Police and the community mixed at Ada Bible Church on East Paris Avenue as part of the City of Kentwood’s National Night Out celebration. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
Police and the community mixed at Ada Bible Church on East Paris Avenue as part of the City of Kentwood’s National Night Out celebration. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
Police and the community mixed at Ada Bible Church on East Paris Avenue as part of the City of Kentwood’s National Night Out celebration. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
Police and the community mixed at Ada Bible Church on East Paris Avenue as part of the City of Kentwood’s National Night Out celebration. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
Police and the community mixed at Ada Bible Church on East Paris Avenue as part of the City of Kentwood’s National Night Out celebration. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
Police and the community mixed at Ada Bible Church on East Paris Avenue as part of the City of Kentwood’s National Night Out celebration. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
Police and the community mixed at Ada Bible Church on East Paris Avenue as part of the City of Kentwood’s National Night Out celebration. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
The City of Kentwood’s National Night Out community celebration this week had police and other city personal at more than 15 locations throughout the city, but events at three local churches clearly showed a shared desire to engage the community after a long period of pandemic distancing.
On the evening of Aug. 3, at Ada Bible Church on East Paris Avenue — which along with Faith Baptist Church and Pentecostals Church on 44th Street hosted special large scale events — Kentwood Police Chief Richard Roberts and Ada Bible pastor Jason Ross talked to WKTV about their shared focus on the community.
Kentwood police Chief Richard Roberts and Ada Bible Church Pastor Jason Ross, at the church’s National Night Out event. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
“What we share, is we desire to connect with the community in a positive way,” pastor Ross said. “We can do that as a church. We can also do that with the people, within Ada Bible Church, as well as in the community. … We want you to feel like you are welcome here.”
Chief Roberts also talked about the shared focus and the great opportunity of interacting with the community at local churches.
“We are privileged to be invited to Ada Bible Church … This just gives us a great opportunity, especially given this past year, for us to all come out and celebrate in a special way on National Night Out,” Chief Roberts said.
McGruff and a future Detroit Lions fan had a moment at Woodland Mall. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
The City of Kentwood was truly bustling with block parties, neighborhood events and other activities — including a special presence at Woodland Mall — on National Night Out, a nationwide annual event that “promotes community-police partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make communities safer.”
Kentwood police officers, firefighters and city leaders joined residents, who had the opportunity to explore police cruisers, fire engines and other emergency response vehicles at events, as well as learn about a variety of safety topics.
“Positive interactions with residents are invaluable for fostering strong community relationships and safer neighborhoods,” Chief Roberts previously said in supplied material. “National Night Out creates a wonderful opportunity to bring officers and community members together in a fun and relaxing setting. Members of our department always look forward to getting to know residents better and encourage more open lines of communication.”
National Night Out was created in the 1980s through an established network of law enforcement agencies, neighborhood watch groups, crime prevention associations and volunteers across the nation. It began with a goal to promote safer, better neighborhoods by uniting community members and police against neighborhood crimes.
“Democracy is about voting and it’s about a majority vote. And it’s time that we started exercising the Democratic process.”
Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow
Voters at the voting booth. (Photo by Jeff Miller/UW-Madison)
Voting in Kentwood and Wyoming
There will be contested primary elections happening in both Kentwood and Wyoming, with a Kentwood City Commission race possibly settled, and local Democrats and Republicans set to decide who from their part will be on the ballot for a State Senate seat up for final vote in the fall. Go here for the story.
National Night Out is all about getting people out and mixing with local public service employees including police and firefighters. (NATA.org)
Night out in Kentwood
The City of Kentwood will be bustling with block parties, neighborhood events and other activities as part of the city-and-community celebration of National Night Out, a nationwide annual event that “promotes community-police partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make communities safer.” Go here for the story.
Night out in Wyoming
A change for this year’s Wyoming National Night Out event will be that the city will host two main sites — Grand Rapids First, 2100 44th St. SW, and Grace Christian University, 1011 Alden St. SW. Both locations will be open from 5 to 7 p.m. Go here for the story.
Fun fact:
71
Number of cities in Michigan which have registered to be involved in National Night Out. Source.
Brendan Earl, Kent County Parks’ supervising sanitarian, further discussed the relationship between dead birds and the virus, and what to do if people find dead birds. (Kent County Health Department)
It has long been known that dead birds can be a sign of West Nile virus infected mosquitoes in the area, and there has been reports in Kent County of dead birds with no obvious injury. But today the Kent County Health Department confirmed that West Nile virus has been detected in tested mosquitoes — not in an infected human — in the county.
According to an health department announcement July 22, the confirmation was made “during ongoing surveillance and testing” conducted by the Kent County Health Department (KCHD) The discovery comes after testing pools of mosquitoes that were trapped by the health department in the 49506 ZIP code (East Grand Rapids and area).
Brendan Earl, Kent County Parks’ supervising sanitarian, discussed with WKTV the relationship between dead birds and West Nile virus, and why the county is focused on testing live mosquitoes rather than dead birds.
A file photo of a Kent County technician testing mosquitoes for West Nile virus. (KCHD)
“Generally it (the virus) goes from mosquitoes to birds, and then (mosquitoes) to humans,” Earl said to WKTV. “It used to be you brought in a dead bird and you tested the bird, because finding a dead bird is pretty obvious, right, and concerning for most people.
“Here at the health department, we like to look at the mosquito because it is a step before the bird. It is more preventive, it allows us to realize that West Nile is in the environment, in our county, so we can get the word out and take proper precautions to prevent the transmission into humans.”
Additionally, Earl said, finding positive tests in dead birds is a delayed indicator of the virus’ presence.
“When a mosquito bites and transfers the virus into a bird, they act as a host. Now any mosquito that bites the bird will now, itself, become infected. So that will amplify the number of mosquitoes the are positive. Unlike humans, who are dead-end hosts — so if we have West Nile virus and a mosquito bites us, we are not going to transmit the virus to the mosquito.”
(Earl further discussed the relationship between dead birds and the virus, and what to do if people find dead birds, in the video above. This is a link to to report dead birds to the state.)
West Nile and human infection
Humans may be ‘dead-end’ hosts, as Earl said, and rarely have severe consequences from infection unless the person is already immune compromised, according to the Centers for Disease Control. But that does not mean precautions are not advised.
A mosquito’s bite could lead to infection with West Nile virus. (CDC)
“This discovery is important because it lets us know that this season’s mosquitoes are now carrying the virus and it could spread to humans,” Paul Bellamy, KCHD public health epidemiologist. “It is important for people to take precautions to prevent mosquito bites as much as possible.”
West Nile virus is spread primarily by infected Culex mosquitoes, according to KCHD. Only about 20 percent of the people infected will notice symptoms that may include headache, body aches, joint pains, and fatigue.
Most people with West Nile virus completely recover, but fatigue may linger. About 1 in 150 people infected develop severe illness that can affect the central nervous system. Recovery from West Nile virus may take several months. Some damage to the central nervous system can be permanent. In rare instances the disease can lead to death.
Since there is no vaccine or cure for West Nile virus, the best treatment is prevention. KCHD recommends the following measures:
Wear a mosquito repellant that contains 10 to 35 percent DEET.
Wear light colored clothing and stay indoors during dusk to reduce your risk of being bitten.
Remove or refresh water in bird baths, children’s wading pools, water bowls for your pets, and empty other small containers that can collect water in your yard.
More information about prevention can be found at accesskent.com.
Kent County Veterans Services recently, and quite literally, opened its office doors to all county veterans and families in need of support and services. And the office is making sure the “all” in “all county veterans” includes female veterans.
To that end, the office is hosting the first of what it plans to be annual Female Veterans Banquet, July 31, at the American Legion Boat and Canoe Club in Grand Rapids. RSVPs are requested by Friday, July 23.
The banquet, a semi-formal affair with the fun of dinner and dancing, and the distinguished speaking of the honorable Rosemary Aqualina, JD, and United States Air Force veteran; and Deborah Brown, DMD and MHS, and U.SA. Army Veteran. It will run 6-11 p.m.
It will also be a night to celebrate female veterans, an often under-celebrated group of veterans.
“The idea for the banquet came from former (Veterans Services Advisory Committee) chair Mel Bauman, and the committee … decided to go ahead with it as part of KCVS overall initiative to engage more female vets in activities and services that are available to them,” Martha Burkett, manager of Kent County Veterans Services, said to WKTV.
“This banquet is an opportunity to celebrate female veterans, to thank them for their service and to acknowledge them for the amazing people that they are and the sacrifices they have made.”
And while all veterans should be thanked for their service, and the sacrifices they have made, female veterans are often left out of the celebrations and recognitions. And the reasons are manyfold.
Female (and male) veterans at an art workshop. (KC Veterans Services)
“Women are less likely to publicly identify as veterans than their male counterparts, and the public does not make a great effort to engage them,” Burkett said. “Often in situations when veterans are being recognized, men will be noticed and commended — even in couples where the man and woman are both vets, the public assumes that he is a vet and she is not. If a woman is unaccompanied in such a situation, unless she is wearing clothing or patches /pins that identify her as a veteran, she is likely to be overlooked entirely.”
Another reason, just beginning to be recognized and addressed, is women in the military sometimes experience military sexual trauma, bullying, and marginalization, Burkett said.
“This is not to say that males to not have these experiences, but it happens less frequently and/or they are less likely to report. Women are also reluctant to report, fearing retaliation and invalidation by their superiors and peers. Often male colleagues will cover for each other, or the military will move the woman to another military base rather than sanctioning the man.
“They make the same sacrifices as men and often experience hostile work and or living environments. Some women have a wonderful experience in the military and are impacted very little by the concerns that I mentioned. Others are greatly impacted and often harbor un earned feelings of shame and guilt or failure about their ability or inability to cope in the environment.”
Female veterans attend an online workshop. (KC Veterans Services)
The bottom line is the a veteran is a veteran, regardless of gender, and the Female Veterans Banquet is addressing that fact.
