In November 2017, Wyoming Public Schools district voters approved a bond proposal which transformed Wyoming High School, and accomplished much needed modernization of other schools and district buildings.
Wyoming Public Schools high school building classroom after the 2017 bond funded improvements. (Supplied)
With those priority projects done, or set to be done this summer, the district is looking at more needed district infrastructure work, especially at Wyoming Junior High School, and not just needed upgrades but again “transforming” the educational setting for district students.
To do that, the district is seeking a bond renewal on the May 3, 2022, ballot which would allow it to gain additional funds while having no property tax increase over the current rate for district residents.
(District property tax payers could actually see a decrease in total property tax with passage May 3 of the City of Wyoming’s Proposals 1 & 2, which are the city’s proposed income tax and millage reduction proposals for funding of the Wyoming’s Police, Fire and Parks & Recreation Departments.)
Wyoming Public Schools Superintendent Craig Hoekstra. (Supplied)
“If approved, the current (WPS bonding renewal) proposal would provide an additional $24.9 million for comprehensive renovations and the partial reconstruction of Wyoming Junior High School, a facility that has not seen major structural improvements in nearly forty-three years,” Wyoming Public Schools Superintendent Craig Hoekstra said district informational material on the bond proposal. “And just like in 2017, if passed, this proposal will not raise the property tax rate above the current rate. The current millage rate (which has remained the same since 2016 and is currently lower than 14 of 20 Kent County school districts) would be extended into the future.”
The 2017 bond, according to Superintendent Hoekstra, “paved the way to remodel and reconstruct outdated buildings throughout the District; bring them up to code; and improve security, air quality, and technology.”
But with funds set aside from the 2017 bond approval, the district could only lightly renovate portions of the junior high.
“Having experienced the successful transformation of the High School, the District is asking the community to consider improvements to the Junior High as extensive as those made at Wyoming High School,” Hoekstra said.
Wyoming Public Schools photos of some of the problems with the junior high building. (Supplied)
Renovations and improvements to the junior high to be funded by the bond renewal include, according the district, modern learning environments, new furniture, and integrated technology; adequate lab spaces and equipment; improved air quality; replacement of failing building systems (such as roofing, plumbing, and electrical) to become energy efficient and meet modern building codes; and site improvements to traffic flow, aging parking lots, and athletic facilities.
To learn more about the 2022 bond proposal, and to see images of the work completed to date with funds from the 2017 bond, visit wyomingps2022.com.
According to ballot information from the Kent County Elections Office, the estimated millage that will be levied for the proposed bonds in 2023, is 0.94 ($0.94 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a 0 mill net increase over the prior year’s levy.
How and when to vote on the bond renewal
All registered voters can either vote in person on Election Day or send in an absentee ballot. Absentee ballots became available March 19, and must be returned by May 3 at 8 p.m. You can request an absentee ballot by contacting the City Clerk’s Office online or by phone.
In-person voting will take place on May 3 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the polling location designated by the city. You will need to bring your voter ID.
If you’re not registered to vote, you have a few options to become registered to vote in this election: By mail on or before April 18; online at michigan.gov/vote on or before April 18; in person at the City of Wyoming City Clerk’s office through May 3.
Currently there are 27 Wyoming firefighters. The department is down by 8 employees from 2000. (WKTV)
In the early morning hours of Jan. 25, the Wyoming Fire Department was called to a house fire on Canal Ave and shortly after, the department received a second call of a fire at the 28th Street Taco Bell.
“Thankfully another shift was on,” said Wyoming Chief Kim Koster. “The Taco Bell fire occurred at 6:30 a.m. Our next shift came on at 7 a.m., so we did have another shift of firefighters who could respond, and they were assisted by other departments.
“But what if we didn’t have that other shift coming on at that time?”
More than likely, a department from a neighboring city, such as Grandville, Grand Rapids, or Kentwood, would have been called. In fact, the City of Wyoming has had to call on those three cities 165 times in 2021 while in the same year providing return assistance 23 times.
The tide needs to turn, Koster said, adding “We need to provide mutual aid in the same manner that we receive it.”
The City of Wyoming is hoping to double its firefighting staffing from 27 to 54 and added 13 police officers and a crime analyst through two proposals on the May 3 ballot. The first proposal would be an income tax of up to 1 percent for city residents and up to .5 percent for non-residents such as commuters who work in the city. In the second proposal, the city is seeking to reduce its property tax by about 58 percent, from around 12 mills to 5. Both proposals must pass to take effect.
The passage would generate about $6 million for the city, of which $5.4 million would be dedicated to the Wyoming Department of Public Safety, which houses the city’s police and fire.
How would the city gain revenue if the property tax would go down? According to City Manager Curtis Holt at the March 24 income tax public information meeting, according to the U.S. Census there are about 34,000 non-Wyoming residents who work in the City of Wyoming who currently contribute zero toward the city roads or services. Through the first proposal, those residents would contribute up to a .5 percent of their income. City staff has estimated the total revenue raised from the income tax would be about $6 million annually with $3.3 million dedicated to the fire department, $2.1 million to the police department, and $600,000 to the parks.
With the additional $3.3 million, the City of Wyoming would be able to hire an additional 27 firefighters. This would add about 9 firefighters per shift and the city would be able to fully staff all four of its fire stations. Currently only two of the stations, Gezon and 36th Street, are fully staffed; however emergency calls are evenly distributed throughout the city, Koster said.
The city received about 7,155 calls in 2021, which is about 265 calls for service per firefighter. With the additional firefighters, calls for service per firefighter would decrease to around 133. In neighboring Kentwood, calls for service per firefighter is about 121. Kentwood has 42 firefighters serving a population of 51,898. The City of Grand Rapids has 195 firefighters serving a population of 201,013 with calls for service per firefighter around 123. Holt pointed out that this shows that Wyoming’s firefighters are answering a lot of calls.
The Wyoming Fire Department answered 7,155 calls in 2021, averaging 265 calls for service per firefighter. (WKTV)
The additional 27 firefighters would allow the city to fully staff all four of its stations, Koster said, adding that in return this would mean faster response times.
“Right now, we have to send our resources to where the calls are,” Koster said during the March 24 informational meeting. “Sometimes we have to send them all away across the city and then a call comes out from where they just came from. So then again, we have to send a unit from this side of the city all the way back. So our response times are higher that way.”
There would be more firefighters on each shift, again increasing response times along with providing enough officers to answer more than one call at a time. More officers not only increases the safety of residents but of the firefighters as well.
“Right now, we don’t have enough firefighters in the City of Wyoming to enter a burning building,” Koster said, adding that the rule is you have to have two out for the two going in a burning structure so the two out can rescue the two in if something happens.
Lastly, the increased staffing would reduce Wyoming’s dependence on mutual aid.
“It won’t eliminate it,” Koster said, adding that there will be times when another city’s department has to be called.
“It would increase the number of firefighters on each shift so when we have those structure fires we can handle them alone or at least leave some of those units available for some of those medical calls,” she said.
To learn more about the two May 3 proposals, visit wyomingmi.gov/FundingFortheFuture. The next informational meeting on the two proposals is April 19 at 6:30 p.m. at the KDL Wyoming Branch, 3350 Michael Ave. SW.
The Grand Valley Metro Council is looking at access to the Gerald R. Ford International Airport. (Supplied)
How much does having busing services impact you when heading to the Gerald R. Ford International Airport? Do you find it easy to be dropped off at the airport? What improvements would you suggest for access to the Ford Airport?
These are just some of the questions residents and stakeholders are being asked to on an Airport Access Study survey hosted by the Grand Valley Metro Council and the Gerald R. Ford International Airport.
The project is in conjunction with the Michigan Department of Transportation, Kent Conty Road Commission, City of Kentwood, Cascade Township, and engineering firm AECOM. The study is designed to investigate ways to improve access to the airport as well as the surrounding local road and freeway systems. Rapids growth and develop at the airport, and in the Greater Grand Rapids Area, makes now an import time to consider how best to provide access in the airport area into the future, according to organizers of the study.
“While labeled ‘Airport Access,’ this study focuses on transportation through a broader lens, looking at what modes of transportation are needed, how people get to and from the airport and its surrounding area, and how it can be improved upon,” said Laurel Joseph, GVMC Director of Transportation Planning. “Dating back to efforts made in the 80s and 90s, we recognize the far-reaching impacts this project will have.”
The study will examine current transportation needs and changing travel patterns including airport passenger and cargo traffic, road connections and access, traffic operations and safety, bike and pedestrian circulation, transit service, railroad connections, airport security, and terminal access redundancy. The study also will evaluate different airport access alternatives, leading to a recommended alternative (or alternatives) and an accompanying implementation and action plan.
The start of this project will be the survey which will ask residents and stakeholders to consider the type of travel they did before the pandemic, how frequently they visited the airport, what modes of transportation they took, and the ease of access to the airport. Participants will be asked if shuttles, biking, walking or parking impact access to the airport. Participants also will have an opportunity to identify airport access areas they feel need improvement. Filling out the survey takes about five to 10 minutes.
“Out communities continue to grow and change, attracting national talent in various industries,” Joseph said. “ Our airport and its connecting transportation system need to not only meet our current needs but also projected growth. The goal is to find ways to improve the accessibility, functionality, safety, and efficiency of the transportation network for years to come. we cannot do that without the essential input of those traveling to, from, and through the area today.”
Joseph said the goal is to collect as much community input as possible. To help with that, survey participants many enter into a $50 gift card drawing. There will be two winners. The survey will be open until the end of April.
For more information about the project, click here. To take the survey, click here. (Survey is available in both English and Spanish.)
Kentwood’s Redo Storm Robotics will hosts its first competition since 2019 on April 1 and 2. (WKTV)
FIRST Robotics competitions kick off this weekend when 36 teams, two from Wyoming, competed in the district event at Grand Valley State University.
The teams from the Wyoming area competing are Lee High School’s robotics team and Potter House’s Tactical Hams robotics team.
Opening ceremonies are set for 10:30 a.m. with matches running from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m .on Friday. Saturday, opening ceremonies are set for 9 a.m. with matches beginning at 9:30 a.m. and playoff rounds running from 2-5 p.m. Teams are guided by teachers and industry mentors. Under strictrules, limited time and resources, teams are challenged to raise funds, design a brand, hone teamwork skills and build and program competitive, industrial-size robots.
All events take place at the GVSU Fieldhouse Arena on the Allendale campus. Events are free and open to the public, however per GVSU and FIRST Robotics COVID-19 guidelines, participants, volunteers and visitors must wear face masks.
Next week, WKTV will be filming the FIRST Robotics competition at East Kentwood High School. The free event follows the same rules and guidelines of the GVSU one.
There will be 33 teams at this event including the local teams of Potter House’s Tactical Hams, Kentwood’s Red Storm Robotics, and Wyoming High’s Demons. Events will start on Friday with play-offs taking place on Saturday.
