Category Archives: Dream Wheels

Popular Metro Cruise Dust Off returns May 4

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Metro Cruise organizers are expecting between 140 to 150 collector cars at this year’s Dust Off set for May 4 at the Wyoming Moose Lodge. (WKTV)



By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

WKTV Contributor


May is calling with its warmer weather which means it’s time to pull the cover off that classic car and head to the City of Wyoming for the first major car event of the season: the Metro Cruise Dust Off. 

The annual event, held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 4, at the Wyoming Moose Lodge, 2630 Burlingame Ave. SW, marks its 10th anniversary this year.

Up to 150 collector cars expected

“It’s a big event,” said Metro Cruise Event Manager Brandon Simmons. “It really has grown over the years. We are expecting about 140 to 150 collector cars.”

To accommodate the growth, last year, the layout of the event was changed to allow for more collector cars, Simmons said, adding that those with cars usually come early to secure their spot. Also the first 100 car owners will be offered a custom Dust Off t-shirt for $15. 

The event and lodge is open to the public. The Moose Lodge will offer food and beverages starting at 11 a.m. and will have entertainment in the evening, which also will be open to the public.



The Metro Cruise Dust Off marks its 10th anniversary this year. (WKTV)



A Summer Packed with Metro Cruise Fun

The Dust Off is the first Metro Cruise event of the season with a host of activities planned for the summer. 

“This is the kick off of a summer of monthly Metro Cruise activities,” Simmons said. “This year we will be hosting the first-ever Cars ‘n Clubs in June, which is our golf outing/fundraiser event.”

Cars ‘n Clubs Golf Outing

The Cars ’n Clubs Golf Outing is June 22 at  Indian Trails Golf Course, located at 2776 Kalamazoo Ave. SE. The event is open to all golfers, with or without a classic car. Cost is $69 for one play, $138 for a two-player group and $250 for a four-player group. Registration deadline is June 20 with discounts for those who reserve before May 1. 

There will be a Cruise to the Course before the golf outing. Those interested in the cruise should meet at Rogers Plaza by 7 a.m. for the lineup to drive to the course. Those participating in the cruise will receive donuts and coffee courtesy of Marge’s Donut Den.



Miss Metro Cruise winners and contestants will be at the Dust Off and will be available for pictures. (WKTV)


Miss Metro Cruise Prelims and Car Show

The popular Miss Metro Cruise Prelims and Car Show returns July 13 and will be at the Wyoming Moose Lodge. The field of contestants will be narrowed down to 10 who will compete for the title at the 28th Street Metro Cruise. To sign up for Miss Metro Cruise go to facebook.com/missmetrocruise.

Cascade’s Metro Cruise Warm Up

Aug. 22 is the Cascade’s Metro Cruise Warm Up at the Fowling Warehouse lot, 6797 Cascade Rd.



The 28th Street Metro Cruise takes place Aug. 23 and 24 at Rogers Plaza. (WKTV)


28th Street Metro Cruise Main Event

The Main Event, the 28th Street Metro Cruise, is set for Aug. 23 and 24 at Rogers Plaza in Wyoming. 
The Rogers Plaza site will feature over 340 show cars along the famous Collector Car Row, food from 24 vendors including 12-plus food trucks, live music from five top West Michigan bands, the Miss Metro Cruise Finale competition, the popular DYNO viewing area, freebies/coupons/drawings from the sponsor vendors, a kids’ coloring area, and much more.

Simmons said the main event site for the Metro Cruise is Rogers Plaza, but that there will be Pit Stop Sites along 28th Street between Grandville and Cascade. The Pit Stop Sites will feature collector car clubs along with food and Metro Cruise merchandise. 

For more information on the Metro Cruise Dust Off or any of the upcoming Metro Cruise events and how to register for the 28th Street Metro Cruise, visit 28thstreetmetrocruise.org.

Friendship, fun, according to contestants that’s what it is all about at the Miss Metro Cruise

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Dream Wheels, Upcoming Events
  • Dr. Joules Kelvin (Juliette Brown) from Lansing
  • Bee Bee Von Schweetz (Molly Sheehan), from Cleveland, Ohio
  • GiGi Martini (Sarah Gillman) from Grand Rapids
  • Margaux Monroe (Raluca Simion Theron) from Romania
  • Trudy Blue (Beth Miller) from Three Rivers
  • Aurora Re’Bell (Erin Wiseman-Pavlein
  • In the blue and white, Teena Marée (Krystina McNamara) from Mecosta
  • Maelynn Mitten (Jaime Collick) from Port Huron
  • Sweet Caroline (Caroline Kelly Wright) from Rockford, Ill.
  • Victoria Jean (Cathy Jean Swanson) from Grand Rapids

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Classic cars in the parking lot and ladies dressed up to the nines, the Wyoming Moose Lodge definitely had a Metro Cruise vibe this Saturday.

The service organization once again hosted the Miss Metro Cruise, organized by Kentwood’s JA PR Group. The annual competition is a lead up to the Metro Cruise, which is set to take place Aug. 27 and 28 at Wyoming’s Roger Plaza and Kentwood’s Woodland Mall.

“This is just an amazing event,” said Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce President Bob O’Callaghan about the Miss Metro Cruise competition. The Chamber organizes and hosts the annual Metro Cruise. “After COVID, people are just so excited to be out and have an opportunity to participate in something.”

A sentiment that was shared by contestant Bee Bee Von Schweetz, whose real name is Molly Sheehan, of Cleveland, Ohio.

“I was involved in the preliminaries in 2019 and I loved the spectators and the friends I made,” finalist Bee Bee Von Schweetz said. “Unfortunately, the world shut down last year but this year, as things started to open up, I decided to give it a shot. So this is my summer of being a pin up.”

The Miss Metro Cruise preliminaries contestants pose with Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce President Bob O’Callaghan (middle, blue shirt) and JR PR Group owner Jessica Ann Tyson (far left). (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)

There were a total of 15 girls who competed in the Saturday preliminaries. The final 10 will compete for the title of 2021 Miss Metro Cruise during Saturday’s events at the Roger Plaza staging area. The top ten moving on to the finals are (all are pictured above): Bee Bee Von Schweetz, Dr. Joules Kelvin (Julliet Brown), of Lansing; Trudy Blue (Beth Miller), of Three Rivers; Victoria Jean (Cathy Jean Swanson), of Grand Rapids; Margaux Monroe (Raluca Simion Theron), of Romania; Gigi Martini (Sarah Gillman), of Grand Rapids; Maelynn Mitten (Jaime Collick), of Port Huron; Sweet Caroline (Caroline Kelly Wright), of Rockford, Ill.; Teena Marée (Krystina McNamara), of Mecosta; and Aurora Re’Belle, (Erin Wiseman-Parlein), of Jenison.

