Veteran-owned small businesses make many positive contributions to local communities and economies.
By WKTV Staff
deborah@wktv.org
Governor Whitmer honors veterans with Veterans Small Business Week in Michigan (Courtesy, Supplied)
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has recognized Oct. 31 – Nov. 3 as Veterans Small Business Week in Michigan. This event is to celebrate the positive contributions made by veteran-owned small businesses to our local communities and economies across Michigan.
“During Veterans Small Business Week, let’s support Michigan’s strong, local veteran-owned small businesses and celebrate the huge impact they have on our economy,” said Gov. Whitmer.
“Michigan’s entrepreneurs and small business owners move our state forward,” Whitmer continued. “Many are owned and operated by Michiganders who served our nation in uniform and continue to make a difference in their community. This week and every week, let’s support our veteran-owned small businesses.”
Reducing barriers for veterans
Gov. Whitmer has signed legislation to reduce barriers to professional licensure. This created an expedited path for veterans and their families to practice their licensed profession in Michigan, easing the pathway to reciprocal licenses through expedited processing and waiving initial license and application fees.
Veteran Marion Gray holds a folded American flag (U.S. Dept. Veterans Affairs)
Veterans who are interested in registering a business in Michigan may also qualify for a waiver of fees for profit corporations, limited liability companies and nonprofit corporations. Learn more here: Veterans Fee Waiver.
“LARA is proud to show appreciation for members of the armed forces and their families by offering initial license/registration and application fee waivers,” said Marlon I. Brown, acting director of the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. “Our department offers several licensing supports for those currently serving and for those service members transitioning from active duty. LARA also counts military training and experiences toward fulfilling the requirements for certain licenses.”
Michigan as a “Startup State” for veterans
West Michigan’s veteran-care facility flies a 30- by 50-foot flag just off Monroe Avenue NE across from Grand Rapids’ Riverside Park. (Courtesy, WKTV/K.D. Norris)
Brian L. Love, director of the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA), said small businesses are the backbone of the Michigan economy and a key part of the state’s “Make it in Michigan” economic development strategy.
“We want Michigan to be the ‘startup state’ by being the best place for veterans to start their own businesses,” Love said. “When veterans return home, they bring with them a unique skillset that is invaluable in the entrepreneurial space.
“The MVAA is here to support veterans as they return home and enter the civilian workforce or start their own small business. We know having meaningful employment saves lives and we are glad small business owners go beyond thanking our vets for their service and recognize their service by hiring them and promoting them.”
The MVAA helps connect veterans with federal, state and local benefits and resources they earned for their service. To learn more, veterans can contact the Michigan Veteran Resource Service Center at 1-800-MICH-VET or visit www.michigan.gov/MVAA.
Business cards features Kent County’s new branding. (Courtesy, Kent County)
Kent County has revealed a new brand, including a primary logo, sub-brand logos for several departments and offices, and a tagline—Your Partner, Your Place—that will serve as a short-hand vision statement for Michigan’s second fastest growing County.
“We set out to align the Kent County brand with the County’s vision, mission and the work we do in and for the communities we serve,” said Kent County Administrator Al Vanderberg. “A brand is really a communications tool. With this new brand, we aim to help residents better understand what County services are available to them and, more importantly, help them take full advantage of the services they pay for with their tax dollars. With one of the fastest growing economies in the United States, nearly eight percent population growth in under 10 years, and the youngest, most diverse and most highly educated population in its history, we wanted to develop a brand as dynamic as the community it represents.”
A Window Into County Life
The new logo features a rectangular frame that reflects the County’s shape and serves as a window into life within the County—a place where people live, work, and visit and the entity that serves those people. The organic wave element is representative of the county’s rivers, streams, rolling agricultural land and green spaces that are so important to the region.
The updated brand also features a fresh, vibrant color palette to allow greater versatility in designing signage, collateral and other branded materials.
