, which is set for Saturday, June 18, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Each garden is a unique reflection of the creative, nature-loving gardeners who tend them. From showy displays in front gardens bursting with color to hidden gems waiting behind a home to warmly welcome guests, the possibilities of what a garden can be will inspire.
Some of the gardens included on this self-guided tour are:
President Gerald Ford’s boyhood back yard now filled with statuary and rare plantings.
Wonderland over 40 years in the making that surrounds an enchanting home.
A serene and elegant backyard setting that includes a complete outdoor kitchen.
A stately brick home perfectly surrounded by beautiful plantings.
A small but artfully designed garden that makes wise use of every space.
A front yard garden that catches the eye of everyone who passes by.
Free-flowing flower garden on Prospect Ave. that wears new colors for every season.
Formal fountains galore surrounding a home on College.
Peaceful natural water feature that accents a shade garden.
A sweet little garden on Paris Ave.
Vibrant annuals and perennials at the Voigt House tended by volunteers.
Formal gardens at the Meyer May House that are reminiscent of Frank Lloyd Wright’s organic architecture.
Individual ticketsare $12 in advance, $15 on the day of the tour. Group tickets may be purchased in advance for $8 each for 20 or more tickets, $5 each for 50 or more tickets. Group pricing is not available on the day of the tour.
Tickets are available for pre-sale through midnight on June 17 via our website, www.heritagehillweb.org or contact the office during operating hours at 616-459-8950.
Tickets can be purchased at the ticket booth at the Child Discovery Center, 409 Lafayette Ave. SE. on the day of tour. Pre-sold tickets may be picked up at will call on the day of the tour.
The tour occurs rain or shine. Refunds are not available. Masks are welcomed for the safety of garden hosts and visitors.
Parking will be available at:
Child Discovery Center at 409 Lafayette Ave. SE
Elders Helpers at500 Cherry St. S.E.
On-street parking is often available. Please adhere to posted parking restrictions.
There are a number of reasons that a municipality may seek government-run broadband such as faster service at a lower cost, encourage economic development, and provide economic development. (pxhere.com)
For more than a decade, municipalities around the United States have been starting their own government-run broadband networks to bring high-speed internet to their residents.
They might do so for a variety of reasons: to provide residents faster service at a lower cost, to encourage economic development, to provide high-speed internet to areas that private Internet Service Providers aren’t interested in serving, or to bring more economical connections to urban areas where residents can’t afford the service provided by private ISPs.
But due to laws on the books in Michigan, cities can face significant obstacles in starting their own network.
Michigan is one of 18 states that put restrictions on municipal broadband programs. Under the Metropolitan Extension Telecommunications Rights-of-Way Oversight Act of 2002, public entities can provide telecommunications services only if they have first requested bids for the services and received fewer than three qualified bids. They also must subject themselves to the same terms as those specified in their Request for Proposal.
Around the United States, measures regulating municipal broadband are enacted largely due to the influence of telecommunications companies wishing to be shielded from competition, according to MuniNetworks.org, a Community Broadband Networks Initiative of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.
According to the Common Cause Education Fund, which tracked the spending of telecommunications companies for the years 2019 and 2020, Comcast spent $13 million on lobbying in 2019 and $14 million in 2020. The company spent $15 million on political contributions and expenditures in the 2020 election cycle. AT&T spent $11.5 million on lobbying in 2019, $11 million in 2020, and $13 million in political contributions in 2020.
Some small cities in the Michigan, such as Marshall, have been able to start their own network because they sent out a Request for Proposal and no ISPs responded, according to the Battle Creek Enquirer.
Holland is exempt from the Metro Act provisions because their fiber system predates the Metro Act, according to Ted Siler, utility services director for the city. They started it in the 1990s to connect their public utilities.
But even though the regulations don’t affect Holland’s plans to build a fiber network in the city, there are still parties pushing to stop it.
In late May, Holland residents began getting a “push poll” text from G1 Research. While purporting to be an opinion poll, the questions aligned with talking points by conservative commentators who believe municipal broadband networks place a unnecessary burden on taxpayers.
Daniel Morrison, a broadband activist who leads the civic group hollandfiber.org, said he didn’t know who was behind the push poll. All he had were “rumors and suspicions,” he said.
But he believes the Holland community supports the plan.
“I think the community is behind this because we have such a well-respected utility that takes good care of us,” he said. “It’s very clear to residents why a community-owned broadband utility fits in really well and would be an improvement over what they have now.”
Telecommunications companies aren’t the only ones trying to halt municipal broadband networks. Conservative lawmakers routinely introduce legislative restrictions because they feel municipal networks raise taxes and are not a cost-effective solution.
Holland representatives believe there is support to have a government-run broadband within their city.
Some studies have shown that municipal networks don’t attract enough users to pay for themselves. Elizabeth Hicks, U.S. affairs analyst at the advocacy group the Consumer Choice Center, cites a 2017 study by the University of Pennsylvania Law School concluding that of 20 municipal fiber projects that reported results of their municipal operations, 11 generated negative cash flow, and only two were on track to break even.
“What happens if there’s not enough consumers who end up signing up for the municipal broadband services or network? If that does happen – and what we see happen across the country with other municipal broadband networks – is the taxpayers within that municipality are stuck holding the bag for this failed network. So not only do they have a network that doesn’t work, but now they’re paying for it with their own tax dollars.”
But according to MuniNetworks.org, several of the cities that were subjects of the University of Pennsylvania Law School study disputed the accuracy of the numbers used in the calculations. The authors of the study issued a correction to some aspects of their report. The University of Pennsylvania released an updated study in January this year which again found that the actual performance of municipal broadband projects fell short of their financial forecasts.
Hicks said she believes everyone should have access to high-speed internet at reasonable prices, but that municipal networks are not the most effective way to do that. She said she has seen public-private partnerships work in rural areas where it’s cost-prohibitive to bring fiber. Cable and satellite service could be other options to consider, she said, or government subsidies for broadband in areas where there are ISPs providing service, but it’s too expensive for residents.