Chamber President Bob O’Callgahan thanks Wyoming Moose Lodge and the lodge administrator Sean Smith for hosting the Miss Metro Cruise preliminary contest. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)

“This is my first year competing in pin-up contests,” said finalist Dr. Joules Kelvin, who already had a win as Ms. Lakeview. “I have heard wonderful things about the Miss Metro Cruise and that it attracts a large crowd, so I decided to dip my toes into the big leagues.”

Through the efforts of the JA PR Group, the Miss Metro Cruise has increased in popularity over the past five years the local communications company has been running it, according to O’Callaghan. The competition attracts a packed house for the event with people cheering for their favorites. Afterwards, constants pose with the classic cars and talk to fans.

 

“My neighbor, Morgan Harrington, who was a former contestant and winner, had done this particular contest and she just inspired me to enter the world of pin-up and to come here and be a part of Miss Metro Cruise,” said finalist Sweet Caroline.

Finalist Maelynn Mitten has been participating in pin-up contests for the past four and half year, including Miss Metro Cruise. She is happy to be able to return this year since the event did not fit in her 2019 schedule and everything was shut down in 2020, adding with a laugh, “It is like the year didn’t even happen.”

“I love doing this and I think it is a lot of fun,” finalist Teena Marée said. “Everyone works to make sure that it is a positive experience.”

Positivity about women is what finalist Aurora Re’Belle, a historian, believes that pin-up competitions help showcase.

 

“I believe this is a good role for women as it shows beauty can be strength and strength can be beauty,” she said. “I think it is important for people to be able to see that we can be strong, beautiful women who are intelligent as it helps everyone to advance.”

Snapshots: WKTV’s ‘back to normal’ entertainment stories you might have missed

3-bottom, Dream Wheels, Kids Activities, Local Business, Local Entertainment, Recreation, Sports, Upcoming Events, WKTV Projects, , , ,

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

Quote of the Day

“The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it’s a part of our past, Ray. It reminds us of all that once was good and that could be again.”

James Earl Jones … Can you guess the movie? (See bottom of this story)

WKTV DreamWheels red carpet show (circa. 2013-15/WKTV)

Dust off those classic cars this weekend

The 28th Street Metro Cruise will be back in full swing this August. And, to start the celebration of cars, the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce hosts the return of the “dust off” event on Saturday, May 1, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Wyoming Moose Lodge #763, at 2630 Burlingame Ave. SW, in Wyoming. Go here for the story.


A probably sold-out crowd at Meijer Gardens Summer Concert series evening. (Supplied Meijer Gardens/Tony Norkus)

Meijer Gardens outdoor concerts to return

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s Fifth Third Bank Summer Concerts — including three special Grand Rapids Symphony dates — as well as its Tuesday Evening Music Club and the new Jim & Marie Preston Sunday Strings are tentatively planned to return this summer and into the fall. Go here for the story.


The West Michigan Whitecaps will soon begin play at the newly named LMCU Ballpark. (Supplied/West Michigan Whitecaps)

Opening day for the West Michigan Whitecaps

With opening day on May 4 and first home game May 11, the West Michigan Whitecaps are gearing up for a season that is bound to be unlike any they have had in the past due to the pandemic. But the fan experience will still be fun for Whitecaps fans at the now-named LMCU (Lake Michigan Credit Union) Ballpark. Go here for the story.

Fun fact:

‘Field of Dreams’  forever

Field of Dreams is a 1989 American film written and directed by Phil Alden Anderson, adapting W. P. Kinsella’s 1982 novel Shoeless Joe. The cast includes Kevin Costner, Amy Madigan, James Earl Jones, Ray Liotta and Burt Lancaster in his final film role. In 2017, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”. Source.

28th Street Metro Cruise Dust Off is a go for May 1

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Dream Wheels, Going Local, Local Business, Local Entertainment, Recreation, Upcoming Events, WKTV Projects

Historic Metro Cruise photos, from 2013-15. (Courtesy of WKTV)

By WKTV Staff

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic last year, the local community saw what turned out to be a brief interruption to the annual pilgrimage of classic cars to one of the busiest strips in the State of Michigan — 28th Street in Wyoming and Kentwood.

This year, though, the 28th Street Metro Cruise will be in full swing again this August. And, to start the celebration of cars, the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce announces the return of the “dust off” event on Saturday, May 1, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Wyoming Moose Lodge #763, at 2630 Burlingame Ave. SW, in Wyoming.
 

At the event, classic car owners will have that first spring opportunity to roll their rides back down the street to be admired and, as the Carly Simon song says, “get a few eyeballs” on them.

And as vaccinations continue to filter through the general population and with CDC further relaxing mask requirements among vaccinated people, the hope among organizers is that turn out will be large and even larger for the return of the 28th Street Metro Cruise, Aug. 27 and 28.  While social distancing will still be respected, the entire event Saturday, May 1, will be out of doors.   For more information, visit the Metro Cruise website at  28thstreetmetrocruise.com.

Gilmore Car Museum’s season starting line is memorial Mustang and Ford show on May 1

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David J. Beeke was a Kalamazoo-area Foxbody Mustang restoration expert who died of cancer a few years ago. A memorial event at the Gilmore Car Museum will benefit a local cancer center. (Supplied/Gilmore)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.com

The Gilmore Car Museum’s car show season will begin a little earlier than expected this year as the museum has added the David J. Beeke Mustang & Ford Show  to its 2021 event season.
 

The early season car show, according to a statement from the museum, “will feature Ford Mustangs, with special emphasis on 80s/90s Foxbody Mustangs and other Ford vehicles, but is open to all classic car makes and models.”

The memorial car show will celebrate classic cars while it also honors the life of passionate car enthusiast David J. Beeke, a Kalamazoo-area Foxbody Mustang restoration expert died of cancer a few years ago.

Beeke’s family and friends started the annual event as a tribute to him, and this year will bring the event — and Beeke’s Mustangs — to the Gilmore. A portion of event proceeds will be donated to the West Michigan Cancer Center (wmcc.org), a 501c3 nonprofit based in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

“Bringing a Mustang & Ford Show to the Gilmore Car Museum for our community is exactly the kind of thing that David would have wanted to be a part of,” Matt Sturdy, close friend of Beeke and co-coordinator of the show. “It will be special to have David’s Mustangs there on the grounds, and to have him there with us in spirit.”

Beeke family members and friends will assist with car judging and selection for awards, including presentation of the “Beeke Best In Show” award.

One (little) part of the Gilmore Car Museum. (Supplied)

Food and beverage will be available onsite, as the Gilmore Bar and vintage 1941 George & Sally’s Blue Moon Diner will both be open for business. The show will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

 

Showcar/Participant pre-registration is $20, can be handled in advance online at GilmoreCarMuseum.org, and includes admission for two people (driver + guest).  Or, registration can be handled onsite on the morning of the event, once the show car gate opens at 8 a.m.

