Mayor Jack Poll hinted at it in his Feb. 7 State of the City address and today, Franklin Partners LLC made it official: Site 36 has been sold.
Franklin Partners, which is based in Grand Rapids and Oak Brook, Ill, has purchased a large portion of the site, 74 of the approximate 92 acres, from the City of Wyoming. The purchase became official at the end of February.
“Wyoming thriving business community continues to grow as well,” Poll said in his Feb. 7 address. “Nicole Hofert, director of planning and economic development has lead serval exciting initiatives.”
One of those initiatives has been the sale of Site 36, located at 300 36th St. SW, just east of Clay Avenue on 36th Street with an eastern border of Buchanan Avenue. The property has been vacant since 2009, when General Motors closed its stamping plant.
“The developer hopes to be announcing businesses that will be coming to Wyoming in the coming weeks,” Poll said.
City staff indicated the city has retained the northern portion of the site which includes the former parking lot which is separated from the main property by 36th Street. This is where Godwin Heights Public Schools recently added its new athletic entrance which was completed last year.
Franklin Partners, which has been the main marketer for the property, said in a news release that the firm is looking to build manufacturing plants on the site, ranging in size from 150,000 square feet to more than one million square feet. City officials stated that the site will be broken into four or five parcels for development.
The former GM plant, which started as the GM Fisher Body stamping plant, also known in its early days as Plant No. 1, was built in 1936 on the former site and helped to push the construction of much of the city’s infrastructure. At one point, more than 2,000 people were employed at the plant. After 72 years of operation, GM decided to close the plant in 2009 citing the plant was too far away from GM assembly plants, driving up shipping and related costs.
The site was cleared of the two-million-square-foot plant a few years after the plant closing, but much of the infrastructure was retained including onsite utilities and the railway. The proximity of the site to US 131 is another added bonus.
“The day has been a long time coming, and we appreciate the confidence and faith Don (Shoemaker) and his team Franklin Partners have shown in Wyoming, in manufacturing and in our greater West Michigan community,” Wyoming City Manager Curtis Hold said in a statement. “We have long recognized what a jewel this property is – and what tremendous potential it has to attract manufacturers looking for a place to expand or consolidate operations.”
For Abby Lininger, remaining true to herself has been the key in being successful. (Supplied)
By Sheila McGrath WKTV Contributing Writer
When you’re a woman working in a male-dominated field, it helps to have a strong sense of self.
After practicing as a financial advisor for more than a decade, Abby Lininger has definitely acquired one. But it wasn’t something that happened overnight.
“It wasn’t a short journey,” she said.
Lininger, 34, runs the Drake Financial Group office at 2034 84th St. SW in Byron Center. She helps young people open their first investment accounts, manages accounts for retirees, and meets with clients of all ages who seek her help getting their financial lives in order.
Although she believes things are changing for the better, the world of finance is still a man’s world, Lininger says. Even in 2022, men are often the financial decision-makers in a family. And when it comes to seeking help from a financial advisor, they’re likely to look to another man for advice.
According to the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc., women make up about 23 percent of financial advisors in the U.S.
Abby Lininger with her family. (Supplied)
But there are still a lot of clients out there for someone who doesn’t quite fit the traditional mold, she said. She loves the opportunity to serve a different clientele, whether it’s single, professional women, or young couples who got the brush-off from another advisor because they didn’t have a big enough bank account.
“I don’t look like most advisors you might have met before, but I’m OK with that. I don’t need everybody to be my client. I am looking for people who don’t want that stereotypical financial advisor,” she said.
Lininger graduated from Hope College in 2009 after studying international relations and Spanish. Although her father was a financial advisor, she didn’t see herself going into the same field.
But with the Great Recession making it hard for new graduates to find jobs in 2009, she decided to go to work for her father’s business after all. Her father, Mark Drake, started Drake Financial Group in Portage, where Lininger grew up.
As a new college grad who was also a woman in a male-dominated field, she struggled to gain credibility at first, she said. It’s a field where there’s a lot for anyone to learn – male or female. But she was also very aware of not looking the part of a typical financial advisor. She didn’t wear suits. She didn’t have straight hair. She jokes that she didn’t even sound like a financial advisor. People on the phone would ask her “How old are you?”
She made it through the early years by consulting with others in her office who had more experience, and always continuing to learn. And in time she learned to leverage her laid-back style into a strength. When she’s dealing with clients, she likes to be casual and relatable, using plain language to describe complex topics.
“I think the biggest thing was the realization that I don’t have to be someone else to be successful,” she said.
Lininger graduated from Hope College in 2009 and then joined her father’s business, Drake Financial Group. (Supplied)
She said that she does think things are changing. More women are taking charge of their own financial lives, and she thinks that she definitely has more female peers than her father did when he was starting his career.
Lininger opened the satellite office of Drake Financial Group in Byron Center in 2014 after she and her husband, Brad, moved to the area from Portage. Opening her own office has helped her pave her own path and establish her own credibility, apart from her father’s, she said.
“I’m here creating my own reputation, and I think that is a beautiful thing,” she said.
From left, Dan Verhil and West Michigan Tourist Association CEO/executive Dan Sippel. (Supplied)
When Dan Sippel would visit Dan Verhil at the One Trick Pony, he would make a point about asking about an old blue, yellow, and white West Michigan Tourist Association sign.
“He would always ask me when I was going to give it back,” said Verhil about Sippel, the CEO/executive director for the West Michigan Tourist Association (WMTA), who admitted that he figured one day he would return the 1930s sign to the the organization.
After more than 40 years in the restaurant business, as owner of the Cottage Park and One Trick Pony, Verhil decided to retire in 2021, and upon his retirement, returned the 1930s sign back to the tourism advocacy group.
A precursor to Travel Michigan and the Pure Michigan campaigns, WMTA has worked to support local businesses since the start of the organization in 1917.
Signs like the 1930s one were distributed to participating businesses to be displayed so travelers would know it as a trusted travel destination. (Supplied)
“At that time, there was a meeting with various counties in the region that were interested in highlighting or boosting tourism for the area,” said WMTA Marketing Manager Erin Murphy. “They wanted to make the state and Western Michigan aware of what was in the area and it became the model for campaigns that came afterwards.”
Signs like the 1930s one were distributed to participating businesses to be displayed so travelers would know it as a trusted travel destination. Murphy noted, it was similar to the digital TripAdvisor badges that tourists rely on today.
In fact, the WMTA’s offices were located in the building that currently houses the One Trick Pony, 136 Fulton St. Before purchasing the Cottage Bar, Verhil worked at that office for about a year, he said.
Located at 18 LaGrave SE, the Cottage Bar has been around since 1927, originally opened by Peter Varano and Earl and Marie Coons. Dan’s father, John, had purchased the establishment and ran Grand Rapids’ oldest continuously operating restaurant until 1980.
Verhil took over in 1980 and around that time, had the opportunity to purchase the building next door, which was the former WMTA offices.
“So I went from working for them to becoming their landlord,” Verhil said.
WMTA continued operating out of the Fulton Street location until 1995. The organization now has offices located on Kenmoor Avenue. The WMTA move allowed Verhil the opportunity to open his second restaurant, the One Trick Pony, in 1996.
“I was deconstructing the upstairs one day and I came across the sign,” Verhil said. “I thought it was cool and decided to hang it in the restaurant.”
That is where the sign hung for about the next 30 years. During that time period, Verhil’s restaurants were WMTA members, so the sign continued its purpose of designating to travelers that it was “a trusted travel destination” as well as serving as a connector between the WMTA and Verhil.
In 2021, Verhil announced that he had sold the restaurants to Jaswinder “Jassi” Dhami, who owns the Palace of India next door to One Trick Pony. When Verhil left, he took the sign with him and this past October presented it back to WMTA.
“We had previous signs from the 1920s, the 1940s, and the 1950s,” Murphy said. “So it was really great to be able to add this sign to that collection.
We are just really grateful to have the sign and be able to hold that piece of history once more.”
Murphy noted that the signs are currently in a collection housed at the WMTA’s office. There currently are no plans to display the signs.
“It’s fantastic if you inherit an annuity, but you need to understand the tax implications and how to make them more favorable.” – Dave Stanley
You cannot escape taxes if you inherit an annuity. Fortunately, though, understanding how inherited annuities are taxed can help you avoid paying more in tax than necessary. Your beneficiary status and how the payouts are structured determine tax liability for inherited annuities. You can do a few things to ease that tax burden and perhaps defer payment.