Wyoming Director of Public Safety Kimberly Koster has been appointed to the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
Serving the residents of Michigan through the promotion of public safety since 1965, MCOLES provides leadership through setting professional standards in education, selection, employment, licensing and funding in law enforcement and criminal justice in both the public and private sectors.
Koster was selected to represent the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police on MCOLES for a nearly three-year term that ends Dec. 31, 2025. She succeeds recently retired Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Payne.
Wyoming Chief Kim Koster with former Kentwood Chief Thomas Hillen during a National Night Out event. (WKTV)
“I am honored to be appointed to the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and to represent my fellow police chiefs on this esteemed board,” Koster said. “I look forward to continuing the exemplary work of MCOLES to ensure our communities are safe, our officers are well-trained and our criminal justice system is supported.”
Koster has been Wyoming’s director of public safety for nearly four years, leading a team of 151 full-time personnel that includes 99 sworn police officers and 29 full-time firefighters.
Before becoming chief, Koster served as a captain within the department for eight years. In this role, she assisted with the formation of the Public Safety Department through the administrative consolidation of police and fire services, created a new staffing model, facilitated dispatch operation transitions and led a collaborative effort in the development of the department’s five-year strategic plan.
Prior to that, she worked her way up through the ranks to detective, sergeant and lieutenant. A 26-year veteran of the department, she began her career with Wyoming as a school resource and community policing officer. In this role, she worked with neighborhood groups and organized community events to bridge gaps and build solidarity among neighbors.
Wyoming Chief Kim Koster reads “Valenstiens” by Ethan Long during the 2021 March is Reading Month celebration. (WKTV)
Throughout her career, Koster has been recognized with several commendations, including the Life Saving Award, Chief’s Award of Excellence and Outstanding Young Public Safety Officer.
She is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and has completed the Leadership Institute training hosted by Grand Rapids Police Department and the Police and Staff Command training hosted by Northwestern University.
Koster received a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Grand Valley State University and a master’s degree in criminal justice administration from Ferris State University.
Wyoming City Council will hold a special session tonight, Thursday, March 24, at 7 p.m., to inform voters about the May 3 vote for Proposals 1 & 2, the city’s proposed income tax and property tax decrease proposals for funding of the Wyoming’s Police, Fire and Parks & Recreation Departments.
Watch it live on cable television in Wyoming and Kentwood on WKTV’s Comcast Channel 26 or on Facebook at the WKTV Community Media Facebook page.
It has been last minute solo decisions to all out phenomenal performances as Wyoming’s The Stray hosted its first-ever Battle of the Bands.
This Friday is the final round as the three remaining bands/performers, Whorled, Daisybox, and Epitones compete for bragging rights along with cash prizes, a free photoshoot and an opportunity to record at Dogtown Studio. First place will receive $300 while second and third will each receive a $100. The show is set to start 6:30 p.m.
“Whorled is a relatively new band, so we thought [Battle of the Bands] would be a fun way to meet other musicians and bands that we have not yet connect with,” Thom Jayne of Whorled said, adding the group heard about the competition from the staff at The Stray Café.
Epitones’ Matt DeRuiter said the group felt the Battle of the Bands would be a great way to showcase the band’s music. (Photo by Jessica Darling)
Grand Rapids-based Whorled (pronounced “world”), offers a unique twist on Celtic, gypsy, jazz, Brazilian and American folk music. The trio performs on a variety of instruments, violin, accordion, guitar, banjo, whistles, and occasionally a didgeridoo, which is a wind instrument.
“When we came across the Battle of the Bands, we knew that it would be a great networking opportunity and avenue to showcase our music,” said Matt Deruiter who is the drummer for Epitones. “We have each participated in Battle of the Bands events in the past with different groups which sparked our interest in this event.
“We’re grateful to be part of such a well organized event with so many great acts.”
Epitones is also based in Grand Rapids and is a three-piece band. The group’s music is original and unique, focusing on progressive instrumental structures and soulful vocals.
Taylor Hottenstein said it was his first time performing Daisybox material live. (Supplied)
Taylor Hottenstein, who is Daisybox, had a tough start as his backing band fell through leading up to his March 4 performance. Despite that, he went on with what has been described as a “raw and emotional” solo performance with just an acoustic guitar. Hotternstein’s music can be best described as soft rock with him focusing on originals and an occasional cover. (In his March 4 performance, he covered Mac Miller’s “Circles.”)
On Friday starting at 6:30 p.m., each of the groups will be performing for 45 minutes. Guest judge is John Sinkevics, who is a career journalist, musician and founder of Local Spins, the state’s fastest-growing music website that covers the West Michigan music scene.
“This was actually my first live performance doing the Daisybox stuff,” Hottenstein said. “I had been mulling over getting these songs out in front of people other than just through releasing singles. So when I saw this pop up, it felt like the right time. So glad I did!”
The Stray Café is located at 4253 S. Division Ave. For more information about upcoming events, visit The Stray’s website or Facebook page.
Three years ago, Kristin Ruther found her niche at RE/MAX of Grand Rapids. (Supplied)
By Sheila McGrath WKTV Contributing Writer
Kristin Ruther has a word of advice for women who feel like they’ve somehow landed in the wrong job.
“You’re not a tree,” she said. “You’re not planted. You can move.”
Kristin Ruther and her husband John were college sweethearts, marring while Kristin was still in college. (Supplied)
Over the course of her working life, Ruther has found success in a variety of jobs that made use of her business development skills and her love of bringing people together.
These days, she’s a Realtor who leads the Ruther Daigle Team at RE/MAX of Grand Rapids. She has worked in real estate for the past six years, and as one of the top-selling agents in the area last year, became a member of RE/MAX’s Platinum Club.
But not every job she took over the years turned out to be a good fit. And when it wasn’t, she found a way to move on.
Ruther and her husband, John, got married while she was still in college. Their first child arrived before she graduated, so finishing college and starting a career were temporarily put on hold. Their family grew to include two more children, and she loved staying home with them when they were small.
After going back to school and finishing her degree in 2005, she took a job as a recruiter in Downers Grove, Illinois, with hopes of eventually becoming a human resources generalist.
But the hours were long – she left home at 6 a.m. and couldn’t leave the office until her boss left after 6 p.m. When the opportunity arose to join an architectural firm that specialized in building churches, she jumped at the chance.
“It was really fun to be able to think about architecture and design because that’s what I really enjoy,” she said.
When she joined the group in 2008, the firm’s average project size was $750,000. By the time she left six years later, she was director of strategic partnerships and the average project size had grown to $3 million.
But Ruther and her husband had decided to return to Michigan to be closer to family, and she was once again pondering her next career move. After thinking for a while about becoming a real estate agent, she began taking classes and got her license.
The kickoff to her new career didn’t go quite as planned, though – at her first job, a male colleague introduced her to the rest of her new team by saying “This is my girlfriend.”
“I’m nobody’s girlfriend,” she told him afterward. “It’s not a joke.”
Despite her objections, his behavior continued. So she got out and joined a different brokerage.
“There are so many places where you can feel empowered and strong, and that’s where you need to be,” she said. “I think it’s almost every woman’s experience: of pushing back and saying ‘That doesn’t feel right, I need to move away from that.’”
Three years ago, she joined RE/MAX of Grand Rapids after falling in love with their sleek, contemporary office space on Byron Center Avenue in Wyoming. She describes the office as a “big learning community” where there are always classes going on to help them grow as Realtors.
“There’s always something that you’re learning that they’re pouring into you,” she said. “There’s always something to learn about houses and what makes a good house for somebody, or what some of the red flags are.”
She loves the design aspect of staging houses and helping her clients get top dollar for their properties. And she’s honored by the trust they put in her.
Kristin Ruther and her husband John with their family. (Supplied)
“As agents, we are trusted,” she said. ‘You’re giving me the keys to your house. You’re trusting me with some very big financial things. So there’s a level of integrity you have to have.”
The team Ruther leads now includes her daughter, Lauren Daigle, who does all of her marketing and photography, and her son-in-law, Aaron Daigle, who joined the team as a Realtor.
Ruther said education has been a big part of her success.
“Education is the key. Every time you take a class you gain a little more confidence and a little more competence, and I think all of that really piles up.”
But she said for her, it was also really helpful to have a coach –someone who always has your back.
“There’s always something for you to learn from somebody who has been there, done that,” she said.
In honor of Dr. Seuss’ birthday, March has been designated as Reading Month. To celebrate and encourage reading, we are asking local officials, residents and WKTV staff and volunteers to tell us about a book that they enjoy. Happy Reading!
Today’s reading selection comes from Girl Scout Troop 8282. The troop, which is based in City of Wyoming, has seven active girls ranging in ages of 5 to 7. The girls in this troop have done cookie booths and are hoping to go on a troop trip. To learn more about Girl Scouts, visit www.gsmists.org.
Book: The Hummingbird King: A Guatemalan Legend Author: Argentina Palacios Genre: Fiction/folklore
The book tells the Guatemalan legend of a young Mayan chief who is protected from his enemies by a hummingbird and the chief eventually becomes a symbol for peace. According to troop member Valentina, “I liked how the nice king got rewarded for his good deeds at the end,” while troop member Adelina said “I like how others get to learn about my culture even if it is supposed to be the Quetzal bird.”
Francis William Kellogg (Photo by Mathew Benjamin Brady – Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. Brady-Handy Photograph Collection.)
)Originally from Worthington, Mass., Francis William Kellogg moved to the Paris Township area in 1855 where he engaged in lumber business with the firm Kellogg, White & Co. He would help to establish the Kelloggsville School district which was named after him. Kellogg was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and served from 1863-1865. During the Reconstruction, he was appointed by then U.S. President Andrew Johnson as collection of the U.S. internal revenue for the southern portion of Alabama. Kellogg moved to Mobile, Alabama and event served in the U.S. House of Representatives for Alabama.
LGROW Director Wendy Ogilvie (far left) reviews a map of the Grand River with participants of a public meeting about creating a water trail along the river. (WKTV)
The young girl walked into the room at GVSU’s Seidman Center, looked at a map with her mother and then turned to Wendy Ogilvie and asked “Why should we designate a water trail along the Grand River?”
Acknowledging that it was a good question and one that was often asked, the Lower Grand River Organization (LGROW) director said “We often think of up north as full of nature and beauty when there is that beauty here in the lower peninsula as well. By designating it as a water trail we create a sense of place and a destination. “
LGROW, which is part of the Grand Rapids Metro Council and designated with addressing issues and opportunities for the Grand River and its watershed, is moving forward on a plan to create a state-designated water trail along the lower Grand River, which Ogilvie said might become a reality this year.
A water trail is similar to a bike/walking trail. It is a designated route on a navigable waterway such as a river like the Grand River, or other waterways like a lake or canal. The trail is implemented and managed to foster educational and recreational experiences.
The upper and middle Grand River watersheds have already been designated by the state as water trails. The addition for the Lower Grand River, which runs from about Ionia west to Lake Michigan, would complete the 252-mile trek from its origination point at the headwaters of Hillsdale County to where to it pours out onto Lake Michigan in Grand Haven. Michigan’s longest river runs along the border of the City of Wyoming as it travels from the City of Grand Rapids to the City of Grandville and on to Ottawa County.