Registration also includes access to all museum indoor buildings and galleries.

More early season events at the Gilmore 

Several more early season events are scheduled for the weeks following the David J. Beeke Mustang & Ford Show, including: Boats at The Barns, May 8, for classic wooden, fiberglass, and aluminum boats; Vintage Travel Trailer Rally, May 15, for vintage campers and RVs; Corks & Crafts Wine and Beer Festival , also on May 15, for beer and wine enthusiasts; and Vintage Motorcycle Weekend, June 12-13, for pre-1996 motorcycles and scooters.

By order of Michigan’s governor, all museum visitors age 5 and over are required to wear a face mask in all indoor spaces, and in outside venues at any posted “mask required” areas or any time social distancing of 6’ cannot be maintained at any area of the museum.

The Gilmore Car Museum is located 20 minutes north of Kalamazoo and 45 minutes south of Grand Rapids. For questions or more information, visit www.GilmoreCarMuseum.org.

Gilmore museum to offer active military, veterans free admission through Nov. 15

Dream Wheels, Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Recreation, Upcoming Events, Veterans, ,
1941 Bantam BRC-40 Reconnaissance Car. (Supplied/Gilmore Car Museum)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

In recognition of Veterans Day this week and in honor of all veterans, the Gilmore Car Museum is offering free admission to the museum this week through Sunday, Nov. 15.
 

The Gilmore, located at Hickory Corners just outside of Kalamazoo, will allow all active, inactive and veteran U.S. military personnel to take advantage of their free admission to the the museum, its car collection, and its 90-acre historic campus.

The Gilmore Car Museum is North America’s largest auto museum with more than 400 vehicles on display, according to supplied material. Its mission is to tell the history of America through the automobile.

“At the Gilmore Car Museum, we take great pride in honoring our country’s servicemen and women, who for generations have sacrificed to protect our freedoms, and protect the American way of life,” Josh Russell, executive director of the Gilmore Car Museum, said in supplied material. “Welcoming these veterans and active duty service people into our museum is just a small way to thank them for their service and dedication to our great country.”
 

The Gilmore points out that attending veterans and military personnel should be sure to take special notice of the 1941 Bantam BRC-40 Reconnaissance Car, which is currently on feature display in the museum’s Campania barn.

According to supplied material, prior to Ford and Willys production of “General Purpose” vehicles that would become known worldwide as the “Jeep,” these early BRC-40s were prototypes produced for the U.S. Army by American Bantam Car Company, in Butler, PA. Two additional prototypes were produced through a partnership between Bantam and Checker Car Company in Kalamazoo.
 

During Veterans Week at the museum, veterans and service-people are also entitled to a 10 percent discount on purchases from the Gilmore Car Museum store.

There will also be special hours for Veterans Week, 10 a.m., to 5 p.m., Thursday to Sunday, Nov. 12-15.

Upon arrival, service-people and veterans can present their Military ID, VA cards, veteran organization membership cards, or discharge papers at the entrance for free admission. For other attending family members or friends, tickets can be purchased either upon entry at the museum, or in advance at GilmoreCarMuseum.org.

For more information, visit GilmoreCarMuseum.org or call 269-671-5089.

Innovation, old and new, at heart of this weekend’s 2020 Michigan International Auto Show

3-bottom, design, Dream Wheels, Local Business, Local Entertainment, Local History, Recycling, Reviews, Upcoming Events
Sports cars, along with SUVs and trucks, are expected to be the big draw at the 2020 Michigan International Auto Show , as they were last year in this photo. (Supplied)

By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org

People attend the annual Michigan International Auto Show, running this week at the DeVos Place in downtown Grand Rapids, for many reasons, including to find their next new car or just to get a glimpse of the muscle car or luxury car they’ve always dreamed about.

Many people, however, go to see what’s next in automobile technology or innovation — from space-age rear-view camera systems, to self-driving and self-parking features that almost make the driver a passenger.

But when it comes to innovation and new technology, it could be argued that one must understand, and appreciate, the past to fully embrace the future.

And so it is only logical that the Gilmore Car Museum will be on-hand with a display called “The History of Station Wagons”, which showcases vehicles which may be out of vogue today but were often considered innovative if not technological marvels of their time.

The Gilmore Car Museum’s 1950 Skyline Deluxe Station Wagon at the Michigan International Auto Show. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

“I always think it is very important for people to appreciate the new but also to look back and go ‘Mmmm? How did we get here?’,” Jay Follis, Gilmore Car Museum marketing director, said to WKTV on Jan. 29 at a media preview. “Today we have SUVs and crossovers. We do not think of station wagons. The auto industry has actually said ‘We are not going to produce sedans any more.’ So we decided we are going to bring station wagons to the auto show to tell people where we have been and how we got here.

The Gilmore Car Museum’s Jay Follis, marketing director. (WLTV/K.D. Norris)

“We’ve got a 1919, one of the first station wagons. It was nothing more than to pick you up at the train station. … all the way up to a muscle car that is actually a station wagon (and an Indy 500 pace car). … A lot of the cars we have on display here, and a lot more at the museum, have their own unique innovations.”

The presence of the Gilmore Care Museum is nothing new for the auto show, too.

“We come down to the car show every year, 15 years now,” Follis said. “Our mission is to evoke memories and tell great stories … We are only 50 miles south of Grand Rapids and we are North America’s largest auto museum. So this is a perfect place to introduce people to auto history and the car museum.”

The new cars on display by the Grand Rapids New Car Dealers Association will include spectrum of sedans, vans, hybrids and sports cars, but the field will be dominated by Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) and trucks, the two biggest sellers, according to the association.

One of the Million Dollar Motorway cars on display at the 2020 Michigan International Auto Show. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

Among the highlights of this year’s auto show is the latest in automotive technology by Gentex, a Michigan based company which develops and manufactures “custom high-tech electronic products for the automotive, aerospace, and commercial fire protection industries.” Also returning, and always worth drooling over, is the Million Dollar Motorway, featuring luxury brand cars this year valued at $4.5 million collectively.

And, as shown during the media preview, some of the new technologies — and all the luxury brand cars — are nothing short of amazing.

The 22nd Annual Michigan International Auto Show will open to the pubic Thursday, Jan. 30 and run through Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 2 — 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday (to be over in time for the big game, of course).

Thursday, Jan. 30 is also a special First Responders Day, with free admission for active EMS, fire, police, public safety, U.S. Coast Guard and other active military and retired veterans who can show valid I.D., badge or other verification.

Admission is $12 for adults and $5 for children 6-14. Kids 5 and under are admitted free.

There is parking beneath DeVos Place, across the street and nearby but connected by the skywalk. Be aware, though, of “Hamilton: An American Musical” also playing at DeVos. For more information on parking and directions visit here. You can also take the complimentary trolley by parking in the Dash Lot Area 9 (on Seward Avenue) for $2 and hop aboard the Trolley which will be making runs on an 8-minute loop for an hour before the show opens to an hour after the show closes each day.