While the primary logo will be used organization-wide, several departments and offices with a high level of public engagement—including the Health Department, Animal Shelter, Community Action, Veteran’s Services, Prosecutor’s Office and others—will use unique logos that will serve as important tools to help increase awareness of the vital services they provide. The organization will continue to use the County seal on official documents.
“We’re excited to provide residents a clearer picture of the breadth of services we offer,” said Vanderberg. “This brand is foundational to that understanding.”
Your Partner, Your Place
The new tagline—Your Partner, Your Place—reflects what the branding team learned in the research and serves as an aspirational statement about what Kent County strives to be.
Advertising featuring the country’s new branding. (Courtesy, Kent County)
“First and foremost, people think of—and love—Kent County as a place. It’s home. It’s a place for economic opportunity. And it’s a great place to visit and explore,” said Vanderberg. “But research also told us that when people think of Kent County government, they think of vital services, a responsive staff and a ready partner that both leads and collaborates on transformational change.”
The brand was approved by the Kent County Board of Commissioners on Oct. 27, 2022, following a comprehensive brand development process led by Well Design Studio and Truscott Rossman in collaboration with the County Administration communications team. The process included 17 county department, office and agency meetings; a community survey that drew nearly 4,700 responses; multiple meetings with an internal branding committee and members of the Board of Commissioners; and resident focus group sessions in five communities throughout the County.
“We’re very proud of the process,” said Vanderberg. “It was thorough, thoughtful, professional, and inclusive of staff, elected officials and the community.”
The branding project was initiated in 2019 but was put on hold in early 2020 to allow the County to focus on its pandemic response. It restarted in May 2021. With this launch, branded assets will be rolled out gradually with respect for budget to ensure responsible use of taxpayer dollars.
By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma WKTV Managing Editor joanne@wktv.org
This fall, the residents of the City of Wyoming will decide who will fill two open spots on the Wyoming City Council.
Current Mayor Pro Tem Sam Bolt announced he would not seek re-election to his at-large council seat. Current Council Member-at-Large Kent Vanderwood was elected mayor during the August primaries as he received more than 50 percent of the overall vote.
Three candidates, Robert Arnoys, Renee Hill and Robert Kilgo, are seeking to fill those seats. Also, Sheldon DeKryger is running unopposed for his First Ward seat.
Robert Arnoys
Occupation: A life-long resident of the City of Wyoming, Arnoys is the vice president of treasury management for Lake Michigan Credit Union. Along with having more than 30 years of banking experience, Arnoys has served on a number of community boards and is currently on the City of Wyoming Planning Commission.
Tell us a couple of issues you want to focus on if elected: If elected, Arnoys will focus on public safety, working with officers in providing them the resources needed to keep Wyoming safe. Because of his background in finances, Arnoys plans to help keep Wyoming fiscally responsible. He also will focus on planned development, ensuring the city has a strong master plan that will put the right uses in the right places as well as supporting an environment for small businesses to prosper.
Occupation: Hill has lived in the City of Wyoming for more than 27 years. She is a doctor of physical therapy. She does home care. She also served on the city’s Enrichment Commission.
Tell us a couple of issues you want to focus on if elected: Hill’s main concern is the wise use of citizen’s tax money and is dedicated to making sure every dollar honors the trust of the citizens. She also supports prudent property management and keeping Wyoming residents safe.
Website: There is no website for this candidate.
Robert Kilgo
Occupation: Kilgo moved to the City of Wyoming when he decided to attend Grace Christian University. He now is the assistant to the president of Grace Christian University. He also has served as a mentor to at-risk students in Wyoming.
Tell us a couple of issues you want to focus on if elected: Kilgo believes that the city is in a good position financially and he wants to continue that for the future. He also recognizes the need for a well-funded public safety initiative and safe neighborhoods and is looking to help add to the public safety department and reduce the city’s dependence on its neighbors especially for fire services. He also wants to work on addressing the housing shortage, expand access to city services and focus on maintaining the city’s parks.