“Women in the military are as essential and effective in their roles as men,” Burkett said. “Women in the military are smart, strong, capable, and courageous and should be recognized for their efforts accordingly.”
Kent County Veterans Services is located at 836 Fuller NE, Grand Rapids. For more information visit kentcountyveteransservices.com or call 616-632-5722.
The Michigan Veteran Homes at Grand Rapids, a local facility previously called the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans, will hold an open house of the new new facility on July 22 from 3-7 p.m., and the public is invited.
The Michigan Veteran Homes GR is located at 2950 Monroe Avenue, NE, Grand Rapids. (For a WKTV Journal story, video and photographs on the new facility, visit here.)
The event is hosted by the Michigan Department of Military and Veteran Affairs, Michigan Veteran Homes and the Michigan Veterans Facility Authority Board of Directors.
Paying respects to veterans: a Scout places a flag at a graveyard near the new Michigan Veterans Homes GR. (Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs)
“This is a wonderful opportunity for our community members, veteran service organizations, and other stakeholders to take a 30-minute tour of the new Home,” Tiffany Carr, Michigan Veteran Homes, said in supplied material. “Although our current members and their families have had the opportunity to tour the new home, we felt that it was also important to provide our community partners with the opportunity to see what we’ve been working on.
“We’re looking forward to the chance to meet with those curious about the new Home, as well as provide information about admissions, volunteer opportunities and other ways the community can help support our Heroes.”
Those interested in touring the home should RSVP by July 19 at this link or to email her at CarrT1@michigan.gov.
Construction on the new home began in April 2019. Funding for the project came from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs State Home Construction Grant Program, which contributed $40.9 million, and the state of Michigan, which covered the remaining $22 million for a total project cost of $62.9 million, according to supplied material.
The facility, which will serve 128 veterans and dependents in need of skilled nursing care, occupies 153,000 square feet and consists of four unique neighborhood buildings and a community center.
The new building is designed to provide care in a more “home-like” environment rather than the older more institutional setting that used to exist. The neighborhood buildings contain private-resident rooms with ensuite baths and feature shared living and dining spaces.
The adjacent 33,000 square foot community center is the centerpiece of the home and features therapeutic facilities for behavioral, occupational, physical and group therapy, an exam room, chapel, barbershop and salon, café bistro and gift shop. Residents will also have access to outdoor courtyards which will allow them to observe the natural surroundings the campus has to offer.
West Michigan’s veteran-care facility held a small ceremony early this year to raise a 30- by 50-foot flag just off Monroe Avenue NE across from Grand Rapids’ Riverside Park. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
The Michigan Veteran Homes (MVH), according to supplied material, is the entity that provides day-to-day operational oversight of the state’s veteran homes on behalf of the Michigan Veterans Facility Authority and is a branch of the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.
The MVH operates the Michigan Veteran Homes at Grand Rapids, the Michigan Veteran Homes D.J. Jacobetti in Marquette and the new Michigan Veteran Homes at Chesterfield Township.
Brian Hartl, epidemiology supervisor for Kent County Health Department, talks about its mobile unit and why it is part of the effort to reach under vaccinated populations. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
Kent County Health Department’s mobile COVID-19 vaccination unit’s community outreach effort last week happened to be at a south Grand Rapids neighborhood, but it could have been — and could yet be — to any under-served, under-vaccinated neighborhood including ones in Wyoming and Kentwood.
Kent County Health Department nursing staff and mobile vaccine unit visited the Great Giant Supermarket in south Grand Rapids last week. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
The health department, which initially led the effort to establish mass vaccination sites, is transforming part of its efforts to team with local community groups and offer vaccination availability to persons not yet served — as they did July 8 when its nursing staff and mobile vaccine unit visited the Great Giant Supermarket, at 1226 Madison Ave. SE, for the first of four Thursdays in July, each from 1-3 p.m.
“We are finding more and more, with people who are kind of on the fence about vaccination … We have heard that it needs to be convenient for them,” Brian Hartl, epidemiology supervisor for the health department, said to WKTV. “So we have the mobile unit out, at a couple different locations each week.”
And why the selection of the south Grand Rapids location? The answer if two-fold: low vaccination rates and hesitancy to get vaccinated by the black community, and the partnership with a trusted community group.
A Kent County Health Department nurse gives a COVID-19 vaccination shot. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
“This area has a low vacation rate, we know that from our data,” Hartl said. “And we really want to partner with community organizations that are in these neighborhoods and are trusted by the residents.”
In the case of the south Grand Rapids area, that “trusted” community organization is Seeds of Promise — a group who’s expressed goals include “building local resident leadership and trust, deep listening to community voices, and meeting the needs and wants that are expressed by the neighborhood.”
Ron Jimmerson, executive director of Seeds of Promise, said teaming with the health deportment meets all three of those goals.
Ron Jimmerson, executive director of Seeds of Promise. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
“If we are going to service the people, we have to be able to bring the services to the people,” Jimmerson said to WKTV. “Many of our residents, over 50 percent of them, don’t have WiFi. They don’t have iPhones. So it was very difficult fo them to get signed up, and get transportation, and go to somewhere outside their community. So the residents wanted us to bring the service, the vaccinations, to the community.”
At last week’s event, Jimmerson praised the owners of the Great Giant Supermarket for allowing the mobile vaccination clinic to set up for several weeks. But the effort was not focused just on the people that would be shopping at the store, as its location is also in a neighborhood with a homeless population.
“The other concern that the residents had was that we have a large homeless population in this location, in this area,” Jimmerson said. “We want to be able to serve them, and work with other organizations to bring this service to them.”
The Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson vaccines will be available at all the mobile vaccine clinics, according to the health department. Appointments are not required and there is no charge for the vaccine. More information on vaccine locations can be at vaccinatewestmi.com/clinics.
“Give me the beat, boys, and free my soul. I want to get lost in your rock and roll, and drift away.”
From the song “Drift Away” by Dobie Gray
The Soul Syndicate. (Supplied by the band)
A summer concert on the lawn in Wyoming
The Soul Syndicate will open this summer’s season of Wyoming Concerts in the Park on Tuesday, July 13. The free performance, hosted by the Wyoming Community Enrichment Commission, will at at 7 p.m. at Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. SW. Go here for the story.
The Accidentals (Supplied/Courtesy Aryn Madigan)
And another summer concert series, in Kentwood
The free Kentwood Summer Concert Series, which kicked off this week with The Bootstrap Boys, continues July 15 and most Thursday nights through Aug. 19 and includes West Michigan favorites The Accidentals, Benzing Graves Collective, Dalmatian Stone and David Gerald … and The Soul Syndicate night rescheduled for Aug. 19. Concerts will be livestreamed by WKTV and will also be available on WKTV cable channels. (See the WKTV On-air Schedule for details.) Go here for the story.
A classic car show on the shore in St. Joe
As part of St. Joseph’s Love Local Weekend July 16-18, The Mike Yore Memorial Car Show kicks off the weekend on Friday, July 16, from 4- 8 p.m., downtown. View classic cars from days gone by as they line up along Lake Boulevard. Attendees will also “cruise” along the bluff. Go here for the story.
Fun fact:
83 million
The number of entertainment event attendees who lost out on various entertainment events around the world — in the first month of pandemic shutdowns in March-April 2020 — according to Forbes. Source.
The Michigan Veteran Homes (MVH), which has a local facility previously called the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans, held a ceremony Monday, July 6, to memorialize Sarah Brooks, who had many connections to Grandville and the local area, in the new memorial garden at the Michigan Veteran Homes at Grand Rapids (MVHGR).
The Michigan Veteran Homes at Grand Rapids facility is located at 2950 Monroe Avenue, NE, Grand Rapids.
The dedication of the new memorial garden included a private ceremony to honor Brooks, who was the Department of Michigan American Legion Auxiliary Hospital Representative at the facility.
Detail of the Sarah Brooks Memorial. (Michigan DMVA)
Brooks, according to supplied material, volunteered since 1958, having logged over 60,000 hours of service which is the equivalent of working 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year, without a single day off for nearly 29 years.
The wife of Army veteran John R. Brooks Sr. and mother to Navy veteran Sandra Jennings, Brooks passed away this last Veterans Day.
Brooks was been a member of the American Legion Auxiliary Crispus Attucks Unit #59 for 75 years, having held many offices in the local, state, district and national auxiliary, according to her 2020 obituary. She volunteered for Grandville Senior Neighbors, the Retired Senior Volunteer Program, Mary Free Bed Hospital, Kent Community Hospital since 1990 and was Past Chapau of 8 et 40 La Boutique, an organization that supports children with respiratory diseases. She was one of the people who founded the Unknown Black Soldier at Oak Hill Cemetery in Battle Creek.
Remarks at the ceremony were led by Tracey Nelson, administrator of MVHGR; Bruce Kalish, chaplain of MVHGR; Betty Rhodes-Machen, secretary of the American Legion Auxiliary Crispus Attucks Unit #59; and Robert Troost, resident member and past president of the member’s council at MVHGR.
The ceremony included the revealing of a silver-plated memorial plaque, installed at the base of a sugar gum tree donated by Twin Lakes Nursery of Grand Rapids, and bench seating for members to enjoy the outdoor space.
Those working for, contracting with, or conducing business at Mercy Health Saint Mary’s will need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Sept. 21.
Trinity Health, the parent organization to Mercy Health Saint Mary’s, recently announced effective immediately, the national health system will require all colleagues, clinical staff, contractors, and those conducting business in its health care facilities be vaccinated against COVID-19. The requirement applies to Trinity Health’s more than 117,000 employees in 22 states nationwide.
This includes roughly 24,000 Trinity Health Michigan colleagues working across five Saint Joseph Mercy Health System hospitals, three Mercy Health hospitals – such as Mercy Health Saint Mary’s, and two employed medical groups – IHA and Mercy Health Physician Partners. Along with the hospital located in downtown Grand Rapids, there is a Mercy Health Southwest Campus in Byron Center, Mercy Health Physician Partners in Wyoming, Mercy Health Southeast Lab in Kentwood and several other Mercy Health locations in and around Grand Rapids.