For more information about the 22nd Annual Michigan International Auto Show visit here.

Snapshots: Wyoming, Kentwood news you ought to know — weekend edition

3-bottom, Dream Wheels, Local Business, Local Faces, Recreation, Senior Living, Upcoming Events, , ,

By WKTV Staff

victoria@wktv.org

Quote of the Day

“Only one is a wanderer; two together are always going somewhere.”

Madeleine Elster/Judy Barton from ‘Vertigo’

The cars are here!
The cars are here!

Ladies and gentlemen, the days you’ve all been waiting for — this year’s Metro Cruise is Friday and Saturday, Aug. 23 and 24, and it’s packed with more to do and see, according to organizers. Started 15 years ago by the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce to encourage businesses and patrons to travel the “Sunset Strip of Grand Rapids,” the annual event has become a two-day car extravaganza with more than 100,000 people attending. Go here for the scoop.

Pick out your partner
and join in the fun

Admission is free to the Dozynki Polish Harvest Festival at Rosa Parks Circle, 135 Monroe Center, this weekend Friday-Sunday, Aug. 23-25, and there will be plenty of inexpensive parking in Parking Lot Areas 7, 8, and 9 for those who don’t mind a short walk. Fun activities during the festival include music, dancing, authentic Polish food, the paczki eating contest, crowning of the busia queen and more. Learn all about it here.

Who’s the Faire-est one of all?

Courtesy Grand Rapids Public Museum

Part science fair, part county fair, and part something entirely new, Maker Faire is an all-ages gathering of tech enthusiasts, crafters, educators, tinkerers, hobbyists, engineers, science clubs, authors, artists, students, and commercial exhibitors. It happens Saturday, Aug. 24 from 10am-5pm at the GRPM. More info here.

No Alabama tonight

Courtesy Alabama

Hey, they really wanted to continue their 50th Anniversary Tour at the VanAndel Arena tonight, but lead singer Randy Owen’s ongoing complications with cluster migraines and vertigo have laid him low. The group had hoped to continue its record-breaking 50-city tour, however, doctors have advised more time is needed for Owen to fully recover. Rescheduled dates for the tour will be announced in the coming weeks.

Fun fact:

Could be rocks in your head…
or a migraine

Jimmy Stewart in ‘Vertigo’

Alabama’s lead singer, Randy Owen joins roughly 69 million people—nearly one-third of people over the age of 40 in the U.S.—who experience vertigo at least once in their lives. Curiously, dancing can make it better. Hey! Hie thee down to the Dozynki Polish Harvest Festival this weekend and put it to the test.


‘Old Yeller’: 1955 Chevrolet pickup shown at Metro Cruise is old made new again

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, Dream Wheels, Local Business, Local Faces, Recreation, Upcoming Events, WKTV Projects, , ,
Mitch Miller’s 1955 Chevrolet is expected to be on display at the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce’s 2019 28th Street Metro Cruise. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org

Anybody who has rebuilt a classic car will tell you there are somethings that just have to be modernized, that some of the original mechanicals simply can no longer be renovated.

That is especially true with classic pickups, most of which were bought and used as work vehicles — farm vehicles often — including Mitch Miller’s 1955 Chevrolet, a now annual visitor at the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce’s 2019 28th Street Metro Cruise, this year on Aug. 23-24.

So while “Old Yeller” carries much history with it — including its original bright yellow paint job and his mother’s graduation tassel hanging from its rear view mirror — it also carries something few classic pickups possess: a fuel system running off of ethanol.

“It’s named ‘Old Yeller’ because it had that name, that color, when we bought it,” Miller said to WKTV. But in another way it is very, very different from when it was new or when it came into the family.

A Quick Fuel Technology carburetor, some new fuel lines and cleaned the fuel tank allows the vehicle to run on 85 percent ethanol . (Supplied)

“One of the interesting things is I converted it to E85,” he said. “I put a Quick Fuel (Technology) carburetor on it. Replaced the fuel lines and cleaned the fuel tank. It runs great on 85 percent ethanol and that is the only fuel I run through it now. That is kind of a thing (when he shows it off). I’m an ethanol producer, we have the NuVu (Fuels) gas stations, and we wanted to do a little bit of proving that ethanol can run great on older vehicles. It burns really clean and has good power.”

While the ’55 may have modern technology and a little bit of modern purpose associated with it, it also carries a family history that will be passed on in the family, Miller said.

“My father bought the truck in 1992, 27 years ago, in Bismarck, North Dakota … It was his favorite year of pickup. He was a Chevy guy for a lot of years,” Miller said. “But it had basically sat in a barn, in storage, for 15 years in Bismarck … I have had an interest in older vehicles, and have redone a number of vehicles — a ’74 Corvette, a ’68 Camaro — so I asked my brothers to ship that truck to me.”

As with almost any classic car rebuilt, the vehicle was in worse shape than he thought when it was finally parked in his garage — “A lot of pickups were used as farm trucks and they were really abused. I think they are more rare than the cars. … just preserving the history and keeping them on the road.

Mitch Miller’s 1955 Chevrolet “Old Yeller”. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

“I spent the winter of 2016, into 2017, just going through all the mechanical. Brakes. We added power steering. Radiator. Rims and tires. Took the dash out if it, got all the old gages working. … We were having trouble with the original straight six cylinder motor and we put a Crate 350 in it. So it has a little more horsepower. So, just got it road worthy. … Now it’s a great cruiser. We use it on the Interstate. It’ll run 75 miles an hour down the road.”

And with a reminder of its family history hanging from its rearview mirror, it will likely stay cruising down the Miller family road for a while.

“When my dad first bought it, my mom put her 1970 graduate class tassel on the rear view mirror and that would never be touched by our family. That stays there,” he said. “This truck will go down to my brother’s son, or my son. It will stay in the family.”

WKTV Community Media will produce a 1-hour special live broadcast scheduled to air at 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 23, on WKTVLive.org as well as on WKTV Comcast Cable Channel 25 and AT&T U-Verse Channel 99, and, later on demand at WKTV.org.

For more information Metro Cruise 2019, visit the chamber’s website at southkent.org and keep up on the latest news of Metro Cruise and DreamWheels at WKTVjournal.org.

A bed of beauty: 1951 Chevrolet pickup shown at Metro Cruise has family ties, memories

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, Dream Wheels, Local Faces, Recreation, Upcoming Events, WKTV Projects,

[huge_it_slider id=”80″]


By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org


Doug Deweerdt’s history with his 1951 Chevrolet pickup is not unlike a lot of stories about guys rebuilding classic cars — it started out with rusty years in a pole barn somewhere, it’s always more work than they initially thought, and it often has a strong family connection.