For instance, if you are a surviving spouse inheriting an annuity, you have a few options. You can choose to pay taxes on all the money right now or exercise what is called the “spousal continuation provision.” The spousal continuation provision is a tax strategy you use to avoid paying taxes now. You could also spread your tax payments over time by opting for non-qualified stretch payments based on your life expectancy. All of these options have their pros and cons, and you should always involve your financial or tax advisor in the decision process.
If you are a non-spousal beneficiary who inherits an annuity, the rules work a bit differently. Still, there are ways to help minimize your tax bill. For example, you could use what’s called a bonus annuity to help mitigate your tax burden or choose periodic payments. These types of annuities provide bonus money to incentivize you to purchase them.
You can also use other techniques if you have access to a tax planner. Your planner may recommend what’s known as a “1035 exchange,” in which you exchange an inherited annuity for a different annuity that is similar but could provide better benefits. The main reason you would even consider doing a 1035 is if a newer annuity offers you better benefits or more favorable terms. The main thing to remember with a 1035 exchange is that you can’t swap a qualified annuity for a non-qualified annuity to avoid paying taxes.
If you inherited the deceased annuitant’s IRA andthe annuity, you might be able to roll the inherited annuity into a personal IRA in your name. The roll-over option is only available to those who inherit both the IRA and annuity. If you could do a roll-over, you would have to follow the inherited IRA tax rules.
Qualified versus non-qualified annuities.
If you want to understand how an inherited annuity is taxed, two terms that are critical to grasp are “qualified” annuities and “non-qualified” annuities. An annuity is qualified if you purchase it with pre-tax dollars via a tax-advantaged account such as an IRA or 401k.
The IRS treats distributions paid to an annuitant from qualified annuities as taxable income in the year they are received. Qualified annuities are also required to follow required minimum distribution rules. Any withdrawals before age 59 ½ may be subject to the 10% early withdrawal penalty.
Non-qualified annuities arefunded with after-tax dollars in a fashion similar to a Roth IRA. There’s a caveat, though. Although contributions to a non-qualified annuity are not taxable, growth and earnings on the initial investment are tax-deferred. Tax-deferred means you will pay ordinary income tax on the earnings portions of your distributions. However, there are no RMD issues, and you won’t have that 10% early withdrawal penalty.
Summing it up: An inherited annuity can be a welcome windfall or a potential liability. If you inherit an annuity, be sure you find an expert who can help you navigate the rules and suggest ways to avoid paying more in taxes than you must. The key is in understanding how the IRS treats specific kinds of beneficiaries and annuities.
Dave Stanley is the host of Safe Money Radio WOOD1300 AM, 106.9 FM and a Financial Advisor and Writer at Integrity Financial Service, LLC, Grandville, MI 49418, Telephone 616-719-1979 or Register for Dave’s FREE Newsletter at 888-998-3463 or click this link: Dave Stanley Newsletter – Annuity.comDave is a member of Syndicated Columnists, a national organization committed to a fully transparent approach to money management
Kent County Land for planned Sustainable Business Park, aerial shot that includes the property adjacent to the landfill, with the landfill in the background. (Kent County)
Kent County has announced that a Project Development Agreement has been approved for an “anchor tenant” at the county’s planned Sustainable Business Park in Kent County’s Byron Township, southeast of Byron Center, with the Department of Public Works set to “work with” Continuus Materials and Anaergia on “developing landfill alternative” businesses.
According to a Monday, March 7, statement, late last week the Kent County Board of Public Works approved a Project Development Agreement (PDA) with Kent County Bioenergy Facility, a joint venture between Continuus Materials and Anaergia, and the agreement is now fully executed.
The two companies partnered on a response to a Request for Proposals from Kent County for an “anchor tenant” at the Sustainable Business Park which is planned for 250 acres adjacent to the South Kent Landfill in Byron Township.
Dar Baas, director of the Kent County Department of Public Works, (center in yellow vest) discusses the proposed Kent County Sustainable Business Park in Byron Center with Liesl Eichler Clark, director of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, (Center in orange vest) on a tour in October 2021. (Kent County)
According to the announcement, the PDA is the next step in developing a “multi-faceted mixed waste processing facility capable of handling 430,000 tons of municipal solid waste and recyclables each year to produce renewable natural gas, fertilizer, and recyclable commodities.”
Anaergia has a “proven track record” on four continents of turning organic waste into renewable natural gas and fertilizer using high efficiency anaerobic digestion, according to the announcement. Continuus Materials will produce a roof coverboard material, called Everboard, on site from low value plastics and paper. The plan calls for other recycling and waste processing companies to locate around the anchor tenant at the future Sustainable Business Park.
“We are excited to take the next step in a public-private partnership to help us achieve our goal of diverting 90 percent of trash from the South Kent Landfill by 2030,” Emily Brieve, chair of the Kent County Board of Public Works, said in supplied material/ “Approving the PDA is the culmination of several years of evaluation and due- diligence to find the right company that was a good fit for our community with proven technology. Now the real work begins to nail down costs, schedules and site plans.”
The PDA will guide the DPW and Kent County Bioenergy Facility over the next 18 to 36 months until the project can be fully contracted and financed. If all goes as planned, the facility could be up and running in about three years. The PDA process will also include “continued stakeholder involvement” in the project and to develop supporting policy.
The plan currently calls for Kent County to make a $70 million investment through a bond that would be repaid by tipping fees and shared revenue from materials produced at the park.
Realtor Sam Wilson added a large roof and benches to his Wyoming Park office for the comfort of local residents (and potential buyers) waiting for the next interurban car. (Wyoming Historical Commission)
Recently, Grand Valley State University commemorated remnants of the interurban railway tracks on its downtown campus, rails that once connected to a station in the City of Wyoming that served as a key connector for those wishing to travel to the lakeshore or Kalamazoo.
Started in 1901, the electric transportation system, called the Grand Rapids, Holland, and Chicago Railway, started with a line to Holland and in the following year, 1902, added a Muskegon line. Delayed by politics, the line to Kalamazoo was completed in 1915 by the Michigan Railway Company. Passengers of the interurban could make the decision of if they were heading west or south at a station near Lee Street and Grandville Avenue (now Chicago Drive), located in the City of Wyoming.
“It was located by the old Kelvinator building,” said David Britten, who is with the Wyoming Historical Commission. This made sense since the home appliance manufacturer would open its doors in 1914 with the interurban providing an easy way for residents to get to the plant for work.
There were several stops in the City of Wyoming. If you took the route toward Holland, the interurban would stop at Beverly Hills, Wyoming Park, and Elmbrook neighborhoods. Businessmen took advantage of those route stops to promote bungalow-style homes, spurring growth within the City of Wyoming. Take the interurban to Kalamazoo, which ran along side Divisions Avenue, and it would stop on 50th Avenue in the Kelloggsville neighborhood and 54th Street before heading on to Cutlerville as the train made its way to Kalamazoo. Today Consumer’s Energy power lines follow the old Kalamazoo route.
An ad for the Elmbrook community located between Porter and 28th Street west Byron Center Avenue. (The Street Railways of Grand Rapids by Carl Bajema and Tom maas)
Britten said you can see the interurban route through a Google map overview, but that little remains of the actual tracks.
“In many places, they just paved right over the tracks,” he said, adding the tracks would have run behind the current Godfrey-Lee athletic fields. Some years ago, owners of the property dug up the remaining tracks and pieces, which Britten said he did salvage a few items.
But the tracks contained within a brick inlay on the Mount Vernon pedestrian pathway on GVSU’s Pew Grand Rapids Campus, are more than likely the last stretch of any interurban tracks in West Michigan, according to a GVSU historian.
The exhibit placed above the tracks uses images and text to explain the interurban system and its impact on the region. The piece also gives related historical context for the time, such as how the Grand River was a “working waterfront.” According to Britten, the interurban would travel across the now cement bridge that is a pedestrian crossing for residents to and from the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. From there it would make its way south along Grandville Avenue, passing through the car holding area that is now where Grand Valley State University’s downtown campus is located.
At the heart of the commemorative project is a core narrative that is important to the community, said Nathan Kemler, GVSU director of Galleries and Collections, who helped lead the effort to create and install the piece.
The remaining interurban track is contained within a brick inlay on the Mount Vernon pedestrian pathway on the Grand Valley State University’s Pew Grand Rapids Campus. (GVSU)
“One reason this project is so impactful is that it was an early sustainable transportation method that was rooted in equity,” said Kemler of the themes captured in the exhibit that is part of the GVSU Art Gallery. “Anybody could ride the Interurban, and it would take you into the city or outside of it to Lake Michigan, Lake Macatawa, or farms.”
Kemler noted that someone could take the Interurban from Grand Rapids to Lake Michigan, then board a steam ship for Chicago, and it was all done through electric power.