“There are a lot of unique solutions – I just don’t think jumping to a municipal broadband network should be the first one,” she said, adding that more than 200 communities nationwide currently offer municipal broadband, but only a small percentage of them have been successful.
In Holland, if the ballot measure passes, city residents will pay a millage of about $12.50 per month for building the system. Those who choose to connect would pay about $42 per month for service of 1 gigabit per second. The cost will depend on the “take rate,” in other words, how many people sign up. The more people who sign up for the service, the lower the cost will go.
Holland leaders are confident they will have the numbers needed to ensure success. The City and its Board of Public Works surveyed residents in 2018 and found that the vast majority of residents were in favor of a community-owned solution that provides high-speed internet access.
Morrison said demand for fiber connection in Holland’s existing downtown pilot project area has been strong. They have more than 200 customers in 150 buildings, he said.
The Covid pandemic and the lockdowns that followed brought the need for high-speed internet into sharp focus, he said.
“Everyone understands now the value of a good, reliable internet connection. We look at our very reliable utility that has been lowering electric rates, and say ‘We want (internet service) to be a utility just like water, sewer, or electricity.’ That’s what we want. We want to be in control of our own destiny. Not leave that up to a big telecom company.”
Kentwood residents will have the opportunity to learn more about the upcoming Aug. 2 millage for the city’s parks at three informational meet-ups set for June 20. (Supplied)
The City of Kentwood will host meetups in several city parks Monday, June 20, to provide information and answer questions about the upcoming millage proposal.
Each meetup will feature Parks and Recreation staff and commissioners ready to discuss the Aug. 2 ballot proposal. The events will take place 6-7 p.m. at three city parks:
Northeast Park, 1900 Middleground Drive SE
Pinewood Park, 1999 Wolfboro Drive SE
Stanaback Park, 3717 Whitebud Drive SE
Residents of all ages are welcome to attend. Ice cream and light refreshments will be available for those who participate.
“We’re looking forward to connecting with the community to discuss the future of Kentwood’s parks, trails and recreation,” said Kentwood Parks and Recreation Director Val Romeo. “Our team is ready to answer any questions residents may have about the millage proposal and our vision for the future.”
The August ballot proposal asks residents to consider a permanent dedicated millage of 1 mill that, if approved, will support the City’s parks, trails and recreational facilities and programming. It would fund improvements to all trails and parks, expand and enhance programming through increased capacity in space and staffing, and more.
A mill is 1/1000 of a dollar, or .001 cents. If a tax rate or millage rate is 1 mill, a resident is taxed .001 cents for every dollar, or $1 per $1,000 of the taxable value of the property. For example, for a residential home with a taxable value of $100,000, the cost of 1 mill would be $100 per year.
Kentwood is home to 15 parks that cover more than 400 acres and more than 13 miles of non-motorized trails that are used year-round by residents and visitors. Numerous community events and more than 700 recreational programs are offered annually for people of all ages and abilities through the Parks and Recreation Department.
More information on the proposed millage is available at kentwood.us/millage.
As the Meijer ladies Charity Classic gets underway this week, the Mr. Sid’s Wednesday Afternoon Video Series will have LPGA Chaplain Cris Stevens as its guest this Wednesday.
Stevens has served as the chaplain for the Ladies Professional Golf Association since 1982 and will be sharing stories from her role in the LPGA and how she counsels, supports, and ministers to the world’s best professional golfers. She will present her program on Wednesday, June 15, at 2 p.m at Marge’s Donut Den, 1751 28th St. SW.
Tom Sibley, one of the organizers of the Mr. Sid’s programs, noted this is the second time that Stevens has visited the group. Stevens stopped by last year just before the Meijer LPGA Classic.
The daughter of Sid Lenger (who the group is named after), Lavoone Ritzema, had met Stevens while she worked with the LPGA and invited her to speak. Stevens presentation was so popular that organizers decided to invite her back.
The program begins at 2 p.m. at Marge’s Donut Den, 1751 28th St. SW. There is a hymn sing at 1:45 p.m. The program is free.
Coming up for the Mr. Sid’s Wednesday Afternoon Video Series will be USS Silversides Museum Executive Director Peggy Maniates on July 20. and Grand Haven Musical Fountain Engineer and Board Member Terry Stevens on Aug. 17.
On Aug. 2, the City of Holland could join a short list of cities that has broadband as a city utility. (pxhere.com)
When Holland voters go to the polls on Aug. 2, they will decide on a milage proposal that would give residents a benefit that’s relatively rare in the United States: a publicly funded, city-wide broadband internet network available to anyone living within the city limits.
The Holland City Council voted in April to take the measure to the voters. Now, the city is immersed in a campaign to educate voters about the benefits of the proposal.
If the ballot measure passes, Holland would join cities like Chattanooga, Tennessee; Sandy, Oregon; Cedar Falls, Iowa, and several others spread around the country that have a broadband network run by the municipality.
“Covid made it very clear that home internet is not a luxury,” said Daniel Morrison, a local broadband advocate who runs Hollandfiber.org, a civic group that has long championed the idea. “I’ve been banging this drum for years – that it’s not just people’s Netflix. It’s a utility. Covid changed the perception of that. It’s how you work. It’s how you go to school, it’s how you do everything, It’s not just entertainment. But even entertainment is important too.”
If the ballot measure passes, the funds raised by the millage will extend a fiber network that already exists in the downtown area to the rest of the city. The network will be owned and maintained by the Holland Board of Public Works and operated in the same way as other utilities, such as water or electricity.
“For the average family, we expect this would give them better choice in internet providers and lower – possibly significantly lower – prices,” Morrison said. “Better service at a lower price is what we’re seeing.”
Downtown business in Holland already have been enjoying the faster upload speeds offered by the city’s fiber connections. (pxhere.com)
Residents would be able to choose between several different Internet service providers that offer service packages using the new fiber network, bringing a more competitive environment.
Residents would pay to hook up to the service – $820 per address – but would be allowed to pay that off at a cost of $7 per month for 10 years, according to hollandcityfiber.org, the city website explaining the proposal. A sample internet service bill provided by the city shows an estimated monthly cost of $42 for internet service – $7 for the monthly installment payment for connection, $7 for internet access and $28 for maintenance of the network.