Trinity Health is the second known healthcare organization to announce the COVID-19 vaccine requirement. Henry Ford Health System in Detroit made a similar announcement in June. Mercy Health Saint Mary’s is the first known health organization in Grand Rapids to require COVID vaccines. Officials from both Spectrum Health and University of Michigan Health – West (formerly Metro Health – University of Michigan Health) stated while encourage team members to get vaccinated, the vaccines are optional and not mandated.
Spectrum Health officials said nearly 70 percent of Spectrum’s on-site team members have been vaccinated.
“We continue to practice active infection control measures, including heightened cleaning protocols, masking n all clinical areas and a daily symptom survey for all on-site team members,” according to a hospital statement. “Additionally, we continue to monitor positivity and vaccination rates in the community and amount our team members.”
Since December 2020, when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first vaccine for Emergency Use Authorization, Trinity Health has strongly encouraged vaccination for all colleagues and within the communities its various Health Ministries serve. To date, the health system estimates that nearly 75 percent of Trinity Health employees have already received at least one dose of the vaccine, and it now looks to close the gap with this new requirement.
“As a faith-based health care system we have pledged to protect the most vulnerable, those that have a high risk of developing severe health complications if they were to contract this deadly virus,” said Rob Casalou, president and CEO of Trinity Health Michigan and Southeast Regions. “We are grateful to all colleagues working inside our hospitals, and specifically those navigating the frontlines. We understand that not everyone will agree with this decision, but after listening to their feedback, and after careful consideration, we know this to be the right decision.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that more than 331 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in the United States. The vaccines have proven to be safe and effective against symptomatic infections, hospitalizations and death, with more than 99% of COVID-19 deaths today occurring in unvaccinated people.
“As a trusted health care leader within Michigan communities, our patients and colleagues look to us to keep them safe,” said Rosalie Tocco-Bradley, PhD, MD, chief clinical officer of Trinity Health Michigan. “There is widespread acceptance of the vaccines and their effectiveness within the medical community. The science is clear – vaccines protect against infection and they help save lives.”
Employees at Trinity Health and its Health Ministries must meet a series of rolling deadlines, with most locations requiring them to submit proof of vaccination by Sept. 21, 2021. It has not yet been determined if a COVID-19 vaccine booster will be required annually, but if so, employees will also need to submit proof of the booster as needed. Exemptions are available for religious or health reasons and must be formally requested, documented, and approved. Employees who do not meet criteria for exemption and fail to show proof of vaccination will have their employment terminated.
The City of Kentwood’s 62-B District Court announced this week that it has implemented an Alternative Dispute Resolution plan that “will allow community members to resolve certain disputes outside the courtroom through mediation and other facilitated processes.”
The court implemented its Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) plan to reduce client costs, produce more timely resolutions and increase satisfaction with the justice system, according to the announcement. The plan lays out a process for determining which cases are appropriate for mediation and how mediators are appointed.
Mediation was previously available for the 62-B District Court’s small claims cases in partnership with the Dispute Resolution Center of West Michigan. With the ADR plan now in place, mediation is even more accessible, “so disputes can be resolved in the most efficient way and with the most satisfaction,” according to the announcement.
Mediation involves a trained third-party individual who works with litigants to resolve disagreements outside the courtroom and reach a mutually acceptable resolution. Mediation is often scheduled and completed quicker than court cases and does not require litigants to pay attorney fees, according to the announcement.
62-B District Court Judge Amanda Sterkenburg. (Supplied)
“Court cases involve a significant financial and emotional investment,” 62-B District Court Judge Amanda Sterkenburg said in supplied material. “I am proud the 62-B District Court is offering this plan as a way to save time and money for those seeking resolution, preserve relationships and help each party walk away more satisfied.
“Another beneficial aspect of ADR is each party gets the opportunity to have their voice heard in a safe and neutral environment. Being able to express themselves empowers the parties to work past the conflict and seek resolution.”
In collaboration with the Dispute Resolution Center of West Michigan, mediation is a routine part of the 62-B District Court pre-trial process.
If a case is referred for mediation, the court’s ADR clerk will send a letter to the parties to let them know they can use the Dispute Resolution Center or select a private mediator by agreement.
According to the court announcement, mediation also helps “minimize disparities in power, where one party may be represented by counsel, but the other party is not. Mediators are specifically trained in these nuances to make sure the balance of power is fair when parties are negotiating and bargaining. Mediation can preserve or restore relationships by overcoming misunderstandings and improving communication between parties.”
The ADR plan was designed to be used in conjunction with facilitators who understand how diversity may affect a dispute and use processes that are designed to overcome barriers to find common ground.
“The best ADR outcomes are reached when varying perspectives are taken into consideration,” Sterkenburg said. “The 62-B District Court remains committed to acknowledging diverse cultures, values and socioeconomic statuses within disputes. We see each perspective in the room as equally valid and we use well-trained mediators and interpreters to reach optimal resolutions.”
Parties are encouraged to pursue any form of ADR if they believe it will assist them in resolving the dispute. The court intends to refer appropriate summary proceedings and civil cases such as breach of contract, property disputes and debt collection to mediation. Sterkenburg will oversee the implementation of the new plan and the mediator selection process.
On this episode pf WKTV Journal In Focus, State Sen. Winnie Brinks, a Democrat who was elected in 2018 as the first woman to represent Grand Rapids in the Michigan Senate since 1920. While the coverage area of her District 29 does not include Wyoming or Kentwood, the current vacancy in District 28 had left a void in local representation. So Sen. Brinks graciously offered to talk to us about what’s happening in Lansing this session.
WKTV asked her about two hot-button issues in Lansing, no-fault insurance and voting rights. With her serving on the Senate’s Health Policy and Human Resources committee, we talked to her about changes to part of the healthcare industry due to the continuing rollout of the state’s no-fault insurance law, as well as possible changes to the state’s voting laws.
But on the WKTV set, she also wanted to talk about an issue flying under the news radar this session — “attainable house”, sometimes known as “workforce housing”, a topic important to Wyoming and Kentwood as a large workforce housing project is in-progress on Division Avenue between the two cities.
“There is a bill, group of bills, we got it started in the senate and now it is making its way over to the house, we passed a group of bills that will help with attainable housing,” Sen. Brinks said to WKTV. “You hear a lot about government programing, particularly from the federal government, in terms of helping people with affordable housing — very important to do that. …
“But we worked on a set of bills, with local governments, to provide some tools to help people get into what we are calling attainable housing. And that would be available to those folks who don’t necessarily qualify for affordable housing but need a little bit of assistance, generally working (families). Some in the business community call it workforce housing. It is for people who are doing everything right but still can’t quite find something that works for them.”
WKTV Journal In Focus airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel (For dates and times on Channel 26, see our Weekly On-air Schedule. For dates and times on Channel 99, visit here). All individual interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.
YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids, which operates seven branch locations in the Grand Rapids area including the SpartanNash YMCA in Wyoming, announced this week that it has been awarded $189,000 from the Michigan Department of Education to provide summer learning opportunities for children in summer programs.
The grant is part of a larger $2.3 million given to Michigan YMCAs to “deliver a coordinated program which supports children, families, and schools while they recover from the pandemic and prepare for a successful return to the school year,” according to the announcement.
“The YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids is excited to expand and enhance our existing day camp program,” Nicole Hansen, district executive director of community engagement and youth development, said in supplied material. “Through intentional math, science, literacy, and social-emotional curriculum, we will ensure the youth in our community have an engaging summer full of education and connection.”
YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids is still accepting registrations for day camp programs. To sign up visit grymca.org/summer-day-camps. (Camp leaders are also still needed to staff the day camps. Applicants can visit grymca.org/careers for more information.)
The YMCA’s summer programs will “focus on fun, keeping kids safe, active, fed, and engaged with other children and adults.” The funding from the Michigan Department of Education allows YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids to offer traditional camp programs that are “enhanced to address the unique academic needs created by the pandemic,” according to the statement.
“The Y is prepared to work with schools to overcome the challenges facing students, families and communities,” Fran Talsma, executive director for the Michigan Alliance of YMCAs, said in supplied material. “To effectively combat COVID learning loss, in- and out-of-school learning needs to be connected and seamless.
“We have the capacity and expertise to support schools and help achieve positive outcomes for students. The Y is ready to meet the academic, social-emotional, physical, and nutritional needs of children and is committed to strong collaborations to improve the academic success and overall well-being of children.”
In addition to the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids’ branch locations, it also operates YMCA Camp Manitou-Lin, community outreach programs, and childcare sites. For more information visit grymca.org.
The City of Kentwood has a full day of activities planned Saturday, July 3, for its annual Fourth of July Celebration, including a pancake breakfast, a 5K race, a parade, and a carnival and live music — all leading up to fireworks at dusk, according to an announcement from the city.
Complete information about Kentwood’s Independence Day activities can be found at kentwood.us/july4.
“We are excited about the return of Kentwood’s Fourth of July Celebration with a variety of activities community members of all ages can enjoy,” Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley said in supplied material. “We welcome our residents to join us as we celebrate our nation’s independence.”
Mayor Kepley and City of Kentwood Commissioner Emily Bridson, both of whom are running to be elected mayor this fall, are expected to be part of the festivities, as will all members of the city commission.
The City is also seeking volunteers for its Fourth of July Celebration. Those interested are encouraged to sign up online or call 616-656-5270.
A full day of activities
The July 3 events will begin with a pancake breakfast at the Kent District Library – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch, 4950 Breton Ave. SE. The breakfast is $5 per person (free for age 5 and younger), served 7-9:30 a.m., and includes pancakes, sausage, juice and coffee.
Kentwood hosts several community 5k runs (this one fro the fall of 2019) and will do another on July 3. (WKTV)
At 7:30 a.m., racers of all ages will gather next door at the Kentwood City Hall parking lot, 4900 Breton Ave. SE, for registration and packet pickup for the NN Mobile Solutions 5K Race & Fun Walk.