A map of the many public and private access points along the Grand River. (WKTV)
“Water trails are becoming the new parks,” said Andrea Irland, an outdoor recreational planner for the Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program of the National Park Service. “You travel down a river and discover the untouched areas that are not easily seen from a trail or road.”
Irland was involved in the creation of the Cuyahoga River Water Trail which helped to change the reputation of the river, which was known to catch fire, to being a place to see wildlife. She said she could see the same happening for the Grand River, which was once used for logging to help get wood to the furniture factories in Grand Rapids.
“Water trails such as the one proposed and the one on the Cuyahoga River do not need to be in national parks,” Irland said. “They can provide a way to connect different communities that are along the river.”
A community also benefits in the creation of a water trail as it provides outdoor recreation, education, stewardship, quality of life, and conservation and protection.
To discuss the pros and cons of having a water trail, LGROW hosted a public meeting in February at Grand Valley State University’s Seidman Center seeking input from residents on what they would want to see to help encourage the development of a water trail. There was input on a variety of topics such as access points and amenities like signage, bathrooms, and other items that would be needed to help design and maintain the water trail. There also was discussion on water safety and the sharing of the waterway with larger boats and other river crafts.
“This is an exciting opportunity for the public to provide ideas on how we can enhance access and recreational opportunities tied to one of our region’s most valuable natural assets,” Ogilvie said. “It will encourage tourists and outdoor recreation while promoting watershed stewardship and showcasing Michigan’s incredible water resources.”
There were six stations at the event that lead participants through learning about what a water trail is to amenities and what they thought would help to make such a plan successful. Another aspect of the meeting was to encourage tourism ventures such as canoe and kayak rentals along with restaurants and other possibilities to develop along the river to make the water trail a successful destination spot.
Through the development process, Ogilvie said LGROW has met with various stakeholders such as kayaking clubs, owners of access points, municipalities where the river has run through and other community members. In fact, the process has taken a couple of years but the recent Restore the Rapids movement to restore the lower river to a more natural state has made creating a water trail more of a viable opportunity, Ogilvie said.
The goal will be to have similar public input meetings in Ionia and Ottawa counties. From there, the group will review the plan and then submit it to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources for approval.
YMCA lifeguarding training, and work, is for all ages. (Supplied/YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids)
YMCA lifeguarding training, and work, is for all ages. (Supplied/YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids)
YMCA lifeguarding training, and work, is for all ages. (Supplied/YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids)
By WKTV Staff
With many employment opportunities across the city and region, the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids invites current and “future” lifeguards to join their team and launch a fulfilling career, according to a recent announcement.
And while most lifeguards are high school and college students, the ranks are also made up of professionals, retirees and stay-at-home parents.
Maybe the Y’s greatest lifeguarding success story is YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids CEO Scott Lewis. Lewis began his tenure at the YMCA as a lifeguard at a New Jersey YMCA in 1986 where the organization “invested in his leadership potential,” according to the announcement.
“The role of lifeguard is one that can launch a great career, and I know from experience,” Lewis said in supplied material. “Providing a safe and exceptional experience, working with a diverse customer base, problem solving, and having an exceptional attention to detail are all skills that serve professionals long term.”
YMCA lifeguard training at an outdoor, summertime venue. (Supplied/YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids)
The organization has increased wages, according to the announcement, now offering $14.61 to $16.44 per hour, opened free training opportunities, and “invested in creating year-round, flexible hours for these aquatic leaders to develop life-long professional skills.”
However, maybe the most rewarding work as a YMCA lifeguard is the satisfaction of knowing you actively make an impact in the lives of others, while working with and guarding a group of diverse individuals.
“Becoming a YMCA lifeguard provides you a support network to be successful from the day you decide to pursue the opportunity,” YMCA Human Resources Director Peter Reiff said in supplied material. “What’s more is that at the YMCA you are part of a larger team of leaders and health and wellness service providers that work together to meet the needs of the community year-round, every year.”
Brooklyn, NY-based Roll & Hill is know for its lighting and furniture design. (Photo by Sarah Elliott)With the addition of Alexis Manufacturing, Roll & Hill added furniture to its line in 2020. (Photo by Sarah Elliott)
The Right Place, Inc., in collaboration with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), announced that high-end lighting and furniture company Roll & Hill will be opening a second location in the City of Wyoming at 6192 Valduga Dr. SW. The $1.5 million capital investment will add 50 jobs.
Founded in 2010 by Jason Miller, Roll & Hill is a design-minded furniture and lighting company based in Brooklyn, New York. Each Roll & Hill piece is made one at a time by hand. The company expanded into furniture and in 2020 acquired Alexis Manufacturing, which was founded by father and son Ivan and Norman Alexis in 1946. By combining Alexis’ 75-year history of producing complex wood components and wooden seating with its design sensibility, Roll & Hill has produced, according to experts in the field, a timeless, high-quality collection of furniture. in 1974, Alexis was bought by Hekman Furniture Company and then later acquired by Howard Miller Clock Company.
Looking to enter the furniture mark, Roll&Hill purchased Alexis Manufacturing because by purchasing the company, “we’ll be able to enter the furniture category in a much shorter ramp-up time.” according to Miller, who is the creative director and CEO of Roll & Hill. However, Roll & Hill had to find a location for the company as its former home had been sold. The company worked with The Right Place and City of Wyoming to open its first production facility, located at 5765 Clay Ave. SW., and has steadily increased its presence in the region since the initial expansion.
“As Roll & Hill continues to expand, the City of Wyoming remains an excellent location for our growth,” said Roll & Hill Creative Director and CEO Jason Miller. “Our experience opening our first location in Wyoming was exceptional, and we’re looking forward to establishing our second. We’re thankful to the team at The Right Place and their partners at the City of Wyoming and MEDC for their partnership and collaborative support as we invest in our local production facilities.”
In 2020, Roll & Hill acquired Alexis Manufacturing and entered into the furniture industry. (Photo by Jonathan Allen)
The new location at Valduga Drive will house production of the company’s lighting. The site has visibility from M-6 and east of Burlingame Avenue. The building is under construction with Roll & Hill scheduled to move in June of this year.
The Right Place worked closely with the MEDC to ensure the company continued its growth in the region rather than out-of-state locations. With the approval of a $300,000 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant, the MEDC is supporting the expansion through the Michigan Strategic Fund. West Michigan Works! and Grand Rapids Community College will also be supporting the project with a workforce training package.
“We are extremely excited with the announcement of this expansion, which will bring 50 lighting and furniture manufacturing jobs to our City,” said Wyoming Director of Planning and Economic Development Nicole Hofert. “We look forward to the continued investment in the City of Wyoming, our residents and community members.”
In honor of Dr. Seuss’ birthday, March has been designated as Reading Month. To celebrate and encourage reading, we are asking local officials, residents and WKTV staff and volunteers to tell us about a book that they enjoy. Happy Reading!
Today’s books selection comes from Monica who is part of Girl Scout Troop 8312. This troop, based in the City of Wyoming, has six active girls, ages 10 – 12. The troop has done archery, canoeing, camping, Dutch oven cooking and are working towards the Silver Leadership Torch, which is given to a Girl Scout Cadette who acts as a leader in her community, and the Silver Award, the second highest award in Girl Scouting, this is given to a Girl Scout Cadette who makes the world a better place. To learn more about Girl Scouts, visit www.gsmists.org.
Book: Waggit Again Author: Peter Howe Genre: Fiction
I am from Girl Scout Troop 8312 and I would consider reading the book “Waggit Again” By Peter Howe. It is a bout this white dog who is trying to find his family and does not give up. It’s really cute and on the way he makes some new friends.
This May, City of Wyoming residents have the opportunity to raise more than $6 million for the city while lowering their property taxes through the approval of two proposals.
City residents will head to the polls on May 3 to vote on an income tax of up to 1 percent for residents and up to .5 percent for non-residents. According to the U.S. Census, about 34,400 non-residents work in the City of Wyoming, using the city’s roads and other amenities. With the passage of the income tax, a non-resident earning $60,000 would pay about $232 income tax to the City of Wyoming. City officials estimate that if all non-residents pay the income tax that would be an additional $6 million in revenue for the city.
A second proposal would reduce the city property millage more than half for city residents and business owners. For an individual who earns $60,000 living at a home with a taxable value of $100,000, the combined income tax and reduction of property tax would result in about a $226 in savings. Those savings could be more depending on the number of people living in the home.
Retirees may see substantial savings especially if their income is from social security and pensions which are not subject to income taxes. So a retiree in this situation would receive the property tax reduction which on a house with a taxable value of $100,000 would be a savings of about $690.
According to city officials, the main purpose of the proposals, which are tied together meaning both must past, is to shift the equity so that that non-residents using the city’s roads and services are contributing to the costs.
With the annual $6 million generated from the income tax revenue received from non-residents, the city plans to put $3.3 million toward its fire department to hire 27 additional firefighters; $2.1 million toward its police department for 13 additional police officers and 1 crime analyst; and $600,000 annually toward upgrade of the city’s parks, many of which are 25 years or older.
Kent County residents will be electing a new probate judge this falls as the Kent County Board of Commissioners recently voted to add one new probate judge position.
The Kent County Commissioners has decided to add a fifth judgeship to the probate court. (Supplied)
“Our current judiciary staff is hard-working, but the work and time needed to handle the high caseloads was not sustainable,” said Kent County Board of Commissioners Chair Stan Stek. “The addition of a probate judge will provide much-needed support to our court while being efficient with our resources.”
With Kent County’s increasing population, the probate court’s caseload has grown by more than 60 percent since 2008.
In 2019, the State Court Administrators’ Office (SCAO) recommended three judgeships for Kent County- one in each in the Probate, 17th Circuit, and 63rd District courts – based on a review of population trends and court caseloads. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly slowed and altered the legislative approval process of adding additional judgeships. However, Governor Whitmer signed into law Senate Bill 694 (Public Act 08 of 2022) in February, which created a new probate judgeship for Kent County and five other new judgeships across the state.
Meanwhile, a Board of Commissioners Judicial Resources Subcommittee was appointed to review the actions of the SCAO and the State Legislature and make a recommendation to the full Board regarding the addition of new judgeships. The Subcommittee subsequently recommended adding an additional probate judge position.
“The Probate Court is facing an overwhelming docket so adding a new judge to the bench will ensure cases will be considered timely and more efficiently,” said Chief Probate Judge David M. Murkowski.
Chief Probate Judge David M. Murkowski
“The beneficiaries of this additional judicial resource will be the residents of Kent County. We appreciate the Board of Commissioners, State Legislature, and Supreme Court understanding our need and approving the addition of a new probate judge.”
The new probate judge will be chosen by election, with the filling deadline in April and the primary election in August. The general election is in November 2022. The new judge will assume the office on Jan. 1, 2023.
