Category Archives: Going Local

Latino Community Coalition seeking nominations to have downtown alleyway named for local Latina

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By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

It is a City of Grand Rapids alleyway which will eventually bear the name of a local Latina woman and which the Latino Community Coalition hopes “will honor our rich history and the women to whom many families owe their legacies here in Grand Rapids.”

But the Latino Community Coalition knows that a woman who made an impact in Grand Rapids may well have lived and had family anywhere in West Michigan.

“Gentrification and displacement has been a significant factor shaping our migration story in Grand Rapids,” a spokesperson for the Latino Community Coalition Committee said to WKTV. “We encourage nominations from families across West Michigan and invite you to submit stories of your loved Latinas.”

“La gentrificación y el desplazamiento han sido un factor importante que ha dado forma a nuestra historia de migración en Grand Rapids. Alentamos las nominaciones de familias de West Michigan y los invitamos a enviar historias de sus amadas latinas.”

For information in Spanish see this. Para obtener información en español, consulte este.

HERencia_spanishDownload

The Latino Community Coalition is seeking nominations from the Latino community for a Latina women after whom they will be naming an alleyway downtown as part of the Downtown Grand Rapids alleyway activation initiative. They are calling their effort “HERencia.”

“We hope our community can help us by bringing forth a Latina woman who has passed on, but whose memory lives on in the minds and hearts of her family members,” according to an announcement this week from the coalition. “We want to honor the point of origin to which their family can trace their roots here in Grand Rapids.”

Instead of relying on accomplishments, awards and other merits, the group hopes to celebrate women who were the first in their family to set roots in Grand Rapid.

“We hope to elevate the stability they brought to their home, how they anchored the family for generations to come, and all the milestones and accomplishments for those generations we can now celebrate,” according to the coalition. “Her story is our story, and it will be archived at the Cook Library Center for future generations to always remember her. This alley will honor her life and legacy.”

The Downtown Grand Rapids alleyway activation initiative is meant to create permanent physical representation of our community in public places.

The Coalition is partnering with the Downtown Grand Rapids Inc on the project, as well as the Grand Rapids Community Foundation, which is located next to the alley which will bear the name.

“Grand Rapids Community Foundation is proud to partner with the Latino Community Coalition to honor the legacy of local Latina women who have helped shape our community,” Diana Sieger, president of the Grand Rapids Community Foundation, said in supplied material.
 

As part of that effort, the Latino Community Coalition is holding an online event July 20. Go here for the Facebook event details.

People in local Latino communities who would like to nominate a Latina from their family, neighborhood or community are encouraged to do so online in English or in Spanish at bit.ly/herenciaGR.

Nominations can also be submitted by visiting partnering agencies which can assist with filling out paper applications, including The Other Way Ministries, the Hispanic Center of West Michigan, the Latina Network of West Michigan, La Casa de la Cobija, Garfield Park Neighborhood Association, Isabel Media Studios, and the Grandville Ave Arts and Humanities.

The deadline to submit applications is July 31, after which the Latino Community Coalition will choose finalists and gather further information from each family, before making a final decision.

We the People 2021 Primary Election: City of Kentwood’s City Commissioner Ward 2

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By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

Note: For the Michigan Aug. 3 primary election, WKTV’s We The People program invited participation from all candidates. If they participated, their videos are linked here, For those who did not participate, either a candidate-provided biography/issues statement, or simply their name is listed. All videos are 5-minutes or less, and were not edited in any way by WKTV.

The City of Kentwood Ward 2 includes voting Precincts 10-18, roughly the east and northeast areas of the city. For a precinct and ward map, click here.

The non-partisan candidates are incumbent Tom McKelvey and challengers Jessica Ann Tyson and Dan VanderMolen. The top two vote-getters will move on to the November general election (unless one of the primary candidates get 50 percent plus 1 vote in the primary, in which case they will win the seat).

Note: Commissioner McKelvey chose not to record a We The People video

Tom McKelvey – Incumbent

Occupation: President of Leadership Consulting Associates

Why did you decide to run for this position?

When I decided to run in 2017, I ran because I wanted to get involved and make a difference in Kentwood. Over the past 4 years, I have grown into a stronger leader for Kentwood citizens. I am running again, because I feel with my proven leadership experience, I can continue to help Kentwood create a vision for the future, that will create a strong, economically viable city for many years.

Please list two to three issues you feel your voters are facing:

Kentwood citizens and businesses have just come out of a challenging year. It’s time now that we use the funds that have been given to us to build a stronger business community through loans and grants, that we improve our parks and quality of life, and that we stay within our budget so that we don’t need to ask the citizens of Kentwood to increase their taxes. We have the funds to do all these things, we just need to have the discipline to manage citizen tax dollars wisely and fairly.


  

Jessica Ann Tyson — Candidate

Occupation: Business owner of The Candied Yam — Delightful Southern Cuisine; JA PR Group, LLC; Pink Lounge Dry Salt Therapy

Why did you decide to run for this position?

I want to continue and expand my volunteer service to the community I love, work and live in.

Please list two to three issues you feel your voters are facing:

Involved leadership — If you serve the community you must be genuinely and authenticity involved. You only know what the community needs if you show up. Lack of involved leadership will only cause further disconnect. Our community is changing and deserves leadership involvement.
 

The community of Kentwood is facing space deficits. From crisis with housing to available land for zoning uses, the right leadership can support with expertise and knowledge. The city needs active and forward thinkers in utilization and creation of spaces available that will make sense for our community and generations to come.

 

Dan VanderMolen — Candidate

Occupation: Project Coordinator at First Steps Kent

Why did you decide to run for this position?

I’m running for this position because I believe that the residents of Kentwood want a solutions-focused government that works for them, with them, to tackle the important issues facing the city. Kentwood has an incredible opportunity right now to establish a future of long term growth and development, and for that to happen we need to leverage all of our available resources and create intentional, strategic partnerships with the amazing people and organizations in our area. I have made community collaboration the focus of my career over the past ten years and know for a fact that If we work cooperatively we can create a thriving city that works for everyone. However, we’ll only be able to accomplish that if we pledge to focus on what brings us together, not what tears us apart.

Please list two to three issues you feel your voters are facing:

Affordable Housing: It’s no secret that Kent County currently suffers from an affordable housing crisis which extends to the community of Kentwood. Far too often our residents are faced with the difficult decision of whether to pay their rent or mortgage, or spend money on basic needs. As housing costs continue to climb, pricing many people out of the market, it is imperative that we provide effective measures to help people find safe, attainable housing no matter what the budget.

High quality, affordable child care: The Covid-19 pandemic illuminated a number of things about our world, one of which is just how important access to child care is to the health of our families, our community, and our economy. To address this crisis, we need to tackle it on two fronts: Lower costs for families and higher wages for providers. The only way to accomplish that is through targeted financial investment at the local, state, and federal levels.