Learning about the prevalence of such green technology long ago is eye-opening for students, said Matthew Daley, GVSU professor of history, who was the key researcher on the project.
“Students are stunned that there was this huge integrated network of electric freight and passenger service that then tied into a citywide network of street cars,” Daley said. “You could take an interurban that produced no soot, no dirt, and at some point on West Michigan lines reach over 70 mph.”
In fact, reporters who road the Kalamazoo route noted that the train could cover 47 miles between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo in 44 minutes, according to the book “The Street Railways of Grand Rapids,” by Carl Bajema and Tom Mass.
“It ran really well until Americans discovered in the 1920s that they liked cars,” Daley said.
A GVSU employee puts the finishing touches on the outdoor exhibit about the interurban which is now located at Grand Valley State University’s downtown Pew Campus. (GVSU)
The paving of roads would help to establish the American car industry. By 1926, the Grand Rapids, Holland and Chicago Railway was sold at auction. Britten noted that in 1927, the United Suburban Railway was organized to restore car service from Jenison to Grand Rapids.
“It was called the shortest track with the most stockholders,” Britten said with a laugh. The seven miles of track had 700 stockholders. The United Suburban Railway would last until about 1932.
Daley and Kemler both said the story of the interurban gives important insight into fleeting economic conditions, how people come together, the environmental impact on the Grand River and how the community has evolved.
“This is about the changing landscape of Grand Rapids itself and understanding this location before the Grand Valley campus was here and before downtown was revitalized,” Kemler said.
There are no markers in Wyoming of the former interurban, which Britten said it would be nice if a marker was placed. There is only a small portion of the interurban that is part of the walking/bike trail Oxford Trail, which is in Grand Rapids. The Oxford Trail does cross over the old swing bridge the interurban once used, according to Britten.
It was only 8:30 a.m. and customers already were lined up outside the new B2 location at Rogers Plaza on the chilly morning of Thursday, Feb. 24.
Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber President Keith Morgan (right) presents B2 co-owner Duane Smith a recognition certificate before the ribbon cutting ceremony for the store’s new Wyoming location. (WKTV)
The outlet store recently moved from a few spots down from 968 to 962, the former OfficeMax location. The space is three times more than its former location allowing the store to add furniture to the Wyoming location.
“This was something that we would not be able to have had in the old location,” said Rebecca Smith, who is the marketing and public relations manager for the B2 Outlet Stores.
Started in 2014, the B2 stores are designed around the concept of providing good deals to its customers while giving back to the community, said Duane Smith who along with his son Matt are co-owners of the stores.
“Hence the name B2,” Smith said. “It is to provide a benefit to customers while benefiting the community as well.”
Each B2 store partners with a local charitable organization. The Wyoming store has partnered with Lifeline Church. The stores also host a Mission of the Month program for nonprofit organizations that are aiming to help their communities locally and internationally. During a specific month that local organization is featured guests are asked if they would like to round up their purchase to support the organization.
B2 has donated back $1.25 million to local and global causes since 2014, helping more than 250 local organizations.
Shoppers finally get their chance to check out the new B2 Outlet Wyoming store. (WKTV)
There are now 23 B2 Outlet stores in Michigan and one in Illinois. The store sells clothing, home decor, gifts, food, toys, tools, household items, linens and pillows, cleaning supplies, back-to-school supplies, recreation goods, and seasonal items.
What’s going on this weekend? What are you going to do?
I say it’s a great weekend to go on a hike, maybe see the ballet, enjoy mouthwatering Poutine or sip on 700-plus Michigan craft beers.
You’ll find all the details, and more, in my Top 5 list, exclusively on WKTV Journal.
Here we go.
Gonzo’s Top 5
Logan’s L.A. Veggie Poutine: Sidewinder fries topped with a garlic parmesan gravy, flash fried Brussel sprouts, spinach, mushrooms, red peppers and jalapeño cheese bites. (Photo by John D. Gonzalez)
Our friends at the Grand Rapids Asian-Pacific Foundation are raising funds for their summer festival with this weekend’s Noodle Fest competition from noon-5 p.m. Saturday (Feb. 26) at Sixth Street Park. This is part of Downtown GR’s World of Winter. Each bowl is $5 each, and you help decide the winner by voting for the best dish.
– Lao Lahanam Association: Thai River Boat Noodle / Clear pork broth with rice noodles (*Gluten Free)
Sixth Street Park located at 647 Monroe Ave NW. Check out the Facebook Event Page for more info.
3. Luminary Walk
On this special luminary walk, you can explore Kentwood’s Stanaback Park, which has been transformed into a half-mile pathway lit up with luminaries decorated by community members. This event is free and open to anyone to participate. Dress for cold weather. Hours are 5:30-7:30 p.m. Friday (Feb. 25). Stanaback Park is located at 3717 Whitebud Dr. SE. More info at kentwood.us.
The Grand Rapids Ballet starts the celebration of its 50th celebration with the production of “Cinderella.” (Photo by Blaine Truitt Covert)
2. Grand Rapids Ballet presents Cinderella
The Grand Rapids Ballet Company kicks off its 50th Anniversary with performances Feb. 25-27 at DeVos Performance Hall. Fans of all ages will recognize the classic fairytale “Cinderella,” which has been choreographed by renowned choreographer Ben Stevenson. The Grand Rapids Symphony performs Sergei Prokofiev’s melodic score, as the audience watches Cinderella’s story unfold. Tickets and showtimes at www.grballet.com.
If you’re a craft beer fan, count your blessings that you live in Beer City USA! With nearly 120 breweries tapping 707 unique beers in 92 styles, this weekend’s Winter Beer Festival – presented by the Michigan’s Brewers Guild – at LMCU Ballpark is the place to be. A few tickets remain. Doors open at 1 p.m. (noon for enthusiasts) on Saturday (Feb. 26) and includes beer samples, fun and good times. Tickets are $55 per person; attendees must be 21 or older with valid ID. Get tickets at mibeer.com. For the current list of breweries and beers go to https://beerlist.num1pirate.com/2022gr/
That’s it for now.
As always, I welcome your input and recommendations for events to include in my Top 5 list. If you have something for me to consider, just send me an email at michigangonzo@gmail.com.
Have a great, safe weekend.
John D. Gonzalez is a digital journalist with 30-plus years of experience as a food, travel, craft beer and arts & entertainment reporter based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also co-hosts the radio show and Podcast “Behind the Mitten,” which airs at 6 p.m. Sundays on WOOD-AM and FM. Follow him on his journey to discover what’s next. You can find him on Twitter as @MichiganGonzo, on Instagram @MichiganGonzo and Facebook at @GRGonzo. He also relaunched his YouTube Channel. Email him story ideas and tips at michigangonzo@gmail.com.
Anyone who meets Dave Custer will probably eventually hear the story of faced with his father’s story closing, he was able to support the tuition at the then Grand Rapids Junior College.
“Grand Rapids Junior College had lower tuition and allowed me to stay at home and helped me get a start on a college degree,” he said in article from the Grand Rapids Community College. “And having that degree allowed for better opportunities of employment, which molded by career.”
Because of the difference that GRCC had made in the CEO and founder of Custer Inc., Custer and his wife, Karen, have dedicated their time and abilities to ensure current GRCC students get the same opportunities that he had.
This month, the couple is being recognized for their service to the the Greater Grand Rapids community as this year’s Frederik Meijer Service Above Self Award presented by the Rotary Club of Grand Rapids.
“We are pleased and excited to honor the Custers as the 2022 Frederik Meijer Service Above Self Award winners for their contributions to our community,” said Meijer, Inc. Executive Chairman Hank Meijer, who is the son of Fred Meijer. “Dave and Karen’s generous and gracious spirts embodies the true meaning of this award.”
The Custers have been involved in a number of organizations such as the WMU Foundation, Chairman of GRCC Foundation, Hope on the Hill Foundation, Clark Retirement Community Capital Campaign Chair and Board Trustee. Dave Custer is a member and past president of the Rotary Club of Grand Rapids, member and past chairman of the Grand Rapids Economic Club, member and past president of Cascade Hills Country Club and director at Irwin Seating.
“We are honored to receive an award that bears the name of Fred Meijer and believe that you should do all you can for others when you can and while you can,” Dave Custer said. “We are humbled by this recognition which is truly an honor to us.”
The Custers join City of Wyoming’s Marge Wilson, owner of Marge’s Donut Den, along with several others who have received the Frederik Meijer Service Above Self Award.