The chip-timed race will begin at 8:30 a.m., with the start and finish in front of City Hall. Participants will loop through nearby neighborhoods before coming back on the paved East West Trail to finish. For the safety of all participants, no baby strollers, roller skates, dogs or bicycles will be allowed on the course. All participants will receive a finisher medal and shirt for this race. Shirts are not guaranteed unless registered before June 21.
Following the race will be a parade at 9:30 a.m.
Kentwood will celebrate July 4th a day early this year, on Saturday, July 3, with a parade, fireworks and more. (WKTV)
The parade route will start at Crestwood Middle School, 2674 44th St. SE, travel south on Walma Avenue SE to Breton Avenue SE, then turn west on 52nd Street SE and end at Challenger Elementary School, 2475 52nd St. SE.
New this year, Kentwood will honor essential workers by having them lead the parade. Spectators are encouraged to physically distance from other households along the route.
From 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., there will be a carnival at City Hall featuring a variety of rides that “will be cleaned between riders” and carnival games for all ages, according to the city statement. Individual tickets will cost $1 each. Wristbands will be available for $20. Tickets and wristbands will only be available at the event. The number of tickets required for each attraction will vary.
City Hall will also be the hub for the evening celebration, scheduled for 4-10 p.m., where there will be community booths, a beer tent and food trucks lining the lawn behind city hall. A variety of bands, including BareNaked 90’s, Asamu Johnson and the Associates of the Blues, and The Adams Family, will take the stage to perform live music leading up to the fireworks show at dusk. The fireworks will be viewable from city hall and surrounding areas.
Some notes about traffic flow
A section of Walma Avenue near City Hall from Fire Station #1, 4775 Walma Ave. SE, to the roundabout will be closed all day to allow pedestrians to safely cross the street and take part in the activities.
Guests who are parked at Kentwood’s Kent District Library can take the roundabout out to Breton Avenue heading north or turn left out of the library’s parking lot onto Breton heading south. The Kentwood Police Department and volunteers will be on-site to help direct traffic.
On the latest episode of WKTV Journal In Focus, Kent County Administrator Wayman Britt, who has been in the WKTV studio many times over the last four years since he took the position of lead administrator in 2018. But the next time he visits he will have a new title as on July 30 he will be ending his service to the country and its nearly 700 thousand residents, service which goes back almost two decades, to 2004.
On the WKTV set, we talk with Britt about current news within the county governance — including the county’s impressive and cooperative handling of the COVID-19 pandemic over the last year, several new county facility projects moving full-speed ahead despite the pandemic, and his personal challenge of leadership in this unexpectedly difficult time.
Kent County Administrator Wayman P. Britt. (WKTV)
He also details why he and the Kent County Board of Commissioners made diversity, equity and inclusion, in county leadership and staffing from top to bottom, such a priority that they recently hired Teresa Branson as its first Chief Inclusion Officer.
“We understand what (inclusion) is and what it means,” Britt said to WKTV. “And it is very, very important the we identify how do we increase the number of people in our community that are empowered and engaged to make our community a better place to live, to work.”
We also talk with Britt about the importance of coaching — on the baseball court and in government administration — and what’s next for the man whose motor is always running. (Hint: there’s a book in the works …)
WKTV Journal In Focus airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel (For dates and times on Channel 26, see our Weekly On-air Schedule. For dates and times on Channel 99, visit here). All individual interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.
At the testing planned HIV testing site, certified test counselors will be onsite to answer questions and connect residents with additional services. (CDC)
In honor of National HIV Testing Day on June 27, the Kent County Health Department (KCHD) and the Grand Rapids Red Project will hold a free HIV testing and education event on Thursday, June 24, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The event will take place in the parking lot across the street from the Kent County Sheldon Complex, 121 Franklin St. SE, Grand Rapids.
Certified test counselors will be onsite to provide testing, answer questions, and connect residents with additional services, according to a KCHDS announcement. There will also be music, food and free gifts.
HIV self-testing is also an option. Persons interested in self testing for HIV at home, visit here to find out how to order a free HIV testing kit.
“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the KCHD recommend everyone know their HIV status,” April Hight, KCHD public health program supervisor, said in supplied material. “This knowledge is essential for getting helpful therapy and for protecting others from the virus.”
More than 1 million people in the United States are living with HIV, and one in eight people are infected with HIV without realizing it, according to the CDC. Nearly 40 people are diagnosed with HIV in Kent County every year, according to the KCHD announcement, and “the only way for a person to know their status is to get tested.”
HIV, Human Immunodeficiency Virus, attacks the cells that make up the body’s immune system. HIV can make it difficult for an infected individual to fight off diseases and, left untreated, it can develop into Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome — AIDS — which can be fatal.
Individuals who are at risk for HIV infection can take PrEP, a daily pill that is 99% effective at reducing the risk for HIV infection. PrEP is available at the KCHD Personal Health Services Clinic. For more information about PrEP or if you would like to be tested, call 616-632-7171.
The City of Kentwood Parks and Recreation Department is joining with the Kent Conservation District and Kent County Parks to promote a “BioBlitz” program, an effort to record as many species of flowering plants and pollinating insects as possible in Kent County within a two-week period.
Kentwood and Wyoming community members are invited to help in the effort as part of a “Parks for Pollinators BioBlitz” program, running June 21 to July 6 in conjunction with National Pollinator Week, June 21-27.
To participate in the “Parks for Pollinators BioBlitz” program, community members can download the iNaturalist app on their smartphones and join the “Parks for Pollinators – Kent County, Michigan” project to record and report plant and pollinator species they see. The app will help users identify their findings.
“Parks for Pollinators BioBlitz” seeks community participation to observe and record pollinators such as butterflies, bees and other insects, as well as flowering plants — “Together, the community will create a snapshot of the variety of plants and pollinator species found in Kent County,” according to promotional material for the program.
Kristina Colby, Kentwood Parks and Recreation Department program coordinator hopes the program will “encourage residents to spend time outdoors visiting new parks” while looking for pollinators.
Kentwood will host an event associated with the program on Saturday, June 26, at 1 p.m., with a free guided naturalist hike with West Michigan Butterfly Association at Kentwood’s Northeast Park, 1900 Middleground Drive SE.
“We’re delighted to host the guided naturalist hike right here in Kentwood in partnership with the West Michigan Butterfly Association,” Colby said in supplied material. “Butterflies in particular are most active in the middle of the day when the sun is shining, so it is sure to be a successful outing for observing and recording these beautiful local pollinators, as well as other species.”
Several other events will occur during the program to help participants increase their knowledge of pollinators and their impact on the natural environment. At the BioBlitz’s conclusion, program organizers will present information about the recorded species and pollinators, as well as award several pollinator posters to participants including the youngest naturalist and the one who identifies the most species.
The program kicked off June 18 with an online meet and greet with Kent Conservation District and Kentwood Parks and Recreation staff to learn more about how the “BioBlitz” program and iNaturalist app work.
Other outdoor events planned as part of the program include:
Wednesday, June 30, at 6 p.m., a free prairie walk in a wildflower and pollinator habitat on a converted family farm at 4790 Peach Ridge Ave. NW in Sparta with local landowner Persephone Rana.
Monday, July 5, at 9 a.m., a butterfly count with the West Michigan Butterfly Association at Rogue River State Game Area, 13747 Krauskopf Road NE, Sparta, MI 49345. The cost is $3 per person.
“Through this program, we hope to help Kent County residents become more familiar with native bees and butterflies and the environments they prefer,”Jessie Schulte, Kent Conservation District Manager, said in supplied material. “The project also will help us answer the important question, ‘Do we need more habitat?’”
More about the project is available at iNaturalist.org. Interested participants can contact Kent Conservation District Manager Jessie Schulte with questions at jessie.schulte@macd.org or 616-222-5801.
On the latest episode of WKTV Journal In Focus, Kent County Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young says what’s on her mind on a wide range of subjects, from her office’s response time to incidents, how it handles those incidents, and how the staff — all of the staff — of the Kent County Correctional Facility excelled in this time of pandemic.
In May, her office presented a report to the county Board of Commissioners detailing the results of its yearly Performance Measurements Review — covering a period of time almost exclusively falling within the period of the COVID-19 pandemic. Including among the measurements are the Sheriff’s office’s response time for both the 911 dispatch and deputies patrolling the roads, the department’s community engagement efforts, and the percentage of contacts resulting in use of force.
On the WKTV set, we talk with the Sheriff about those performance measurements, about what’s new in her department including the roll-out of body cameras, and — taking a cue from the current public scrutinization of law enforcement actions on the streets — we ask about her policy of de-escalation of citizen/deputy incidents and her opinion of law enforcement officers being granted qualified immunity from civil lawsuits.
WKTV Journal In Focus airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel (For dates and times on Channel 26, see our Weekly On-air Schedule. For dates and times on Channel 99, visit here). All individual interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.
“I had crossed the line. I was free; but there was no one to welcome me to the land of freedom. I was a stranger in a strange land.”
— Harriet Tubman (Freed Slave)
A view of a previous City of Kentwood Food Truck Festival. (WKTYV/2018)
Food Truck Rally in Kentwood
The City of Kentwood and GR8 Food Trucks aren’t waiting until the end of summer to offer the annual Food Truck Festival this year – they’re kicking off the season later this month with the first to two planned food truck events. The “kick-off” of the Summer Food Truck Festival will take place Saturday, June 19, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., in the parking lot of the Kent District Library – Kentwood (Richard. L. Root) Branch, 4950 Breton Ave. SE. Go here for the story.
Juneteenth celebration in Wyoming
In an effort to educate and build a bridge of understanding, the City of Wyoming is hosting its first-ever Juneteenth event Saturday, June 19, from noon to 4p, at Calvary Christian Reformed Church, 3500 Byron Center Ave. SW. The free event will feature an array of programs on such topics as history, hair and the CROWN Act legislation, COVID 19 and the black health disparities, the Black Freedom Struggle and discussion on the Emancipation proclamation and the 13th Amendment. Go here for the story.