Broadband internet: Another issue that became abundantly clear over the past year and a half is that not everyone in our community has equal access to the broadband internet services absolutely necessary to support remote learning and work. By working with local tech companies and internet providers we can develop the much needed infrastructure required to assure that nobody in Kentwood is ever left behind again.

Kent County health joins with community groups to bring mobile vaccination unit to underserved

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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)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

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.

For more information on Seeds of Promise, visit seedsofpromisegr.org.

City of Kentwood details planned July-August road work projects (map included)

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City of Kentwood roadwork in 2020 included work open 44th Avenue. (WKTV)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

The City of Kentwood this week released its tentative road construction and maintenance schedule for the rest of the summer, a schedule which affected homeowners have already been notified of by mail from the city.

The City Commission has approved the resurfacing and maintenance program, which includes improvements to 30 miles of major and local roads, at a cost of $1 million, according to an announcement from the city. The plan is to have the resurfacing and routine maintenance completed by September. (A detailed map is available for download at bottom of story.)

“We appreciate the partnership of residents and businesses as we work to maintain and improve this important infrastructure,” Kentwood City Engineer Brad Boomstra said in supplied material. “Quality infrastructure is critical for a safe and functioning community. Understanding the inconvenience and frustration road construction can cause, crews will work as quickly as possible to minimize impact on neighborhoods and drivers.”

 

The projects are funded through the Michigan Transportation Fund, which is supported by taxes on the sale of gasoline and diesel fuel as well as fees collected by the Secretary of State for vehicle registrations.

Details of the planned work

In July and August, several neighborhood roads will receive a cape seal, which is a multiple component treatment designed to create a smooth surface with increased durability. Cape seal projects will take two non-consecutive days on each segment of road. Patching and crack sealing work will take place in advance to prepare the road for this treatment.

Roadwork will be happening in Kentwood in July and August. (WKTV)

Residents are asked to drive slowly while the treatments are underway and follow the crew’s instructions for the best access to their homes. While the cape seal treatment is underway, there will be no parking allowed on the streets when and where any road work is happening.

Street reconstruction, resurfacing and maintenance projects currently underway include:

Full reconstruction of Andover, Lyles, Heyboer, Blaine, Brinks and 51st streets.

32nd Street rehabilitation from Breton Avenue to Shaffer Avenue.

Other preventative street maintenance work throughout Kentwood, including routine street marking, crack sealing and patching.

Pending any unforeseen circumstances, the work on Andover, Lyles, Heyboer, Blaine, Brinks and 51st streets is expected to be completed by October. The full reconstruction project includes new curb and gutter, sections of water main replacement, storm sewer replacement and construction of sidewalks.

The 32nd Street rehabilitation is a Michigan Department of Transportation project that includes new pavement, curb and gutter, sidewalk and storm sewer. Drivers are encouraged to seek an alternate route or follow the posted detour that uses 29th Street. The work is scheduled to be completed by the end of August.

Work builds on major roadwork in 2020

Last year, Kentwood invested in improvements to 40 miles of major and local roads. Major streets included in the 2020 reconstruction, resurfacing and maintenance program were, East Paris Avenue from 52nd Street to 60th Street, 52nd Street from Division Avenue to Kellogg Woods Drive, 29th Street from west city limits near Breton Avenue to 28th Street, 44th Street from Breton Avenue to Shaffer Avenue, and reconstruction of Roger B. Chaffee Memorial Boulevard.

Road maintenance decisions are made under industry principles based on hard data, such as ratings from the annual Pavement Surface Evaluation and Rating system, also known as PASER, which provides a basis for comparing the quality of roadway segments, according to the city announcement. The PASER scale is a 1-10 rating system for road pavement conditions that uses visual inspection to evaluate pavement surface conditions.

“Kentwood maintains one of the highest-rated major street networks in Kent County, according to hard data compiled by the Grand Valley Metro Council, which is based on PASER ratings,” according to the announcement.

For more information, including a larger map of street resurfacing and repairs, visit kentwood.us/construction. Drivers can also receive updates via the City’s Facebook and Twitter.

2021-Resurfacing-Map-1Download

Bootstrap Boys brings ol’ country music with modern bite to Kentwood Summer Concert Series this week

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The Bootstrap Boys will be pulling up to Kentwood this week. (Supplied/Bootstrap Boys)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

The best way to describe The Bootstrap Boys — this week’s offering as part of the City of Kentwood Summer Concert Series’ free concerts, on Thursday, July 8, at 7 p.m. — is  probably to get out of the way and let them do the talkin’.

“This is country music, just like we know how to make it,” the band says on its website. “It comes from days of hard work, nights in the honky-tonk, and mornings in the church. The songs have a distinct flavor of the workin’ man, folks with dirt on their hands, good times, bad times, drinkin’, druggin’, lovin’, livin’ on the road, and what a friend we have in Jesus.”

‘Nuf said. (But if you need more, check out their website at thebootstrapboys.com.)

And just in case you want another opinion:

“The Bootstrap Boys are singlehandedly reviving country music in West Michigan both in attitude as well as song,” Luke Sass, promotional manager for Founders Brewing Company, says on the band’s website. “The band’s ability to tell stories indicative of a life lived on the razor’s edge is only eclipsed by the ease with which they connect to their audiences.”

The Kentwood Summer Concert Series, which will run most Thursday nights through Aug. 19, will also include West Michigan favorites The Accidentals, Benzing Graves Collective, Dalmatian Stone and David Gerald. (The Soul Syndicate night has been rescheduled for Aug. 19.)

Concerts will be livestreamed by WKTV for those who would prefer to enjoy the performances from home. The concerts will also be available on WKTV cable channels the following Tuesday at 9 p.m., and the next weekend on Saturday at 12:30 and 7 p.m. See the WKTV On-air Schedule for details.

All concerts will begin at 7 p.m., and conclude around 8:30 p.m., on the lawn behind Kentwood City Hall, 4900 Breton Ave. SE. Concertgoers are encouraged to bring a blanket or chair. Each concert will feature food trucks, which will have food and beverages available for purchase. Guests may also bring their own food and beer or wine.

All are also invited to visit the Kentwood Farmers Market, which overlaps with the concert schedule as 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.

New this year, Kentwood will offer essential workers and their guests special VIP seating near the stage. Essential workers who are interested can RSVP online prior to each concert.

As Wyoming’s own Brann’s Steakhouse turns 50, businessman/legislator Tommy Brann looks back, forward with his ‘family’

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Tommy Brann — small business owner and operator, and current State Representative — talks to WKTV about he and his restaurant family came together at the start of the pandemic shutdown. (WKTV)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

Tommy Brann — the small business owner and operator, not the current State Representative and State Senate candidate — remembers his first day of work at Brann’s Steakhouse and Grill like it was yesterday.

But it was 50 years ago, and on Monday, July 5, Brann’s Steakhouse will celebrate 50 years of “serving sizzling steaks” to the West Michigan community with a special appreciation reception for its employees and customers from 5-7 p.m.

And, of course, Tommy will be there all day, wearing his customary blue apron, bussing tables, and talking up the staff and customers.