The millage would levy up to 1.5 mills in its first year, and about 1.12 each year after that for the life of the 25-year bond, according to hollandcityfiber.org. The millage would cost about $12.50 per month for the owner of a $200,000 home with a taxable value of $100,000. If approved, the project to run the fiber throughout the city would start in 2023 and be finished two years later.
Morrison said that for businesses in Holland, the service would let them take advantage of high-speed uploads they may not have had before. Businesses in the existing downtown service area are already reaping the benefits, he said.
“There are some companies in town that do video work and they’re able to upload finished projects crazy fast over our current downtown service area,” Morrison said. “It’s unlocking so much potential of high-speed, high-availability options for businesses outside the downtown area.”
Pete Hofswell, Holland’s broadband services superintendent, said Holland first developed a fiberoptic system in the early 1990s to connect, monitor and control the city’s public utilities.
That system has been growing slowly ever since, but expanding broadband access to the rest of the city has been a priority for many years, with ongoing discussions between the city council and the board of public works, Hofswell said.
“City Hall would get back to us and challenge us, saying ‘How can you get this service into more people’s hands?’ They see the value of it. They want to connect everybody in our town.”
A survey of residents taken in 2021 showed that 65% believed community investment was needed to ensure sufficient broadband access for all, and more than 72% agreed that community based broadband would benefit the community, according to hollandcityfiber.org.
Because Holland has had its fiber optic network for decades, the city is in a unique position to expand its network without being hampered by regulations that might affect other communities attempting to put a publicly funded fiber network in place.
The services are governed by the Metropolitan Extension Telecommunications Rights-of-Way Oversight Act, Public Act 48 of 2002, and Michigan Telecommunications Act, Public Act 179 of 1991. In Michigan, public entities by law can provide telecommunications services only if they have first requested bids for the services and received fewer than three qualified bids. And they have to abide by same terms and conditions as those specified in their request for proposals.
But Ted Siler, utility services director for the city, said that because Holland has been providing broadband service for more than 30 years and its service predates the Metro Act, “we’re exempt and grandfathered in.”
Morrison said he’s not worried about regulation popping up to derail Holland’s plans. But other communities might not be so lucky.
“The telecom companies have had their hands in legislation for decades to try to prevent cities from doing what we’re doing. We’re lucky that we been doing this for 30 years in Holland so we’re unaffected by that legislation now,” he said. “But I feel bad for other communities that won’t have the same luxury we do. It’s going to be harder for them.”
An East Kentwood High School graduate has been awarded the Northwood University Presidential Scholarship.
Kelsey Depault is the recipient of the Presidential Scholarship, which awards $15,000 per year for four years for students living on campus, and $13,500 for those residing off campus.
Depault, play softball at East Kentwood and the club team Caledonia Chaos, signed to play softball at Northwood University last fall. She was a shortstop and on the outfield. Depault also tied the school record for most hits in a season. She got 75.
The Presidential Scholarship recognizes leadership, determination, personal freedom/responsibility, and academic excellence along with experience in volunteerism, resilience, entrepreneurship and/or cross-cultural impact.
Students are selection for consideration based on the information they provide in their Northwood application.
Northwood University is a private institution in Midland, Michigan. It opened in 1959 and has had more than 33,000 graduates. Among some of its most notable graduates are Dick DeVos, former U.S. Congresswoman Candice Miller. current U.S. Congresswoman Lisa McClain, and the first African-American woman to be named Miss USA, Carole Gist.
Walma Avenue SE will be closed 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday between Breton Avenue SE and 44th Street SE for sanitary sewer installation.
All local traffic will have access during the one-day full road closure, but through-traffic drivers will need to seek an alternate route or follow the posted detour from Breton to 44th Street back to Walma.
Single-lane closures and temporary traffic lights are expected next week through the work zone for paving operations.
For more information or questions, please contact Kentwood Senior Engineering Technician Jim Beke at BekeJ@kentwood.us or 616.554.0737
The Division Avenue Business Association (DABA), will be hosting the Division Ave. Art & Culture Festival on June 18, from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Craft vendors will be part of the upcoming Division Ave. Arts & Culture Festival. (Courtesy The Stray)
This family-friendly event will be held in the neighborhood surrounding Division Avenue and 43rd Street, and will include food and craft vendors, live music, Pacific Island dancers, interactive art, a colorful dragon parade, fun prize giveaways, and more.
The Art & Culture Festival was brought into being after a study was done by Division United and in cooperation with The Rapid.
“They were looking at what this neighborhood would need to grow and better the people who live here and the people who work here,” Hunter VanKlompenberg, music and arts manager of The Stray, a coffee house participating in the Festival. “We thought it would be cool to have an annual summer festival that is for the local neighborhood and supported by local artists and gets the involvement of all the different businesses.”
Along with independent artists, musicians, and vendors from the greater Grand Rapids area, several local Division Avenue businesses will be participating in the Festival, including The Stray, Café Boba, Quest Fitness, and Natural Maya. A portion of 43rd Street will be closed down to accommodate the Festival.
Pacific Island dancers will be part of the entertainment at the Festival. (Courtesy The Stray)
“We are going to have artist tents outside,and space for live music,” VanKlompenberg said. “We have the support of Wyoming and Kentwood city governments, and they are putting in a temporary crosswalk so that it (the Festival) is easy for people to access.”
While it isn’t the most well-known area of Grand Rapids, the Wyoming and Kentwood areas are vastly multi-cultural with specialty shops, including the Kim Nhung Superstore, that are sought out by West Michigan community members.
“A lot of people will drive over an hour to come visit because there are ingredients you just can’t get anywhere else,” VanKlompenberg said of the Asian grocery store across the street from The Stray.
Owners of Café Boba, Yiuli and ted Bonarski are also excited to be part of the upcoming Festival.
Cafe Boba is known for its bubble tea and other delights. (Supplied)
“We’re so happy to be involved in planning and participating n this event,” the couple said in a recent interview. “It’s not widely known that South Division is a hotbed of hole-in-the-wall, diamond-in-the-rough small businesses, but it truly is the place in Grand Rapids for authentic food and art from a huge variety of cultures around the world. We’re thrilled to be helping to promote small, owen operated businesses; they are the lifeblood of a healthy community for people, by the people.”