The Rotary Club of Grand Rapids will honor the Custers at the Frederik Meijer Service Above Self Award Celebration May 10 at 6 p.m. at The Cultural Center, 2250 E. Paris Ave. SE. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Rotary Club of Grand Rapids Charities Foundation. Tickets are on sale at grrotary.org or by calling 616-429-5640.
No one taught Dondrea Brown about money as a kid, and the last thing anyone around his kitchen table wanted to mention was the rising pile of bills. Growing up in a single-parent household, he admired how his mother juggled multiple jobs and raised his five siblings.
As Brown learned about money management later in life, he kept hearing people say, “I wish kids knew about this stuff, too.” While studying education at Kent State University in Ohio, he drew upon his experience of overcoming economic hardship to develop a financial literacy curriculum geared toward an audience between ten- to seventeen-years-old.
Dondrea Brown talks to a group of students in his Young Money Finances program. (Supplied)
This curriculum now forms the basis of Young Money Finances, a nonprofit providing financial education to more than 2,000 participants across West Michigan. The fast-growing organization has garnered media attention and significant sponsorship dollars for its innovative approach to removing obstacles to financial security for young people. Because of his work in teaching financial literacy, Brown, along with Henry Sapp from of Better Wiser Stronger and Cole Williams of the Delta Project, was recently invited to help launch the new collaborative initiative We Matter Now, which is designed to help guide and provide role models for young black and brown men.
“I want this to be the last generation to start from scratch,” Brown said. “My goal is to teach the next generation how to have increased control and awareness of their financial journey, not this perpetuated cycle of ‘oh, we didn’t know.'”
For many young people, the balancing act of caring for family members, finding a job, and keeping up with schools feels overwhelming. Those who lack a support network rely on misleading information from social media, seek instant gratification, and wind up in debt.
At Young Money Finances, participants learn how to address this balancing act by completing one or all three program paths: money management, investment, and entrepreneurship. After completing at least one of the paths, they can meet with a money mentor to discuss real-world spending and saving decisions and practice using the budgeting planner and flashcards in their money manager kits.
Even when sessions dive deep into complicated topics like the stock market, the team at Young Money Finances never forget to have a good time. Sessions use “fun police,” who remind instructors to use games and culturally relevant examples such as online sneaker sales when explaining complex concepts.
For some participants, the lessons delivered during these sessions have been life-changing. Quavon Hallman, a music enthusiast who spends his free time DJing and running sound for New City Kids and his local church, learned how to use a budget app and track travel expenses.
For some participants, the lessons delivered during these sessions have been life-changing. Quavon Hallman, a music enthusiast who spends his free time DJing and running sound for New City Kids and his local church, learned how to use a budget app and track travel expenses.
“I was broke, but I saved up $10,000 and bought my first car,” Hallman said. “I learned the difference between getting rich quickly and building wealth.”
Another program graduate, Thailin Johnson, found a simulation focused on building on a starting point of $500 in the bank and cutting frivolous spending habits to be helpful. The exercise taught Johnson the importance of making incremental progress toward achieving his life’s ambitions, including attending college to study sociology or international relations, leading community service projects, and traveling to foreign countries like Ghana and Israel.
“Pay attention and take ownership of your money,” Johnson said. “The training taught me how to break the cycle of the poverty mindset. Young people’s money matters.”
After class, Dondrea Brown sits down with a student to review the matierals. (Supplied)
Reginald Haynes, an athlete who enjoys basketball, football, and wrestling, developed an interest in videography during his time in the program. He records special events for Young Money Finances, with a highlight being a basketball game hosted in partnership with the NAACP.
“I want to help pay off my mom’s house and just provide relief,” Haynes said.
Hallman, Johnson, and Haynes represent the fulfillment of one of Young Money Finances’ goals to help program graduates find employment. Each of these individuals will receive internship credit for assisting with workshop presentations, curriculum development, and social media.
The rapid expansion of Young Money Finances excites Brown, who hopes to purchase a bus for field trips and a building with simulated stock market walls and bank teller stations.
The organization applied for and received grants from Heart of West Michigan United Way, the Grand Rapids Community Foundation, Huntington Bank, and Edward Jones. It also established partnerships with local universities, nonprofit organizations, and the Grand Rapids Public School system.
To learn more about Young Money Finances, visit the organization’s website or Facebook page.
The recently released bobblehead of Gerald R. Ford is the second one to feature the 38th president. (Supplied)
He has an elementary school, amphitheater, post office, gardens, airport and numerous roadways named after him and now Grand Rapids’ favorite son, Gerald R. Ford, has his likeness on a bobblehead.
Actually, the newly release bobblehead in honor of Presidents’ Day is not the first time the 38th President of the United States has been memorialized on a bobblehead, but it is the first time a complete series of United States presidential bobbleheads have been released. Milwaukee’s National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum — think Madame Trussauds’ wax figures only in bobbleheads — released the series today, the day designated to celebrate the U.S. Office of the President.
“We’re excited to release this complete collection of bobbleheads featuring all 46 U.S. Presidents to celebrate Presidents’ Day,” said Phil Sklar, CEO and co-founder of the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum. “Each president played an important part in our country’s history, and we think people will enjoy this new series of presidential bobbleheads.”
Presidents’ Day started in 1879 by an Act of Congress to honor the nation’s first president, George Washington, whose birthday in the Gregorian calendar is on Feb. 22. (Washington was born on Feb. 11 under the Julian calendar which because it did not account for leap days, was about 11 days behind the Gregorian calendar, the calendar that had been adopted by the countries tied to the Catholic church. In 1752, the British Empire switched to the Gregorian calendar.)
Miwaukee’s National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum released the first complete set of presidential bobbleheads. (Supplied)
There was a movement in 1951, to have a “Presidents’ Day.” It wasn’t until 1971 that the official holiday was shifted to the third Monday in February under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which was a move to shift many federal holidays to a three-day weekend. The act also combined the birthdays of Washington and Abraham Lincoln, who was born on Feb. 12, into a single holiday that honored all of the U.S. Presidents.
This change took effect with an executive order from the President Richard Nixon whose vice president at the time was Spiro Agnew. In 1973, Agnew resigned with Nixon choosing Ford as his new vice president. As Ford and his wife Betty prepared to move to the new vice president’s residence, Ford received a call to be ready to become the next U.S. President, which he did on Aug. 9, 1974.
Ford is the only person to serve as U.S. president without ever having been elected to the office. He would lose his bid for reelection to Jimmy Carter in 1976.
Today, Ford’s museum is in Grand Rapids, his childhood home, and his library is in Ann Arbor, where he attended the University of Michigan. Over the years, several other places have honored Ford by bestowing his name on several buildings such as the Gerald R. Ford Elementary School in Indian Wells, California; the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater in Vail, Colorado; the Gerald R. Ford Post Office in Vail, Colorado; the Gerald R. Ford Birth Site and Gardens in Omaha, Nebraska; and the Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids, Michigan. There are also several roadways in Tennessee, California, Texas, Nebraska, and Michigan, such as the Gerald R. Ford Freeway, I-196, that are named after the former president along with the Gerald R. Ford Fieldhouse at Grand Rapids Community College as well as several books about his life.
The Ford bobblehead, along with the other 45 presidents, is available individuals or as part of the set through the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum’s online store. The museum is located at 170 S. 1st. St. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is open seven days a week.
What can and cannot be recycled in Kent County, and how do it. And what happens to everything else? WKTV Journal, working with Kent County Department of Public Works Resource Recovery Specialist Lauren Westerman, are working to look at specific consumer products and other items to give you the answers.
In this post, we look at those sometimes expensive, but sometimes worth the cost, bottles of liquor. When the bottle is a dead solider, it’s glass, so that is easy. Or is it? But what about that tube it comes in, part cardboard and part metal? Here is the lowdown from an expert:
The empty and rinsed glass bottle can be placed into your commingled, single-stream curbside recycling cart. The old glass bottle will head to the Recycling Center and then off to a glass recycling facility where it may become a new glass container, fiberglass, highway beads, glass abrasives, or other specialty glass items like recycled glass countertops.
Laphroaig Scotch bottle cardboard and metal tube. (Laphroaig)
The tube that the bottle came in cannot be recycled unless you disassemble it first. Separate the metal base and metal top from the cardboard tube. Once these three are successfully separated, they may go into the curbside recycling cart. Once at the Recycling Center, the cardboard tube will be sorted with other cardboard and head off to a paper mill to become another box, tube, or similar product. The metal base and top will go to a metal processing facility and be made into metal containers, cans, or other metal products.
The cork and wrapper cannot be recycled through curbside recycling in Kent County. Both can be placed in the garbage.
Do you have a question about a specific consumer product or other item? Contact WKTV at ken@wktv.org. Please send a photo of the product and the recycling label if available.