Tommy Brann in an undated historic photo. (Supplied) See more photos from over the years in slideshow below.

“July 5th, 1971,” Brann said about his first day, when he was just 19 years old, during a recent interview with WKTV. “We served 97 dinners and I remember one customer came in that day … a friend of my dad’s … and he bought the whole restaurant a drink. It was a hard working day for us.”

During the interview, he also stressed that he was a restaurant businessman before he was elected to serve the community in Lansing as a State Representative, and that no matter what happens in the next year or so, he will stay being a restaurant businessman.

(Rep. Brann is running for the open State Senate seat from District 28, with the Republican primary set for Aug. 3; and if he is not elected to the Senate, he will be term-limited out as a State Representative in 2022.)

“I really believe small business in the backbone of our country, of our state,” Brann said. “I really believe small businesses are job creators. … That is what I bring to Lansing.”

Brann also talked about how his restaurant survived the pandemic shutdown and business slowdown — due both to the “family” he has at his steakhouse and to his aversion to debt. (See video clip above for a story on the Brann’s “family.”)
 

And the restaurant survived. And so on Monday, July 5, it will be all about celebrating Tommy the restauranteur and the 50 years of Brann’s Steakhouse and Grill, located on Division Avenue in Wyoming.

Family, and work family, reflect on Tommy

“I am incredibly proud of my brother, Tommy Brann, for his dedication and commitment to being a business owner and restaurateur these 50 years,” Johnny Brann, Sr., owner of Grand Rapids-based, Brann’s Steakhouse and Grille, said in supplied material. “Tommy has made his restaurant a community icon and is known for his service and dedication not just to the business, but more importantly to his employees and customers.”

For most of those 50 years, Tommy opened and closed his restaurant, working from 9 a.m. to 2 a.m., 6 days a week, doing what is needed — from cooking to dishwashing to to bussing tables, and other less glamorous jobs.

Tommy has also spent 50 years being more than simply a boss to the employees at the steakhouse.

Tommy Brann, with his restaurant family from June 2021. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

“I have been an employee of Brann’s steakhouse for over 40 years,” senior executive waitress Jennie Lehnertz said in supplied material. “It truly is a family business. I work here, my daughter works here and now my grandson works here. It is my second home.”

The family atmosphere is echoed by Jermaine Jennings, executive waiter for about 30 years — “Tommy is not just a boss. He works alongside his employees and instills in us a sense of purpose. He’s always willing to help those in need and considers all of us who work for him and his customers his family.”

Five decades of restaurant ownership has brought ups and downs, especially throughout the past year in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. What has kept Tommy going has been his strong work ethic, his tenacity, and his belief that he can make a difference in the lives of others.

“I care about serving my community and helping others in need,” Tommy Brann said in supplied material. “My wife, Sue, and I are committed to making our employees and customers our family. We have used our restaurant as a way to provide food to the homeless and provide jobs for those who need one, including those with developmental disabilities. There’s no greater joy to me than seeing the smile on the face of someone we’ve helped.”

Kentwood’s Fourth of July celebration includes a full day of activities on Saturday, July 3

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Kentwood will celebrate July 4 a day early this year, on Saturday, July 3, with a parade, fireworks and much more. (Supplied)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.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.

WKTV Journal In Focus welcomes County Administrator Britt to talk business in the year of COVID, his pending retirement

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WKTV Journal In Focus with Kent County Administrator Wayman P. Britt, from May 2021. (WKTV)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

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.

U.S. Navy sailor from Grandville pictured in action on USS Ronald Reagan

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Aviation Electronics Technician 1st Class Michael Forshay, left, is from Granville. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jason Tarleton) 

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

In this photo supplied by the U.S. Navy Office of Community Outreach, Aviation Electronics Technician 1st Class Michael Forshay, left, from Granville, inventories supplies in the hangar bay of the U.S. Navy’s only forward deployed aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76).

The action took place during a replenishment-at-sea evolution with the USNS Amelia Earhart (T-AKE 6), a dry cargo and ammunition ship.

The USS Reagan, the flagship of Carrier Strike Group 5, provides “a combat-ready force that protects and defends the United States, as well as the collective maritime interests of its allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region,” according to supplied material.

(Do you have a photo of a Kentwood or Wyoming area native serving in the military? WKTV journal would love to get the photo and a brief description. Send it to ken@WKTV.org)

Soul Syndicate’s sweet ’n’ hot sounds opens City of Kentwood Summer Concert Series this week

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The Soul Syndicate will kick off the Kentwood Summer Concert Series this week. Can you say “Party time!” (Supplied by the band)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

Classic soul, R&B and a little ‘funk” for your summer evening will be provided by The Soul Syndicate this week as the City of Kentwood Summer Concert Series’ free concerts return for a summer run beginning Thursday, June 24, at 7 p.m.

The summer series, which will run most Thursday nights through Aug. 5, will also include West Michigan favorites The Accidentals, Bootstrap Boys, Benzing Graves Collective, Dalmatian Stone and David Gerald.

Concerts will be livestreamed by WKTV for those who would prefer to enjoy the performances from home. (Click on the Live Streams link in the upper right of the page.)

All concerts will begin at 7 p.m., and conclude around 8:30 p.m., on the lawn behind Kentwood City Hall, 4900 Breton Ave. SE. Concertgoers are encouraged to bring a blanket or chair. Each concert will feature food trucks, which will have food and beverages available for purchase. Guests may also bring their own food and beer or wine.

All are also invited to visit the Kentwood Farmers Market, which overlaps with the concert schedule as 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.

New this year, Kentwood will offer essential workers and their guests special VIP seating near the stage. Essential workers who are interested can RSVP online prior to each concert.

More information is available at kentwood.us/SummerConcertSeries.

County health department, Grand Rapids Red Project to offer free HIV testing, counseling

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At the testing planned HIV testing site, certified test counselors will be onsite to answer questions and connect residents with additional services. (CDC)

WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

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.

More Information on HIV and AIDS can be found here.

Kentwood, Kent County seeking local help with ‘Parks for Pollinators BioBlitz’ biodiversity effort

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An image of the camera app in use, from iNaturalist promotional material. (iNaturalist)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

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.

For an introduction to the program, watch a video here.

“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.

Sheriff LaJoye-Young talks department performance, body cameras and qualified immunity on latest WKTV Journal In Focus

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WKTV Journal In Focus with Kent County Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young, May 2021. (WKTV)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

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.

Snapshots: WKTV has two ideas for a fulfilling weekend in Kentwood, Wyoming

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Going Local, Holidays, Kids Activities, Local Business, Local Entertainment, Local Food, Restaurants, Upcoming Events, WKTV Projects

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

Quote of the Day

“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.

Woodland Mall’s Fathers Day promotion supports Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry

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One of Woodland Mall’s entrances. (Supplied)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

Woodland Mall is celebrating fathers by giving back to the community through a virtual contest with a portion of proceeds going to support local families though the City of Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry.