Fun fact:
800, plus or minus
Kent County has a fair amount of food trucks, but arguably the home of the first food truck culture, Los Angeles, Calif., had a food truck population of more than 800 trucks before the pandemic. Source.
In an effort to educate and build a bridge of understanding, the City of Wyoming is hosting its first-ever Juneteenth event this Saturday at Calvary Christian Reformed Church, 3500 Byron Center Ave. SW.
The free event will run from noon to 4 p.m. and will feature an array of programs on such topics as history, hair and the CROWN Act legislation, COVID 19 and the black health disparities, the Black Freedom Struggle and discussion on the Emancipation proclamation and the 13th Amendment.
“I wanted to create an intimate space that there could be an exchange of learning about the Black culture,” said Wyoming resident Dana Knight, who through the Wyoming Cultural Enrichment Commission, organized the Juneteenth event.
Juneteenth is an annual celebration commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. It marks the day – June 19, 1865 – that a Union General issued an order announcing the end of the war and freeing enslaved African Americans in Texas. The order was signed in Galveston one day after the Union Army arrived in the western most Confederate state, two months after the surrender of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, and two and a half years after Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.
The City of Grand Rapids has hosted a Juneteenth event for the past several years and Knight, who had lived in Grand Rapids, said she found herself heading to Grand Rapids to participate in cultural activities. After joining the Wyoming Cultural Enrichment Commission, she said discussed with the commission about hosting similar cultural events in Wyoming.
The Commission was open to the idea, according to Knight, and has planned several cultural events, including something for Black History Month and Juneteenth 2022, for next year.
“There was discussion that there was money leftover this year because of COVID and the fact that there were no concerts last summer,” Knight said. “I said, if you approve it, we still have time to have a Juneteenth event this year.”
The Wyoming Cultural Enrichment Commission gave the green light with Knight then looking for a location to have the event. It was a challenge, as COVID restrictions had not been lifted.
“I was driving past (Calvary Christian Reformed Church) and it just struck me that they are always doing something for the community,” Knight said. “They have food trucks. They have a community dinner. They are just very involved with the community.”
Calvary Christian Reformed Church agreed to be the host site and from there, Knight began lining up speakers and presenters to focus on different topics such as the CROWN legislation act, which is focused on helping to end hair discrimination. There also will be discussions on the Freedom Rides, Marvin Gayes “What’s Going On,” racism as a public health crisis, the 1972 Black political convention and poetry presentations along with exhibits and artifacts.
“This is a cross cultural, cross racial opportunity for people who don’t have the opportunity to be around each other to talk and learn, to see each other as humans, as regular people,” Knight said.
The event will be filmed by WKTV and aired at a later date. Wyoming’s Juneteenth event is Saturday, June 19, from noon to 4 p.m. at Calvary Christian Reformed Church, 3500, Byron Center Ave. SW.
Continuing WKTV Journal’s series “WKTV Voices: 9/11 at 20 — Our Islamic neighbors 20 years later”, Imam Dr. Sharif Sahibzada, the spiritual leader and director of the Islamic Center of West Michigan, the first mosque and Islamic center in West Michigan, dating from 1985.
He has a wide-ranging perspective on the local Muslim American community as his mosque has often been the local landing point for Muslim immigrants from all over the world. But he also has a unique experience associated with the September 2001 attacks on America as he arrived just months before that terrible day.
However, his strongest memory is not one of the bias he and his fellow local Muslims faced in the immediate aftermath, but the support he and they received.
Imam Dr. Sharif Sahibzada (WKTV)
“Overall, and in general, our host community, the Christians, they welcomed us, spoke with us,” Dr. Sahibzada said on the set of the WKTV interview. “There was one example at that time, there was one church, on Kalamazoo and 36th Street … they invited our whole community over for a dinner.”
This special WKTV Voices project presents video interviews, and online/print stories, covering a range of personal stories of the 9/11 attacks and their impact over the following two decades. After initial background interviews dealing with American Islamic history, global politics, and the current Islamic world, we will present the voices of Muslim community leaders and, most importantly, local Muslim American citizens, especially young people who grew up in the age of 9/11.
Among the topics Dr. Sahibzada discussed was the history of his mosque and Islamic center, his journey here to West Michigan and his Kashmirian background, and how the local Muslim American community is not just immigrants from the Middle East but of such diverse backgrounds as Bosnian and Somalian.
He also talks about his deep belief that God brought him to this place and this time 20 years ago, and brought him here for a reason.
WKTV Journal’s “Voices: 9/11 at 20 — Our Islamic neighbors 20 years later” airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel (For dates and times on Channel 26, see our Weekly On-air Schedule. For dates and times on Channel 99, visit here). All individual interviews are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos. Online/print stories are available by searching “9/11 at 20” on WKTVJournal.org. You can also search the web with the Hashtag #voices911at20.
The City of Kentwood and GR8 Food Trucks aren’t waiting until the end of summer to offer the annual Food Truck Festival this year – they’re kicking off the season later this month with the first to two planned food truck events.
The “kick-off” of the Summer Food Truck Festival will take place Saturday, June 19, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., in the parking lot of the Kent District Library – Kentwood (Richard. L. Root) Branch, 4950 Breton Ave. SE. To wrap up the summer season, another food truck festival is slated for Saturday, Sept. 11.
A variety of for trucks will be at Kentwood’s End of Summer Food Truck Festival. (WKTV)
“We’re pleased to expand the Food Truck Festival to two dates and double the opportunity for community members to come together for fun, fellowship and fantastic local food and music,” Val Romeo, Kentwood Parks and Recreation director, said in supplied material. “We’re delighted to again partner with GR8 Food Trucks, vendors and musicians to provide this wonderful all-ages event for our community.”
The free-to-attend community event will feature 16 food trucks, live music and a beer tent, according to supplied material. The food trucks will offer everything from Filipino cuisine to Indian food, as well as barbeque options, hot dogs, fries and a variety of dessert options. While entry to the festival is free, cost for food and beverages varies by vendor.
The event also will have community booths including the Kent County Black Caucus, which will honor the day and educate the public about Juneteenth, an annual holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the country. Workforce Employment Specialists, United Healthcare and others will be on-site as well.
Live music will start at 11 a.m. with The Boogie Woogie Kid, followed by DJ Snax, Hazy Past and Asamu Johnson and The Associates of the Blues. A beer tent featuring local craft beer favorites will be open 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
Among the food trucks expected to participate are Beecher’s Pretzels, Curry in a Hurry, Daddy’s Dough Cookies, Detroit’s Original Coney Island, Kona Ice of Lowell, Kool Breze, Little Mamma’s Ultimate Dessert & Snack Truck, Nick’s Gyros, Patty Matters, Pig Out on the Fly, Pressed in Time, SANSE Filipino Cuisine, Specialty Cheesecake and Dessert Company, Street Frites, Touch O’ Dutch and UCC Dessert.
“Food trucks offer a great way to sample a variety of cuisine in a relaxed and outdoor setting,” Alan Stone, president of GR8 Food Trucks, said in supplied material. “Kentwood’s Food Truck Festival provides an opportunity for residents to have fun while supporting local businesses, which is especially important during the pandemic.”
Deborah Prato is the new CEO of The Rapid, the public transit system for the Grand Rapids metro area — a large area and an equally large transit system. But Prato, who took the position early this year, has leadership experience in what can only be described as huge transit systems, including New York City’s Metropolitan Transit Authority.
Prato recently visited the set of WKTV Journal In Focus to talk about what drew her to West Michigan, some of the similarities of services and differences of scale she now faces at The Rapid, and what the pubic needs to know about the present and future of the local transit system — including how articulated busses and motorized scooters can and should co-exist on the streets of Kent County.
“We are consistently reviewing, conducting analysis — what do we need, where do we need it, how do we serve the most?” Prato said. “I think it is not just mass transit, there is interest in a transportation network, and that includes personal mobility.”
Among the topics discussed in detail were how two of the special lines provided by The Rapid — the SilverLine and the Laker Line — are really cooperative ventures with The Rapid working with regional entities to satisfy specific transit needs while also working for the general public.
In addition, she discussed personal mobility and how — as pointed out on The Rapid’s website — “Beyond its fixed routes, The Rapid also operates demand response services for people with disabilities, and for those living outside the fixed-route service area.”
Deborah Prato, CEO of The Rapid, with host Ken Norris, in the WKTV studios. (WKTV)
WKTV Journal In Focus airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel (For dates and times on Channel 26, see our Weekly On-air Schedule. For dates and times on Channel 99, visit here). All individual interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.
The City of Kentwood community last week welcomed the return of the Kentwood Farmers Market, which began its seventh season of bringing food and fun to town, this year on Thursdays, June 3 through Aug. 26, with 20 local vendors and a variety of special activities.
Young and old found something they liked at the opening of the Kentwood Farmers Market last week. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
And market manager Kristina Colby, also a Kentwood recreation program coordinator, could not have been more happy.
“We at the City of Kentwood are so excited to get back around the community with our masks off and see smiling faces,” Colby said to WKTV. “It is great just to get together again and have a good time together.”
The market will take place 4:30-7:30 p.m. each Thursday in front of the Kent District Library – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch, 4950 Breton Ave. SE.
The market will provide the community weekly opportunities to buy a variety of goods ranging from fresh produce, baked goods, syrup and cheese, to fresh-cut flowers, coffee and handmade items.
In addition to the range of “farmers market” items for purchase, the market will also offer free classes and special events before or after shopping — on June 10 there will be a meet and greet with animals from John Ball Zoo at 5 p.m.
The Soul Syndicate will kick off the Kentwood concerts on June 24. (Soul Syndicate)
In addition, the just announced City of Kentwood’s Summer Concert Series will occur on several of the market’s Thursday evening nights.