Mayor Jack Poll hinted at it in his Feb. 7 State of the City address and today, Franklin Partners LLC made it official: Site 36 has been sold.
Franklin Partners, which is based in Grand Rapids and Oak Brook, Ill, has purchased a large portion of the site, 74 of the approximate 92 acres, from the City of Wyoming. The purchase became official at the end of February.
“Wyoming thriving business community continues to grow as well,” Poll said in his Feb. 7 address. “Nicole Hofert, director of planning and economic development has lead serval exciting initiatives.”
One of those initiatives has been the sale of Site 36, located at 300 36th St. SW, just east of Clay Avenue on 36th Street with an eastern border of Buchanan Avenue. The property has been vacant since 2009, when General Motors closed its stamping plant.
“The developer hopes to be announcing businesses that will be coming to Wyoming in the coming weeks,” Poll said.
City staff indicated the city has retained the northern portion of the site which includes the former parking lot which is separated from the main property by 36th Street. This is where Godwin Heights Public Schools recently added its new athletic entrance which was completed last year.
Franklin Partners, which has been the main marketer for the property, said in a news release that the firm is looking to build manufacturing plants on the site, ranging in size from 150,000 square feet to more than one million square feet. City officials stated that the site will be broken into four or five parcels for development.
The former GM plant, which started as the GM Fisher Body stamping plant, also known in its early days as Plant No. 1, was built in 1936 on the former site and helped to push the construction of much of the city’s infrastructure. At one point, more than 2,000 people were employed at the plant. After 72 years of operation, GM decided to close the plant in 2009 citing the plant was too far away from GM assembly plants, driving up shipping and related costs.
The site was cleared of the two-million-square-foot plant a few years after the plant closing, but much of the infrastructure was retained including onsite utilities and the railway. The proximity of the site to US 131 is another added bonus.
“The day has been a long time coming, and we appreciate the confidence and faith Don (Shoemaker) and his team Franklin Partners have shown in Wyoming, in manufacturing and in our greater West Michigan community,” Wyoming City Manager Curtis Hold said in a statement. “We have long recognized what a jewel this property is – and what tremendous potential it has to attract manufacturers looking for a place to expand or consolidate operations.”
Wyoming high’s Alyjah Chandler shoots over Caledonia’s Nic Bender in the Wolves 80-61 win over Caledonia in District tournament action. (WKTV/Pat Moll)
By Mike Moll, WKTV Volunteer Sports Director
Caledonia hosted the Michigan High School Division 1 boys basketball District tournament this week and they welcomed Thom VanderKlay and his Wyoming Wolves Wednesday night in semifinal action.
The Fighting Scots won the opening tip to start the game and the first quarter 13-8, but the Wolves took control after that, hitting 14 3-pointers on the night, and prevailed in the end by a score of 80-61 to improve to 14-7 on the year.
They will play East Grand Rapids for the championship Friday night, after the Pioneers defeated Byron Center, 53-52, to improve to 11-10 on the season. (For complete local district action, see a WKTV update here.)
Wyoming high’s Gene Atkins shoots for 3-pointer in the Wolves 80-61 win over Caledonia in District tournament action. (WKTV/Pat Moll)
The Wolves opened the scoring with the first 4 points before Caledonia got on the board with a free throw by senior Liam Mulnix with just over 6 minutes remaining. After another Wyoming basket by their own senior, and leading scorer, Ramere Draper, the Scots would score the next 12 to go up 13-6. Wyoming’s Jordan Love would score the final 2 points to cut the deficit to 5 just before the buzzer.
Nick Henry led the way for Caledonia coach Phil Visser’s team with 6 and Mason McKenzie chipped in 4. In addition to Draper’s 2, the Wolves had 4 points from Jaleil Holt.
The momentum gained from Love’s late basket continued to start the second quarter as Wyoming went on a 14-0 run of their own as the Wolves offense started to gel as the taller Scots would stay in their zone defense, only to have Draper, Holt, and Alyjah Chandler combine for 5 triples in the quarter.
That helped the Wolves take a lead, and control of the game, that they would not relinquish.
After a Henry basket for the Scots, Holt was fouled attempting a 3-point shot and would make all three free throws to make the score 23-15. Caledonia’s Elijah Holt would cut that lead down to just 5 with a triple of his own, but the Wolves would quickly respond with another 11-0 run to take a 16-point lead into the locker room, 34-18.
Draper, aided by his three triples, would finish with 15 points at the half. Holt was close behind with 12, while the Scots were led by Henry with 8. Wyoming outscored Caledonia 26-5 in the quarter.
The third quarter was a repeat of the second, even though Caledonia would double their first-half total with 18 points, Wyoming would put up 31 to increase the lead to 29 at the buzzer, 65-36.
Wyoming high’s Ramere Draper shoots over Caledonia’s Mason McKenzie to connect on one of his seven triples on the night in the Wolves 80-61 win over Caledonia in District tournament action., (WKTV/Pat Moll)
After exchanging points early in the final stanza, the Wolves would again run off 12 consecutive points to stretch the lead to 52-25. Caledonia senior Gavin Hurst came off the bench to score 8 points in the quarter, but his team again had no answers for Draper, who connected on another four 3-pointers giving him seven makes on the night, 14 points in the quarter, and a game-high 29 to close it out. He had help from Qua’dir Hatchett who chipped in 9 points after being shut out in the first half.
The final quarter was just a formality, but the Scots would continue their fight and were able to outscore VanderKlay’s Wolves 25-15, as he had subbed most of his key players by early in the quarter. Caledonia, again led by Hurst with 8 more points in the quarter, and 7 by Mulnix, while the victors were led by Hatchett and Jameson Lamrouex, each with 5 points.
The leaders on the night for the Wolves were Draper with 29, Holt with 15 and Hatchett with 14, while the Scots were led by Hurst with 16, Mulnix with 11 and Henry with 10.
The Wolves combined for 14 triples on the night while Caledonia had 5. Unofficially, Caledonia had 25 turnovers for the game and Wyoming took advantage of them by scoring 28 points off them, while Wyoming had 13 turnovers of their own, but only gave up 4 points off them. Caledonia concludes their season at 11-11.
For Abby Lininger, remaining true to herself has been the key in being successful. (Supplied)
By Sheila McGrath WKTV Contributing Writer
When you’re a woman working in a male-dominated field, it helps to have a strong sense of self.
After practicing as a financial advisor for more than a decade, Abby Lininger has definitely acquired one. But it wasn’t something that happened overnight.
“It wasn’t a short journey,” she said.
Lininger, 34, runs the Drake Financial Group office at 2034 84th St. SW in Byron Center. She helps young people open their first investment accounts, manages accounts for retirees, and meets with clients of all ages who seek her help getting their financial lives in order.
Although she believes things are changing for the better, the world of finance is still a man’s world, Lininger says. Even in 2022, men are often the financial decision-makers in a family. And when it comes to seeking help from a financial advisor, they’re likely to look to another man for advice.
According to the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc., women make up about 23 percent of financial advisors in the U.S.
Abby Lininger with her family. (Supplied)
But there are still a lot of clients out there for someone who doesn’t quite fit the traditional mold, she said. She loves the opportunity to serve a different clientele, whether it’s single, professional women, or young couples who got the brush-off from another advisor because they didn’t have a big enough bank account.
“I don’t look like most advisors you might have met before, but I’m OK with that. I don’t need everybody to be my client. I am looking for people who don’t want that stereotypical financial advisor,” she said.
Lininger graduated from Hope College in 2009 after studying international relations and Spanish. Although her father was a financial advisor, she didn’t see herself going into the same field.
But with the Great Recession making it hard for new graduates to find jobs in 2009, she decided to go to work for her father’s business after all. Her father, Mark Drake, started Drake Financial Group in Portage, where Lininger grew up.
As a new college grad who was also a woman in a male-dominated field, she struggled to gain credibility at first, she said. It’s a field where there’s a lot for anyone to learn – male or female. But she was also very aware of not looking the part of a typical financial advisor. She didn’t wear suits. She didn’t have straight hair. She jokes that she didn’t even sound like a financial advisor. People on the phone would ask her “How old are you?”
She made it through the early years by consulting with others in her office who had more experience, and always continuing to learn. And in time she learned to leverage her laid-back style into a strength. When she’s dealing with clients, she likes to be casual and relatable, using plain language to describe complex topics.
“I think the biggest thing was the realization that I don’t have to be someone else to be successful,” she said.
Lininger graduated from Hope College in 2009 and then joined her father’s business, Drake Financial Group. (Supplied)
She said that she does think things are changing. More women are taking charge of their own financial lives, and she thinks that she definitely has more female peers than her father did when he was starting his career.
Lininger opened the satellite office of Drake Financial Group in Byron Center in 2014 after she and her husband, Brad, moved to the area from Portage. Opening her own office has helped her pave her own path and establish her own credibility, apart from her father’s, she said.
“I’m here creating my own reputation, and I think that is a beautiful thing,” she said.
Kent County announced Wednesday, March 9, that the county Board of Commissioners had voted unanimously to approve a one-time waiver of 2022-2023 food licensing fees for all existing food establishments in the county.
The approximate $1.2 million funding to offset the loss of the fees comes from the county’s portion of the American Rescue Plan Act, according to the announcement. In late 2021, Kent County was awarded more than $127 million to support the continued response to and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kent County Board of Commissioner Chair Stan Stek. (Supplied)
“We understand that restaurants are a major driver of our economy, and many establishments are still struggling to recover from the economic setbacks caused by the pandemic,” Kent County Board of Commissioners chair Stan Stek said in supplied material. “We trust this fee waiver will provide much-needed support to keep these businesses going and ensure that they can continue to serve our community.”
All 2,372 food service establishments in the county are licensed by the Kent County Health Department and license fees are based on the classification and type of operation.
“The restaurant business has always presented challenges and the pandemic made everything even harder,” Abby McClure, general manager at Walker Roadhouse, in Walker, said in supplied material. “We are grateful that our Kent County Commissioners voted to use these funds to help alleviate some of the pandemic related challenges we are still facing.”
Restaurants are required to submit a renewal application by April 30, 2022, which will ensure establishments remain licensed during the 2022-2023 operating period, according to the announcement. If an establishment does not intend to renew its license, the application still must be returned but include a signed note requesting its license be cancelled.
Annual renewal applications will be mailed to food service establishments by March 11, 2022.
Last night, the University of Michigan Health-West changed its beacon lights from white to blue and yellow, showing its support for the people of Ukraine.
“As an organization dedicated to health and the well-being of all people, University of Michigan Health-West stands against violence in all of its forms,” in a released statement from the hospital.
The beacon lights will be blue and yellow 24 hours a day going forward with the hospital stating “with this symbolic gesture, we add our light to others around the world, showing support for the people of Ukraine.”
NOTE: For Women’s History Month we are featuring local female business leaders. We start our series with Nancy Jacob, who with her husband Mike own Apple Spice Box Lunch Delivery and Catering Co.