Currently running and through June 16, Woodland Mall is participating in partner company PREIT’s online giveaway, “Best Dad Ever,” where shoppers can nominate their dad on the mall’s website to win one of three giveaway packages best suited for their personality,” according to a supplied material.

Father’s Day is for the fathers, and the kids who love them. (Supplied)

To enter, nominators share “Why their dad is the best out there.” Three great fathers — “Gadget Dad”, “Grilling Expert”, and “Man of Style” — will be selected with the fathers winning $50 gift cards from Apple and On the Boarder, Macy’s and Red Robin, and J.Crew and Black Rock Bar & Grill, respectively.
  

Woodland Mall will then donate $1 dollar for every giveaway entry to Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry, up to $1,000.

According to Feeding America, food banks are serving 55 percent more people than before the pandemic, making the Little Free Pantry, which has helped feed thousands in the community since its opening in 2017, even more essential.

“We’re delighted to partner with Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry for this giveaway in honor of all the incredible fathers out there,” Mikia Ross, senior marketing director for PREIT, said in supplied material. “The hallmark of a great dad is his dedication to taking care of his family. We want to give an opportunity for loved ones to give some extra love back to fathers and father figures, while also helping take care of the community.”

Woodland Mall asks all guests to follow federal recommendations by using the hand sanitizer stations located throughout the mall and practicing physical distancing. Unvaccinated guests are required to wear a facial covering while visiting the mall.

In order to comply with Michigan requirements, occupancy numbers remain limited. Current mall hours are 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon-6 p.m. Sunday.

For more information visit shopwoodlandmall.com.

Godfrey-Lee schools name interim superintendent as process to replace Kevin Polston begins

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Lee Middle and High School. (WKTV)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

Anybody who knows Godfrey-Lee Public Schools, who has been inside the walls of the middle/high school complex and its other schools, knows that the last four years have been extraordinarily good years under the leadership of outgoing Superintendent Kevin Polston.

But life, and the ‘legendary’ educational and facility advancement of the district, will continue its movement forward as Polston leaves later this month to take over leadership of the Kentwood Public Schools system.

Dirk Weeldreyer (Supplied)

And the first step in that continuing path is the June 11 announcement that the Godfrey-Lee Public Schools Board of Education has appointed Dirk Weeldreyer to become interim superintendent effective July 1.

While Board of Education President Eric Mockerman had nothing but praise for the departing superintendent, he and the board see the district continuing to move forward, both in the interim and longterm.

“We have been blessed to have Kevin with us for the last four years and with his leadership we have gotten through some very tough times. Kevin has helped to build a very strong team and prepare us for a bright future,” Mockerman said to WKTV. “I am excited to have Dirk come on board with us and help us through this process. His experience and knowledge of our district as well as his other interim experiences will help to make this transition easier.”

Weeldreyer is expected to serve for six months to allow time for the district to complete a search process and appoint a full-time superintendent.

“We will take this time to establish a profile for who we want for our next leader and go through the process of searching for the right candidate,” Mockerman said.

Weeldreyer comes to Godfrey-Lee with nearly 20 years of educational leadership experience including nine years as the superintendent of Fennville Public Schools where he retired in 2017, according to supplied material. His more recent school district service includes serving as interim superintendent at both Caledonia Community Schools and Muskegon Public Schools.

He currently serves as the Executive Director of the School Equity Caucus, a statewide organization of approximately 200 school districts that seeks adequate and equitable school funding in Michigan.

“I’m very excited for the opportunity to serve the Godfrey-Lee Public Schools during this time of transition,” Weeldreyer said in supplied material. “The district has a well-deserved reputation for providing an outstanding educational experience for its students, and the many similarities between my previous district, Fennville, and Godfrey-Lee make me feel right at home.

“I look forward to building relationships with the staff, students, families, and community as we continue to provide an excellent education for our children.”

While there will still be plenty of work to do for a superintendent, in the short and long term, at Godfrey-Lee, the district has in the past four years accomplished much. It has cemented its reputation as a making its “minority majority” student population a strong and proud reputation, transitioned is sports image and district outlook moniker to become “The Legends”, and survived a partial collapse of the middle/high school building by, in part, getting passed a local bond measure to not only repair the damage but to fund massive facility and infrastructure improvements.

All of which were led by Superintendent Polston.
 

“I have been fortunate to serve the Godfrey-Lee community over the past four years,” Polston said to WKTV. “It is a truly special place because of the amazing people that call this district home. It will always have a special place in my heart and I will take the Legend spirit with me long into the future.”

Responding to community interest, Kentwood’s Thursday Farmers Market returned for summer of food, fun (and music!)

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Kentwood Farmers Market manager Kristina Colby on opening day 2021. (WKTV)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

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.”

For up-to-date information on special market events and seasonal items, visit  Kentwood Farmers Market on Facebook.

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.

WKTV Journal In Focus talks past, present and future with soon-to-retire KPS Superintendent Zoerhoff

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WKTV Journal In Focus recently welcomed Kentwood Public Schools Superintendent Michael Zoerhoff in to talk about his years of service to the school system and its students. (WKTV)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

Michael Zoerhoff has held many titles in the Kentwood Public Schools community over the last three decades, the latest of which has been Superintendent of Schools since 2013. He started as a teacher and, people will tell you, never quite got that out of this system. At the end of this unusually trying school year, he will be retiring.

Superintendent Michael Zoerhoff, Kentwood Public schools. (Supplied/KPS)

WKTV Journal In Focus recently welcomed Superintendent Zoerhoff in to talk about his years of service to the school system and its students, about ending his tenure during an unprecedented, unpredictable time for education, and — of course — we’ll find out what’s next on his journey.

Recently, when the KPS Board of Education announced its selection to become the district’s next superintendent, board president Mimi Madden said about about Zoerhoff that he “has nurtured and developed strong leaders on his administrative team.” Talking to WKTV, we go in-depth about his accomplishments, including always being teacher to students and a mentor to younger educators.

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.

Wyoming hosts reopening celebration for Jackson Park June 5

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Among the new features at Jackson Park is the playground located near the new splashpad. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Walk or drive past Wyoming’s Jackson Park and you can not help but notice that there has been a lot of activity over there.

 

One of the targeted parks on the city’s park improvement campaign, the City of Wyoming approved a $1.4 million investment to Jackson Park last year. This allowed for several new features at the parking such as a splash pad, playground shelter, parking lot, and security lighting. These are all features that came from resident input into the designs, said City of Wyoming Director Rebecca Rynbrandt.

 

After being closed for about a year due to construction, Wyoming residents are invited to celebrate the grand reopening of Jackson Park at a special event this Saturday at 10 a.m. at the park, 1331 33rd St. SW. The hour-long celebration will feature family activities and opportunities to play on the new constructed splash pad.

When the city talked to residents about what they wanted at Jackson Park, many stated a splash pad. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)

“We are excited to reopen Jackson Park for our residents”, said Wyoming Mayor Jack Poll, who added the redevelopment has been highly anticipated by area residents with the city happy to have the park complete.