But the story of Doug’s dad wanting to leave classic cars to both sons, and his deceased dad’s involvement Deweerdt’s rebuilding process, is unique.


“My father picked this vehicle up, probably, about 30 years ago, for him and I to restore,” Deweerdt said to WKTV. “He already had a 1947 Dodge business coupe. He picked up the truck for he and I to do, so my brother would get the car and he’d leave the truck to me.


“Well, life and kids got in the way and it sat in his pole barn for like 20 years, then he pushed it off into my garage for like five or six (years). He passed away in January 2013 and in December I decided, you know, its time to do the truck.”



While he was working on the renovation of the truck, done in about 2-1/2 years, he was constantly reminded of his father, though.


Deweerdt spent “a lot of time in the shop, after work,” working on the pickup, he said. And “I’ve got a picture of him standing next to his ’47 that hung on my shop wall the entire time,” — his voice trailing off in memories — “there is definitely a connection.”


The process of rebuild

Deweerdt, who is plant manager of Grand Rapids’ tortilla maker El Milagro of Michigan, Inc., told us the story of the actual work required that involved both family and a new friend.


“At the time (he started the rebuild) I had an acquaintance that had built a couple (cars), Jeff Myles, and I asked if he would stop by and take a look at it. You know, give me some ideas,” he said. “So he did, and, you know, in talking to him, I asked him if he would mentor me. I told him I’m not asking him to help me, just kind of walk me through certain sections of it. Which he did, and he’s become a very, very good friend of mine now.”


While Deweerdt did “about 90 percent of the work,” including a frame swap, to give him more modern brakes and other mechanicals, he finished it with a special paint job from a shop in Muskegon. He has been showing the ’51 for three years.


“I tried to keep it as original as I could,” he said. “A lot of guys really modify the bodies, shave the doorhandles and all of that. I really didn’t want to do that. I really wanted to keep it as original as possible and yet I wanted that look (pointing to the vehicle) and I wanted a more modern-day ride, with the suspension.”


And then there is the wood bed

One other thing that is not “original” is the truck’s bed — but that, too, is more a personal story.


“The bed wood, we get a ton of complements on that,” Deweerdt said. “A lot of them just do the normal wood shade. … (but) I had seen a sample of the dark wood on the internet. My wife piddles with woodworking, we both do. So I gave her a sample of the wood and said ‘This is what I want.” And she played around with a couple different combinations and this is what we came up with. … we get a lot of people commenting on that.”


And there will broadly be more comments on the ’51 at the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce’s 2019 28th Street Metro Cruise on Aug. 23-24.


WKTV Community Media will produce a 1-hour special live broadcast scheduled to air at 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 23, on WKTVLive.org as well as on WKTV Comcast Cable Channel 25 and AT&T U-Verse Channel 99, and, later on demand at WKTV.org.


For more information Metro Cruise 2019, visit the chamber’s website at southkent.org and keep up on the latest news of Metro Cruise and DreamWheels at WKTVjournal.org .


Snapshots: Wyoming and Kentwood news you might have missed

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Dream Wheels, Education, Going Local, Health

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

Quote of the Day

“If you don’t read the newspaper, you‘re uninformed. If you read the newspaper, you‘re mis-informed.”

Mark Twain
Lee Middle and High School. (WKTV)

New principal at Lee high

Lee Middle and High School will have a new principal when it greets students later this month as Godfrey-Lee Public Schools announced this week that Candida VanBuskirk would fill the position following Kathryn Curry’s retirement after 7 years as principal. Visit here for the story.

More than 1,200 backpacks were collected for the 2018 School Supply Santa. (Supplied)

Back to school help

A school ad shows a student larger than life because of all the new school supplies and clothes she got. But for some local residents, just purchasing the basic school supplies can be a momental task. Visit here for the story.

The annual Metro Cruise is a feast of automobiles and automotive details (Courtesy Bruce Carlson)

Easy parking for Metro Cruise

The annual Metro Cruise is always popular, with visitor parking often at a premium, and the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce’s 2019 28th Street Metro Cruise on Aug. 23-24 will be no different. But thanks to a partnership with The Rapid, there will be two shuttle buses running from nearby but off 28th Street parking locations — Wyoming High School and the Wyoming’s Kent District Library. Visit here for the story.

(Not so) Fun fact:

With 66 percent of Americans using Facebook, Pew Research Center says 45 percent of US adults get at least some of their news from the site. The survey found that of the 45 percent turning to Facebook for news content, half claim it is the only social platform they are using for news.

The Rapid teams with chamber to provide free shuttle service during Metro Cruise

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, Dream Wheels, Local Business, Local Entertainment, Recreation, Upcoming Events, WKTV Projects, ,
The annual Metro Cruise is always a popular event, and now getting there will be easier thanks to a shuttle service provided by The Rapid. (WKTV)

By WKTV Staff
ken@wktv.org

The annual Metro Cruise is always popular, with visitor parking often at a premium, and the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce’s 2019 28th Street Metro Cruise on Aug. 23-24 will be no different.

But thanks to a partnership with The Rapid, there will be two shuttle buses running from nearby but off 28th Street parking locations — Wyoming High School and the Wyoming’s Kent District Library — where visitors can park easily and take a free shuttle to and from all the action.

“The Wyoming-Kentwood Chamber of Commerce is excited with our partnership with The Rapid to operate two shuttle buses for the 28th Street Metro Cruise,” Bob O’Callaghan, President/CEO of the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce, said to WKTV. “We thank The Rapid for their continued support of the chamber and the 28th Street Metro Cruise.”

The Rapid often provides shuttle service for community events. (Supplied)

The free buses supplied by The Rapid will shuttle Cruise attendees from Wyoming High School, 1350 Prairie Parkway, and the Wyoming library, 3350 Michael to Rogers Plaza every 20 to 30 minutes during the peak times on Friday, Aug. 23 and Saturday, Aug. 24. Exact times of the shuttle service is as-yet to be determined.

WKTV Community Media will produce a 1-hour special live broadcast scheduled to air at 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 23.

For more information on the shuttle service, visit the chamber’s website at southkent.org the week of Metro Cruise, or keep up on the latest Metro Cruise news at WKTVjournal.org .

Got a car story? WKTV looking for community involvement in 2019 Metro Cruise coverage

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, Dream Wheels, Going Local, Recreation, Upcoming Events, WKTV Projects,
Every car, and driver, has a story: What’s your’s? (Courtesy Bruce Carlson)

By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org

WKTV Community Media has big plans for the 15th Annual Metro Cruise, hosted by the Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce and scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Aug. 23-24, and we need the public’s help for one aspect of our coverage.

We all have a great car story.  At least it’s great to us and for our live coverage of the 28th Street MetroCruise this August, we would like to hear your story of growing up with cars; funny stories, sentimental stories; stories of great barn finds, restoration efforts that didn’t quite pan out and those that did.