Energy costs may offset lower costs in other areas. (pxhere.com)
The West Michigan economy appears to have flattened, but has not yet contracted into a recession, according to the latest monthly survey data released by Grand Valley State University’s Seidman College of Business.
The September survey of purchasing managers conducted by Brian Long, director of supply chain research at GVSU, found steady demand among automotive suppliers offsetting more negative news about orders coming from sectors like the office furniture industry.
“Of our cyclical industries in West Michigan, our automotive parts producers are continuing to stay fairly busy, but not so much so with our office furniture companies and anything related to capital equipment where the markets are starting to soften — not collapse — just soften,” Long said.
Lower commodity prices for goods like metals and plastic resins will take months to find their way into consumer prices, while energy costs could offset lower costs in some areas, he said.
For the survey, released Oct. 10, the sales/new orders index was flat in September after going into negative territory in July and August.
Production levels were also flat, with a majority of survey respondents reporting output being the same as it was in August.
Long said he’s about 80 percent certain the region is sliding into a “shallow recession,” based on the national trends and feedback he hears from inside the region’s industrial employers.
“The confidence situation has clearly worsened the short-term business outlook index for September,” he said. “However, the long-term business outlook, which queries perceptions for the next three to five years, still remains positive, just not nearly as strong as it was six months ago.”
LANSING – Regardless of which candidates win the November election for Michigan’s congressional seats and which party secures control of Congress, two important changes will be visible on Capitol Hill in January with serious implications for the state’s national clout.
First, Michigan’s delegation will shrink by one seat – from 14 to 13 – due to redistricting.
That’s because Michigan’s population stagnated during the past decade while the population of other states grew. In total, seven states are each losing one seat, including neighboring Ohio, with their reallocation to states in the West and South.
That grim reality sets a messy stage for the second major change: the departure of at least three familiar faces.
U.S. House of Representatives: U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, Michigan’s longest-serving representative, will not run for another term.
Redistricting led U.S. Rep. Benda Lawrence, a liberal Democrat from Southfield, to retire rather than seek a fifth term. She’s the only African American in the Michigan delegation and a member of the powerful Appropriations Committee.
“As we have a new redistricting map, a new generation of leaders will step up,” Lawrence said in announcing her decision.
Redistricting also induced U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, the state’s longest-serving member, to withdraw from a contentious primary with fellow U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga of Zeeland. Redistricting put the two conservatives into the same district.
Upton, now in his 18th term, chaired the Energy and Commerce Committee when the GOP controlled the House.
But he faced a steep uphill battle to stay in Congress because of his vote to impeach then-President Donald Trump, who has endorsed Huizenga.
Announcing his retirement on the House floor, Upton said, “Even the best of stories has a last chapter.
“This is it for me. I’ve done the zillions of airline miles back and forth, have signed ‘Fred’ to over a million letters, cast more votes than anyone in this chamber while here and, by most accounts, have succeeded in making a difference accomplishing what I have set out to do with more unfinished work still yet to come.”
In suburban Detroit, liberal U.S. Reps. Haley Stevens of Rochester Hills and Andy Levin of Bloomfield Township are fighting each other in the Aug. 2 Democratic primary. Both chair subcommittees, Stevens in the Science, Space and Technology Committee and Levin in the Foreign Affairs Committee.
Only one will survive the primary.
Bill Ballenger, the publisher of the political newsletter “Ballenger Report” and a former state legislator and Cabinet member, said the changes will make it tougher for Michigan when it comes to federal appropriations, COVID relief and other aid from Washington.
U.S. House of Representatives: U.S. Rep. Brenda Lawrence, D-Southfield, will not seek a fifth term after redistricting.
“It’s got to hurt the state’s ability to leverage influence in the Congress in the state’s direction,” said Ballenger, who once ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. House in a Republican primary.