Design work on the park started in 2015, with the city collecting input from residents, Rynbrandt said. But the economy and mother nature forced the city to reprioritize funds to Ideal Park which had been severely impacted by tornadoes and flooding, she said.

Last spring, during the pandemic, the city approved a $1.3 million contract with Katerberg Verhage for the work at Jackson Park. Katerberg Verhage also lead the redevelopment of Ideal Park.

Crews were able to keep working on the park through the pandemic with construction completed on time for the planned reopening this summer.

“We are pleased to celebrate the grand reopening of Jackson Park,” Rynbrandt said. “We pride ourselves on excellent facilities and know that the improved accessibility of Jackson Park will be a great asset to the families of our community.”

Also new at Jackson Park are the covered seating areas. WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)

Jackson Park is approximately 22 acres. It resides in a densely populated residential area of the City of Wyoming which is made up of single-family homes and borders the Wyoming Intermediate School.

Along with the new additions, Jackson Park has eight tennis courts, a basketball court and a play area located by the school. The park also hosts a large green space which provides for storm-water storage for the neighborhood during heavy rain events.

Funding for the project is being provided through the City’s Capital Projects Revolving Fund, with staff support through the City’s dedicated Parks and Recreation Operational Millage.

Jackson Park is the third park in a period of four years to have been redeveloped. The pocket park Ferrand Park, located along Byron Center Avenue, was completed in 2018 with Ideal Park completed in 2020. The city has a total of 21 parks. 

City of Kentwood Summer Concert Series set to return to city complex in late June

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The City of Kentwood Summer Concert Series will host The Bootstrap Boys’ harmony-rich country on July 8. (Bootstrap Boys)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

The City of Kentwood Summer Concert Series will return with free concerts at 7 p.m. on select Thursday nights beginning June 24, the city officially announced last week.

The Soul Syndicate will kick off the Kentwood concerts on June 24. (Soul Syndicate)

This year’s lineup West Michigan’s own The Accidentals, Bootstrap Boys, Benzing Graves Collective and The Soul Syndicate, as well as other Michigan bands.

“We’re pleased to be able offer another fantastic lineup of bands for community members to enjoy live music outdoors,” Val Romeo, Kentwood Parks and Recreation director, said in supplied material. “We welcome concertgoers of all ages to celebrate summer in Kentwood with us on the lawn behind City Hall.”

All concerts will begin at 7 p.m., and conclude around 8:30 p.m., on the lawn behind Kentwood City Hall, 4900 Breton Ave. SE. Concertgoers are encouraged to bring a blanket or chair. Each concert will feature food trucks, which will have food and beverages available for purchase. Guests may also bring their own food and beer or wine.

The schedule, with links to the band’s FaceBook page, is as follows:

June 24 — The Soul Syndicate: Award-winning classic soul, R&B and funk.

July 8 — The Bootstrap Boys: Harmony-rich country.

David Gerald’s blues and R&B will be prefect for a summer night in July. (David Gerald)

July 15 — Benzing Graves Collective: Blend of old-school country and other genres.

July 22 — Dalmatian Stone: Soul/funk-rock with elements of R&B and fusion.

 

July 29 — David Gerald: Blues, R&B and rock. 

Aug. 5 — The Accidentals: Mix of indie rock, pop and orchestral arrangements. (See a WKTV Journal In Focus on the band.)

New this year, Kentwood will offer essential workers and their guests special VIP seating near the stage. Essential workers who are interested can RSVP online prior to each concert.

Concerts will be livestreamed by WKTV for those who would prefer to enjoy the performances from home.

All are also invited to visit the Kentwood Farmers Market, which overlaps with the concert schedule. Starting June 3, 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.

More information is available at kentwood.us/SummerConcertSeries.

Snapshots: Remembrance past and present, Memorial Day ceremonies return

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Going Local, Holidays, Upcoming Events, WKTV Projects

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

Quote of the Day

“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:

593,000 deaths

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.

WKTV introduces new series — Voices: 9/11 at 20 — with GVSU professor talking history, causes of attacks

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WKTV Voices: 9/11 at 20 Interview #1 Dr. Abdullah F. Alrebh, GVSU professor

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

WKTV Journal recently welcomed into our studio Grand Valley State University professor Dr. Abdullah F. Alrebh for the premier episode of “WKTV Voices: 9/11 at 20 — Our Islamic neighbors 20 years later”.

This special WKTV Voices project will present 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 local Muslim community leaders and, finally, Muslim American citizens, especially young people who grew up in the age of 9/11.

Dr. Alrebh’s field of study is in Sociology of Religion and Sociological Theory, and he has published a number of academic articles and essays focusing on religion, the Middle East and its social movements, and education.

He is also very knowledgeable about the Arabian Peninsula region and specifically Saudi Arabia — a country forever linked to the 9/11 terrorist attacks as the plan’s leader, Osama bin Laden, who was the initial leader of the pan-Islamic militant organization al-Qaeda, was a Saudi.

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.

City of Kentwood’s Thursday Farmers Market returns June 3 with special activities, concerts planned

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The Kentwood Parks and Recreation’s summer farmers market. (City of Kentwood)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

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

July 22: Concert at 7 p.m. – Dalmatian Stone

July 29: Concert at 7 p.m. – David Gerald

Aug. 5: Concert at 7 p.m. – The Accidentals (See a WKTV Journal In Focus on the band.)

Aug. 19: Makers and Crafters Day 4:30-7:30 p.m.

The Kentwood Farmers Market accepts food assistance benefits, including SNAP, Double Up Food Bucks and Senior Project FRESH/Market FRESH.

For up-to-date information on special market events and seasonal items, visit  Kentwood Farmers Market on Facebook.

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.

Kentwood to again parade public works equipment as part of countywide ‘Fleets Though the Streets’

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Kentwood neighborhoods turned out to greet the city’s parade of vehicles last year. (City of Kentwood)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

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.

Godfrey-Lee superintendent selected as new Kentwood Public Schools leader

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Kevin Polston, selected to be the next Kentwood Public Schools superintendent, on the set of WKMTV Journal In Focus. (WKTV)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

If contract negotiations conclude as anticipated, Kevin Polston will have the same title in local education cycles — Superintendent — it is just that his office will be at Kentwood Public Schools rather than at Godfrey-Lee Public Schools.

Kentwood Public Schools Board of Education announced today that Polston has been selected to become the district’s next superintendent and that it is “engaging in contract negotiations” to finalize the selection. Current KPS superintendent Michael Zoerhoff will be retiring at the completion of this current school year.

“Our candidate pool was exceptionally strong and our internal leadership team is outstanding,” KPS board president Mimi Madden said in supplied material.  “The unanimous vote to offer the position to Superintendent Polston will continue the tradition of leadership excellence that our community has come to expect.”

Madden, in the KPS statement, said the board’s expectation is of a seamless transition.
 

Superintendent Michael Zoerhoff, Kentwood Public schools. (Supplied/KPS)

“Superintendent Zoerhoff has nurtured and developed strong leaders on his administrative team,” Madden said. “These individuals have led their respective areas competently and capably before and during this global pandemic. We are confident that this commitment to the Kentwood mission will continue in the years to come.”