What can and cannot be recycled in Kent County, and how do it. And what happens to everything else? WKTV Journal, working with Kent County Department of Public Works Resource Recovery Specialist Lauren Westerman, are working to look at specific consumer products and other items and give you the answers.
In this post, we look at those at-home COVID-19 rest kits — part plastic, part cardboard packaging and paper instructions, part that nasty stick you stuck up your nose and other medical materials. Maybe you want to just toss everything in the nearest trash can, but should you? Here is the lowdown from an expert:
(If you received the kit in the mail, remember to look for a recycling label on the mailer.)
Does your mailer envelope have a recycling label? (Kent County)
Remove the test supplies from the paperboard box. Flatten the box and place it into your curbside recycling cart. The paper instructions can also go into your curbside recycling cart. The box and paper will head to the Recycling Center where it is sorted out from non-paper items, baled, and transported to a local paper mill to be processed into a new paper product that can be used again.
After performing your COVID-19 at home test, throw away the swab, the wrapper from around the swab, the test card, the test card’s soft plastic pouch, and the empty plastic dropper bottle.
The only piece remaining is the hard plastic piece that (possibly) held all the various test pieces. If this hard piece of plastic has a recycling symbol on it, then it may be placed into your curbside recycling cart. The plastic will be sorted with similar rigid plastics at the Recycling Center, shipped to a facility where the plastic is flaked or pelletized, and eventually remolded into a new plastic item.
Do you have a question about a specific consumer product or other item? Contact WKTV at ken@wktv.org. Please send a photo of the product and the recycling label if available.
At the opening of Guiding Light’s Iron House, sober-living apartments, in the City of Kentwood in late January, Guiding Light Board Chair John Harrington provides opening remarks and Esther Yff-Prins, one of the Guiding Light spiritual directors, gives the blessing of the Iron House. (Supplied)
Guiding Light, a Grand Rapids non-profit that helps men struggling with addiction and homelessness to return to society, announced this week the opening of its sixth Iron House as two of its clients moved into the sober-living apartments in the City of Kentwood.
Clients, staff, board members and volunteers gathered for a private blessing and tour of the recently remodeled building on Jan. 28.
The new Iron House comes at a time of increased demand for addiction recovery services, according to the announcement. Since the beginning of 2021, Guiding Light has experienced increases in the number of inquiries and program enrollments for its Recovery program.
The opening of a new Guiding Light Iron House in the City of Kentwood. (Supplied)
Able to accommodate seven men, the four-unit apartment building increases the nonprofit’s capacity to house men “as they transition back into the mainstream of society after successfully completing the Foundation phase of Guiding Light’s Recovery program,” according to the announcement.
In total, Guiding Light can house a total of 42 men in its six Iron House locations.
The apartments are designed for community-oriented sober living and are reserved exclusively for men who have finished four to six months of intensive residential treatment that combines evidence-based practices, life-coaching, therapy, support groups, spiritual direction and other resources to equip men to stay sober and reengage with their family, friends and community.
Background on Iron House program
The Iron House model has proven to be a “key component” in setting clients up for success to achieve long-term recovery, according to the announcement. Guiding Light has found 76 percent of men who move to Iron House reach at least one year of abstinence-based sobriety.
Guiding Light Board Chair John Harrington provides opening remarks at the opening of a City of Kentwood Iron House. (Supplied)
“We want to give men the best opportunity possible for living a healthy, connected life in recovery,” Recovery Director Brian Elve said in supplied material. “That’s why we created a structure with Iron House that allows men to stay connected with the support offered by Guiding Light.
“We recognize it takes a year or more to change the physical structure of the brain and its response to addiction. Iron House allows for truly comprehensive, long-term, transformative care and we are excited to invest in our community this way.”
After completing the “Foundation” phase of recovery, Guiding Light clients who are interested in continuing their recovery journeys at Iron House are able to apply for the opportunity. If accepted, clients are able to move into an apartment once they have secured full-time employment.
In addition to abstinence-based sobriety, Iron House residents focus on honing important life skills. Residents all have jobs. They buy and prepare their own food, pay their own bills and engage with each other in a communal-living environment.
“They look after and support each other, practicing community and providing support to one another with a common goal of creating lives worth staying sober for,” according to the announcement.
Programs, goals of Guiding Light
While living more independently, residents still have access to the support and resources of the recovery program, such as the opportunity to attend classes or support groups, participate in a spiritual direction group, work with a life coach and give back to the community through service.
Not only has Iron House been a key part of helping residents maintain their sobriety, it has also generated profits to ensure Guiding Light’s programming can remain free to participants, according to the announcement.
Funds from Iron House and The Job Post, Guiding Light’s two social enterprises, benefit clients while also aiding in the financial sustainability of the nonprofit’s programs. The programs are otherwise entirely funded by donations and grants.
Founded in 1929 as the West Fulton St. Mission, Guiding Light has grown into a recovery and reengagement community designed to “help those living at society’s margins fulfill their God-given potential,” according to supplied information.
For more information about Guiding Light’s recovery program, call 616-451-0236, ext. 23 and “take a confidential first step.” Learn more at guidinglightworks.org.
Wyoming residents wanting to learn more about the city’s proposed income tax and millage reduction proposals will have the chanced at a series of informational meetings.
If approved, the proposed income tax generate enough funds for the city to add 27 firefighters and 14 police officers. (WKTV)
Starting tomorrow, Feb. 2, the city will be hosting seven public meetings in February, March, and April. The meetings are designed to provide information regarding the May 3, 2022 ballot proposals. The two proposals are an income tax that would be up to 1 percent for residents and up to .5 percent for non-residents. The second proposal would be for a city property millage reduction for property owners both homeowners and business owners. The millage would go from about 11.89 to 5 mills. The two proposals are tied together with both required to pass.
“It is my goal to make sure every Wyoming voter has the information they need to vote on May 3,” said Mayor Jack Poll. “The public meetings are a chance for residents and community members to learn more about the need and have their questions answered.”
The first meeting is set for Wednesday, Feb. 2, at Wyoming City Hall, 1155 28th St. SW. The meeting is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.
The other meetings are:
Feb. 16, Wyoming Senior Center, 2380 DeHoop Ave. SW
March 2, Gezon Fire Station, 2300 Gezon Parkway SW
March 9, Del Mar Community Room
March 15, Godwin Heights High School, 50 35th St. SW
March 24, City Hall, 1155 28th St. SW
April 19, KDL Wyoming Branch, 3350 Michael Ave. SW
In September, the Wyoming City Council approved the two proposes to be placed on the May 3 ballot. If approved, the proposals would minimize the overall tax burden to city residents while generating an additional $6 million in revenue each year. The revenue would be used to improve public safety and parks infrastructure for residents, businesses, and visitors.
The additional funds would allow the Wyoming Department of Public Safety to add 27 firefighter and 14 police positions, improving public safety by decreasing response times, enhancing crime prevention efforts and adding more proactive traffic enforcement.
The funding also would provide $600,000 in sustainable annual capital invest in the city’s park system. Many of the city’s parks were built between 1950 and 1970 and while the city has made great strides in developing park properties such as ideal, Frog Hollow, Jackson and Ideal, other parks such as Marquette Park, are 25-years-old or more and are in need of capital improvement. City officials have noted that the current parks millage does not have capacity to provide any funding for capital investment.
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s Michigan’s Farm Garden, a reproduction of Lena Meijer’s home early in life near Lakeview, Michigan. The windmill is actually from that farm. (Supplied/Dean VanDis)
The legacy of the late Lena Meijer — community advocate, philanthropist and so much more — lives on in her family, in many ways in the Grand Rapids community, and, of course, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.
And while Lena played a large role in the success of her family’s Midwest grocery super-center business, her life began on a humble farm near Lakeview, Michigan. And that humble beginning is on full, if slightly miniature, display at Meijer Gardens’ Michigan’s Farm Garden.
“She always spoke so lovingly of her upbringing and cherished that experience in her life,” David Hooker, President and CEO of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, said WKTV.
Fred and Lena Meijer. (Supplied/undated)
Both Lena and her husband, late grocery entrepreneur Fred Meijer, grew up on farms. A daughter of German immigrants George and Mary Rader, Lena was born and raised on the farm her parents acquired after settling near Lakeview, while Fred’s family farm was located in Greenville.
Lena and Fred never lost the desire to share their knowledge and love of the land with their community.
“They wanted people to really understand that food comes from a farm, it doesn’t come from their grocery stores,” said Hooker.
Through this desire, the Michigan’s Farm Garden was born.