He said the state’s clout is already much weaker than in the 1990s and early 2000s when the delegation contained long-serving members who chaired powerful committees and subcommittees, U.S. Reps. John Dingell of Trenton, Dale Kildee of Flint and John Conyers Jr. of Detroit.
Upton and Lawrence are far from alone in stepping down. As of April 6, 48 House members had announced they aren’t running again, according to Ballotpedia.org.
The average two-year election cycle sees 71 House members leaving, the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service said in a recent report.
“Members leave for a variety of reasons,” the report said. “Those could include resignation, death or chamber action,” a reference to expulsion for misconduct. The number includes defeated incumbents and ones who opted to seek other offices.
In addition, there’s no guarantee that voters will return all the state’s other incumbents to Washington.
Incumbent Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Detroit and GOP Reps. John Moolenaar of Midland, Peter Meijer of Grand Rapids, Tim Walberg of Tipton and Lisa McClain of Romeo all face primary opponents.
Neither of the state’s Democratic senators, Debbie Stabenow of Lansing or Gary Peters of Bloomfield Township, are up for reelection this year.
Eric Freedman is professor of journalism and former associate dean of International Studies and Programs. During his 20-year newspaper career, he covered public affairs, environmental issues and legal affairs for newspapers in New York and Michigan, winning a Pulitzer Prize for coverage of a legislative corruption scandal. He teaches environmental journalism and serves as director of the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism. He also teaches public affairs reporting, international journalism, feature writing and media law and serves as director of the school’s Capital News Service
While community groups and entertainment venues tentatively plan for a fall with more relaxed COVID-19 related restrictions — with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, in fact, laying out a plan for return to normal focused on a 70 percent vaccination total — most government and health officials agree that vaccination rates will be a key factor.
And as vaccination rates begin to slow, in West Michigan and across the United States, vaccination availability has become more easily available, to more people in more age groups, than ever before.
(WKTV)
“In order to support the state’s goal of herd immunity, we are doing everything possible to ensure Kent County residents have the information and access they need to get vaccinated,” Dr. Adam London, director of the Kent County Health Department, said last week to WKTV. “We have overcome many barriers people have faced when trying to schedule an appointment, including scheduling assistance, providing transportation options and opening community clinics throughout hard to reach areas. As vaccine supply has increased, some of our clinics are able to accommodate walk-ins.”
London stressed that Kent County residents have a one-stop on-line location for vaccination information and scheduling — vaccinatewestmi.com.
State government goals, results and actions
While Michigan’s top governmental leadership and health officials recently established a detailed timeline and plan for easing of restrictions, based on levels of vaccinations, and this week touted progress toward the goal, there is some governmental and citizen opposition.
Gov. Whitmer’s office and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) recently announced that Michigan has administered 7 Million vaccinations and that 50 percent of eligible Michiganders have received at least one dose of the vaccine.
That 50 percent level is significant as last week the governor Whitmer and MDHHS outlined a “Michigan Vaccine to Normal Plan” providing a four-step plan for easing restrictions based on vaccine rates and starting at a then 48.8 percentage level.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, front, last week, discussing a plan for return to normal focused on a 70 percent vaccination total. (Office of the Governor)
“We’ve put shots in arms of 1 in 2 Michiganders 16 and up and over 1 in 3 are fully vaccinated, including 2 in 3 seniors. Our rollout continues to speed up,“ Gov. Whitmer said in an announcement from her office. “As we get closer to achieving our goal of equitably vaccinating 70 percent of Michiganders 16 and up, we have to remember that we are still in this fight against the virus. … The way to put this pandemic behind us, however, is to get vaccinated.”
The announced back-to-normal plan steps are:
Step One: Two weeks after 4.5 million Michiganders, or 55 percent of those eligible, have received their first shot, MDHHS will lift the requirement for employers to require remote work when feasible.