Café Boba offers customers a wide selection of boba tea, smoothies, slashes, coffee drinks, and sweets treats — and will be offering a new summer menu.
Ray Shonk, owner of Quest Fitness on Division Street, will also be participating in the Art and Culture Festival and looks forward to the opportunity to meet more members of the community.
“Fitness isn’t meant to be for the super-wealthy,” Shonk said. “It should be for everyone.”
Ray Shonk, owner of Quest Fitness, said fitness should be for everyone. (Supplied)
Shonk has experience training many different levels of fitness enthusiasts, from those stepping into a gym fo rat first time, to professional athletes and Olympic competitors.
To help raise awareness and encourage fitness discussions, Shonk will be offering free fitness assessments throughout the entire Festival where community members can meet Quest Fitness trainers and discuss their goals. “Fitness is not one-size-fits-all. It has to be custom-fit to each person,” said Shonk.
Shonk is a firm believer in offering affordable fitness options for everyone while also providing unique experiences. “I am having to draw on 30-plus years of martial arts experience to put that together,” Shonk said with a laugh.
The Stray also hopes to bring the Wyoming an dKentwood area something unique and virtual to West Michigan.
A family-owned café, The Stray’s goal since conception has been to bring diversity and community to a place of comfort and creativity. They accomplish this by offering a relaxing venue for both coffee enthusiasts and artists of the surrounding area. The Stray’s own unique blend of creative talent and delicious coffee helps cultivate the welcoming atmosphere The Stray strives to bring to Grand Rapids.
The Stray is a family-owned business that opened last fall. (Supplied)
“There is a definite deficit of accessible venues for music and arts,” said VanKlompenberg of the Grand Rapids area. “Having an (accessible) place was definitely needed.”
Division Avenue store owners invite adults and children alike to explore the Division Ave. Art & Culture Festival on June 18 and experience all the community has to offer.
For full Art & Culture Festival event information and updates, visit the event’s Facebook page.
There is still availability for vendors who would like to get involved. Those who would like to participate can fill out the Involvement Interest Form or send an email to the team@thestraycafe.com.
Cabildo performs July 21 at Kentwood Summer Concert Series.
The Kentwood Summer Concert Series is not your typical outdoor community event.
Yes, you get live music, of course, and food trucks are on hand to keep you fed.
But you can also bring your own “adult beverages.”
“That’s one of the things that makes Kentwood a little more unique,” said Laura Barbrick, marketing and events coordinator for the City of Kentwood Parks & Recreation department.
Through a special permit with the local police department, attendees can bring their own alcohol (beer and wine) in a designated area. “It just has to stay in the concert zone,” she added.
Fans of the popular concert series will get to bring those “adult beverages” to the show when the Max Lockwood Band kicks off the series at 7 p.m. June 16 on the lawn behind Kentwood City Hall. Bring your own blankets and lawn chairs.
The weekly series continues on Thursday evenings through Aug. 11. See the schedule below. All will be recorded and aired on WKTV.
Another “unique” aspect of the Kentwood series is an opportunity to check out the local farmers market. About a decade ago the market used to be on Saturdays, but changed to Thursdays in this special partnership.
“We polled our residents and discovered there was a need for a weekday evening market,” Barbrick said.
The Kentwood Farmers Market will be from 4:30 – 7 p.m. Thursdays, right before the concert series. (Supplied)
In 2020 they had a few pop-up markets on Thursday nights, and they were very well attended, she said.
“To continue the momentum,” they decided to have the farmers market on the same day. “It’s a great way to cross-promote both events,” Barbrick added.
“People who attend the concert series might not have known about our Farmers Market before. But now our concertgoers love to shop the market and buy local products before grabbing a seat on the lawn for the show. It really has been a win-win and has helped grow both the market and our concert series.”
The Kentwood Farmers Market takes place next door from 4:30-7 p.m. in the parking lot behind City Hall.
Concerts take place from 7-8:30 p.m. on the lawn behind Kentwood City Hall, 4900 Breton Ave. SE. Admission is free. A variety of food trucks also will be on hand.
The lineup of bands includes a variety of styles and diversity, which was intentional, Barbrick said.
“Typically, in January, we put out a poll on social media asking the community who they want in our lineup,” she said. “We take the results from the poll and go through all the band applications to determine the lineup.
“Diversity is very important to our selection. We serve a very diverse community and want our music selection to represent our residents and culture.”
Crowds can range from 500-1,000 people, depending on the popularity of acts.
But everyone has a great time, she said.
“We’ve received a lot of positive feedback from residents over the years. We have some families that come to every single show,” Barbrick said.
“People love the opportunity to be outdoors and enjoy a free concert. We love it when the crowd is dancing and asking for an encore. It’s very rewarding to see the smiles and hear the applause after each show.”
Parking for shows will be limited at both City Hall and the Library, according to the city’s website. Additional parking is available at the Kentwood Justice Center (4740 Walma SE), Kentwood Public Works (5068 Breton SE), Kentwood Baptist Church (2875 52nd St), and there is street parking in nearby neighborhoods.
If you miss a show you can watch it here at WKTV On Demand.
John D. Gonzalez is a digital journalist with 30-plus years of experience as a food, travel, craft beer and arts & entertainment reporter based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also co-hosts the radio show and Podcast “Behind the Mitten,” which airs at 6 p.m. Sundays on WOOD-AM and FM. Follow him on his journey to discover what’s next. You can find him on Twitter as @MichiganGonzo, on Instagram @MichiganGonzo and Facebook at @GRGonzo. He also relaunched his YouTube Channel. Email him story ideas and tips at michigangonzo@gmail.com.
The Kentwood Farmers Market will return for its eighth season June 16-Sept. 29 with more than 30 local vendors and a variety of special activities.