Prior to becoming a superintendent of Godfrey-Lee Public Schools, in 2017, Polston spent 15 years in the Grand Haven Area Public Schools, first as a teacher and then moving into administrative leadership as an assistant principal, curriculum specialist and finally principal, according to his Linked In page.

As superintendent at Godfrey-Lee, Polston led the largely minority-student district though a difficult transition of educational technology and school community image — including the high school’s sports teams becoming known as “The Legends” — as well as handling a 2019 partial building collapse at a middle and high school complex with some portions nearly 100 years old.

Godfrey-Lee Public Schools Superintendent Kevin Polston speaks at State Board of Education meeting in 2017. (State Board of Education)

He also, last year, led a community and educational leadership effort to pass a $17.8 million school district bond measure that will modernize the district’s building and infrastructure in nearly every aspect.

He and his team have also worked to make Godfrey-Lee’s heavily Spanish-speaking population an asset to the district and its students.

In the KPS announcement, it as noted that “his experience as the son of a Palestinian immigrant, and first generation college student, is a story that mirrors many Kentwood families. Mr. Polston’s work in West Michigan reflects his passion for the power of education and the importance of strong partnerships between school systems and the communities they serve.”

“I am humbled and honored to serve as the next superintendent of Kentwood Public Schools,” Polston said in supplied material. “My personal vision of ‘changing the world through opportunities for students’ is one Kentwood has carried out through the vision of ‘Excellence and Equity in Education’.

“I look forward to building positive relationships with staff, students, families, and the community of Kentwood as we collaboratively continue the longstanding tradition of excellence.”

Polston holds degrees from Grand Valley State University and from Michigan State University. He was also named by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer early this year to the lead the COVID-19 Return to School Advisory Council, a statewide body of educators and others.

Kentwood, Kelloggsville public schools gain voter support for financial proposals on May 4 ballot

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Kelloggsville Public Schools, with Kelloggsville High School shown here, gained voter support of a millage extension on May 4. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

With few items on Kent County’s May 4 ballot, and the corresponding low voter turnout, local voters backed property tax funded financial requests from both Kentwood Public Schools and Kelloggsville Public Schools.

With unofficial final results from the Kent County Elections office, Kentwood district voters approved a bond measure, by a margin of 3,739 to 1,776, the will allow the Kentwood school district to be able to borrow up to about $192 million and issue general obligation tax bonds to repay it.

The turnout was about 11 percent of the almost 50,000 registered voters in the district, according to the county elections office.

Superintendent Michael Zoerhoff, Kentwood Public schools. (Supplied/KPS)

“The outcome of this election demonstrates the strong partnership between the Kentwood community and Kentwood Public Schools,” Kentwood Public Schools Superintendent Michael Zoerhoff said to WKTV. “Together with our staff, parents, partners and volunteers, we remain committed to providing an education of equity and excellence to every student in a Kentwood school.”

In addition, “we are pleased that our facilities are utilized by all ages within our community. From the pools to the tracks, from seniors to toddlers, Kentwood Public Schools is a resource for the entire community. This vote demonstrates that our community recognizes the district as a center point of engagement for all ages and backgrounds.”

In the Kelloggsville school district, with unofficial final results from the Kent County Elections office, voters approved an extension of an existing non-residential, non ”homestead”, property millage, as well as an additional temporary 2-year 0.5 mill increase, by a margin of 486-240.

The turnout was about 8 percent of the about 9,200 registered voters in the district, according to the county elections office.

“Thank you (to the voters) for your continued support of Kelloggsville Public Schools,” Eric Alcorn, Kelloggsville Public Schools director of human resources, said to WKTV. “We are grateful for the trust you have in us to make sound educational decisions for the district and our students.”

Kentwood bond measure details

Nearly every building in the Kentwood Public Schools system will see improvements paid for by the bond proposal — yet the proposal will lower the net millage from the prior year of a school system already the lowest in Kent County, according to district information.

Kentwood Public Schools serves about 9,000 students. (Supplied/KPS)

Overall, the bond proposal would fund 10-plus years of improvements to district infrastructure and educational technology, that “would provide programs, technology, and facilities for current and future needs,” according to a district statement prior to the vote.

Kentwood Public Schools serves more than 9,000 students, includes about 1,200 staff, and is responsible for 22 buildings, including 17 schools, totaling over one million square feet of structures on over 450 acres of sites.

“This bond referendum will allow us to enhance health and safety features within our facilities,” Superintendent Zoerhoff said. “For instance, our child nutrition food service teams are excited about having full service kitchens in each of our schools. The fresh food that will be provided for our students, in every building, will empower them to learn and succeed.

“In addition, while we cannot predict the next pandemic or problem that our society will face, we can predict that technology will continue to play a critical role in the lives of our students.” 

Kelloggsville millage extension details

The Kelloggsville Public Schools district received voter support of a millage two years ago, and the current and approved extension would allow that millage to “be renewed by 18.0181 mills ($18.0181 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 2 years, 2022 and 2023, and also be increased by 0.5 mill ($0.50 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 2 years, 2022 and 2023,” according to the official Kent County elections ballot proposal information.

According to information supplied by the district, the proposal “is a renewal to be levied against non-homestead property. Resident properties are exempt from being taxed by this proposal (no cost to the homeowner). This is a renewal on business properties and not homes. The renewal will notcost the homeowner any additional taxes.”

Starting May 3, 32nd Street SE between Breton and Shaffer will be completely closed for reconstruction

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Starting May 3, 32nd Street SE between Breton and Shaffer, in Kentwood, will be completely closed for reconstruction. (WKTV)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

The City of Kentwood announced today, April 29, that starting Monday, May 3, there will be a full closure of 32nd Street SE between Breton and Shaffer avenues for reconstruction through August.

Drivers are encouraged to plan ahead and seek an alternate route or follow the posted detour that uses 29th Street, according to the announcement to WKTV. Access to homes and businesses within the project area will be maintained with intermittent impacts. Trash and mail service also will be maintained throughout the project.

“This section of 32nd Street has deteriorated to the point that major rehabilitation is necessary,” Kentwood City Engineer Brad Boomstra said in supplied material. “The contractor will work to minimize traffic disruption whenever possible as we improve the roadway.”

This Michigan Department of Transportation project will include new pavement, curb and gutter, sidewalk and storm sewer. Local engineering firm Prein&Newhof will oversee the construction on the city’s behalf.

The city reminds residents and commuters that they may sign up to receive biweekly updates on the City of Kentwood’s road construction projects by emailing boomstrab@kentwood.us or calling 616-554-0740.

For more information about upcoming construction projects, visit kentwood.us/construction.

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

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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.