“Six of the markets will actually occur on the same night as the Kentwood Summer Concert Series,” Colby said. “So you come here, get some food, get some snacks, and then stay for a free concert.”
There are also spots available for vendors. Those who are interested can reserve a spot for $10 per day or $50 for the full season. More information about the Kentwood Farmers Market, including vendor applications, is available at KentwoodFarmersMarket.com.
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter the words, but to live by them.”
— John F. Kennedy
The flags in front of the Michigan Homes for Veterans at Grand Rapids. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
The City of Wyoming
The City of Wyoming will host its annual Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 31, at the Veteran’s Memorial Garden, in front of the Wyoming Department of Public Safety, 2300 DeHoop ave. SW. The event will begin at 7 p.m. Go here for the story.
The City of Grand Rapids
Due to pandemic precautions, a planned Memorial Day tribute at the Michigan Veterans Homes at Grand Rapids will be an invite-only event. But the public can pay their respect at the cemetery, where 5,000 small flags honor the fallen. Go here for the story.
The City of Hudsonville
The City of Hudsonville will have its annual Memorial Day Service May 31 at takes Veteran’s Memorial Park in Hudsonville. The service will begin at 10 a.m. Go here for the story.
Unfathomable fact:
593,000deaths
The the COVID-19 death toll in the U.S. topped 500,000 early this year, it matched the number of Americans killed in World War II, Korea and Vietnam combined. The number as of this Memorial Day is at about 593,000.
The City of Kentwood announced this week that the Kentwood Farmers Market will return for its seventh season Thursdays, June 3 through Aug. 26, with 20 local vendors and a variety of special activities.
The market will take place 4:30-7:30 p.m. each Thursday in front of the Kent District Library – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch, 4950 Breton Ave. SE.
Vendors of all types will be active at the City of Kentwood’s Farmers Market. (WKTV)
The market will provide the community weekly opportunities to buy a variety of goods ranging from fresh produce, baked goods, syrup and cheese to fresh-cut flowers, coffee and handmade items, according to the statement.
“We are looking forward to welcoming community members back to the Farmers Market for another season with a great lineup of vendors and special activities,” Kristina Colby, Kentwood’s recreation program coordinator, said in supplied material. “Please join us this season for fun outdoors connecting with and supporting our local farmers and vendors.”
In addition to the range of “farmers market” items for purchase, the market will also offer free classes and special events before or after shopping.
(In addition, the just announced City of Kentwood’s Summer Concert Series will occur on several of the market’s Thursday evening nights.)
The schedule of free classes, special events and concerts includes:
The Accidentals in private concert. (Special for WKTV)
June 3: Yoga class at 6 p.m.
June 10: Meet and greet with animals from John Ball Zoo at 5 p.m.
June 17: Makers and Crafters Day 4:30-7:30 p.m.
June 24: Concert at 7 p.m. – The Soul Syndicate
July 1: Hip-hop fit class at 6 p.m.
July 8: Herb demonstration 4:30-7:30 p.m.; concert at 7 p.m. – The Bootstrap Boys
July 15: Concert at 7 p.m. – Benzing Graves Collective
There are also spots available for vendors. Those who are interested can reserve a spot for $10 per day or $50 for the full season. More information about the Kentwood Farmers Market, including vendor applications, is available at KentwoodFarmersMarket.com.
The City of Kentwood announced last week that it had created two advisory committees and an online survey for community members to share input on the development of the city’s Covenant Park and its 109 acres.
The community survey will help “inform” the committees’ planned work, according to the statement. To share input on the park’s future, community members are invited to take the online survey by Friday, June 4. The survey takes 10-15 minutes to complete and includes questions about Kentwood’s other parks, trails, recreational programming and facilities.
Individuals who want to take the survey in a different language can call the Parks and Recreation Department at 616-656-5270 for assistance.
An aerial view of a portion of the City of Kentwood’s Covenant Park. (City of Kentwood)
The two advisory committees are tasked to gather, review and prioritize improvement ideas, concepts and plans for Covenant Park, and then to make recommendations to the City Commission on future development, according to the statement.
“This community engagement process will ultimately determine how the property will align with existing local parks and recreational needs identified in the Parks and Recreation Business Plan, Parks Master Plan and Non-Motorized Trail Plan,” according to the statement.
The two committees have held a joint kickoff meeting and the next meeting will be also held jointly to review the survey data.
One committee is focused on opportunities for passive and active recreation at the park, while the other is exploring the potential to incorporate regional competitive sports on the property as well, according to the city statement.
Covenant Park’s sign. (City of Kentwood)
Formerly known as the Christian Athletic Complex, Covenant Park is located at 3724 Shaffer Ave. SE. The city accepted a donation of the 109-acre parcel in May through a substantial gift to the Kentwood Community Foundation from an anonymous donor.
Covenant Park features open spaces, walking trails, softball fields and a clubhouse.
The committees include broad community representation with more than 20 members on each, including parks and recreation commissioners, city commissioners, planning commissioners, residents and business owners.
The Covenant Park Advisory Committee for Active and Passive Recreation is focused on opportunities for both active and passive recreation on the property. Active recreation refers to structured activities — either for individuals or teams — that require the use of special facilities, courses, fields or equipment. Examples include baseball, basketball, football, golf, soccer, softball, tennis and rugby, according to the statement.
Passive recreation refers to activities that do not require prepared facilities such as sports fields or pavilions. Examples include bicycling, cross-country skiing, walking, hiking, picnicking, running and wildlife viewing.
In addition to serving as a public recreational amenity for local residents, the park also has the potential to accommodate a regional competitive sports component, according to the city’s statement. So, the Covenant Park Advisory Committee for Regional Competitive Sports is exploring the feasibility of and community interest in this possibility.
The committees are expected to make a final recommendation to the City Commission later this year. More information and updates about the committees, including a meeting schedule can be found on the City’s website at kentwood.us/CovenantParkPlanning. WKTV will continue to report on the work of the committees.
Things are starting to get back to normal at West Michigan’s veteran-care facility, including last week’s small ceremony to raise a 30- by 50-foot flag just off Monroe Avenue NE across from Grand Rapids’ Riverside Park, as it has been raised annually for more than 20 years.
West Michigan’s veteran-care facility, last week, held a small ceremony to raise a 30- by 50-foot flag just off Monroe Avenue NE across from Grand Rapids’ Riverside Park. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
But with the near completion of several buildings that will make up the new veteran-care facility, there will also be a new normal for Michigan veterans in need of services.
Starting with the subtle but meaningful change of the title from the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans to the “Michigan Veteran Homes at Grand Rapids” — notice the plural of “home” — evidence abounds of not only the decentralization of the state’s veterans care system but also a functional modernization of the local facility, set to be fully opened by Christmas of this year.
A new of the old fountain and a new building at the Michigan Veterans Homes at Grand Rapids. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
The new facility, located at 3000 Monroe She. NE, was described as being about 90 percent complete in late April when WKTV was invited in to accompany the first resident to tour the new main building.
The building has a huge common area and then separate wings providing individual pods of “homes” with private bathrooms for individual clients, small kitchens with food service staffs and dining areas for each pod, and a central wellness center for client medical and rehabilitation care as well as other needs.
And Tracy Nelson, administrator of local Homes for Veterans, also refers to the facility’s occupants as “members” — another bit of evidence of the change in service delivery model.
“When I started here about four years ago, we had well over 300 members,” Nelson said to WKTV. “The type of service we delivered for that many people was a bit different, because it is not a small home model.”
Now “we are about where we need to be, about 128 men and women, but we are accepting admissions, now and as we move into the new facility. We currently have some folks who are going to be transferring to Chesterfield Township, which is the home that is three months ahead of us.”
Prior to a complete review and redesign of the state’s veterans care program began in 2016 there was a single, large old facility in Grand Rapids. Now there will be three Homes for Veterans led by the Michigan Veterans’ Facility Authority: one Chesterfield Township, one Marquette and the new one in Grand Rapids located adjacent to the existing facility.
“We plan for a soft opening which means we will bring in our first eight members, so we can get certified, in August,” Nelson said. “After that (certification from the state and the federal Veterans Administration) we will be moving everyone else over. By Christmas, we will be complete.”
And while many of the changes will allow for delivery of care, some are simply to make the members feel more comfortable during their stays, long- or short-term — to make it “a home instead of an institution.”
Tracy Nelson, administrator of local Homes for Veterans facility, and
“member” Lee Walton, tour the still-unfinished building. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
“Over at the existing campus, at one time, there would be four men — or four women — who shared one room and one bathroom. And then there was a central shower — they would have to come out of their room, go down the hall to a central shower, and then come back,” Nelson said as she described the differences coming in new facility. “That was a traditional setting. This is state of the art. This is a home.”
The first member to get a look at his soon-to-be home was Lee Walton, an Air Force veteran who worked many years in the Fremont area in the construction field, and someone who was known to pay close attention to the construction of the new buildings.
“Its going to be wonderful, I’m excited,” Walton said to WKTV. “We’ll have our own room, our own bathroom — that’s a big plus. And having our own kitchen and dining area. They have really done a nice job here.”
A care and rehab facility as well as a home
While a huge part of the facility upgrades at the Michigan Veterans Homes at Grand Rapids will be in the member amenities offered, Nelson is equally proud of the upgraded medical and rehabilitation facilities, including each pod having a central wellness center and an unique outdoor facility that will aid persons regaining real world independent mobility.
A memorial and a new building at West Michigan’s veteran-care facility. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
“The wellness center is really a home of our therapists — physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists — but in there they put all sorts of activities geared to get people to their maximum level of being independent,” Nelson said. “There is also an area back there for a physician. We are lucky enough to have a full-time physician, and a full-time nurse practitioner. And there are outside services that will come in — so dental, vision, other things. This (facility) has a distinct, separate place for those types of services to be rendered.”
And another element of the new facility will be an open-air, center-court area that looks a little like a big-person’s playground but has a very serious rehabilitation function.