The market will take place 4:30-7:30 p.m. each Thursday except Sept. 8 behind Kentwood City Hall, 4900 Breton Ave. SE. With a longer 15-week season and more vendors than ever before, the market will provide opportunities for community members to buy an array of local goods ranging from fresh produce, baked goods, syrup and cheese to fresh-cut flowers, coffee and handmade items all summer long.
In addition to exploring vendor items, there will be food trucks on-site each week offering a range of cuisines for purchase, along with themed nights featuring free activities for marketgoers.
Community members are also invited to attend Kentwood’s Summer Concert Series, which overlaps with the market’s Thursday evening schedule. Free to attend, each concert will take place 7-8:30 p.m. on the lawn behind City Hall.
Here’s the full lineup of the free activities, food trucks and concerts:
June 16: Opening day celebration featuring a food demonstration and food samples; El Jalapeño, Kona Ice of Lowell and Patty Matters food trucks; The Max Lockwood Band concert at 7 p.m.
June 23: Falafel Truck, Kool Breze and Sanse Filipino Cuisine food trucks; Out of Favor Boys concert at 7 p.m.
June 30: Mapocho, Patty Matters and Taste of Toya’s World food trucks; The Soul Syndicate concert at 7 p.m.
July 7: Dog Days of Summer featuring dog vendors, pet portraits, a dog walk and dog adoptions; Taste of Toya’s World food truck
July 14: Falafel Truck, Kool Breze and Mapocho food trucks; Par-llo Connectionconcert at 7 p.m.
July 21: Dune Buggy, Kona Ice and Sanse Filipino Cuisine food trucks; Cabildoconcert at 7 p.m.
Aug. 4: El Jalapeño, Patty Matters and Taste of Toya’s World food trucks; The Moxie Strings concert at 7 p.m.
Aug. 11: National Farmers Market Week celebration featuring a food demonstration and food samples; Falafel Truck, Kona Ice, Sanse Filipino Cuisine and Taste of Toya’s World food trucks; Brena concert at 7 p.m.
Aug. 18: Back to School Night featuring a student showcase of local musicians; Patty Matters food truck.
Aug. 25: Charcuterie Challenge, a food assembly showdown using only farmers market ingredients; Sanse Filipino Cuisine food truck.
Sept. 1: Kid’s Day featuring a meet and greet with animals from the John Ball Zoo, crafts and more; Kool Breze food truck.
Sept. 15: Bike Day featuring bike vendors and demonstrations; Falafel Truck.
Sept. 22: Fall Equinox Day Dune Buggy food truck.
Sept. 29: Harvest Day featuring pumpkin painting and food preserving demonstrations; El Jalapeño food truck; Just Jill music performance 4:30-5:30 p.m.
“We are looking forward to welcoming community members back to the Kentwood Farmers Market for another great season offering a robust lineup of vendors and special activities,” Market Manager Kristina Colby said. “All are invited to join us for fun outdoors connecting with and supporting our local farmers and vendors.”
Community members can stay up to date on special market events and seasonal items by following the Kentwood Farmers Market on Facebook.
There are still a few spots available for vendors. Those who are interested can apply to be a vendor at KentwoodFarmersMarket.com. The cost is $10 per day or $75 for the full season.
In addition to visiting the market, individuals who want to support the market can become a Friend of the Kentwood Farmers Market sponsor or volunteer to assist with market setup, the information booth, special events and more.
Additional information about the Kentwood Farmers Market, including a vendor application, is available at KentwoodFarmersMarket.com.
People Attending Self Emmanuel Hospice’s grief support services are open to anyone in the community. (Adobe Stock/Supplied)
By Emmanuel Hospice
In our commercial world, we’re subjected to displays of gifts, candy and cards for weeks ahead of a holiday. With technology today, there are even targeted ads on our phones and social media platforms that show us memories from past celebrations.
For someone struggling with grief, these aren’t always friendly cues to prepare for the holiday. They can be triggering reminders of how a loved one isn’t here anymore.
“We know significant dates like anniversaries, birthdays and holidays can be a challenge for those grieving the loss of an important person in their life,” says Merrin Bethel, a bereavement coordinator with Emmanuel Hospice. “Holidays like Father’s Day and Mother’s Day can be especially difficult after the loss of a parent.”
Parents are often the first to love and care for all of us. It can be painful mourning that unique relationship with someone who has known you since you came into the world. Around days dedicated to honoring parents, there can be multiple, conflicting emotions.
“You may be angry at the world for celebrating a day that highlights just how much the person you love is missing from the picture, all while wanting to be a part of the laughter and joy around you,” Ashley Huisman, another Emmanuel Hospice bereavement coordinator, explains. “Remember it is OK to feel more than one thing at once and none of these feelings are wrong. Give yourself the space to ride the roller coaster of emotions the day may bring.”
Quite often the anticipation of the day can be worse than the day itself. To help prevent anxiety, Huisman recommends making a plan A, B and C – or as many as you need – to find a sense of peace that whatever happens, you’ll be ready.
“Take a good inventory of yourself, your emotions and what you need out of the day,” Huisman says. “Maybe plan A is to be with friends and family, sharing memories and participating in planned activities. Maybe plan B is leaving the gathering early or skipping a part of the day all together because being with others may be a bit overwhelming.”
Acknowledging the day with a remembrance activity is another healthy way to cope.
“It’s common for people to wonder if the holiday should even be celebrated or observed after the loss of a loved one and what that should look like,” Bethel adds. “We invite people to do whatever feels best for their family.
“It’s great if you want to get birthday cake on your dad’s birthday or go out to dad’s favorite restaurant on Father’s Day. It’s healthy to continue finding ways to stay connected with a person we’ve lost.”
After the loss of a loved one, it’s also important to find support in family, friends and sometimes even the help of a professional to navigate what you’re experiencing.
“If possible, find a friend or other supportive person you can talk to honestly about the day,” Huisman says. “Let them know when you are having a hard moment or when you want to share a memory. Remember, you are not alone.”
For more information on coping with grief, Emmanuel Hospice is hosting topical three-session workshops through end of August. Held at 401 Hall St. SW in Grand Rapids, the in-person grief support events are free and open to anyone in the community regardless of whether they have a prior connection with the nonprofit or hospice care.