Step Two: Two weeks after 4.9 million Michiganders, or 60 percent of those eligible, have received their first shot MDHHS will increase indoor capacity at sports stadiums and other crowd-focused locations to 25 percent; increase capacity limits at gyms to 50 percent; and lift the curfew on bars and restaurants.
Step Three: Two weeks after 5.3 million Michiganders, or 65 percent of those eligible, have received their first shot MDHHS will lift all indoor capacity limits, only requiring social distancing between parties; and relax the limits on residential social gatherings.
Step Four: Two weeks after 5.67 million Michiganders, or 70 percent of those eligible, have received their first shot MDHHS will lift the gatherings and face masks order and no longer impose mitigation measures of that kind “unless the virus threatens to overwhelm the medical system or some other unanticipated circumstance arises.”
But not all government leaders, including Republican legislative leaders, believe vaccine rates should be the only metric Gov. Whitmer’s administration considers.
In recent media reports, both Michigan House of Representatives Republican Speaker Jason Wentworth and Senate Republican Majority Leader MIke Shirkey expressed concern with the plan, saying they fear inoculation rates may soon “plateau” given growing vaccine hesitancy among some persons.
“What if we don’t ever get to 70” percent, Wentworth reportedly said last week in a virtual roundtable hosted by the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce. “That’s a possibility.”
But the Governor’s plan has gained support from Michigan State Medical Society, and others.
Gov. Whitmer’s plan“lays out the path to returning our economy and much of our daily lives back to pre-pandemic norms, which is what we all want,” Dr. Bobby Mukkamala, president of the Michigan State Medical Society, said in statement, while also noting that “COVID-19 vaccines are safe, effective, and readily available to everyone 16 years and older in Michigan.”
Local actions by health department, medical providers
Last week, the Kent County Health Department announced a change to its quarantine guidelines for people exposed to coronavirus “to align with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).” Effective immediately, the new guidance shortens the quarantine period for exposed people from 14 days to 10 days under certain scenarios.
“The previous 14-day quarantine period was based on the full incubation period of the virus,” according to the announcement. “However, data confirms 90 to 99 percent of COVID-19 infections occur within 10 days of exposure.”
In addition, residents can be released from quarantine after 10-days, without testing, if they conduct daily symptom monitoring through day 10 after the last exposure, and they do not have any symptoms or clinical evidence of COVID-19.
If a potentially exposed individual develops symptoms during the 10-days, they should seek testing and self-isolate while awaiting results. Additionally, a 10-day quarantine period does not apply to persons residing in congregate living settings or who work with individuals in high-risk groups.
“This change will make it easier for individuals to complete their quarantine and still reduce the spread of the virus,” KCHD Medical Director Dr. Nirali Bora said in supplied material. “However, we encourage residents to remain vigilant against the virus and to get vaccinated as soon as possible.”
And a big player in the vaccination program also announced changes. Metro Health — University of Michigan Health, which has vaccinated more than 38,000 people against COVID-19, announced this week that vaccine scheduling is now open to anyone 16 years of age or older.
The COVID-19 vaccination effort is continuing to expand. (U.S. Government).
For more information and to schedule an appointment visit metrohealth.vaccine.mychart.com. Persons can also call 616-252-6161 to schedule a vaccine appointment or with any questions. The telephone line is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday; but they note that “call volume is very heavy” and calls will be answered “as soon as we can.”
Also announced by Metro Health-UM Health is that “As recommended by local, state and federal health agencies,” they have resumed distribution of the single-dose Janssen/Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.
“After investigating reports of blood clots, an independent panel of scientists found the risk to be extremely low and concentrated among women younger than 50 years,” as stated in a Metro Health-UM Health announcement. “As an extra precaution, Metro Health – University of Michigan Health will not distribute this vaccine to women in this age group.”
Rite Aid pharmacies also announced last week that it is administering COVID-19 vaccines on a walk-in basis in all its Michigan stores, and anyone 16 or older is eligible. However, they still recommend scheduling appointments in advance to reduce wait time and guarantee availability of the vaccine.