Nancy Jacobs is co-owner with her husband Mike of Apple Spice Box Lunch Delivery and Catering, Co. (WKTV)
When you meet Nancy Jacobs, you can’t help feel she is the neighbor you just want to have a sandwich and soda with while discussing the day’s ups and downs.
If that does happen, Jacobs can definitely supply the sandwich and beverage of choice as her and her husband Mike are the owners of Apple Spice, a box lunch delivery and catering company located off of 68th Street.
“We often joke that when Nancy goes out our sales go up,” said Mike Jacobs.
Nancy Jacobs is the face of the operation. She is the one who will load up with samples and then head out to visit with local businesses, encouraging prospective clients to try what Apple Spice has to offer.
“I think because many of the people I meet are often women who are the gatekeepers when it comes to planning events at the business, it is a lot easier for me to get connected with the right person,” Nancy Jacobs said, adding that about 80 percent of her contact is woman-to-woman. Jacobs’ husband agrees that for their business, Nancy Jacobs’ ability to network has helped to make Apple Spice successful.
Nancy Jacobs noted that teachers love the heavy duty box that Apple Spice’s box lunch comes in, using the boxes for a variety of purposes. (WKTV)
The Dream of Having Your Own Business
Mike and Nancy Jacobs started Apple Spice just before the pandemic. Mike had been laid off from his aerospace job and through a seminar his former company offered, came home with the idea of the couple starting a franchise.
“It was something that we had talked about in the past, starting a business,” said Nancy Jacobs, who was a nurse. “However, after the seminar, Mike thought that a franchise made for a reasonable way for us to do that since with a franchise the start-up work of creating the business had been done.
“Basically it is like starting a business but with training wheels.”
Through coaching, the couple narrowed it down to two possible franchises and after visiting both companies, opted for Apple Space, which is based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Food seemed like a natural fit for the couple, Jacobs said as the reason for the choice.
A peek inside one of the Apple Spice box lunches. (WKTV)
The couple selected its 68th Street location, in the same mall as The Dollar Tree and Blain Farm and Fleet, because of the space it provided for their business needs while being close to US 131.
Apple Spice offers primarily lunches, through box lunches and catering. Jacobs said they do offer breakfast and some late lunch/early dinner service. Delivery is available for five or more box lunches and catering. Those wishing to order four or less box lunches may pick up from the store front on 68th Street. She noted that it is the Apple Spice team that delivers the food, not an outside service. This is to assure that items are set up to the customer’s expectations, she said.
And things were going pretty well with the couple even adding their own sandwich, the Michigan Cherry Chicken, to the menu and coming up with a “bread flight” that features three of the catering company’s breads.
Then, the pandemic hit.
“We just watched as our catering business went from steady to zero,” Jacobs said. But the business had a second side, box lunches, which offered a solution to providing individual meals for groups.
“People wanted to help hospital workers or police and fire and they would call up to have box lunches sent to a certain floor staff or department,” Jacobs said. The heavy duty box, which Jacobs said teachers find all kinds of creative ways to use, includes a sandwich, pickle, cookie, and a choice of salads, chips or fresh fruit in the classic box. There are other options as well including salad box meals.
The box lunches helped the business through the pandemic, making up almost 95 percent of its business. The business is now seeing more of a 60/40 spited between its box lunches and catering. Of course, there have been supply demands, with the couple adding a storage container in the back parking lot which has allowed them to stock up on items when they do find them.
It takes two
“I like going to Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce events such as the B2 Outlet opening because it gives me the opportunity to network and meet new people,” Jacobs said. “The Chamber is a good resource for me.”
And while Jacobs maybe good at networking and marketing, she does have her weaknesses.
“I can’t work the computer,” she said looking hesitantly over at her work station. “I just learned one system and they changed it on me. I have to rely on Mike, my general manager and staff to help me.”
That is where having a partner has been key to the business’s success, Jacobs said, adding that Mike handles a lot of the operational needs while she focuses on promotions and networking.
“Sometimes I get a call from a customer and I just know it would be better if a man handled it,” she said. “That is when I can ask Mike if he can take it and sometimes, he gets a call and knows it would be better if a woman took the call, so he gives it to me.”
As for challenges of being a women in the catering world, Jacobs admits she has not had many. Husband Mike said he feels it is because the business they are in, food and catering, is fairly diverse.
“I think there would be more challenges if Nancy was say in something like manufacturing which is more male dominated,” he said.
Apple Spice is the couple’s retirement job as they look toward the future. Jacobs said they hope to get a recreational vehicle someday and travel. They currently do some travel as certified Kansas City Barbecue Society judges.
As for now, Nancy Jacob said the couple’s goal is to continue to build Apple Spice and on that note, as the promotions person, she didn’t hesitate to add to encourage people to connect and check out Apple Spice’s offerings.
Apple Spice is located at 701 68th St. SW. The phone number is 616-805-3288 or visit the website at www.applesauce.com.
For many local basketball teams not fighting for a conference title in the last week of the season, the OK Conference Silver boys basketball finale between Godwin Heights High School and Kelloggsville high might have meant little as both ended winning regular seasons and readied themselves for their MHSAA district tournament.
But the Friday, Feb. 25, clash between the visiting Wolverines and the host Rockets — a neighborhood rivalry if there every was one — was not a game without meaning.
Godwin Heights entered the game comfortably in third place in the always tough OK Silver (at 8-3, 9-6 overall) but Kelloggsville also entered in the upper half of the conference standings with a very similar record (8-5 in OK, 11-7 overall). But one of those losses was a 73-67 defeat at Godwin on Jan. 28.
Kelloggsville high boys basketball team senior Cameron Mosley Jr. on the defense during a game Feb. 25 at Kelloggsville. (WKTV)
In Friday’s game, the Rockets gained a measure of revenge against the Wolverines, taking a highly competitive, back-and-forth contest that wasn’t settled until the final horn, 76-74. But both coaches agree that their neighborhood rivalry is good for both schools, both teams and really good to prepare each for the coming tournament.
“I think the neighborhood rivalry is an excellent thing,” Kelloggsville head coach Troy Ricketson said. “I graduated from Kelloggsville in 2009, I have played in this rivalry, so I have experienced firsthand the excitement it brings to the communities. The players know each other and have grown up together in some cases. Every time the two schools play in any sport, it brings a big crowd.”
Godwin head coach Tyler Whittemore agreed, and said he knows his team will always get tested when they play the Rockets.
The Godwin Heights high boys basketball team breaks huddle during a game Feb. 25 at Kelloggsville. (WKTV)
“We have always got Kelloggsville’s best games against us and we can tell that the intensity is increased,” Whittemore said. “It’s important that we understand the intensity in the rivalry so that we play as hard as we can each possession — no plays off.”
Whittemore also said that in games like the Feb. 25 visit to Kelloggsville, his team needed to be poised and stay “true to all of the things we’ve taught them throughout the season and move the basketball fast on offense without turning the ball over.”
But, speaking before the game, Whittemore also said he team could not “get out-worked (because) Kelloggsville talent will be able to put up lots of points quick.”
And that may well have been a key factor in last week’s contest — a Rockets offensive explosion to open the game and the fact that the Wolverines had to constantly play from behind.
Kelloggsville jumps out, then holds on
In the Feb. 25 win, the Rockets — and senior Corey Patton-Ivy — came out to make a early statement and jumped to a 28-16 lead after one quarter, with Patton-Ivy scoring 11 points including a three. Demoni Gamble, Brendon Tuinstra and Harry Knowling also hit from long range in the quarter.
But Godwin’s Jakhary Towns and Jabari Crump-Moore answered the call in the second quarter, scoring nine points each, as the Wolverines battled back to make is close at the half, 39-36.
The second half was a back and forth affair as Kelloggsville extended their lead to eight points after three quarters, 58-50.
Kelloggsville high boys basketball team senior Damario Montgomery during a game Feb. 25 at Kelloggsville. (WKTV)
But the Rockets then had to weather a determined Wolverine attack in the fourth quarter, when Godwin’s offense came alive with 28 points. But Kelloggsville made enough free throws in the final period — nine of them — and eventually survived to even the series at one game apiece with a 76-74 win.
For the game, Patton-Ivy led the Rockets with 21 points, while big-man Caleb Balsitis added 14 points, including six in the final period, and Marc Whitfield Jr. and Tuinstra added nine points each.
Godwin received a great game from Towns, who led all scorers with 26 points, followed by Jeremiah Drake’s 16 points and Crump-Moore’s 15.
Tough schedule needed to be ready for tournament
Irregardless of the outcome of the Friday game, both coaches say their senior-led teams have benefited from their tough OK conference schedule, and their overall non-conference schedule, to prepare them for next week.
The Kelloggsville high boys basketball team huddles during a game Feb. 25 at Kelloggsville. (WKTV)
“When we were trying to create the schedule for this season, we wanted to make sure we were playing competition that was going to challenge us and make us better,” Rockets coach Ricketson said. “We have had some success and have also been humbled throughout. I think that has definitely prepared us for what we will see come district time.”
Throughout the season, the Rockets have been led by senior Demario Montgomery and sophomore Marc Whitfield Jr., both of whom have been averaging more than 10 points-per-game, but also getting great leadership, good rebounding and 7-to-8 ppg. from seniors Patton-Ivy and Balsitis, and junior Tuinstra. Other seniors on the team include Demoni Gamble, Kevin Gaddis Jr., Harry Knowling, Jaevyon Turnbull and Cameron Mosley Jr.
Wolverines coach Whittemore also thinks the tough schedule during a sometimes up-and-down season has helped his team grow.
“This season has been tough and a great learning experience for our players,” Whittemore said. “Most of our games have been very close, on both sides of the winning, and each game has pushed our players to improve and work hard in practice.”
Godwin, too, is a team lead by seniors but with a high-scoring underclassman.
Junior Towns, now in his 3rd year playing varsity, is averaging 20 ppg., and, according to his coach, “is our best offensive player.” But senior Drake — he of the “high-motor and intensity” his coach says, averages about 14 ppg. and 7 rebounds per game. And fellow senior Jordan Norman, a “very good shooter from the outside” who can “guard the opposing teams guards or big guys,” averages 13 ppg. and 5 rebounds.
Other senior leaders include Mark Dolo, Crump-Moore, Kaleil Harris, and Javeon Lyons. While junior Jamarion Collins has been a force on the defensive end.
“Playing Godwin Heights basketball comes with some pressure and the understanding (that) due to the program’s history of success, even before I became the coach, that we will get every team’s best effort. We embrace that and has raised the level of all of the players we have in the program and we are hoping to peak at our performance now that the tournament is approaching.”
District 44 tournament preview
Both Godwin (now 9-7 overall) and Kelloggsville (now 12-7 overall) will play non-conference “stay-sharp” game this week — strangely enough, both against Grand Rapids Covenant Christian (14-3 overall) — with the Rockets at home March 1 at 7 p.m., and the Wolverines at home March 3 at 7:15 p.m.