The organization also provides individual support to anyone who has suffered a loss. For more information or to RSVP for a workshop or group, email EHBereavement@EmmanuelHospice.org or call 616.719.0919.
Woodland Mall is fundraising for Movember in honor of Men’s Health Month and, in celebration of Father’s Day, offering a giveaway and gift guide for shoppers.
Camping gear items available from REI. (Courtesy)
Through the end of June, community members are invited to join Woodland Mall in supporting Movember, a charity dedicated to changing the face of men’s health. The organization focuses on mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer and testicular cancer. As the leading charity for men’s health, Movember raises funds to deliver innovative, breakthrough research and support programs that enable men to live happier, healthier and longer lives.
This month, the mall is donating $500 to the organization and encouraging the community to support the cause as well. To give, individuals can scan the QR code throughout the mall or visit the Woodland Mall team page.
“We’re honored to help raise funds for Movember as a way to support all the incredible fathers and father figures out there,” said Mikia Ross, interim senior marketing director for Woodland Mall. “Movember is a fantastic charity that raises awareness for men’s health on a global scale. We look forward to partnering with the community to contribute to such an important cause.”
In celebration of Father’s Day, the mall is also offering a sweepstakes giveaway featuring a gift package for a father which includes gifts cards to REI and the Cheesecake Factory. The giveaway is from Tuesday, June 14 through Thursday, June 16. To enter the contest, visit Woodland Mall’s website, Facebook or Instagram.
Mall hours are 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon-6 p.m. Sunday.
Tarot and numerology are virtually inseparable and essential to one another. (pxhere.com)
It’s said that Tarot can be used to unlock the mystical power of the “cosmic universe.”
People use Tarot as a tool to help connect with their higher self through spiritual enlightenment, self-awareness, and self- improvement. Readings offer insights into past, present, and future events. Readings can also help people understand particular situations often in areas of career, relationships, love-life, and finances.
It seems Tarot and Astrology complement each other as both are based on four elements; air, water, fire, and earth. Additionally, there is a Tarot card for each Zodiac sign. Each Tarot card corresponds to a different planet, sign, or elemental combination in Astrology. Astrology is considered one of the oldest natural sciences while Tarot is considered one of the oldest mystical sciences.
Tarot and numerology are virtually inseparable and essential to one another. Meanings of numbers can add depth to the interpretation of each Tarot card. Cards are numbered 1-10 in both Major Arcana and Minor Arcana in all four suits and court cards are assigned numbers. Interpreting the meaning of the numbers in combination with either traditional or modern meanings of the card can add extra insights to the reading.
There are several different types of Tarot decks to choose from. One of the most traditional Tarot decks for beginners is the Rider-Waite. A standard modern Tarot deck has 78 cards divided into two groups called Major and Minor Arcana with 22 cards known as Trumps and Minor Arcana with 56 cards. Some of the other interesting Tarot decks include: Elemental, The Black Power Tarot, Light Seer’s Tarot, Modern Witch Tarot, and many more.
A tradition Tarot deck for beginners is the Rider-Waite deck. (pxhere.com)
Tarot reader Esther Joy has been on Grand Rapids Ghost Hunters Podcast for episodes 15, 25, and 38 and was also a guest on Cryptic Frequencies. We first met her while she was reading Tarot at a real haunted mansion now known as the Paddock Place. Esther Joy likes to setup a shrine of sorts, using the positive vibrations of some of her favorite crystals, like amethyst, citrine, rose quartz, black tourmaline, and others. The pageantry is further defined as sacred Palo Santo wood is burned during the reading.
Recently on episode 64, Esther Joy joined the show and read for me from a Cosmic Tarot deck. She’s empathic, clairvoyant, a prophetic dreamer, and an artist. She uses her intuitive powers to help interpret the Tarot cards so people can connect with their higher self and tap into their inner wisdom. For a reading. go to Esther Joy’s Facebook page (Esther Joy Tarot).
To get the most out of Tarot readings it’s important to have a positive mind set about the cards and yourself, with the understanding that Tarot at best is a tool or a kind of compass to guide you in the right direction. If we can get past the stereotypical images of a fortune teller peering into a crystal ball, we might be able to recognize Tarot as more self-reflection than divination.
A few years after Senior Sing A-Long started its life enrichment music programs for seniors, they began providing music therapy by licensed music therapists as well. (Courtesy)
Like many organizations, Senior Sing A-Long took a hit in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic.
With senior living communities on lockdown, the Wyoming nonprofit couldn’t schedule the life enrichment music programs the organization has been providing in West Michigan since 2004. The programs, offered for free or at a greatly reduced cost, use live performances to revitalize the minds and spirits of people living in long-term care communities.
The pandemic also made it hard to hold the types of in-person fundraisers that help pay for Senior Sing A-Long’s services, according to Development Director Sarah Dwortz.
But although they have had to reshuffle their priorities at times over the past two years, Senior Sing A-Long is still going strong. They recently received a $6,000 grant from the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, which helped to fill a funding gap, Dwortz said.
“We work with about 70 musicians on our list, and communities have their favorites – they can pick from the list,” Dwortz said. “We can offer them at no cost or much below market cost thanks to funding like this.”
Senior Sing A-Long receives grants from many foundations, including the Wyoming Community Foundation, Keller Foundation and West Michigan Alliance for Veterans, as well as corporate sponsorships and private donations.
The organization was founded in 2004 by Ken and Hattie Van Haaften, and is now run by their daughter, Jill Dover. The Van Haaftens started the program after realizing that music programs were one of the only things that could cheer up Ken’s mother, Katherine, when she was living in a nursing home. After a visit from a musician who played songs Katherine remembered from her youth, she would brighten up and talk about her life and memories.
The Senior Sing A-Long program has about 70 musicians working with several communities. (Courtesy)
“It started out by Ken going to Marge’s and finding musicians who might help him out,” said Dwortz, of Ken’s visits to the popular Wyoming doughnut shop (Marge’s Donut Den) that hosts live music. “One thing led to another. Now there’s a wide array of musicians, and the volume has been much greater than Jill and her dad ever anticipated.”