Share a little bit of your story with us by sending us a selfie video of you telling you story, with the car in question either in the video or a separate photograph of the car. Please use our Dropbox site for the video. For more information on what we are looking for, see the samples later in this story or email Ken@wktv.org .

This is only one part of WKTV Community Media’s DreamWheels Metro Cruise coverage plans, highlighted by production of a 1-hour special live broadcast scheduled to air at 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 23.

“We encourage residents to come to 28th Street and be part of the fun,” said Tom Norton, general manager of WKTV Community Media. “But they can also be part of fun by viewing our live show, which will also be available in cable replays and on-demand, as well as following our complete online coverage of the event.”

The Metro Cruise is an annual event that “invites car lovers and enthusiasts to reminisce and commemorate the vehicles that have driven down 28th Street for decades,” according to supplied material. The event brings in more than $3 million in business to the 28th Street corridor over the course of two days, with more that 250,000 attendees at an event staffed solely by volunteers.
 
For more information about Metro Cruise 2019, visit 28thstreetmetrocruise.com .

What sort of stories are we looking for?

While they do not need to be this length or subject matter, here are three examples of stories we’d love to get from community contributors

Gene’s story:

1964 Ford Fairlane

My first car was a black 1964 Ford Fairlane 3-speed manual with a front seat that literally rusted away from the floorboard leaving it free to move at my command. This small fact was one I neglected to tell passengers for a very good reason. I was one of the first to own a car in high school, which meant classmates often looked to me for rides to and from school. At any given time during the commute I would take advantage of stop signs and have a little fun at their expense. Once the car had stopped, I would slowly put it in neutral and in with one quick push on the floor cause the seat to roll back ninety degrees. In that single, wonderfully comedic moment, we would find ourselves staring up at the car’s roof with our feet pointed out the front window. The reactions were worth the effort. Most of the women would scream while most men would utter an expletive not fit to print. Eventually all would break out in laughter making the effort a complete success. Of course, once you’ve done this to someone it was difficult to catch them a second time. After a month or so word had gotten out about my rolling front seat, so the stop-sign mischief soon came to an end. I had that car for two years and never fixed the problem and would occasionally get a new victim to have a little fun with.

Victoria’s story:

2001 Hyundai Elantra

Up until my current car, a 2006 Chevy Malibu, I had a preference for stick shifts. Something about feeling more like a participant in my daily travels, or some such nonsense. My car immediately prior was a 2001 Hyundai Elantra which, soon after purchase, lost all of its plastic hubcaps. I have long forgiven my current car for being an automatic — she has spiffy wheel rims that don’t fall off. But, I digress. On one trip to Ann Arbor for a 24-hour film competition, I had been alerted in advance that everyone’s car had to be parked a couple of blocks away because of the scarcity of parking. Upon arriving, I headed into the house to hand off my car key to one of the students for ‘valet parking.’ He disappeared, then quickly reappeared. “Uh, it’s a stick,” said he. The power of observation is especially strong in the young. “Yes,” replied I. “It is, indeed.” There were 10 of us. Not one of the nine younglings knew how to drive a stick.

Ken’s story:

1950s era Willys Jeep

Learning to drive a stick shift in 1969. When I was, like, 14 years old, my 20-something soon-to- be brother-in-law, probably trying to curry favor with my 18-year-old sister, invited me to go down to the Spokane River and ride dirt bikes with he and his buddies. My being totally uncoordinated with motorized machines of any kind, including how to use a clutch and gear shifter, he quickly realized the only thing I would do on a dirt bike was kill myself. So, he decided to hand over his 1950s era Willys Jeep pickup truck. He must have thought the slightly rusted military vehicle with a battled-tested 3-speed transmission, operated in flat dirt closed course, was the perfect place for me to learn how to drive a stick shift. I remember a lot of engines killed by improper cultch use and then a lot of grinding of gears, all ending with my driving around like a banshee and all the bikers desperately but successfully trying to stay out of my way.

Miss Metro Cruise: Cars not only beauties unveiled at Metro Cruise’s annual kickoff

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, Dream Wheels, Going Local, Local Business, Upcoming Events, WKTV Projects, ,

By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org

The 15th Annual Metro Cruise, hosted by the Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce, is still a summer-full of fun away — the event is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Aug. 23-24 — but the wheels are already rolling toward the big event.

The chamber hosted the 6th Annual 28th Street Metro Cruise Dust Off in early May at the Moose Lodge on Burlingame Avenue SW, when the Miss Metro Cruise contest (formerly the Pin Up Girl contest) was also officially introduced. The next steps in the contest will be the preliminaries set to take place, Sunday, July 13, also at the Moose Lodge, with the finals set for Aug. 24 on the Metro Cruise Main Stage.

“The sixth annual Dust Off is our first event of the Metro Cruise car season,” Bob O’Callaghan, president/CEO of the Chamber, said to WKTV at the May event. “We have over 100 cars here. This kinds of kicks off the guys going to all the (local car) events.”

It was also the kick off of the re-engineered Miss Metro Cruise contest.

“The way the girls dress, it is more in eras, not like the old (pin-up) calendar thing you’d see in the past,” O’Callaghan said. “It is really a classy operation, so we thought we’d change the name to reflect the Metro Cruise.”

And while WKTV Journal was at the Dust Off, WKTV Community Media is deep in plans for its production of a 1-hour special live broadcast scheduled to air at 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 23, on WKTV Comcast Channel 25, AT&T U-verse Channel 99, as well as being live-streamed and, later, on-demand on WKTV.org .

“Each Metro Cruise is one of our highlights in covering the hyperlocal stories of Wyoming and Kentwood,” said Tom Norton, general manager of WKTV Community Media. “The Chamber of Commerce does an outstanding job of putting on a true community event that has become a staple of summertime. We’re looking forward to our one-hour, live broadcast on Friday night from Metro Cruise.

“Tune in for all the close-ups before you come out and discover Metro Cruise 2019, ” Norton added. “We encourage residents to come to 28th Street and be part of the fun, but they can also be part of fun by viewing our live show, which will also be available in cable replays and on-demand, as well as following our complete online coverage of the event.”

The Metro Cruise is an annual event that “invites car lovers and enthusiasts to reminisce and commemorate the vehicles that have driven down 28th Street for decades,” according to supplied material. The event brings in more than $3 million in business to the 28th Street corridor over the course of two days, with more that 250,000 attendees at an event staffed solely by volunteers.

Some of the Miss Metro Cruise contestants at the Dust Off. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

The Miss Metro Cruise contest is an contest that features women dressing in eras from the 1920s, 1960s, to modern-day in full hair, makeup, and costume. Currently there is about 30 participants, with a July 13 preliminary contest to select the top 10 finalists. Each finalist will receive personalized trading cards and a chance to be named Miss Metro Cruise 2019 with the top three finalists set to receive a cash prize.