All three COVID-19 vaccines available in the U.S. — Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson – are being administered at Rite Aid. Individuals 18 and older can schedule appointments online. Those ages 16 and 17 can schedule an appointment with parent or guardian consent at any store administering the Pfizer vaccine by contacting the store’s pharmacy directly. For more information visit riteaid.com/covid-19.
Pandemics, politics and persistent social problems make our communities seem more fractured and polarized than ever. Yet, we must all live together and create communities where people are safe, prosperous and healthy. Kent District Library has partnered with World Affairs Council to present a three-part series focused on Community Resilience. This series tackles the ways we can all work together to create stronger communities, starting right here in Western Michigan.
The Community Resilience series is taking place online. People can attend the series virtually via the World Affairs Council’s YouTube page. Guests will have the ability to send in a question of the speaker-experts during the live presentations. They will also be able to watch them afterwards as archived videos.
Community Resilience: Towards a Newly Vital Midwest
Thursday, April 15, 6:30 p.m. Featuring John Austin, Director of Michigan Economic Center and Nonresident Senior Fellow with Brookings Institution and Chicago Council on Global Affairs.
Wyoming City Planner Nicole Hofert
Community Resilience: Empowered People = Community Resilience
Monday, April 19, 6:30 p.m. Featuring Tarah Carnahan, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Treetops Collective, Willie Patterson III, Director of Community Engagement at LINC Up and Carlos Sanchez, Director of Latino Business and Economic Development Center at Ferris State University.
Community Resilience: Responsive Government = Community Resilience Monday, April 26, 6:30 p.m.
Featuring Nicole Hofert, City Planner for City of Wyoming, Stephen Kepley, Mayor of Kentwood, and Milinda Ysasi, Grand Rapids (2nd Ward) City Commissioner.
The World Affairs Council of Western Michigan empowers the people and organizations of West Michigan to engage thoughtfully with the world. For more information, visit www.worldmichigan.org.
A couple weeks ago, we talked about the general noise ordinance. Did you know that there’s a separate ordinance that addresses music from vehicles? It falls under “disturbing the peace”, and the ordinance divides the day into 7 a.m.-7 p.m. (daytime hours) and 7 p.m.-7 a.m. (nighttime hours).
This week’s Traffic Tuesday question: Fill in the blanks! It is unlawful for any person to disturb the public peace and quiet by operating or allowing a sound system of a vehicle to produce a clearly audible sound at a distance of ___ feet from the vehicle during daytime hours and ___ feet from the vehicle during night time hours.
25 feet, 10 feet
50 feet, 25 feet
75 feet, 40 feet
100 feet, 50 feet
The answer is 2) 50 feet from the vehicle during daytime hours and 25 feet from the vehicle during night time hours.
A couple weeks ago, we talked about the general noise ordinance. Did you know that there’s a separate ordinance that addresses music from vehicles? It falls under “disturbing the peace”, and the ordinance divides the day into 7 a.m.-7 p.m. (daytime hours) and 7 p.m.-7 a.m. (nighttime hours).
This week’s Traffic Tuesday question: Fill in the blanks! It is unlawful for any person to disturb the public peace and quiet by operating or allowing a sound system of a vehicle to produce a clearly audible sound at a distance of ___ feet from the vehicle during daytime hours and ___ feet from the vehicle during night time hours.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announced this week that it is distributing 3.5 million free masks as part of the state’s Mask Up, Mask Right campaign.
The free KN95 masks provided by MDHHS will be distributed by community organizations, including local MDHSS offices, the Kent County Health Department, Kent County Community Action and Area Agency on Aging of West Michigan.