But things get real in a big way Monday, March 7 as the two look to keep their seasons alive in their Division 2 District 44 tournament, with games scheduled March 7, 9 and 11, and which includes Grand Rapids Christian (15-4 overall), Grand Rapids South Christian (14-5 overall) and Grand Rapids West Michigan Aviation Academy (12-6 overall), as well a Kentwood Grand River Preparatory Academy (6-8 overall).
The good news for both is that the tournament will be in their neighborhood — at Kelloggsville. The bad news is that the Godwin and Kelloggsville will play the 2021-22 series-deciding game on opening night, at 5:30 p.m.
“Our district is a gauntlet, but I am excited to have it on our home floor,” coach Ricketson said before last week’s game. “I feel like we are playing some of our best basketball, and like the confidence these guys are showing.”
Realtor Sam Wilson added a large roof and benches to his Wyoming Park office for the comfort of local residents (and potential buyers) waiting for the next interurban car. (Wyoming Historical Commission)
Recently, Grand Valley State University commemorated remnants of the interurban railway tracks on its downtown campus, rails that once connected to a station in the City of Wyoming that served as a key connector for those wishing to travel to the lakeshore or Kalamazoo.
Started in 1901, the electric transportation system, called the Grand Rapids, Holland, and Chicago Railway, started with a line to Holland and in the following year, 1902, added a Muskegon line. Delayed by politics, the line to Kalamazoo was completed in 1915 by the Michigan Railway Company. Passengers of the interurban could make the decision of if they were heading west or south at a station near Lee Street and Grandville Avenue (now Chicago Drive), located in the City of Wyoming.
“It was located by the old Kelvinator building,” said David Britten, who is with the Wyoming Historical Commission. This made sense since the home appliance manufacturer would open its doors in 1914 with the interurban providing an easy way for residents to get to the plant for work.
There were several stops in the City of Wyoming. If you took the route toward Holland, the interurban would stop at Beverly Hills, Wyoming Park, and Elmbrook neighborhoods. Businessmen took advantage of those route stops to promote bungalow-style homes, spurring growth within the City of Wyoming. Take the interurban to Kalamazoo, which ran along side Divisions Avenue, and it would stop on 50th Avenue in the Kelloggsville neighborhood and 54th Street before heading on to Cutlerville as the train made its way to Kalamazoo. Today Consumer’s Energy power lines follow the old Kalamazoo route.
An ad for the Elmbrook community located between Porter and 28th Street west Byron Center Avenue. (The Street Railways of Grand Rapids by Carl Bajema and Tom maas)
Britten said you can see the interurban route through a Google map overview, but that little remains of the actual tracks.
“In many places, they just paved right over the tracks,” he said, adding the tracks would have run behind the current Godfrey-Lee athletic fields. Some years ago, owners of the property dug up the remaining tracks and pieces, which Britten said he did salvage a few items.
But the tracks contained within a brick inlay on the Mount Vernon pedestrian pathway on GVSU’s Pew Grand Rapids Campus, are more than likely the last stretch of any interurban tracks in West Michigan, according to a GVSU historian.
The exhibit placed above the tracks uses images and text to explain the interurban system and its impact on the region. The piece also gives related historical context for the time, such as how the Grand River was a “working waterfront.” According to Britten, the interurban would travel across the now cement bridge that is a pedestrian crossing for residents to and from the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. From there it would make its way south along Grandville Avenue, passing through the car holding area that is now where Grand Valley State University’s downtown campus is located.
At the heart of the commemorative project is a core narrative that is important to the community, said Nathan Kemler, GVSU director of Galleries and Collections, who helped lead the effort to create and install the piece.
The remaining interurban track is contained within a brick inlay on the Mount Vernon pedestrian pathway on the Grand Valley State University’s Pew Grand Rapids Campus. (GVSU)
“One reason this project is so impactful is that it was an early sustainable transportation method that was rooted in equity,” said Kemler of the themes captured in the exhibit that is part of the GVSU Art Gallery. “Anybody could ride the Interurban, and it would take you into the city or outside of it to Lake Michigan, Lake Macatawa, or farms.”
Kemler noted that someone could take the Interurban from Grand Rapids to Lake Michigan, then board a steam ship for Chicago, and it was all done through electric power.
Learning about the prevalence of such green technology long ago is eye-opening for students, said Matthew Daley, GVSU professor of history, who was the key researcher on the project.
“Students are stunned that there was this huge integrated network of electric freight and passenger service that then tied into a citywide network of street cars,” Daley said. “You could take an interurban that produced no soot, no dirt, and at some point on West Michigan lines reach over 70 mph.”
In fact, reporters who road the Kalamazoo route noted that the train could cover 47 miles between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo in 44 minutes, according to the book “The Street Railways of Grand Rapids,” by Carl Bajema and Tom Mass.
“It ran really well until Americans discovered in the 1920s that they liked cars,” Daley said.
A GVSU employee puts the finishing touches on the outdoor exhibit about the interurban which is now located at Grand Valley State University’s downtown Pew Campus. (GVSU)
The paving of roads would help to establish the American car industry. By 1926, the Grand Rapids, Holland and Chicago Railway was sold at auction. Britten noted that in 1927, the United Suburban Railway was organized to restore car service from Jenison to Grand Rapids.
“It was called the shortest track with the most stockholders,” Britten said with a laugh. The seven miles of track had 700 stockholders. The United Suburban Railway would last until about 1932.
Daley and Kemler both said the story of the interurban gives important insight into fleeting economic conditions, how people come together, the environmental impact on the Grand River and how the community has evolved.
“This is about the changing landscape of Grand Rapids itself and understanding this location before the Grand Valley campus was here and before downtown was revitalized,” Kemler said.
There are no markers in Wyoming of the former interurban, which Britten said it would be nice if a marker was placed. There is only a small portion of the interurban that is part of the walking/bike trail Oxford Trail, which is in Grand Rapids. The Oxford Trail does cross over the old swing bridge the interurban once used, according to Britten.
It was only 8:30 a.m. and customers already were lined up outside the new B2 location at Rogers Plaza on the chilly morning of Thursday, Feb. 24.
Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber President Keith Morgan (right) presents B2 co-owner Duane Smith a recognition certificate before the ribbon cutting ceremony for the store’s new Wyoming location. (WKTV)
The outlet store recently moved from a few spots down from 968 to 962, the former OfficeMax location. The space is three times more than its former location allowing the store to add furniture to the Wyoming location.
“This was something that we would not be able to have had in the old location,” said Rebecca Smith, who is the marketing and public relations manager for the B2 Outlet Stores.
Started in 2014, the B2 stores are designed around the concept of providing good deals to its customers while giving back to the community, said Duane Smith who along with his son Matt are co-owners of the stores.
“Hence the name B2,” Smith said. “It is to provide a benefit to customers while benefiting the community as well.”
Each B2 store partners with a local charitable organization. The Wyoming store has partnered with Lifeline Church. The stores also host a Mission of the Month program for nonprofit organizations that are aiming to help their communities locally and internationally. During a specific month that local organization is featured guests are asked if they would like to round up their purchase to support the organization.
B2 has donated back $1.25 million to local and global causes since 2014, helping more than 250 local organizations.
Shoppers finally get their chance to check out the new B2 Outlet Wyoming store. (WKTV)
There are now 23 B2 Outlet stores in Michigan and one in Illinois. The store sells clothing, home decor, gifts, food, toys, tools, household items, linens and pillows, cleaning supplies, back-to-school supplies, recreation goods, and seasonal items.
A WKTV produced video of the Lee High School 2022 Hall of Fame ceremony.
By WKTV Staff
The Wyoming Lee High School athletic department added four distinguished staff and alumni students to the school’s Hall of Fame Friday, Feb. 18, with a ceremony scheduled between basketball games against Byron Center Zion Christian.
The Hall of Fame includes members of both Rebel, now Legends, athletics as well as Godfrey-Lee Public Schools and high school distinguished persons. David Britten, former Lee principal and GLPS superintendent, led at the event.
Among the 2021 inductees are long-time teacher Thomas Wier, who taught at the school from 1980-2020; and Larry Landstra (Class of 1956), a student leader at Lee who was captain of his football team and selected in 1955 to the First Team of the Grand Valley Conference. Landstra was not able to attend in-person.
Two other distinguished Godfrey Lee persons were inducted posthumously: Miss Agnes Noel, who as a teacher from 1892-1932; and Bernard Raterink, who as a Lee teacher, coach, counselor, athletic director and principal — and also played football at Michigan Site University in the 1950s.
Thomas Wier, teacher, 1980-2020
Thomas Wier served Godfrey-Lee Schools students from 1980-2020 and started at Godfrey Elementary as a teacher in 1980. Here he addresses the crowd at the Lee High School’s 2022 Hall of Fame ceremony. (New district superintendent Dr. Mike Burde is shown behind.) (WKTV)
Having come to Godfrey Elementary as a teacher in 1980, he was a constant force in the lives of his students and a recognized master teacher for 40 years, according to his introduction. He was a regular volunteer in sports programs for more than two decades, was instrumental in developing the science curriculum as he assisted in several county- wide projects to improve elementary science instruction.
In 1992, he was recognized by the Wyoming Jaycees as Teacher of the Year after the selection committee was flooded by letters from parents of former and current fourth grade students — his selection for the prestigious honor was the first time in 12 years the Jaycees had chosen an elementary teacher.
Wier earned his bachelor degree at Grand Valley State University and his masters degree from Michigan State University.
Bernard Raterink served Lee high and other area students as a teacher, coach, counselor, athletic director and, finally, principal. (Supplied Historic Photo)
Bernard Raterink, teacher and so much more
Raterink served Lee high and other area students in so many ways: teacher, coach, counselor, athletic director and, finally, principal. And he clearly loved the game of football.
Having earned all-state honors as a football running back in high school, he went on to Michigan State University, playing for the Spartans as a member of their 1952 national championship team. He transferred to Central Michigan University where he won additional honors setting the single-season record for touchdowns and selected to the All-America team.
After graduation in 1956, he served as a teacher and coach in Whitehall and Charlotte, then guidance counselor for Grand Rapids Central high before coming to Lee High School in 1967. At Lee, he served as assistant principal and athletic director from 1977-80 before serving as Lee Middle & High School principal until he retired in 1986.
Larry Landstra, Class of 1956
An active student leader at Lee high, he served as a Junior Rotarian, Varsity Club President, and captain of his football team, where he was selected in 1955 to the First Team of the Grand Valley Conference. He was also involved in the school’s Hi-Y Club and on the track and basketball teams.
Larry Landstra (Lee high Class of 1956), a student leader at Lee who was captain of his football team. (Historic photo)
Having received a scholarship to Ferris Institute, he graduated with a degree in the field of pharmacy, and returned to the Godfrey-Lee community, working for and then purchasing the Greenwold Drug Store, and after five years taking over Pfeffer’s Pharmacy and operating it for the next 15 years.