 
For more information about Metro Cruise 2019, visit 28thstreetmetrocruise.com .

WKTV’s Metro Cruise 2018 coverage included a look at possible ‘future’ classics

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, Dream Wheels, Going Local, Local Business, Local Faces, Recreation, WKTV Projects, ,

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

While the 2018 Metro Cruise was all about classic cars of the past, a scan of this year’s Cruise entries, especially the muscle cars and sports cars, makes evident that what was once futuristic in style and technology has always been part of what has made a car an eventual classic.

 

As part of its DreamWheels 2018 coverage of the Metro Cruise event, held Aug. 23-25, WKTV took a look at how technological advances in automobiles have always been, and continues to be, a desirable element of classics cars. We also looked at electric cars, delving a bit into the past but more so into the present and future.

 

It would not be far-fetched to say early 2000s cars such as the Dodge Viper, Ford Shelby GT and Corvette Z06 are all destined to be considered classic cars. And one thing they all had in common: evidence of the expansion of carbon fiber body parts from being a Formula 1 racing advantage to being a way to make street-legal muscle cars lighter in weight and, some would say, a bit cooler.

 

WKTV visited one local company — Walker’s Plasan Carbon Composites, Inc. — which makes carbon fiber body parts for a wide range if cars and talked with Adrienne Stevens, President & CEO of the company.

 

Then WKTV looked at the past, present and possible future of electric cars, ultimately asking the question: Is Tesla a classic-car must-have of the future? To find out, we asked a young — real young — car collector, Byron Center’s own Blake Dahlquist.

 

View both segments below:

 

 

Wyoming’s original fire engine part of this year’s 28th Street Metro Cruise

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Dream Wheels, , , , ,

The City of Wyoming’s Engine No. 1 at its home, Fire Station No. 2on Division Avenue.

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

 

It could be because it is red as a red vehicle always stands out. Then again, it is a fire engine which usually draws a crowd.

 

But more likely it is simply the fact that it is the City of Wyoming’s first fire truck that made Engine No. 1  so popular at last year’s 28th Street Metro Cruise.

 

“People love it,” said Wyoming firefighter Brad Deppe. “They’re honking. They’re waving. They’re thumbs up. They love to see it as much as we like to see it in and around the station.”

 

When restore, the truck’s details were done gold-leaf as it would have been done when purchased.

 

Deppe admits that participating in the 2017 28th Street Metro Cruise was almost an afterthought with him making the call rather late with organizers able to find a spot for the truck last year’s layout. This year, Deppe was one of the first to receive a call about this year’s event with the Engine No. 1 scheduled to be at Rogers Plaza on both days of the event, Friday and Saturday.

 

“There’ are not many communities that have the ability to say ‘Yes, we still have our original fire truck and it still goes down the road and we are still using it,” Deppe said. “It’s just really cool and a reminder of where we came from.”

 

The chase was purchased in 1931 with money raised by the Wyoming Park-Beverly area. As was typically during that time period, the body was built by the members of the department. It was put into service in 1932. The truck remained in active service until 1962 and for another eight years was used to fill and drain cisterns around the city.

 

In 1970, the truck was retired and for the next eight years, it sat in storage. That is until the question was raised on what the city should do with it, Deppe said. A group of about 18 Wyoming firefighters pushed for the truck to be restored. The restoration project started in May of 1978 and took about 14 months and approximately 610 man hours to complete, mostly done during off hours in evenings and on weekends. The cost was about $3,500.

 

During the restoration, the truck was dismantled and sent to Jackson to be repainted. When it was stripped, many of the original details and designs were discovered so the truck was restored to as much of its original look as possible, Deppe said, adding that included gold-leaf used in designs and pin stripping which was all done by hand.

 

Other details included the seat being reupholstered to as close at the original as possible. An original-style siren was located in New Jersey. Also original is one of the two ladders and the seat on the front fender which was not used when the truck was driving down the street, Deppe said, but was designed for a firefighter to sit in while helping to put out brush fires.

 

Firefighters would only seat on the fender seat when the city had a brush fire.

 

The restored engine was utilized in a number of events for several years but as those involved with overseeing the truck retired or moved on, Engine No. 1 once again was moved back into storage.

 

“About a year or so ago, the question came up again about what should we do with the truck,” Deppe said. The truck needed to be made road ready which included fixing any leaks and tracking down an era appropriate license plate.

 

The city’s firefighters knew what a gem it was to have Wyoming’s original fire truck and with that in mind, along with the help of Wyoming’s Steve Antique Repair — which is located in the old Wyoming Park/Beverly area — the staff was able to bring the engine out of storage.

 

“Now we are slowly piecing it back together,” Deppe said. “Finding some of things that use to be original on it the weren’t that have been changed at some point. Getting it back to its original state.”

 

The Wyoming’s Engine No. 1. which is housed in the Fire Station No. 2 on Division Avenue, has participated in parades, attended Department of Public Safety events, and of course, the 28th Street Metro Cruise. Deppe said the department hopes to continue to use the truck as way to engage the community, sharing a bit of the past to teach the importance of fire safety.

Local collector’s hobby puts the spark (plug) into classic cars

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, Dream Wheels, Local Business, Local Faces, Upcoming Events, WKTV Projects

Gene Isenga, with only part of his spark plug collection. (WKTV)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org  

 

People fall into collecting things in sometimes funny ways. Gene Isenga has a funny story of how he fell into collecting spark plugs — he works for a vintage automobile parts company and, well, that is where the story starts.

 

“Thirty years ago I had to organize the spark plugs,” Isenga said to WKTV. “My boss said that I could keep the onesies and twosies. So I gathered them all up and put them in a box and put them downstairs where they sat for a couple of years.”

 

He was given a few more, here and there, because people thought he collected them, but then he looked at what he had started and started looking for like minds.

 

“A customer told me about a place in Portland, Indiana,” he said. “ … A group of guys that collect spark plugs also. The name of the club is Spark Plug Collectors of America. So after work one Friday, me and another guy went down there and that’s when I got the bug.”

 

That “bug” now has him with hundreds of spark plugs, some dating back to the 1930s, most stored in wood cases. And has studied them so he can rattle off the make and year and interesting tidbits about almost every one. And he built a really cool machine that “sparks” the spark plugs.

 

Ya, he has the “bug”. Just like a lot of collectors at Metro Cruise.

 

 

Cars are the stars at the 14th annual 28th Street Metro Cruise

 

Bringing old plugs back to life

When Isenga finds a spark plug that is rare, he grabs it and, if it is a little rusted, he tries to make it look like new again.

 

Gene Isenga can tell you all about almost everyone of the spark plugs in his collection. (WKTV)

“I can sometimes blast it, sand it, wire-wheel it … then I have a way of making it dark again,” he said. “It’s fulfilling to take something as rusty as it was and make it look nice.”