A few years after Senior Sing A-Long started its life enrichment music programs for seniors, they began providing music therapy by licensed music therapists as well. The music therapy program consists of small groups of seniors creating music by playing instruments, and serves as a way to accomplish therapeutic goals.
“Right now we’re working with approximately 60 communities – some just for music therapy, some for life enrichment, and some for both,” Dwortz said.
If funding weren’t an issue, Senior Sing A-Long would love to serve more communities at no cost, Dwortz said. And they would love to add another music therapist to its staff.
“We always want to continue to provide service to communities that otherwise wouldn’t have it due to the budget they have available,” she said. “We believe it’s necessary. It’s basic quality of life. I see it bringing a lot of joy.”
Donations are always welcome – and so are musicians willing to play for the seniors in the communities.
“We are always happy to hear from people if they have a musical talent. We’re always looking for more musicians,” Dwortz said. “For a lot of them, it’s nice to make a little money during the day, and they’re pretty philanthropic at the same time. They’re giving every day they do it. People love them. I think they get something out of it.”
More information about Senior Sing A-Long is available on their website at seniorsingalong.org.
A California trip that led to a hike into Mexico, an adventure to find Bigfoot, and a close call with a crime syndicate were just some of the stories shared at a recent WKTV Voices storytelling event.
WKTV Voices held its third public speaking event at Wyoming’s The Stray Café on Friday, May 6. Storytellers, Cody Dewindt, Sherryl Acey, John D. Gonzalez, Steve Zaagman and Timothy Kelly graced the stage to share their tales with cafégoers. Close to 20 people listened as the participants told them about some of their life experiences.
The WKTV Voices event was hosted by WKTV contributor John D. Gonzalez. Each speaker had about six minutes to share their unique and personal stories. The goal of the event is to reconnect us all in a shared storytelling experience.
“There’s been all sorts of stories short, long, sentimental, you know, funny and different things like that,” said The Stray Music Manager Hunter VanKlompenberg said. “And some people definitely try and put there like, the moral of at the end, and some people just kind of tell you what happened and that’s what their story is. And I enjoy both when they’re done right.”
Steve ZaagmanTimothy Kelly Sherryl Acey Cody DewindtThe storytellers
Dewindt, of Wyoming, was the first to speak, telling the crowd a comedic story about when he was a wedding DJ and had a close encounter with a local crime syndicate. Acey, also from Wyoming, was the second speaker, recounting a time she landed a big job and almost got in trouble because she was told she made a mistake (she approach the accusation head-on to find a solution). Gonzalez, of Comstock Park, spoke third, about a time when he was in Upper Penisula and a man brought him and his wife to a cottage to see bigfoot (he said he never saw him while there). Zaagman, of Byron Center, a former journalist, spoke fourth, sharing four unique stories about a snow globe, a woman losing her hearing, a child selling a rabbit and an organ. Kelly, of Grand Rapids, spoke last, talking about a time when he visited a friend in California and ended up going on a hike that led him to visit Mexico.
The storytellers had several things they wanted to impart to cafégoers from their tales of life. Some wanted people to have a good time while others wanted them to not give up and take the bull by the horns when challenges arise.
John D. Gonzalez, a WKTV contributing writer, was the host for the May 6 event. (WKTV/Aaron Robins)
“So say yes more than no, and an opportunity comes, if you see an opportunity to do something, to tell a story – I just say just take the leap and do it. It’s so easy to say no, but I’m telling you the best parts of life are when you say yes. So say yes to the opportunity if some says tell a story because I truly believe everyone has a story,” Zaagman said.
To watch the performance and learn more about WKTV Voices, visit wktvvoices.org. The Stray Café is located at 4253 Division Ave S Suite A in Wyoming.
Spring cleaning is what many have been doing as the weather warms up to summer. Now the question is what to do with all that stuff?
The City of Wyoming will be hosting its annual Community Clean-Up event on June 4 at the Grand Rapids First parking lot.
Well the City of Wyoming will be helping out its residents once again with the return of its popular Community Clean-Up Day which is set for Saturday, June 4. The event will again take place in the parking lot of the Grand Rapids First, 2100 44th St. SW. It will open at 8 a.m. with participants encouraged to be in line by 1:30 p.m. to drop off items.
The traffic flow will have cars entering Grand Rapids First through the right lane of the eastbound 44th Street. Once in line, drivers should follow the directions to the northeast entrance off 44th Street.
An array of unwanted items will be accepted such as recyclables, scrap metals, and car batteries. Items NOT accepted are household hazardous waste; kitchen garbage; liquid latex paint; seal drums; liquid, biological, radioactive waste; propane tanks; refrigerants; and explosives.
Yard waste may be dropped off at the Yard Waste Drop-Off, which is located at 2600 Burlingame Ave. SW. The facility will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. The facility is also open 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday – Friday. Yard waste should be sorted by leaves and grass and brush pile.
E. Martin Hennings (American, 1886–1956).
Two Summer Riders, c. 1930s. Oil on Canvas,
30 ¼ x 30 ¼ inches. Bank of America Collection.
At the Community Clean-Up event, there will be a fee for some items. While tires are $10 each, mattress or box springs are $15 each, tube and televisions that are 27 inches or smaller are $20, and tube televisions 27 inches or larger are $40.
To participate in the Community Clean-Up event, and to use the Yard Waste Drop-Off, residents must provide proof of residency which can be a photo ID, utility or credit card statement or bank statement within the last 90 days, a mortage, lease, or rental agreement, insurance policy, an issued license, or a Michigan vehicle registration.
The city started its Community Clean-Up in 2016 and it quickly became popular with the event averaging at least 300 vehicles coming through and disposing of items.
BISSELL Pet Foundation founder Cathy Bissell (Supplied)
The BISSELL Blocktail Party, West Michigan’s premier animal welfare fundraiser, is returning Tuesday, June 7. The last event in 2019 resulted in more than 1,000 guests — both human and canine — coming together to support homeless pets. Pet lovers and their four-legged friends are invited to this party with a purpose.