“Most (mobility rehabilitation) facilities are not set up for all the different textures for walking, for them to get used to those different textures,” Nelson said. “When you go outside, there is cobblestone, there is pavement, there is gravel — it takes totally different skills to walk on those different surfaces. … It is designed for maximum success for our members who want to come to us for therapy and then go home.”
(During the WKTV visit, the feature was still under construction but some elements of it were visible.)
Moving forward during a time of pandemic
Facility upgrades, and some elements of change in member care, were in process before the COVID-19 crisis hit early last year, and the project was only sightly delayed from a construction standpoint.
The new facility was constructed on southern edge of the existing 90-acre property, at Monroe Avenue and Three Mile Road, with a price tag initially reported to be about $49 million.
And, the tightly controlled pandemic operational model adopted by facility leadership and workforce also gained praise from Nelson.
“The pandemic has really shifted the culture change rapidly,” Nelson said. “With this environment, you are doing multiple jobs based on the situation — as people became sick, we all pitched in and did what needed to be done to make sure our members needs were met.
“We had one office person who worked 20 hours of overtime one week and weekend, just to make sure our guys got outside for some fresh air and to walk. … We just wanted to maintain the best quality of life for our members that we could.”
The Kentwood Parks and Recreation Department, in partnership with the Georgetown Seniors, will host the 22nd annual Spotlight on Seniors Health and Fitness Expo on Tuesday, May 25 — this year as an outdoor event.
According to an announcement from the city, the free event will take place from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at the Kent District Library – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch, 4950 Breton Ave. SE. It will feature 40 vendors representing a variety of senior-oriented businesses, free health screenings for balance, blood pressure, stroke risk and more, as well as door prizes and free snacks and lunch.
“Our Spotlight on Seniors Expo offers a great opportunity for seniors and other community members to connect with one another, learn about local resources that can help them live healthy lives and celebrate successful aging,” Lorraine Beloncis, Kentwood Parks and Recreation assistant director, said in supplied material. “We are grateful for Georgetown Seniors and our sponsors in helping us provide this wonderful community event every year.”
Participating vendors include professionals in fields ranging from physical therapy and assisted living to home improvement and health care, according to the city’s statement.
“The challenges we have all faced over the past year during the pandemic make an event that promotes health, fitness and connections that much more important,” Pam Haverdink, director of the Georgetown Senior Center, said in supplied material. “We are pleased to partner with Kentwood Seniors on this expo and we are thankful to our vendors, who help make this fun and popular for residents in both communities.”
Among the sponsors of the Spotlight on Seniors Health & Fitness Expo are Health Alliance Plan (HAP), Health Bridge Post-Acute Rehabilitation, and Rivertown Ridge Senior Living. Other sponsors are Humana MarketPoint Inc., Laurels of Hudsonville, Sheldon Meadows, The Care Team, United Healthcare and We Care 4 U @ Home.
Godfrey-Lee Public Schools Superintendent Kevin Polston, with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in the background, at a press conference when the formation of the Student Recovery Advisory Council of Michigan was announced early this year. (State of Michigan)
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s office, today, released the MI Blueprint for Comprehensive Student Recovery plan, which offers “guidance to help districts and schools create recovery plans that provide every Michigan student with the resources they need to thrive post-pandemic.”
The recovery plan is the work of the Student Recovery Advisory Council of Michigan, formed early this year and chaired by Godfrey-Lee Public Schools Superintendent Kevin Polston, which was tasked to “provide guidance and recommendations to ensure Michigan students have the tools and resources they need to get back on track.”
The council included dozens of school leaders, educators, public health practitioners, pediatricians, school board members, community and philanthropic leaders, legislators, parents, and students.
The Blueprint, according to the May 19 statement from the Governor’s office, “provides evidence-based recommendations to address challenges across wellness, academics, school culture and climate, family and community engagement and postsecondary education” across the state.
“Every recommendation is supported by leading research and designed to support Michigan students by those that know them best, leaders in education, health care, and child services from right here in Michigan,” Superintendent Polston said in the statement.
The plan also, according to Superintendent Polston, provides not just a return to normal but the path forward to a new normal for the state’s students.
“We believe recovery does not mean return, we believe recovery means let’s rebuild and redesign toward the reality that we want our children to experience in our schools,’ Polston said about the advisory council in a recent WKTV Journal In Focus interview. “The tremendous infusion of federal funds to support recovery efforts gives us the opportunity to make sure that each and every child has the resources necessary to thrive in our schools.
“We know the some students were not engaged with schools in the past year — some estimates were that 63,000 students were not coming to school or participating in remote learning. … So the guidance that we are providing for school leaders is how to provide this compressive recovery plan, in an equitable way, that the community can trust.”
Gov. Whitmer and state legislative leaders — several of which were on the council — will now work to push the recommendations forward.
“The most pressing challenges schools face aren’t new, but they have been exacerbated by the pandemic, resulting economic hardship, and social divisions,” Gov. Whitmer said in supplied material. “That is why I am so proud of the MI Blueprint for Comprehensive Student Recovery that the Advisory Council has created. It will not only help local education leaders comprehensively address immediate challenges, but it will also move us towards an education system that works better for all of our children.”
Last year, the pandemic forced the City of Kentwood to replace its usual “open the garage door” National Public Works Week celebration at the city’s Department of Public Works with a citywide parade through various neighborhoods.
This year, as part of the Kent County-wide “Fleets Through the Streets’ event, the Department of Public Works (DPW) will again take its vehicles, accompanied by a Kent County vehicle, to the streets on Saturday, May 22.
The Kentwood Public Works Department hosted a parade of trucks in May 2020. (City of Kentwood)
The parade will begin at 9 a.m. on the western border of the city near the intersection of Division Avenue and Maplelawn Street, and travel toward the eastern border of the city, ending around 11 a.m. near the intersection of Burton Street and Forest Meadows Court. For a complete map of the parade, visit the city website here.
“We invite residents to enjoy the parade from their porch, yard or driveway to allow for safe physical distancing outdoors,” the city states on its website. “Please feel free to give us a wave as we pass by!”
In addition to the parade, the city will be giving away tree seedlings from noon to 8 p.m., Thursday, May 20, through Saturday, May 22, at the brush and leaf drop-off sites located at the DPW lot, 5068 Breton Ave. SE — while supplies last.
The parade is part of a larger “fleets through the streets” community celebration of National Public Works Week with other local public works and road agencies.
This year’s National Public Works Week theme is “Stronger Together,” challenging residents to think about the role public works plays in creating a great place to live, work and play.
“By working together, the impact residents and public works professionals can have on their communities is magnified and results in the ability to accomplish goals once thought unattainable,” according to supplied material.
Since 1960, the American Public Works Association (APWA) has sponsored National Public Works Week. Across North America, more than 29,000 members in the United States and Canada use this week to energize and educate the public on the importance of public works to their daily lives.
The Kentwood Place Department’s Traffic Services Bureau launched a safety campaign during the 2019-20 school year partially focused on Kentwood, Kelloggsville, and Forest Hills school buses when students were boarding and departing. (City of Kentwood)
By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org
The City of Kentwood announced last week that the Kentwood Police Department has received the 2020 Outstanding Traffic Achievement Award from the Governor’s Traffic Safety Advisory Commission in recognition of its school safety campaign.
The GTSAC honors organizations, programs and individuals for outstanding contributions to traffic safety, according to supplied material. The virtual awards ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, May 27.
“We are grateful to the state for this high honor, which is a reflection of our department’s ongoing commitment to increasing traffic safety and our Traffic Services Bureau’s hard work to help make school zones safer for students and drivers,” Kentwood Police Chief Richard Roberts said in supplied material.
The Traffic Services Bureau includes one sergeant, three traffic specialists and one police cadet. The team’s primary responsibility is to enforce traffic laws. Other services include abandoned vehicle follow-ups, salvaged vehicle inspections, traffic engineering studies, speed monitoring and accident investigations.
The police department’s Traffic Services Bureau launched a safety campaign during the 2019-20 school year that provided dedicated personnel to monitor and enforce residential speed limits near schools on 60th Street SE and whether drivers stopped for Kentwood, Kelloggsville, and Forest Hills school buses when students were boarding and departing.
The police department had received complaints about drivers speeding in properly posted school zones and not stopping for buses when their red flashers were on, according to supplied material.
The initiative started in October 2019 and ended early in March 2020 due to school closures as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly 184 personnel hours were dedicated to the five-month campaign, which yielded 428 school speed zone violations and 31 school bus violations.
This enforcement resulted in an 800 percent increase for school speed zone violations and a 300 percent jump in school bus violations from the previous school year. Fifty-one school speed zone violations and 10 school bus violations were issued in 2018-19.
During the first month of the campaign, 93 school speed zone violations were issued. That number peaked at 104 in February 2020 before dropping to 31 in the final month.
“This was a successful effort that changed behaviors and garnered positive feedback from our community, with many parents stopping to thank our officers,” Chief Roberts said.
The safety campaign encompassed Kentwood, Kelloggsville and Forest Hills schools. It resumed in October 2020 and went through December, resulting in four school speed violations and eight school bus violations.
More information about the Kentwood Police Department is available at kentwood.us/police.
The Kent County Health Department announced Thursday, May 13, that in the light of this week’s announcement that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved the use of Pfizer/BioNTech’s coronavirus vaccine for 12-15 year olds, the county is moving to supply appointments.
The Kent County Health Department (KCHD) will start vaccinating this age group this Saturday, with appointment availability at the KCHD facility at 700 Fuller Ave NE, Grand Rapids, on Saturday, May 15, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and on Saturday, May 22, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
According to the KCHD statement, currently, the Pfizer vaccine is the only one approved for anyone 12 years and older. Anyone under 18 will need a parent/guardian present or a permission note from parent/guardian and a driver who is at least 18 years of age.
Registration is required, no walk-ins will be accepted. Those interested in attending these clinics can register online here or call 616-326-6992. Residents can also call 2-1-1 for assistance.