A humble and compassionate individual, according to his introduction, he lived up to the caption next to his senior picture in the Echo yearbook: “Athlete and wit combined, a nicer guy is hard to find.”
Miss Agnes Noel, teacher, 1892-1932
Having earned her teaching credentials at Western Normal College, she began a long teaching career in several other schools before coming to the Godfrey-Lee district, where she first taught in the original one-room Green School in 1892.
When teacher Agnes Noel came to the Godfrey-Lee district she first taught in the original one-room Green School in 1892. (Historic Photo)
Growth in students led to the opening of the two-room Godfrey Avenue school in 1894, where she taught the lower grades — “though the school grew to twelve classrooms, she was the one constant during that time impacting the lives of three generations of area children,” according to her introduction.
Remaining at Godfrey-Lee until 1932, she retired following a 40-year career. Upon her retirement, a community-wide celebration was held and because she was such a popular teacher, reservations and complimentary tickets were required to attend. In 1939, she was memorialized in the Lee High School yearbook and returned to Godfrey as the honored guest speaker at the opening of the new school in 1952.
The Wyoming High School Wolves athletic department honored its heritage Friday, Feb. 18, as it inducted eight distinguished alumni and friends of both Rogers and Wyoming Park high schools, which combined to form Wyoming high.
Among the 2022 inductees are longtime Wyoming Public Schools teacher and Rogers high graduate (Class of 1986) Dino Paganelli, Rogers high (Class of 2002) student-athlete Ashley Heuvelman, Rogers high (Class of 1968) student athlete Jerry Hoag, Wyoming Park high (Class of 1980) student-athlete Rob Baker, Wyoming Park high (Class of 1997) student-athlete Amanda Hartman Schichtel, and Wyoming Park high (Class of 2012) student-athlete Lexi Popma.
Also to be honored are long-time Wyoming Park high athletic supporters Karen and Gary Stockdale, and the late John Wiggers, a huge supporter of athletics both at Wyoming Park and, later, at Wyoming high.
Dino Paganelli
Paganelli has had many titles in his life: student and teacher, athlete and coach, and there is that “part-time” job of being an official for NCAA and National Football League games — including Superbowl 47 and 55.
He attended Rogers High School before going on to Grand Rapids Community College, Aquinas College and gaining his Masters in Education. A three-sport athlete at Rogers, in 1986 he was named Rogers High School Athlete of the Year.
He is now in his 30th year as a teacher and coach in Wyoming Public Schools, and has also served as head varsity baseball coach, and coached varsity softball.
Paganelli joined his late wife, Christy Jaklinski, as members of the Wyoming High School Hall of Fame.
Ashley Heuvelman Smith
Rogers high student athlete Ashley Heuvelman was a three-year varsity player on the basketball and softball teams. She played varsity in both sports for three years, was a key member of the 2001 State Championship softball team, and was her school’s Athlete of the Year in 2002.
She went on to play softball at Aquinas College, was a key member of a 2006 NAIA National Sweet 16 team, and received All American Honors in softball at Aquinas.
Married to high school classmate Chris Smith and with two daughters, she currently teaches at VanGuard Academy and is the assistant girl’s varsity basketball coach at Grandville High School.
Jerry Hoag
Rogers high student athlete Jerry Hoag was a three-sport athlete, playing football, basketball and baseball, and went on to play basketball and baseball at Central Michigan University, where he was a key player of a 1971 National Champion runner up baseball team — but he was an exceptional softball coach.
Now retired, he taught and coached with the Wyoming Public Schools, and then for Jenison High School. His career head varsity softball coaching record is 529 wins and 85 loses, during which he coached 14 league champions and MHSAA state champions six times.
He also served as a basketball referee at the prep and college levels, and was part of the first NCAA Division II Women’s College Basketball National Championship game crew.
Rob Baker
Wyoming Park high student-athlete Rob Baker was an “old school” three-sport athlete — football, basketball and baseball — but he excelled as a running back for some of the best Wyoming football teams ever. Between the years of 1978-79, the Vikings had a record of 16-3, and in 1978 he earned All State honors.
In basketball he was also a two-year starting point guard for the Vikings. In baseball, he played short stop on the 1979-1980 conference championship teams and was a member of the 1980 state finalist team. He was first team All State as a shortstop and then went on to Hope College, where he continued his baseball career and was awarded All Conference in both 1982 and 1983.
Amanda Hartman Schichtel
Wyoming Park high student-athlete Amanda Hartman Schichtel is currently a front-line hero as a nurse at Grand Rapids Spectrum Health Hospital after earning her degree from Grand Valley State University.
In high school she played tennis, golf and volleyball, earning a total of 10 varsity letters, and was the 1997 Athlete of the Year at the school. In tennis, she was All Conference, All Area, and All State all four years of high school. She was also exceptional in golf, gaining All Conference and All Area every year and, starting her junior year, she was also All State for two years. And in volleyball? She joined the team for two years, and was named team captain in 1997.
She went on to play tennis for four years at Grand Valley State University, where, in her senior season, she was All Conference.
Lexi Popma
Part of the last graduating class of Wyoming Park high — and always proud of her Park Pride — student-athlete Lexi Popma is currently a math teacher at Kelloggsville high.
At Wyoming Park she was a three-sport athlete, playing basketball, softball, volleyball. Maybe her best sport as softball — in the spring of 2012 she was All Conference, All Region and All State, and also played in the Michigan High School All Star game after batting .546. (No, that is not a typo.) Additionally, she is still the Wyoming all-time leading base stealer, stealing 88 bases in 91 attempts.
She graduated in the top 10 of her class at Wyoming Park, and received scholarships from many schools including Aquinas College, where she went on to play four years of softball at Aquinas College, when she batted over .300, and kept stealing those bases.
Karen & Gary Stockdale
Wyoming Park high athletic supporters Karen and Gary Stockdale had two children who graduated from the school, and they were really supportive supporters. Karen and Gary were members of the Wyoming Athletic Boosters for 12 years, with Karen serving as president for eleven years.
Both worked countless hours volunteering for the entire school system, and were instrumental in helping with the transition from two Wyoming Public School high schools to the now Wyoming High School Wolves.
As their introduction at the ceremony stated: “Karen and Gary Stockdale will forever be remembered for all their tireless work and the support they provided for all our athletes and Wyoming Public Schools Students. We will be grateful and love Karen and Gary Stockdale forever!”
John Wiggers
The late John Wiggers, a huge supporter of athletics both at Wyoming Park and, later, at Wyoming high, had emotional family members accept the honor.
John, his wife, Tina, and family members all worked to make sure the school’s athletes were provided with all the best equipment, uniforms, and gear possible. John was also a very important part of helping the transition of the two schools athletic departments into the Wyoming Wolves.
“This man and his legacy will forever live on in his family and with the athletes here at Wyoming High School,” his Hall of Fame introduction stated. “We will always, always remember John and his efforts to provide the best Athletic Experience for our students. He has been an awesome member of our Wyoming High School family and we will forever be grateful.”
What can and cannot be recycled in Kent County, and how do it. And what happens to everything else? WKTV Journal, working with Kent County Department of Public Works Resource Recovery Specialist Lauren Westerman, are working to look at specific consumer products and other items to give you the answers.
In this post, we look at those sometimes expensive, but sometimes worth the cost, bottles of liquor. When the bottle is a dead solider, it’s glass, so that is easy. Or is it? But what about that tube it comes in, part cardboard and part metal? Here is the lowdown from an expert:
The empty and rinsed glass bottle can be placed into your commingled, single-stream curbside recycling cart. The old glass bottle will head to the Recycling Center and then off to a glass recycling facility where it may become a new glass container, fiberglass, highway beads, glass abrasives, or other specialty glass items like recycled glass countertops.
Laphroaig Scotch bottle cardboard and metal tube. (Laphroaig)
The tube that the bottle came in cannot be recycled unless you disassemble it first. Separate the metal base and metal top from the cardboard tube. Once these three are successfully separated, they may go into the curbside recycling cart. Once at the Recycling Center, the cardboard tube will be sorted with other cardboard and head off to a paper mill to become another box, tube, or similar product. The metal base and top will go to a metal processing facility and be made into metal containers, cans, or other metal products.
The cork and wrapper cannot be recycled through curbside recycling in Kent County. Both can be placed in the garbage.
Do you have a question about a specific consumer product or other item? Contact WKTV at ken@wktv.org. Please send a photo of the product and the recycling label if available.
Wyoming Lee High School athletic department will add four distinguished alumni to its school’s athletic department Hall of Fame Friday, Feb. 18, with a ceremony scheduled between a 5:30 p.m. girls basketball game and a 7 p.m. boys basketball game, both against Byron Center Zion Christian.
The Hall of Fame includes members of both Rebel and now Legends athletics as well as high school distinguished persons. David Britten, former Lee principal and Godfrey-Lee Public Schools superintendent, will speak at the event.
Among the 2021 inductees are long-time teacher Thomas Wier, who taught at the school from 1980-2020; and Larry Landstra (Class of 1956), a student leader at Lee who was captain of his football team and selected in 1955 to the First Team of the Grand Valley Conference. (Landstra is not expected to attend in-person.)
Two other distinguished Lee high persons will also be inducted posthumously: Miss Agnes Noel, who as a teacher from 1892-1932; and Bernard Raterink, who as a Lee teacher, coach, counselor, athletic director and principal — and also played football at Lee and Michigan Site University in the 1950s.
The Wyoming High School athletic department’s Hall of Fame ceremony from 2020. (Supplied/Wyoming High Athletics)
By WKTV Staff
The Wyoming High School athletic department will add eight distinguished alumni to its Wolves Hall of Fame Friday, Feb. 18, with a ceremony at the halftime of a girls varsity basketball game against Zeeland East scheduled to start at 7 p.m.
The Hall of Fame includes members from both Rogers and Wyoming Park high schools, which combined to form Wyoming high.
Among the 2022 inductees are longtime Wyoming Public Schools teacher and Rogers high graduate (Class of 1986) Dino Paganelli, Rogers high (Class of 2002) student-athlete Ashley Heuvelman, Rogers high (Class of 1968) student athlete Jerry Hoag, Wyoming Park high (Class of 1980) student-athlete Rob Baker, Wyoming Park high (Class of 1997) student-athlete Amanda Hartman Schichtel, and Wyoming Park high (Class of 2012) student-athlete Lexi Popma.
Also to be honored are long-time Wyoming Park high athletic supporters Karen and Gary Stockdale, and the late John Wiggers, a huge supporter of athletics both at Wyoming Park and, later, at Wyoming high.
The game night, which includes a junior varsity game starting at 5:30 p.m., and the Hall of Fame ceremony, will be part of a special Community Night, with performances by the Wyoming high Pep Band, and Wyoming Dance Team led by Coach Meghan Dolata. There will also be a halftime hoop shoot, as well as a raffle, and senior shirts and yard signs available.
The senior all-night party committee will be sponsoring the halftime hoop shoot fundraiser when people will have the opportunity to shoot a half-court or 3-point shot. The 50/50 raffle will also support the senior all-night party.