“The idea for creating Michigan’s Farm Garden was so people could understand what the farming life was like, especially in the era of the 1930s when they both grew up,” said Hooker. “The fact that they wanted to recreate that experience for people is a testament to how Lena felt about it.”
Milking cows, fresh carrots … and that windmill
At the Michigan’s Farm Garden, visitors can find a three-quarter scale replica of the farmhouse where Lena was born and raised, a barn, vegetable and flower gardens, animal pens, and bronze sculptures of farm animals scattered throughout. Patrons are invited to sit in rocking chairs on the wraparound porch, and visit and relax.
Fred and Lena Meijer at the dedication of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s Michigan’s Farm Garden. (Supplied)
Another piece of Lena’s heritage she chose to share with the community is the windmill visitors see while visiting the Farm Garden. “That actual windmill came from her family’s farm,” Hooker said.
“She (Lena) learned at a very young age how to milk a cow and work the fields, and do everything that farmers do,” said Hooker.
One of Lena’s favorite stories involved milking cows. Hooker said Lena liked to joke about being so skilled at milking a cow that she could feed their cat at the same time.
“She could squirt the milk into the cat’s mouth from six feet away,” said Hooker.
Lena’s antics as a young farm girl didn’t end there.
One of the farm scene sculptures from the Michigan’s Farm Garden. The girl riding the pig, reportedly, is taken from Lena’s childhood. (Supplied/William J. Hebert)
“As a young girl, she’d ride the pigs,” Hooker said. “In fact, we have a sculpture of Lena as a little girl riding a pig out in Michigan’s Farm Garden. It’s classic.”
When it was mentioned that it seemed like Lena had some “spunk” in her personality, Hooker agreed — “Oh, she had a ton. Absolutely.”
Lena died at the age of 102 on Jan. 15. She will be buried beside her husband at Michigan’s Farm Garden, laid to rest in a place they both loved to visit in their twilight years.
“If it was the right time of year, they would pull a carrot right of the ground, wash it off, and they’d eat it,” said Hooker.
Children, learning and lots of beautiful plants
Lena’s love of gardening and plants is also revealed in the Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory and, especially, the Lena Meijer Children’s Garden.
“(Lena) loved kids and loved the idea of a garden dedicated to children learning about gardening and learning about how life itself would not be possible without plants,” Hooker said.
Lena Meijer at the 2017 groundbreaking of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s expansion projects. (Supplied/Anthony Norkus Photography)
The Children’s Garden promotes interactive learning and the use of all five senses with various hands-on activities for children and their families.
“Meijer Gardens is a gift to all of us as a community,” said Hooker. “This is what Fred and Lena were interested in and they gave this to us as a gift. For this gift to mean anything, come on out and visit! It’s here for everyone to enjoy.”
For more information about Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park visit meijergardens.org.
What can and cannot be recycled in Kent County, and how do it. And what happens to everything else? WKTV Journal, working with Kent County Department of Public Works Resource Recovery Specialist Lauren Westerman, are working to look at specific consumer products and other items and give you the answers.
In this post, we look at those annoying strings of holiday lights that no longer work. Packaging often does not have any recycling information. But what does that mean? Here is the lowdown from an expert:
Many part of the packaging for holiday lights are recyclable, but not all. (WKTV)
Holiday string lights are considered electronic waste. They cannot be recycled through single-stream or curbside recycling collection programs. Kent County Department of Public Works (DPW) has collection bins for holiday string lights at both North Kent Recycling & Waste Center and South Kent Recycling & Waste Center or they can be brought to our electronics recycling collection programs. After Kent County DPW collects the string lights, they are taken to an electronics recycling company where the various component parts (types of metal, wires, plastics, glass, etc.) are separated and recycled accordingly.
When you purchase new holiday string lights, there are a few different parts of the packaging to be aware of when it comes to proper disposal. If the lights come in a box, empty the cardboard box, flatten it, and place it into your single-stream curbside recycling cart. If you have any soft and flexible plastic packaging, tape, or twist-ties, place them into the garbage.
Do you have a question about a specific consumer product or other item? Contact WKTV at ken@wktv.org. Please send a photo of the product and the recycling label if available.
A scene from veterans art project supported by Kent County Veterans Services which led to the 2021 Yellow Ribbon ArtPrize entry. (Supplied/Pamela Alderman)
The Kent County Board of Commissioners’ Veterans Millage Renewal Subcommittee, led by City of Wyoming’s (District 8) commissioner Dan Burrill, has approved and sent on to other county standing committees the details of a planned August 2022 countywide vote to continue an existing Veterans Millage first passed in 2014.
Since the millage expired in 2021, the millage request would not be a renewal but a “continuation” if approve by voters.
The decision to take the millage request to the voters would eventually need to be approved by the full Board of Commissioners, but there are two county governance standing committees, including the finance committee, which would need to discuss and give approval to first.
The Tuesday, Jan. 18, meeting at the Kent County Administrative Building was the second of the subcommittee. The meetings were open to the public, veterans and non-veterans alike.
Kent County Veterans Service office. (Supplied)
The subcommittee’s two meetings included several local veterans groups as well as the Kent County Veterans Services (KCVS) office and its associated Veterans Services Advisory Committee. The KVCS provides dedicated services to veterans of active United States military service and their dependents, under the direction of manager Martha Burkett, and is substantially funded by the millage, along with an annual Kent County budget contribution.
In November 2014, Kent County voters approved a Dedicated Veterans Millage, an eight year, 0.05 mills tax that, at that time, would raise about $1 million a year and was estimated to cost the owner of a $200,000 home approximately $5 annually, according to the county website.
Due to several factors — including the 1978, voter-approved amendment to the Michigan Constitution which included a number of provisions related to state and local taxes and now commonly known as the Headlee Amendment — the actual tax collection decreased from 0.05 mills to 0.0482 in 2021.
Statewide, 51 of Michigan’s 83 counties posted a millage dedicated to veterans in 2020.
The start of 2022 has the City of Wyoming seeing growth in both the manufacturing and residential fronts.
Padnos plans to expand into recycling of ocean-bound plastics. (pxhere.com)
Earlier this month, industrial recycling and scrap management company Padnos announced it would expand its operations in the City of Wyoming, creating up to 50 jobs. The company operates a plant at 500 44th St. SW, in Wyoming.
The project is expected to generate a total capital investment of $6.6 million. It i supported by a $250,000 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant, according to a press release from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with focus on Michigan’s economy. Also supporting the project is The Right Place, which has offered staff time and resources for the project.
“Padnos is proud to further our investment in the community while increasing our process capabilities to meet market demands. We are seeing an increase in demand for recycled material and we are committed to working with our partners to get these materials back into new products and keeping them out of our landfills and oceans,” said Jonathan Padnos President and CEO Jonathan Padnos in a written release.
Padnos, founded in 1905 in the City of Holland, has been transforming scrap into reusable resources for more than 100 years. The company recycles metals, paper, plastics, and electronics and currently has more than 725 team members in facilities located in Michigan and Indiana.
The expansion at the Wyoming facility will focus on the company’s effort to increase its capabilities into recycling ocean-bound plastics. Padnos will add new loading docks, a laboratory, and a maintenance garage to the Wyoming facility. It will also invest in electrical and infrastructure upgrades.
The project will bring immediate jobs to residents in the area and cement the 100-year-old company’s presence in Michigan. Padnos is committed to work with underserved communities and provides training to individuals returning from incarceration, providing them with the skills needed to be successful in the workforce.
Orion Construction plans to complete The Reserve Flats project by the fall of this year. (supplied)
Construction continues in the City of Wyoming with The Granger Group announcing it has welcomed its first tenets to the multifamily development, The Reserve Flats.
Located on Wilson Avenue, half-mile north of M-6, the 138-unit community is being built by Grand Rapids-based contractor Orion Constriction and features 26 condo-style apartments ranging from three- to eight-unit buildings. Spread over 22 acres, the project is being constructed in three phases, the first phase delivering 15 units with two- and three-bedroom floor plans.
“Granger is focused on building strong, vibrant communities and The Reserve is another example of the level of quality we expect to deliver in the communities we invest in together,” said Jason Granger, who oversees strategic investment initiatives for Granger, in a written release.
While referencing Kent County’s 2021 study that projects a nearly 9,000-unit deficit to be filled by 2025, Granger said, “We set out to build a development that provides quality housing options for the City of Wyoming while also serving a greater Grand Rapids area that desperately needs additional housing now more than ever.”
Units at The Flats range from 1,400 to 1,700 square feet. Each unit has a two-car attached garage along with a dedicated driveway and a covered porch at the main entrance.