Additional vaccine clinic locations, times and dates can be found at vaccinatewestmi.com.
Teresa Branson, Kent County Chief Inclusion Officer. (Kent County)
Kent County announced last week that it has selected Teresa Branson as its first Chief Inclusion Officer — a position that will report to the Kent County Administrator and underscore “the organization’s commitment to fully embedding diversity, equity and inclusion in its strategic priorities,” according to the announcement.
Branson currently serves as the Deputy Administrative Health Officer for the Kent County Health Department (KCHD). Prior to that, she held numerous public health education positions within KCHD, Child & Family Services of West MI, Inc., and Arbor Circle Corporation. She will start her new position May 24.
“We are fortunate to have someone as qualified as Teresa serve as our first Chief Inclusion Officer,” Kent County Administrator Wayman Britt said in supplied material. “We elevated this role because we are committed to accelerating our efforts to be an inclusive workforce and to ensure we are being equitable in our service delivery. I am excited for Teresa to fulfill this role and help us expand our diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.”
According to the announcement, Branson brings to the job “extensive experience implementing strategic diversity and inclusion programs and processes.” During her tenure at KCHD, she provided direction for the department’s health equity initiatives and led several successful programs aimed at reducing health disparities. She has also facilitated health equity and social justice training sessions.
Branson serves on numerous community and statewide boards, including the Michigan Community Action Team of the Governor’s COVID-19 Racial Disparities Task Force.
“It is an honor to be selected as the first person filling this role at Kent County,” Branson said in supplied material. “I look forward to working with our leadership teams, employees and community partners to build on the work that has already been done and to implement meaningful change that will make county government more responsive in meeting diverse needs of our employees and community.”
“Inclusive Participation” was one of five strategic priorities identified in the county’s 2019 strategic plan. Over the past several years, the Kent County Board of Commissioners and administration have invested in programs to increase equity and inclusion in hiring, training and service delivery.
Branson will oversee all the county’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts and identify ways to improve the county’s ability to serve its employees and residents.
“Teresa has a wealth of experience that will help us develop best practices and break through potential barriers,” Britt said. “Our goal is to build a more welcoming workforce and community.”
Branson holds a Master of Health Administration from Grand Valley State University and a Bachelor of Science in Public Health Education from Central Michigan University.
While community groups and entertainment venues tentatively plan for a fall with more relaxed COVID-19 related restrictions — with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, in fact, laying out a plan for return to normal focused on a 70 percent vaccination total — most government and health officials agree that vaccination rates will be a key factor.
And as vaccination rates begin to slow, in West Michigan and across the United States, vaccination availability has become more easily available, to more people in more age groups, than ever before.
(WKTV)
“In order to support the state’s goal of herd immunity, we are doing everything possible to ensure Kent County residents have the information and access they need to get vaccinated,” Dr. Adam London, director of the Kent County Health Department, said last week to WKTV. “We have overcome many barriers people have faced when trying to schedule an appointment, including scheduling assistance, providing transportation options and opening community clinics throughout hard to reach areas. As vaccine supply has increased, some of our clinics are able to accommodate walk-ins.”
London stressed that Kent County residents have a one-stop on-line location for vaccination information and scheduling — vaccinatewestmi.com.
State government goals, results and actions
While Michigan’s top governmental leadership and health officials recently established a detailed timeline and plan for easing of restrictions, based on levels of vaccinations, and this week touted progress toward the goal, there is some governmental and citizen opposition.
Gov. Whitmer’s office and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) recently announced that Michigan has administered 7 Million vaccinations and that 50 percent of eligible Michiganders have received at least one dose of the vaccine.
That 50 percent level is significant as last week the governor Whitmer and MDHHS outlined a “Michigan Vaccine to Normal Plan” providing a four-step plan for easing restrictions based on vaccine rates and starting at a then 48.8 percentage level.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, front, last week, discussing a plan for return to normal focused on a 70 percent vaccination total. (Office of the Governor)
“We’ve put shots in arms of 1 in 2 Michiganders 16 and up and over 1 in 3 are fully vaccinated, including 2 in 3 seniors. Our rollout continues to speed up,“ Gov. Whitmer said in an announcement from her office. “As we get closer to achieving our goal of equitably vaccinating 70 percent of Michiganders 16 and up, we have to remember that we are still in this fight against the virus. … The way to put this pandemic behind us, however, is to get vaccinated.”
The announced back-to-normal plan steps are:
Step One: Two weeks after 4.5 million Michiganders, or 55 percent of those eligible, have received their first shot, MDHHS will lift the requirement for employers to require remote work when feasible.
Step Two: Two weeks after 4.9 million Michiganders, or 60 percent of those eligible, have received their first shot MDHHS will increase indoor capacity at sports stadiums and other crowd-focused locations to 25 percent; increase capacity limits at gyms to 50 percent; and lift the curfew on bars and restaurants.
Step Three: Two weeks after 5.3 million Michiganders, or 65 percent of those eligible, have received their first shot MDHHS will lift all indoor capacity limits, only requiring social distancing between parties; and relax the limits on residential social gatherings.
Step Four: Two weeks after 5.67 million Michiganders, or 70 percent of those eligible, have received their first shot MDHHS will lift the gatherings and face masks order and no longer impose mitigation measures of that kind “unless the virus threatens to overwhelm the medical system or some other unanticipated circumstance arises.”
But not all government leaders, including Republican legislative leaders, believe vaccine rates should be the only metric Gov. Whitmer’s administration considers.
In recent media reports, both Michigan House of Representatives Republican Speaker Jason Wentworth and Senate Republican Majority Leader MIke Shirkey expressed concern with the plan, saying they fear inoculation rates may soon “plateau” given growing vaccine hesitancy among some persons.
“What if we don’t ever get to 70” percent, Wentworth reportedly said last week in a virtual roundtable hosted by the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce. “That’s a possibility.”
But the Governor’s plan has gained support from Michigan State Medical Society, and others.
Gov. Whitmer’s plan“lays out the path to returning our economy and much of our daily lives back to pre-pandemic norms, which is what we all want,” Dr. Bobby Mukkamala, president of the Michigan State Medical Society, said in statement, while also noting that “COVID-19 vaccines are safe, effective, and readily available to everyone 16 years and older in Michigan.”
Local actions by health department, medical providers
Last week, the Kent County Health Department announced a change to its quarantine guidelines for people exposed to coronavirus “to align with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).” Effective immediately, the new guidance shortens the quarantine period for exposed people from 14 days to 10 days under certain scenarios.
“The previous 14-day quarantine period was based on the full incubation period of the virus,” according to the announcement. “However, data confirms 90 to 99 percent of COVID-19 infections occur within 10 days of exposure.”
In addition, residents can be released from quarantine after 10-days, without testing, if they conduct daily symptom monitoring through day 10 after the last exposure, and they do not have any symptoms or clinical evidence of COVID-19.
If a potentially exposed individual develops symptoms during the 10-days, they should seek testing and self-isolate while awaiting results. Additionally, a 10-day quarantine period does not apply to persons residing in congregate living settings or who work with individuals in high-risk groups.
“This change will make it easier for individuals to complete their quarantine and still reduce the spread of the virus,” KCHD Medical Director Dr. Nirali Bora said in supplied material. “However, we encourage residents to remain vigilant against the virus and to get vaccinated as soon as possible.”
And a big player in the vaccination program also announced changes. Metro Health — University of Michigan Health, which has vaccinated more than 38,000 people against COVID-19, announced this week that vaccine scheduling is now open to anyone 16 years of age or older.
The COVID-19 vaccination effort is continuing to expand. (U.S. Government).
For more information and to schedule an appointment visit metrohealth.vaccine.mychart.com. Persons can also call 616-252-6161 to schedule a vaccine appointment or with any questions. The telephone line is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday; but they note that “call volume is very heavy” and calls will be answered “as soon as we can.”
Also announced by Metro Health-UM Health is that “As recommended by local, state and federal health agencies,” they have resumed distribution of the single-dose Janssen/Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.
“After investigating reports of blood clots, an independent panel of scientists found the risk to be extremely low and concentrated among women younger than 50 years,” as stated in a Metro Health-UM Health announcement. “As an extra precaution, Metro Health – University of Michigan Health will not distribute this vaccine to women in this age group.”
Rite Aid pharmacies also announced last week that it is administering COVID-19 vaccines on a walk-in basis in all its Michigan stores, and anyone 16 or older is eligible. However, they still recommend scheduling appointments in advance to reduce wait time and guarantee availability of the vaccine.
All three COVID-19 vaccines available in the U.S. — Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson – are being administered at Rite Aid. Individuals 18 and older can schedule appointments online. Those ages 16 and 17 can schedule an appointment with parent or guardian consent at any store administering the Pfizer vaccine by contacting the store’s pharmacy directly. For more information visit riteaid.com/covid-19.
East Kentwood High School girls track coach Stephanie Stephenson visits the set of WKTV Journal Sports Connection to catch us up on the past and present of the Falcons girls team and program. (WKTV)
On this episode of WKTV Journal Sports Connection, we talk East Kentwood girls track and field, and why last year’s “season the wasn’t” was so hard on the team and its coach, Falcons head coach Stephanie Stephenson.
Coach Stephenson talks about fielding teams in this time of pandemic protocols, what impact last year’s lost season has had on her program — while still praising her 2020 seniors for how they handled it — and we find out which Falcons are poised to have big seasons this year.
WKTV Journal Sports Connection is a WKTV produced program dedicated to bringing you interviews and stories focused on local Wyoming and Kentwood area high schools sports. You can catch up on all our local sports coverage by visiting WKTVJournal.org/sports. But we also have a volunteer sports crew, both in studio and with our coverage truck. For more information email ken@WKTV.org.
This WKTV Journal Sports Connection is available on-demand, along with WKTV coverage of high school athletic events and other sports, at WKTVlive.org. It also airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 (For dates and times on Channel 26, see our Weekly On-air Schedule). Individual interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal Sports Connection are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.