 

Some are beyond making it nice, however. And those, he says, are “just not good enough” for his collection.

 

He also has a homemade crank box which can make them spark — now that is bringing them back to life.

 

Isenga, who lives in Jenison, is a member of the Spark Plug Collectors of America #721. For more information visit spcoa.net .

 

Snapshots: Wyoming and Kentwood news you need to know

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Crime Prevention, Dream Wheels, Election, Health, Kids Activities, Our Cities, Politics, Recreation, Sports, Upcoming Events, , , , ,

By WKTV Staff

victoria@wktv.org

 

Quote of the Day

"There's one way to find out if a man is honest - ask him. If he says, 'Yes,' you know he is a crook."

                                                  ~Groucho Marx

Ladies and gentlemen,
start your engines!

(Courtesy Bruce Carlson)

 

 

The 2018 Metro Cruise kicks off at 4pm Friday, Aug. 24. The alternative Latin rock group Cabildo will be on the main stage at 4:30pm, followed by local favorite, Delilah DeWylde at 7:30pm performing a range of hillbilly and blues. Friday closes at 10pm.

 

 

Looking for a superhero

Well, that may be a bit of an exaggeration, but Kent County is on the hunt for a new sheriff. If you have leadership skills and a background in law enforcement, you might want to consider applying for the position. With the announced retirement of Kent County Sheriff Larry Stelma, the county has formed a Kent County Sheriff Appointment Committee and is looking for applicants for the position. The individual appointed by the committee will hold the position through Dec. 31, 2020.

 

Take a walk on the wild side

Metro Health Village has a number of walking routes and even a bike trail — all perfect for an afternoon stroll with the kids or a quick, weeknight workout. Download a Walking/Bike Route map here.

 

Need a little push to get started? Check out the Couch to 5K Training Program. Even if you’re not looking to set any world records, this program will have you up and active in no time!

 

…and they came out in droves

No, not locusts, but we didn’t have a photo depicting the droves of voters who showed up for the primary election on Aug. 7. Take a good look at this photo — that’s the  power inherent in sheer numbers, people. A pat on the back for all who voted.

 

The Chamber’s WKTV Government Matters committee analyzed the impressive voter turnout during their meeting on Aug. 13. The committee also discussed county staff additions. All in all, pretty important stuff.

 

 

Fun Fact:

In Switzerland, it is illegal
to own just one guinea pig.

This is because guinea pigs are social animals, and they are considered victims of abuse if they are alone. Source.

Cars are the stars at the 14th annual 28th Street Metro Cruise

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, Dream Wheels, , , , , , ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

 

For your traffic report this weekend, expect 28th Street to be packed full of hot rods, classic and vintage cars as the 2018 28th Street Metro Cruise takes place this Friday and Saturday.

 

The epicenter of the two-day event will once again be Rogers Plaza, where there will be food, vendors, the Pin Up Girl Contest, and of course cars, cars, and more cars. WKTV also will be on site recording the 14th annual event.

 

“The love affair West Michigan, and the entire county, has with the classic and collector cars is still going strong,” said Bob O’Callaghan, the president of the Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce, the organization that hosts the annual event. “We know the cars are the stars and always will be. We invite every type of car and car lover to attend our two-day showcase to celebrate these cars.”

 

Started in 2005 as a way to bring business back to 28th Street during the construction of the M-6 bypass, the event has grown to an annual attendance of more than 275,000 visitors in 2017 and more than 15,000 classic cars including hot rods, muscle cars, low riders, antiques and many more. The family-friendly event is 15 miles of cars, fun, and history running from Grandville to Cascade. 

 

Get a pre-look at the cars with the Blessing of the Cars, which takes place Thursday, Aug. 23 from 5 – 9 p.m at Wesley Park United Methodist Church, 1120 32nd St. SW. The lot will be open for cars starting at 5 p.m. Cars should enter off of 32nd Street or Michael Avenue. 

 

The 2018 Metro Cruise kicks off at 4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 24. The alternative Latin rock group Cabildo will be on the main stage at 4:30 p.m., followed by local favorite, Delilah DeWylde at 7:30 p.m. performing a range of hillbilly and blues. Friday closes at 10 p.m.

 

Saturday, Aug. 25, kicks off at 9 a.m. with the opening ceremonies which will include the GM Foundation presentation to local charities. 

 

“We have a few new things this year,” O’Callaghan said.  “Among the activities, we will have the Midwest Mobile Dyno on hand for car owners to test their vehicles.”

 

For us non-motorheads, a dyno or dynamometer is a device for measuring force, torque, or power. Spots for the dyno had to be pre-booked (cost is $30). There is a free spectators viewing area near the test site which will be close to the Jet’s Pizza on the east end of the plaza. The testing will run from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. 

 

There will be a Walk-Up Pinewood Derby Racing event from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Hosted by Boy Scout Troops 354, 312, and 318, visitors can bring a car, build a car, or use one that is available. Derby car kits will be available for purchase on the day of the event. The Pinewood Derby will be in the Metro Square at Rogers Plaza. 

 

The music starts at 11:30 a.m. with the Seventh Son Blues Band and breaks at 2 p.m. for the the 2018 Pin Up Girl Contest. At 3:30 p.m. performing rock hits and covers is Mid-Life Crisis with southern rock country Bourbon Legends performing at 6:30 p.m. 

 

Known as “Mr. Walleye at Night,” Mark Martin will be at Steve’s Antique Auto Repair’s Booth located at Rogers Plaza. Martin is a fishing promoter, who travels extensively throughout the U.S. and Canada for tournaments, tv shows, and other events to teach walleye wisdom and lead children’ fishing clinics. At Metro Cruise, Martin — who will be there both Friday and Saturday — will be displaying his restored 1969 AMX as he talks about fishing, hunting, and cars. 

 

Also at Rogers Plaza will be a relaxation tent and two food courts featuring an arrange of offerings such as barbecue, burgers, pizza, tamales, tacos, burritos, wraps, and ice cream. Shuttle service will be available from and to the KDL Wyoming branch, 3350 Michael Ave. SW, and the Wyoming High School, 1350 Prairie Pkwy SW.

 

Of course the activities will not be just at Rogers Plaza, but local business such as Marge’s Donut Den and many of the Grand Rapids New Car Dealers Association members will be featuring cars and other activities.

 

For example, Harvey Automotive, 2600 28th St. SE, will showcase multiple car clubs with up to 90 classic vehicles in attendance. At Dan Pfeiffer Lincoln Mercury, 2424 28th St. SE, will be featuring Dean (Dino) Arnold, the creator of the sleek 1961 Ford Thunderflite. Dino is the owner of Dinos Rod and Customs, based in Middlevile, Mich. Joining Dino will be registered rat fink artist Kit-Kat, who is known for her paint builds and signature pin stripping which she will be demonstrating at the event.