Orion Construction broke ground on the projects first phase in August 2021. The company has seven buildings and 32 units enclosed as they continue to work through the winter elements. The project is scheduled to be completed by fall of this year.
Encountering email and phone scams has become a common nuisance in recent years, even more so as we become more online- and internet-focused as a culture. It is not unusual for consumers to discover a fraudulent email in their personal and business accounts every day as scam artists attempt to cheat them out of money or information.
When this WKTV writer was asked to research an article on prevalent scams in the community, I was suddenly inundated with stories of those who had become victims of scams. Some escaped unscathed, others did not.
WKTV recognizes the importance of community members being aware of current scams so they can protect themselves against becoming victims, and has compiled several personal narratives, from this writer as well as other residents, to raise that awareness. (Names have been changed to protect the victim’s identity.)
Seeing red flags in emails
Within the space of a few days, my personal email account received a message with the heading, “Happy New Year – Your Order ID#740217.” It did not specify what company I supposedly ordered from, but did contain the message, “This message is from a trusted sender.” The body of the email contained two links. One labeled, “You have won!! Gift inside.” The other, “Go Here.”
It immediately raised red flags as I didn’t remember ordering anything recently, and the email didn’t specify the sender. The line about it being from a trusted sender, however, made me pause for just a moment and consider that it might be legitimate — and that is what scammers are hoping for.
(Michigan Attorney General)
Next came an email titled: “Re: (smiling emoji) Your Package delivery notification ID#87946477.” Supposedly, this email was sent by USPS. However, I couldn’t see the United States Postal Service using emojis in their emails, and when I noticed that the email address the message originated from was indecipherable, it became obvious that it was a scam.
Some are harder to discern. The next email seemed to legitimately come from Best Buy, an electronics retailer. The sender was listed as Bestbuy.com, which made sense. The heading was: “Your Order #502-20201222—is still awaiting instructions!” It then instructed me to track the status of the order by clicking on the link offered.
There weren’t any misspellings or emojis to make me think twice about the validity of the sender. What did make me think twice was that I hadn’t ordered anything from Best Buy in years.
After a closer look at the email — which looked alarmingly similar to many invoices received from other online orders placed — I noticed that listed under Order Details was another listing of an order number. This one, however, contained a lowercase ‘n’ and then the degree symbol before listing the number, and ended with a right parenthesis. Those small mistakes reassured me that the email was a scam. A company as large as Best Buy would make sure those mistakes were nonexistent.
Another email appeared to be from a friend, but the sender’s email address did not match her true email address. Another claimed to be from Quicken Loans Affiliate attempting to confirm my mortgage savings package (I neither have a mortgage nor have ever used Quicken Loans) but the email address was a random jumble of letters and numbers, not a legitimate address.
Other stories, other scam attempts
We have all received emails that make us think, “Is this legitimate?” What we need to do is slow down and take a closer look before assuming they are real and clicking on links.
While scam artists use email more often than phone calls due to the online nature of our culture, phone calls are still prevalent, especially for elderly community members who may not be quite as media oriented.
Attempting to sell a SLR camera body on Marketplace, Denise was asked if she could chat to an interested buyer via Messenger audio. She agreed and was then asked to ship the camera directly to the buyer’s brother because it was a birthday gift. She was willing to do so. The buyer then asked if she would include a birthday card and a $50 gift card since it would be shipped directly to his brother, and he would not have the opportunity to do so himself; he would then reimburse her for the camera, shipping, and gift card once she showed proof of shipping.
Alarm bells went off in Denise’s head.
The buyer was insistent and talked fast, so she pretended to agree to do as he asked so she could bring the call to an end. When the call finished and Denise had time to organize her thoughts, she realized she would have lost the camera, shipping, and $50 if she had gone along with the man’s request.
Scam artists prey on their victim’s emotions and promote a sense of urgency that is hard to ignore when someone believes a family member is in trouble.
Molly’s father-in-law received a garbled call: “Grandpa, I’m in Atlanta, was in an accident and broke my jaw. I was arrested for being drunk but hadn’t had a drop … will you wire me money for my bail and attorney?”
Thankfully, Molly’s father-in-law suspected fraud and instructed the caller to phone his father, then called Molly and asked her to check with her son to make sure it was fraud and that his grandson truly did not need help.
It was fraudulent.
Amy’s elderly parents experienced the same call and “made it all the way to the bank, where the employee stopped them and explained that they must not make that withdrawal. We figured out that my nephew’s phone had been hacked. He was out of the country on a trip at the time.”
Mark received what appeared to be a legitimate phone call from a scammer who claimed to be from his bank, warning him that a scammer had tried to break into his account.
They asked him to verify his information to make sure everything was okay. The scammers listed his address and phone number (all easily accessed public information) and asked if it was correct. When he replied that it was, they asked, “And I have your social security number on my screen, can you verify that for me, please?” Once the Mark recited his social security number, the scammer said, “Yes, that’s right.”
The victim had just given enough information for the scammers to steal his identity and/or open various accounts in the victim’s name.
“They (the scammers) say it so casually that the victim often doesn’t realize they’ve just given away a vital piece of information to the victim; it almost sounds like the scammer supplied all of their info,” Mark said.
Marci relayed an experience of an elderly woman who received a call that her taxes were late, and her house would be foreclosed on if she didn’t wire funds within the hour. Fearing that she would become homeless, “the woman called a cab and told the driver why she had to hurry. He took her instead to the police department.”
The police handled the matter, and the woman did not lose any money.
What to do, where to for for help
Katie Grevious, Better Business Bureau Communications Specialist, urges residents to slow down and “think before you act.”
Even if you feel a sense of urgency or fear as a result of an email or phone call like the ones listed above, step back, take a deep breath, and search for those clues that will help you know if the message you received is, in fact, legitimate.
If you are unsure of the best way to identify if a message is a scam, visit Better Business Bureau’s website for tips on how to differentiate between authentic and fraudulent communications.
Please report scams to BBB’s scamtracker site: https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker. This allows consumers to know what is happening and protect themselves. It also helps law enforcement and other government agencies like BBB to root out the source of the scam and put a stop to it.
Every day online users are bombarded with real — and scam — communications. The trick to keeping your money and personal information is knowing the difference. (Pixere.com)
With email and phone scams on the rise in an ever-increasing online and media culture, local law enforcement and government agencies are working to educate consumers on current scams and how to protect themselves from becoming victims.
Phishing, defined as the fraudulent practice of sending messages designed to trick individuals into revealing personal information, has become one of the main conduits for fraud.
Katie Grevious, Better Business Bureau Communications Specialist, told WKTV that falling victim to a scam has become more difficult to avoid as “scammers are becoming more crafty and creative.” Grevious said that scammers use fear and a sense of urgency to prompt consumers into following their directives: “It is an emotional situation. Something is wrong, something bad is going to happen — that’s what gets people.”
The ongoing pandemic has also played a role in increasing the phishing strategy, with emails offering grants to those out of work and in need of money. In a more general sense, an increasing number of consumers have begun shopping online, providing ample opportunities for scam artists to create situations that involve an emotional response of fear and urgency.
“We don’t see it really slowing down as the pandemic continues and we become more online and internet focused,” Grevious said.
An online scam could also be as simple as clicking on a link to track an order. Scam artists often use the names of larger corporations, such as Amazon, to send emails offering a link to track an order that the consumer may not remember placing.
Grevious urges consumers to hover their computer mouse over the link, which will reveal a bar that states where it will actually take you, and even hover over the sender’s name to see the email address associated with that email. If it is a jumble of letters and numbers instead of, for example, Amazon.com, it is not legitimate. Also look at the browser — if there is a lock symbol and “https” listed there, it means it is a secure and authentic site.
“It is really important that people are vigilant all the time,” said Grevious. “Look for simple grammar and spelling mistakes. Big companies make sure everything is spelled correctly.”
Slowing down is also key to ensuring consumers don’t miss something important.
(Pixere.com)
“Think before you act,” Grevious said. “Our culture has a quick-go pace. We do a lot on our phones, so we don’t do that double-checking and hovering.”
Det. Andrew Tompkins of the Kent County Sherriff’s Office and member of the Metropolitan Fraud and Identity Theft Team agrees: “Good practice is that if you didn’t order anything or didn’t sign up for something, then it’s most likely a scam.”
Grevious also urges consumers to avoid emails that tell you to re-log into another account you may have, such as Facebook, and offer a link to do so in order to complete the instructions given. These are often ploys that will reveal your password to the sender.
“People may think it’s not important if their Facebook or Instagram account gets hacked,” said Grevious, “but a lot of people have a lot of similar passwords because it’s too hard to remember 200 different passwords to everything. Your Facebook password may offer a clue on how to get into more important accounts — like bank accounts.”