Even before the expected shipments of the state-provided masks are available locally, several local groups such as the county health department already have masks available.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced this week that it is distributing 3.5 million free KN95 masks as part of the state’s Mask Up, Mask Right campaign. (MDHHS)
“We have a limited supply of free surgical type masks available at our main clinic at 700 Fuller NE,” Steve Kelso, spokesperson for the Kent County Health Department, said to WKTV. “If people want those they can simply come to the lobby and they will see a box labeled ‘Mask Up, Mask Right’ and they can remove a box of masks for their household. We expect to receive additional supplies of masks within the next 30 days.”
Kelso also advised people to call 211 to find all Kent County locations where the masks are available, but also stressed that “These are not for businesses to offset their PPE (personal protective equipment) needs. These are for individuals only.”
Some areas of the state will start getting the state masks as early as next week.
“The KN95 masks likely won’t be available until next week,” Bob Wheaton, spokesperson for the MDHHS, said to WKTV. “They are being shipped this week.”
The planned infusion of free masks to the public is part of a continuing effort by the state health department.
“We are urging Michiganders to Mask Up and Mask Right to protect themselves, their loved ones and their communities from COVID-19,” MDHHS director Robert Gordon said in supplied material. “Wearing the right kind of mask is important. Today’s distribution of effective masks will help more Michiganders limit the spread of COVID to save lives and get back to normal sooner.”
Masking right includes wearing one of three options of masks that provide stronger protection: three-layered washable cloth face coverings, three-layered disposable masks or KN95 masks. It also includes wearing the mask correctly: having it secured over the nose and mouth and snugly fitting without gaps.
The MDHHS announcement noted that KN95 masks are similar to but should not be confused with N95 masks that are intended for health care workers who are engaged as part of their work in higher-risk settings.
To find additional state distribution sites for masks, visit at Michigan.gov/MaskUpMichigan or call the COVID-19 hotline at 888-535-6136.
Edgar Mitchell sets up an Apollo lunar surface experiments package made up of a set of scientific instruments placed at the landing site. (NASA/Alan Shepard)
With all the overpowering noise of the recent presidential election cycle, the good and bad news of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the mixed-reaction to Wonder Woman 1984, it was easy to miss the news that our children’s children may well be visiting a “Moon park”, of sorts, in the future.
In a late December, the office of U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Michigan), announced that The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bipartisan bill introduced by Sen. Peters and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) to permanently protect the Apollo landing sites on the moon.
The One Small Step to Protect Human Heritage in Space Act would enact first-of-its-kind legal protections for the Apollo sites by making NASA’s preservation recommendations a requirement for future activities on the Moon. After passing both the house and senate, it was signed by outgoing President Donald Trump on Dec. 31 and is now law.
Apollo 17 mission commander Eugene A. Cernan makes a short checkout of the Lunar Roving Vehicle during the early part of the first Apollo 17 extravehicular activity at the Taurus-Littrow landing site. This view of the lunar rover prior to loadup was taken by Harrison H. Schmitt, Lunar Module pilot. The mountain in the right background is the east end of South Massif. (NASA/
The legislation directs NASA to require future moon activities to follow its preservation recommendations, and honors the over 400,000 scientists, designers, and researchers who contributed to the Apollo programs, including NASA’s “Hidden Figures” like Katherine Johnson — an African American mathematician who worked at NASA for 35 years and calculated the trajectory of the Apollo 11 flight to the moon as well the trajectories for the spaceflights of astronauts John Glenn and Alan Shepard.
“As a former astronaut in the Apollo program, it is fitting that one of humanities’ greatest collective achievements should be preserved for future generations to learn about and be inspired by,” A.W. “Tony” England, an astronaut during the Apollo and Space Shuttle programs and now a professor at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, said in supplied material. The act “will honor Apollo’s invaluable legacy of innovation, collaboration, and determination and preserve it for future generations.”
Congressional support for protections
Sen. Peters has long been an advocate for NASA and America’s space technology programs.
“As a child, I watched the achievements of the Apollo missions with excitement about what is possible when we come together with a common goal,” Sen. Peters said in supplied material. “I was proud to author this bipartisan legislation to preserve for all of humanity the incredible achievements of the Apollo astronauts on the Moon.”