City of Kentwood’s Community Cleanup Day, including old electronics, planned for Saturday, May 1

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In addition to holding its annual Spring Cleanup Day this week, the City of Kentwood will continue yard debris drop-off program this spring. (WKTV)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

In addition to its ongoing yard waste drop-off program, the City of Kentwood is assisting residents with general trash and debris, as well electronics, disposal as it will again offer its annual Community Cleanup Day on Saturday, May 1 for residents wanting to “spring clean” their homes and yards.

In a Monday, May 26, announcement to WKTV, the city stated this year’s Community Cleanup Day will accept yard waste, trash and general debris for disposal, and electronics for recycling, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Kentwood Department of Public Works, 5068 Breton Ave. SE.

Following the cleanup event, the city’s yard debris (including brush and leaf debris) drop-off sites, also located at Kentwood’s DPW facility, will remain open through Saturday, May 29. Hours of operation for the yard debris drop-off sites will be noon to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

“Our Community Cleanup Day offers residents a timely opportunity to dispose or recycle items as part of their spring-cleaning efforts,” John Gorney, Department of Public Works director, said in supplied material. “We encourage residents wanting to declutter their homes and property to take advantage of these free collection services.”

Most electronics can be recycled at local community clean-up days, including one planned for Kentwood residents. (Supplied/Comprenew)

The City of Kentwood’s yard waste drop-off site includes accepting brush, sticks, tree limbs and logs at the brush drop-off site, as well as leaves and grass clippings at the leaf drop-off site. Leaves should be loose when dropped off, not left in bags.

Red Creek Waste Services will be on hand for Kentwood’s Community Cleanup Day to accept general debris and trash for disposal.

Comprenew will be on-site to recycle electronic waste, such as mobile phones, computers and fax machines. Individuals with questions about other electronics that can be accepted are asked to call the toll-free number at 833-266-7736.

Items for donation and household hazardous materials will not be accepted during this year’s cleanup event. Those looking to safely dispose of household hazardous materials may utilize the Kent County Department of Public Works’ SafeChem program, which remains available to residents at the Kentwood Department of Public Works facility, 5068 Breton Ave. SE, 1:30 to 5:30 p.m., on Tuesdays.

The cleanup day and drop-off services are available to Kentwood residents only.

Anyone wishing to participate is asked to enter the drive off Breton Avenue where staff will check ID for residency and direct traffic flow to maintain physical distancing. For the safety of City staff and community members, all participants are asked to adhere to CDC guidelines, including staying at least 6 feet from other people and wearing face coverings.

Wyoming-Kentwood chamber urges local restaurants — and breweries — to take advantage of Restaurant Revitalization Fund

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Before the pandemic, and its resulting restrictions, at Wyoming’s Two Guys Brewing. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

Much news was made of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan’s federal-government economic stimulus effort resulting from COVID-19’s negative economic impact, which was recently signed into law by President Joe Biden. But a possibly little-known portion is the current roll-out of the $28.6 billion Restaurant Revitalization Fund administrated by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

In brief, the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) will provide small, independent restaurants — and similar small businesses including breweries and bars —  with funding “equal to their pandemic-related revenue loss up to $10 million per business and no more than $5 million per physical location. Recipients are not required to repay the funding as long as funds are used for eligible uses no later than March 11, 2023,” according to an announcement from the SBA.

As part of the SBA announcement, local business leaders and business groups were urged to disseminate RRF information to their business communities, and the Wyoming-Kentwood Chamber of Commerce was more than happy to do so.

“The new SBA program for restaurants is long overdue,” Bob O’Callaghan, president/CEO of the local chamber, said to WKTV this week. “As we all know, the restaurant industry is one of the hardest hit by COVID-19. I am glad to be able to get this information to our chamber members.”

Jessica Ann Tyson (center) of The Candied Yam, at the Kentwood restaurant with visitors in late 2020. (The Candied Yam’s Facebook)

The RRF plan also is designed to provide assistance to communities and businesses “underserved” by previous stimulus efforts, including Black-owned businesses.

“In addition to historically having less operating liquidity and revenue than almost any other small business demographic, Black-owned restaurants received significantly less stimulus funding during the COVID-19 pandemic, heightening challenges and leading to disproportionate closures,” Ron Busby, Sr., president and CEO of the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc., said in supplied material. “The USBC believes this initiative and collaboration with the SBA will bring needed resources and relief to these often underserved businesses to aid in stabilization, recovery and ultimately, strengthen our economy.”

Have a beer while application process is rolled-out

While details on application requirements, eligibility, and a program guide are now available in English at www.sba.gov/restaurants or in Spanish at www.sba.gov/restaurantes, program application will be rolled-out in a staggered eligibility process to allow for ease of application and an initial focus on certain businesses.

After the SBA conducts a “pilot period” for the RRF application portal, the application portal will be opened to the public. And, according to the SBA announcement, for the first 21 days that the program is open, the SBA will “prioritize reviewing applications from small businesses owned by women, veterans, and socially and economically disadvantaged individuals.”

Railtown Brewing Citra Warrior IIPA. (Supplied)

Following the 21-day period, all eligible applicants can submit applications.

And local breweries will be among those able to take advantage of the program.

“Small and independent craft breweries are vibrant community gathering places that can be found in nearly every congressional district in the U.S. and contribute to manufacturing, hospitality, retail, tourism, and agricultural industries,” Bob Pease, president and CEO of the national Brewers Association, said in supplied material. “We are pleased to work with the SBA to promote the Restaurant Revitalization Fund … and assist the breweries hit hardest by COVID-19 secure much needed additional relief to help them survive the pandemic and prepare for the restart of the economy.”

Kent County Treasurer, ex-senator MacGregor talks continuing Lansing connections, door-to-door work in county on latest WKTV Journal In Focus

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By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

In November of last year, then state senator Peter MacGregor won election to the position of Kent County Treasurer, returning to work nearer his Rockford home after more than a decade of public service in Lansing as a state representative and then a senator.

Just after his election, when he resigned his senate seat and was sworn in as Treasurer, MacGregor told WKTV the duties of state senator and county treasurer were very different in most ways but that the common ground fits in with his skill-set and his personal outlook when it comes to taxpayers and use of their taxes.

Kent County Treasurer Peter MacGregor. (WKTV)

In early April, Kent County Treasurer MacGregor visited WKTV Journal In Focus to talk about his job transition, the sometimes little-known duties of the county treasurer, and where he now sees his public service priorities lay — including sometimes knocking on the door to help homeowners behind on their taxes.

Oh, ya, and we also asked how long it took him to stop answering the phone with “This is Senator MacGregor”?

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.

WKTV has Wyoming, Kentwood high school baseball, softball Featured Game coverage

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WKTV’s Featured Game coverage began Tuesday, April 13, when the East Kentwood Falcons baseball team hosted Holland West Ottawa for the first game of double-header. (WKTV)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

WKTV high school sports Featured Game coverage crew started the spring season this week at East Kentwood High School, and will be out twice next week — as long as the nice spring weather holds.

Our Featured Game coverage began Tuesday, April 13, when the East Kentwood Falcons baseball team hosted Holland West Ottawa for the first game of double-header. The game is available on-demand here and on WKTVlive.org.