The senior all-night party committee will be selling auction tickets, senior yard signs, and t-shirts as part of their fundraising efforts.
Martha Washington and Betty Ford were former First Ladies who worked hard to help their husband’s achieve the highest office in the United States. (Wikipedia)
A focus on the presidents will be the presentation of the next Mr. Sid’s Video Series Program set for Wednesday, Feb. 16, at 2 p.m. at Marge’s Donut Den, 1751 28th St. SW.
Mike Martin, along with his wife Ginny and their friend Connie, will showcase a story too often missed in school, the story of greatness bubbling over by heroism of individuals aided and abetted by the love of family and friends. The presentation will focus on the wives of presidents George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Gerald R. Ford, who had to play a steep price for their husbands to achieve so much during their lifetimes.
“The presentation will bring a new understanding to your President’s Day celebration both this year and in the future,” Martin said. “Come ready to laugh and cry and be inspired during an hour you won’t forget.”
The program is free. There will be a gospel sing hosted by Lavonne Ritsema, Sid Lenger’s daughter, beginning at 1:45 p.m.
Upcoming Mr. Sid’s Wednesday Afternoon Programs are:
March 16: Executive Director of theHolland Tulip Festival Gwen Auwerda will discuss the Tulip Festival and one of Sid’s favorite events, the Tulip Festival Parade.
April 20: WOOD TV8’s Sports Director Jack Doles will talk about covering the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
May 18: Rick Vuyst from Fruit Basket-Flowerland will discuss how to prepare for spring from planting flowers and lawn care.
June 15: Chris Stevens, the chaplain for the LPGA, will again join the group and update on the Meijer Charity Golf Classic and Professional Women’s Golf.
The increase revenue would help to add 14 police officers and 27 firefighters to the Wyoming Department of Public Safety. (WKTV)
After being snowed out for its first informational income tax meeting, the City of Wyoming will host its next meeting Wednesday, Feb. 16, at the Senior Center, 2380 DeHoop Ave. SW. The meeting is at 7 p.m.
For those not able to attend, WKTV will be live streaming the meeting on Comcast Channel 26 and on wktv.org.
The meetings are designed to provide information about the city’s proposed income tax and millage reduction proposals that will be on the May 3 ballot.
Under the income tax proposals, the city is requesting to be able to levy an income tax of up to 1 percent for residents and up to .5 percent for non-residents. The second proposal would be for a city property millage reduction for property owners both homeowners and business owners. The millage would go from about 11.89 to 5 mils. The two proposals are tied together with both required to pass.
Approved by the Wyoming City Council in September, the proposals would minimize the overall tax burden to city residents while generating an additional $6 million in revenue each year. The revenue would be used to improve public safety and parks infrastructure for residents, business and visitors.
The funding also would provide $600,000 in sustainable annual capital investment in the city’s park system. (WKTV)
The additional funds would allow the Wyoming Department of Pubic Safety to add 27 firefighters and 14 police positions, improving public safety by decreasing response times, enhancing crime prevention efforts and adding more proactive traffic enforcement.
The funding also would provide $600,000 in sustainable annual capital investment in the city’s park system. Many of the city’s parks were built between 1950 and 1970 and while the city has made great stride in developing park properties such as Ideal, Frog Hollow, and Jackson, other parks such as Marquette Park, are 25-years-old or more and are in need of capital improvement. City officials have noted that the current parks millage does not have capacity to provide any funding for capital investment.
The city has five more informational meetings scheduled. The one on March 2 at the Gezon Fire Station, 2300 Gezon Parkway SW, also will be live streamed by WKTV on Comcast Channel 26 and WKTV.org.
The other meetings are:
March 9, Del Mar Community Room
March 15, Godwin Heights High School, 50 35th St. SW
March 24, City Hall, 1155 28th St. SW
April 19, KDL Wyoming Branch, 3350 Michael Ave. SW
The leaders of three West Michigan nonprofits have joined forced to create a new collaborative initiative that will serve boys and young men of color under a single mission: becoming something they don’t always get the chance to see.
Cole Williams, o the Delta Project
“We Matter Now reflects the importance of seeing positive Black male leadership that will enable boys and young men of color to create positive change in our community” said Cole Williams, of the Delta Project, who is joined by Dondreá Brown of Young Money Finances and Henry Sapp of Better Wiser Stronger. “Boys and young men of color don’t believe they have an opportunity to change their lives because they don’t see enough successful men of color as role models.
“By sharing our lived experienced, We Matter Now strives to provide examples of what boys and young men of color can become.”
With multiyear financial support from Heart of West Michigan United Way, Brown, Sapp, and Williams have joined forces to serve as resource brokers for We Matter Now. The initiative curates its programming from a strengths-based approach, working to empower “at-potential” boys and young men of color and to equip them with the necessary tools to close the gap on education, wellness and financial achievement.
This year, We Matter Now will offer a conference, summer programming, a celebration and ongoing initiatives for approximately 60 at-potential boys and young men of color in grades 9-11. The inaugural We Matter Now conference will be held Friday, April 22 at Grand Valley State University’s Eberhard Center in downtown Grand Rapids, gathering 60 Black and Brown youth for a day of education, recognition, celebration and connection.
Those interested in joining the first We Matter Now cohort and attending the conference, which is free of charge to participants, can sign up online.
Dondrea Brown, of Young Money Finances
“Recognizing the power of words, We Matter Now seeks to serve ‘at-potential’ boys and young men of color, flipping the narrative that too often begins with ‘at-risk’ youth,” Brown said. “Our initiative strives to create a safe space, working to provide Black and Brown high school students with the tools, skills, resources and relationships needed to face challenges within their community.
“Henry, Cole and I appreciate the support from United Way, which has encouraged us to develop programming that will resonate with youth we are already working with in our community. Together, we are creating a road map that will help young men in West Michigan build deeper, stronger relationships and grow into leaders.”
As one of its first steps toward mobilizing the community for change, Heart of West Michigan United Way developed the Transformation Strategy in 2021 to close the economic and achievement gap for people of color in Kent County. Through this strategy, the organization created the Opportunity Initiative to provide local Black, Indigenous and People of Color, or BIPOC-led/founded grassroots organizations –including Young Money Finances, Delta Project and Better Wiser Stronger – financial and educational support through a one-time grant. United Way’s goal was to help build the capacities of small nonprofits and collaboratives that were already successfully addressing systemic change.
“United Way is funding the We Matter Now initiative because we saw how intimately these three organizations work to empower young Black and Brown men who struggle to achieve due to structural racism and other forms of oppression,” said Shannon Blackmon-Gardner, vice president of community impact at Heart of West Michigan United Way. “We are so excited to support their work and see the change, growth and impact that this collaborative will have on our young men of color.”
The theme of the first conference, Our Vision, Our Voice, Our Choice, underscores the initiative’s desire to have boys and young men of color be partners in what programming will look like. Sessions will focus on financial education, healthy behaviors and conflict resolution training, equipping attendees with the support to be impactful members of the community.
Henry Sapp, of Better Wiser Strong
“We Matter Now will serve as a resource broker, collaborating with curated organizations to connect attendees to the high-impact services, information and support they need,” Sapp said. “Research shows it’s critical for young people to have adults who believe in and support them in order to develop a positive sense of their future.
“Youth who can see a future for themselves are more likely to exhibit positive behaviors, such as good decision-making and goal planning, while avoiding problem behaviors and poor choices.”
Through its three partner organizations, We Matter Now will offer summer programming to those who attend the conference as a way to extend the conversation and share resources. This programming will include:
Better Wiser Stronger will offer its Blueprint Journal workshop, which is part of its boys-to-men curriculum and designed to provide a blueprint for success.
The Delta Project will offer its Delta Conversation, which uses storytelling and video editing to tell personal stories in a meaningful and digestible way.
Young Money Finances will offer three sessions – Young Money Managers, Young Investors and Young Entrepreneurs – enabling teens to sharpen their skills around managing money, investing and starting a business.
We Matter Now will also hold a celebrationin August before the start of the new school year to celebrate the connections forged during spring and summer, connect families of attendees with one another and promote a successful return to the classroom.
West Michigan doesn’t need Punxsutawney Phil to know when spring is around the corner. A sure sign in West Michigan that spring is coming is when John Ball Zoo announces it annual hiring event.
The John Ball Zoo is hosting a hiring event this week to help fill a number of positions. (Supplied)
The zoo will be hosting an in-person hiring event on Thursday, Feb. 10, from 4 – 7 p.m. at the John Ball Zoo Ballroom, 1300 Fulton St.
The zoo is hiring seasonal employees to fill roles in retail, food, and beverage, guest services experiences, building and grounds, and education through the in-person hiring event.
Interviews for the in-person hiring event will be with leaders from each department in a safe environment where all participants will be required to wear a mask. Prior the even, untested candidates need to apply online. After applying online, candidates show up during the interview times and a department leader will speak to the person. Links to these, along with department descriptions, are available on the zoo’s website at www.jbzoo.org/careers/Note: applicants must be 15 years of age or older.
John Ball Zoo offers competitive pay, free lunches, and pay increases after 45 days. In addition, being a zoo seasonal employee, team members may earn scholarship opportunities, discounts, behind the scene tours, flexible scheduling, receive free admission for themselves and up to 10 guests, plus discounts on purchases.
The zoo is set to open on March 25. To stay connected to what is happening at the John Ball Zoo, visit jbzoo.org.
What can and cannot be recycled in Kent County, and how do it. And what happens to everything else? WKTV Journal, working with Kent County Department of Public Works Resource Recovery Specialist Lauren Westerman, are working to look at specific consumer products and other items and give you the answers.
In this post, we look at those at-home COVID-19 rest kits — part plastic, part cardboard packaging and paper instructions, part that nasty stick you stuck up your nose and other medical materials. Maybe you want to just toss everything in the nearest trash can, but should you? Here is the lowdown from an expert:
(If you received the kit in the mail, remember to look for a recycling label on the mailer.)
Does your mailer envelope have a recycling label? (Kent County)
Remove the test supplies from the paperboard box. Flatten the box and place it into your curbside recycling cart. The paper instructions can also go into your curbside recycling cart. The box and paper will head to the Recycling Center where it is sorted out from non-paper items, baled, and transported to a local paper mill to be processed into a new paper product that can be used again.
After performing your COVID-19 at home test, throw away the swab, the wrapper from around the swab, the test card, the test card’s soft plastic pouch, and the empty plastic dropper bottle.
The only piece remaining is the hard plastic piece that (possibly) held all the various test pieces. If this hard piece of plastic has a recycling symbol on it, then it may be placed into your curbside recycling cart. The plastic will be sorted with similar rigid plastics at the Recycling Center, shipped to a facility where the plastic is flaked or pelletized, and eventually remolded into a new plastic item.
Do you have a question about a specific consumer product or other item? Contact WKTV at ken@wktv.org. Please send a photo of the product and the recycling label if available.