Sen. Peters has also led other efforts in Congress to support American space exploration. In September 2020, Peters’ bipartisan bill to strengthen the nation’s ability to predict and mitigate severe space weather events and mitigate their harmful impacts on Earth wa signed by President Trump. In addition, Peters’ bipartisan bill to help authorize and set priorities for NASA and the nation’s space exploration mission was signed into law in 2017.
One Small Step to Protect Human Heritage in Space Act also had bipartisan support in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“The Apollo landing sites mark one of humanity’s greatest achievements: the first time we were able to do more than look up at the sky, but actually leave our planet and visit another world,” said Rep. Frank Lucas (R-Oklahoma), of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee. “The One Small Step Act maintains these historic sites while encouraging the spirit of exploration that got us to the Moon. I’m proud to sponsor this bill to honor our historical achievements, and I look forward to the time when we can return humans to the Moon and continue the mission of discovery and learning that the Apollo astronauts began.”
International support for protections
Sen. Peters and the other bill authors worked closely with NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, who negotiated similar provision in the Artemis Accords and expressed his support for protecting the historic lunar sites in a 2019 Senate hearing, just before the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing.
Lunar module pilot James Irwin works at the Lunar Roving Vehicle during the first Apollo 15 lunar surface extravehicular activity at the Hadley-Apennine landing site. The shadow of the Lunar Module “Falcon” is in the foreground. This view is looking northeast, with Mount Hadley in the background. This photograph was taken by mission commander David Scott. (NASA)
According to the NASA website, NASA’s Artemis program has a goal to land the first woman and the next man on the Moon by 2024, “heralding in a new era for space exploration and utilization.” While NASA is leading the Artemis program, international partnerships formalized with the Artemis Accords “will play a key role in achieving a sustainable and robust presence on the Moon while preparing to conduct a historic human mission to Mars.
“With numerous countries and private sector players conducting missions and operations in cislunar space, it’s critical to establish a common set of principles to govern the civil exploration and use of outer space,” NASA states.
The Artemis Accords will “describe a shared vision for principles,” grounded in the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, to create a safe and transparent environment which facilitates exploration, science, and commercial activities for all of humanity to enjoy.
“As we go forward to the Moon with the Artemis Program, NASA has been clear that we must do so sustainably,” said Bridenstine in supplied material. “As part of the Artemis Accords agreements signed with partner nations, NASA has emphasized that protecting historically significant sites is critical, and I applaud the leaders of this legislation for their commitment to ensuring that future lunar science and exploration is done in a safe and transparent manner.”
The nations that have signed the Artemis Accords include, in alphabetical order, Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States of America. Noticeably absent in the initial list of signatories are Israel, Russia, China and India — all with working space programs.
Among the principles of the Artemis Accords are focusing on peaceful exploration, conducting activities in a transparent fashion to avoid confusion and conflicts, rendering assistance to personnel in distress, public release of scientific information, extracting and utilizing space resources in safe and sustainable exploration, planning for the safe disposal of debris.
“Fundamentally, the Artemis Accords will help to avoid conflict in space and on Earth by strengthening mutual understanding and reducing misperceptions,” Mike Gold, NASA acting associate administrator for international and interagency relations, said in supplied material. “Transparency, public registration, deconflicting operations – these are the principles that will preserve peace … The Artemis journey is to the Moon, but the destination of the Accords is a peaceful and prosperous future.”
On April 24, Governor Gretchen Whitmer extended the Michigan stay-at-home order. Within that order, Whitmer did relax the rules in regards to certain businesses and recreational activities. Below is a list of recreational activities in the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming that may be open under this new executive order. Call or check the business’s website to confirm if the business is open and its hours of operation before heading out.
According to the order, residents are encouraged to stay at home and only go out as needed. Those who do go out should abide by social distancing guidelines, such as six feet between people, and all residents must wear a mask when out in public.