Next week’s tentative schedule includes Wyoming softball vs. Covenant Christian on Wednesday, April 21; and then Kelloggsville baseball vs. Zion Christian on Friday, April 23.

The WKTV featured game crew plans to schedule two games a week for the rest of the spring high school sport season.

And WKTV is always looking for community volunteers to help coverage of local high school sports — in print on WKTVjournal.org, as part of our in-studio crew for our twice-a-month WKTV Journal Sports Connection program, and as part of our Featured Game truck game coverage crew. Training is provided and for more information email ken@wktv.org. 

Where and when to see featured games

Featured games are broadcast the night of the contest and then at least once later in the week.

WKTV broadcasts on Wyoming and Kentwood cable channels. On Comcast cable, Channel 25 is the Community Channel, where sports events and other community events are shown; Channel 26 is the Government Channel, where local government meetings and events are shown. The games can also be seen on AT&T U-verse 99.

For complete schedules of programs on WKTV channels, see our Weekly On-air Schedule.

All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.org.

For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and feature stories on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/.

Kentwood Police Chief Roberts details force’s accountability, community involvement on latest WKTV Journal In Focus

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City of Kentwood Police Chief Richard Roberts, as part of a discussion on WKTV Journal In Focus, talked about the changes in police vehicle camera technology — which at one point was dashboard cameras and VCRs in the trunk. (WKTV) 

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

The City of Kentwood Police Department prides itself on not only its transparency and accountably but also its community interaction and involvement. So, when Kentwood’s top police official, Chief Richard Roberts, visited WKTV Journal In Focus recently the conversation ranged from plans for expanded officer body camera use to working with local employees to help local restaurants and patrons.

In early March, the City of Kentwood announced its police department would equip its entire force with body cameras in an effort to enhance both accountably and transparency during community interactions. Chief Roberts detailed the program, its needs and goals, training and department protocol for use, and how body cameras are equally good for the community as they are for police officers.

(For a previous WKTV Journal In Focus interviews with Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker and Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young which included discussion of the use of law enforcement body cameras, visit Becker’s discussion here and LaJoye-Young’s discussion here.)

Additionally, in our interview with Chief Roberts, he discussed programs such as pop-up events in support of local restaurants and customers, as well as the planned Kentwood Police Youth Academy.

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.

Kentwood police, Lacks Enterprises team up again to support local restaurants, community

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The City of Kentwood Police Department and Lacks Enterprises, Inc., last week held another pop-up event, and thanks to a $1,000 donation from Lacks, the pair were able to surprise about 100 customers at two local restaurants by helping to pay for lunch. Here, Off. Jeff Augustyn is with workers and a customer at El Ganadero Mexican Grille. (City of Kentwood)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

In December of last year, the City of Kentwood Police Department and Lacks Enterprises, Inc. — both understanding the importance to the community of small businesses, including local eateries, in this time of COVID-19 dining restrictions — partnered to help both two Kentwood restaurants and their customers.

The two partners, last week held another pop-up event, and thanks to a $1,000 donation from Lacks, the Kentwood Police Department were able to surprise about 100 customers of El Ganadero Mexican Grille and Mr. Burger with $10 toward their lunch orders “as a thank-you for supporting local restaurants,” according to a statement from the city.

El Ganadero Mexican Grille is located at 4208 Division Ave. SE, and Mr. Burger is at 1750 44th St. SE.

Kentwood police Chief Richard Roberts, in the WKTV studios for an interview last week, spoke of the program and it being part of a wider effort by the police and the city to support the residential, workforce and business community.

“We’ve been partnering with some great businesses in our city,” Chief Roberts said to WKTV. “One  of our great partners, Lacks Enterprises, they have so many people who live in our community, work in their manufacturing, they like to give back. And they like to give back though the police department, through a partnership — it is a great way to partner for the community.”

The event was the second in the Police Department’s local business showcase series to “support Kentwood businesses and create positive experiences with the community during these difficult times,” according to the city statement.

“Lacks Enterprises believes you need a lot of different components to make a community a place for people to live and raise their families,” Jim Green, executive director of human resources at Lacks, said to WKTV at one of the pop-up event sites in  December. “But the real backbone of this community is the small businesses. Without that you would not have all the other things that make the community what it is today.”

The series highlights businesses within Kentwood — both those donating to restaurants to create similar pop-up events and the local businesses supported by the donations. Local businesses interested in participating, either by donating or by being possibly involved with the pop-up events, can call Sergeant Tim Wierenga at 616-656-6561.

“We just wanted to give our small businesses a little support,” Sgt. Wierenga said to WKTV at the first pop-up event. “What we’d like to see of this is (to continue) showcasing our business community and showcasing the city that we love. We would love for this to develop into something more. … We’d love to have some more showcase events.”

‘Staycationing’ this Spring Break? Woodland Mall has out-of-the-house events planned

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One of Woodland Mall’s entrances. (Supplied)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

Just in time for Spring Break — and those staycationers looking to get out of the house but staying close to home — Woodland Mall will be open for more hours and offering special events for everyone to safely enjoy time off from school and work.

Starting Monday, April 5, the mall will be returning to pre-pandemic operating hours, Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday noon to 6 p.m., according to an announcement from the mall. And several events are planned including a Small Business Expo and Pokémon Go opportunities.

“For those families who still aren’t comfortable traveling, Woodland Mall is the perfect spring break destination,” Cecily McCabe, Woodland Mall marketing director, said in supplied material. “From shopping to games and other creative opportunities, we are eager to help families enjoy a safe and fun staycation experience.”

Woodland Mall will host a Small Business Expo in its Von Maur wing on Saturday, April 10, from 11 a.m.–7 p.m., where business owners will set up booths to showcase their products and engage with the community. Guests will in turn have the opportunity to learn more about these small businesses and support them.

With the weather warming up, it’s the perfect time to build your own skateboard. Vans and Zumiez have all the gear needed to build a customized board.

Pokémon fans will also be able to collect free stickers and trading cards from GameStop throughout the week. As an added bonus, the mall has two Pokéstops for those playing Pokémon Go.

Families looking for fun can visit the Funshop Arcade located in the Macy’s wing and exploring the games and toys at Toysmark and Barnes & Noble.

And, of course, guests can also “get that beach resort feel without traveling far from home” by getting pampered at Lynny Nails, Tricho Salon or Massage Works.

“Choosing to spend spring break at the mall also benefits the retailers and restaurants and their employees who are still trying to recover from the pandemic,” McCabe said. “Visiting the mall is a great way to give our local economy a boost.”

Even after spring break, guests will continue to see new developments at the mall.

Backstage by Macy’s will celebrate its grand opening as a stand-alone business on the department store’s recently renovated second floor on Saturday, April 17. The shop offers men’s, women’s and children’s clothing, accessories and more at affordable prices. Offering prizes, gift cards and other exciting deals on opening day, shoppers won’t want to miss out on even greater savings.

For more information about Woodland Mall, visit shopwoodlandmall.com.