This year the event, which is from 6-9 p.m. at the East Grand Rapids track, will include live grilling with Celebrity Chef Paul Wahlberg of Wahlbergers. There will be adoptable pets from local shelters, including Labradors, Doodles, assorted puppies, and more. The popular silent auction is also returning with unique art and pet-themed packages.
Other attractions include DJ AB providing music, ArtPrize winner Chris LaPorte creating caricatures of furry friends, and even a specially created Blocktail IPA (I Prefer Adoption) beer.
“This year’s BISSELL Blocktail Party is going to be bigger and better than ever,” said Cathy Bissell, founder of the BISSELL Pet Foundation. “[The] Blocktail is BISSELL Pet Foundation’s primary fundraising event, providing critical support to give homeless pets a second chance. It wouldn’t be possible without the generous individuals who attend and sponsor the event.”
All of the proceeds will go directly to save homeless pets through grants from BISSELL Pet Foundation.
Besides a chance for fundraising, there’s good reason for celebration. In May, the BISSELL Pet Foundation announced a record number of adoptions for its National “Empty the Shelters” campaign. From May 2 to 15, more than 13,500 shelter pets in 45 states—approximately 6,035 cats and 7,469 dogs—were adopted through the event.
“Empty the Shelters” was created in 2016, and was originally hosted in just a few Michigan shelters. Since then, this event has grown to be BISSELL Pet Foundation’s most prominent program and the country’s largest funded adoption event. To date, “Empty the Shelters” has found homes for 96,068 pets and provided more than $7.6 million in direct funding to shelter partners.
“Right now, shelters are so full, and pets are experiencing longer stays,” Bissell said. “This is an expensive program for our small foundation, but it is a proven success. And we can’t turn our backs when we know we can save thousands of lives in one event.”
Tickets to the BISSELL Blocktail Party are available online for $100 per person and $50 for students with a valid student ID. Sponsors at $1,500 and above will receive tickets to the separate BISSELL Sponsor Party on June 6, which will have the talents of Lou Gramm and Asia featuring John Payne. Visit www.bissellblocktailparty.com for more details and to purchase tickets or be a sponsor for the event.
The USS Indianapolis sank on July 30, 1945 after being struck by two Japanese torpedoes. One of the sailors, Seaman 2nd Class George David Payne, was from Grand Rapids.
The Navy has officially changed the status of 13 sailors lost when the USS Indianapolis (CA 35) was sunk in 1945 from “unaccounted for” to “buried at sea,” Navy Casualty announced on May 27.
The change in status is the result of extensive research between Naval History and Heritage Command, Navy Casualty Office, the USS Indianapolis Survivors Association, the USS Indianapolis Legacy Organization, and the Chief Rick Stone and Family Charitable Foundation.
The announcement helps bring closure to the families of these sailors who lost their lives at the end of a secret mission which helped end World War II.
The USS Indianapolis sank on July 30, 1945, after being struck by two Japanese torpedoes.
The sailors whose status changed are:
Seaman 1st Class George Stanley Abbott – Bedford, Kentucky
Seaman 2nd Class Eugene Clifford Batson – Kansas City, Kansas
Gunner’s Mate 1st Class William Alexander Haynes – Homedale, Idaho
Seaman 2nd Class Albert Raymond Kelly – Cleveland, Ohio
Seaman 1st Class Albert Davis Lundgren – Washington, D.C.
Fireman 1st Class Ollie McHone – Mars Hill, Arkansas
Seaman 2nd Class George David Payne – Grand Rapids, Michigan
Storekeeper 3rd Class Alvin Wilder Rahn – Hamlet, North Carolina
Ship’s Cook 3rd Class Jose Antonio Saenz – Edinburg, Texas
Coxswain Charles Byrd Sparks – Birmingham, Alabama
Radioman 2nd Class Joseph Mason Strain – Creston, Iowa
SSML3 Angelo Anthony Sudano – Niles, Ohio
Gunner’s Mate 3rd Class Floyd Ralph Wolfe – Turner, Oregon
Approximately 300 of the ship’s 1,195 Sailors went down with the ship, and some 900 men were set adrift. Only 316 survived. Due to administrative errors, many Sailors who were recovered from the ocean and buried at sea from responding vessels were misclassified as “missing in action “or “unaccounted for.”
According to Rick Stone, who previously served at NHHC, he initiated the USS Indianapolis Burial at Sea Project to determine if any Indianapolis casualties met this criteria. Following his retirement from government service, he established the Chief Rick Stone and Family Charitable Foundation to continue the project and located documentation proving the 13 Sailors were misclassified.
According to the foundation’s USS Indianapolis Burial at Sea Project web page, “recovering a lost sailor, giving their loved ones and family closure, is the greatest gift we can imagine and the greatest way to celebrate and thank the sailors who lost their lives aboard the USS Indianapolis.
“One of my favorite quotes is ‘Poor is the nation that has no heroes but shameful is the nation who, having heroes, forgets them,’” Stone said. “Our foundation will never forget the heroes of the USS Indianapolis and are proud of our role in helping 13 families learn that the Navy went to great lengths to honor them soon after their deaths.”
Capt. Robert McMahon, director of the Navy Casualty Office, said bringing closure to families of those lost at sea is a “solemn duty and obligation” he takes to heart.
“Nothing is more important to me than giving families that knowledge when the unthinkable happens,” he said. “No amount of time lessens the loss, however, if we can bring some certainty to loved ones, even seven decades later, we are keeping faith with those we lost.”
One of those family members, William Baxter, nephew of Gunner’s Mate 3rd Class Wolfe, was notified April 26 of the change in status. Sailors from Naval Medical Readiness and Training Command Beaufort, South Carolina, arrived at his door with a certificate and flag to recognize Wolfe’s sacrifice.
Baxter, an Okatie, South Carolina, native, said while he did not know his uncle, “it’s nice to finally have some closure to what actually happened to [him]. Thank you all for going above and beyond for me and my family. I wasn’t expecting all of this, but thank you.”
Change of Topic: Tune in on Memorial Day to our special annual program involving the USS Silversides ceremony titled, “The Lost Boat Ceremony at the USS Silversides in Muskegon.”