Preying on pet, gift card buyers
In 2021, one of the most common phishing scams involved buying pets online.
“People tried to buy pets online because of the pandemic,” Grevious said. “They pay for the pet through payment apps and then find out it’s a scam. The scammers will often use a random address on the website they create, so people assume it’s real. Then they show up at that address to get their animal and it’s not there.”
Buying pets online is also a place to be aware of possible cams. (Kent County District Court historic photo)
Grevious advises seeing the animal you are interested in purchasing in person beforehand, even if it involves traveling. “Legitimate businesses want to know you are a good fit for their animal. They want to see you in person.”
While email scams have become increasingly common, scams involving phone calls are still prevalent and used often in attempts to illicit money from victims.
Det. Tompkins said that one of the most common scams involves cold calls targeting people to send gift cards, claiming they are from various government agencies and that they have a warrant for the arrest of the consumer unless he/she pays to absolve the issue.
“Government agenc(ies) will never ask for gift cards to get you out of legal trouble,” Det. Tompkins said. “No legitimate business is going to ask for gift cards for services.”
Summer and winter have revealed an upward trend in scams as air conditioning and heat are turned on in homes.
“If you pay your electric bill online, and someone calls you saying they are from Consumers Energy and ask you to confirm personal information,” Grevious said, “say you will call them back and call the company from a number you know, like the number provided on the bill.”
Det. Tompkins had similar advice: “Do not give personal information or identifying information out. Don’t call the number that a person provides you over the phone, search the number for that business to call and confirm this is a real interaction.”
Some scams, however, play on the familiar. Det. Tompkins warns residents, especially the elderly, to be careful of scammers who call claiming to be family. “Scammers call elderly pretending to be their grandkids saying they were arrested and need to send money.”
When asked the standard amount lost by individual victims of scams, he said, “The typical amount of loss is under $1,000. But if the scammers target business or subject(s) that are wealthy, then the loss is in the several thousands.”
Grevious reminds consumers to remember that, “you are in control of your information and who you are talking to. Think before you act.”
Consumers are also urged to speak up if they become victims of a scam.
“The more people let us know what is happening, the more we can help,” said Grevious.
The Kent County Health Department, responding to the month of January being National Radon Action Month, have a supply free radon test kits available to residents … while supplies last. (Supplied)
The Kent County Health Department recently announced that during the month of January — National Radon Action Month — county residents can gain free radon test kits while supplies last. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is leading month-long the public information effort.
“You cannot see, smell, or taste radon but the radioactive gas can kill,” the county announcement stated. “Next to smoking, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States.”
Radon-caused lung cancer kills more than 20,000 Americans every year, according to the U.S. Surgeon General.
“Testing for radon is an easy and important step in protecting the health of your family,” Rusty Flewilling, Supervising Sanitarian with the Kent County Health Department (KCHD). said in supplied material. “The kit is easy to use. Simply hang a filter inside your house for a few days, then send it in a self-addressed, pre-stamped envelope for testing.”
The KCHD recommends that all homes be tested for radon every few years. Testing kits are available Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. at the KCHD’s main clinic location at 700 Fuller Avenue NE, Grand Rapids.
Test results will be sent to residents and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy. People can use the information when deciding on how best to pursue remediation, and the State gains a better understanding of the prevalence of radon in Michigan.
For help understanding the test results, residents should contact the KCHD Environmental Health Division at 616-632-6900.
Radon occurs naturally in the ground and seeps into buildings through cracks or openings in the foundation of floors and walls. It occurs in both new and old homes. The EPA and the U.S. Geological Survey have developed a map of risk zones for the United States which can be viewed by clicking here. Kent County is typically categorized as having a moderate to high levels of radon.
The KCHD podcast “A Matter of Public Health” recorded two episodes dedicated to educating people about the issue. In the first episode, residents will learn what radon is, how prevalent it is in Michigan, and how often testing should be done in homes.
In the second episode, the discussion focuses on how to get rid of the radon, how to select a contractor, and how to avoid getting ripped off by unscrupulous contractors. Guests include KCHD subject matter experts, Michigan’s top radon expert, the President of the National Radon Safety Board, and the Better Business Bureau of West Michigan.
The opening of the Kent County Department of Public Works’ Grand Rapids administrative offices, including a SafeChem Swap Shop, on Wealthy Street Jan. 6. Addressing the crowd were, from left at podium, were Cynthia Janes, vice-chair of the Board of Public Works; Emily Brieve, Kent County commissioner; and Dar Baas, DPW director. (Supplied)
Operating by the often-used “3-Rs” recycling slogan of “reduce, reuse, recycle”, Kent County Department of Public Works opened its new Grand Rapids administrative offices on Wealthy Street Jan. 6 — a facility that also includes a soon-to-open recycling center, an education center, an electronics drop-off station and not only a SafeChem drop-of station but also a “SafeChem Swap Shop”.
Maybe it should be 4-Rs, with “reimagine” added to the slogan.
Continuing its efforts exemplified by its slogan “Reimagine Trash”, with the county’s Department of Public Works (DPW) website actually being reimaginetrash.org, Kent County officials and DPW leaders held a facility ribbon cutting Jan. 6 to officially open the facility, with its returning and new offerings.
“The new administration center brings our team together and makes it easier for the community to connect with our department and services,” Dar Baas, DPW director, said in supplied material. “The facilities are designed to foster collaboration.”
And that collaboration is exemplified by the new dual SafeChem operations.
The Kent County Department of Public Works SafeChem Swap Shop includes dropped off cleaning chemicals still good for use — and free pickup by the community. (Supplied)
“The SafeChem Drop-off station and Swap Shop are a real asset for our community,” Baas said. “Not only do they keep hazardous materials out of area landfills and the environment, they also provide people free products to avoid them being discarded in the first place.”
The “drop and shop” operation is offered all five of the county-managed chemical drop-off locations, including ones in the Kentwood and Wyoming area.
The Wealthy Street Recycling and Administration Center located at 1045 Wealthy St. SW, adjacent to the Recycling and Education Facility, the SafeChem Drop-off station, SafeChem Swap Shop and electronics recycling services. The DPW offices were previously co-located with the Kent County Road Commission on Scribner Avenue and the property was sold in 2021.
All of Kent County’s SafeChem stations — there are several, with varying days and hours, including one each in the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming — allow residents to drop off household waste like cleaners, garden or garage products. The Wealthy Street location also includes a Swap Shop where products that are in good condition can be offered at no cost.
(The reopening the residential recycling drop-off station on Wealthy Street, which has been closed during construction, will be announced soon on reimaginetrash.org, according to a DPQ statement.)
For more information on the DPW’s SafeChem program, visit here.
Also opening last week, on Jan. 8, at the Wealthy Street location, was its electronics drop-off station, planned to be open for drop-off during the same year-round operational hours as our SafeChem household hazardous waste drop-off and SafeChem Swap Shop. (For more information on the list of electronics accepted for recycling at DPW facilities, as well as other local electronics recycling locations, visit here.)
Kentwood, Wyoming, Byron SafeChem site information
According to the Kent County DPW website, the Kentwood location is 5068 Breton SE, Kentwood, with days and hours November-March, Tuesdays, 2:30-4:30 p.m., and April-October, Tuesdays, 1:30-5:30 p.m.
The Kent County Department of Public Works SafeChem Swap Shop includes dropped off automotive chemicals still good for use — and free pickup by the community. (Supplied)
The Kentwood SafeChem site remained open after the closure of the city’s satellite recycling-drop off.
“A special thank you to City of Kentwood for their partnership,” the DPW website states. “We’re grateful to the City of Kentwood for hosting this SafeChem collection site.”
The Wyoming area location is 2350 Ivanrest Ave. SW, Grandville, with it open Mondays, 1-3 p.m., and Thursdays 7-9 a.m.
“A special thank you to City of Wyoming for their partnership,” the DPW website states. “We’re grateful to the City of Wyoming for not only hosting this SafeChem collection site but for staffing the SafeChem collections.”
The Byron Center location is 10300 South Kent Dr. SW, with its days and hours being November-March, Mondays, 8:30-10:30 a.m., and April-October, Mondays, 8:30-11:30 a.m.
Kent County veterans are served by many groups, including the Kent County Veterans Services and Michigan Veterans Homes at Grand Rapids. (Michigan Veterans Homes)
The Kent County Board of Commissioners’ Veterans Millage Renewal Subcommittee, led by City of Wyoming’s (District 8) commissioner Dan Burrill, held an initial meeting in December to discuss and begin action on a planned August 2022 countywide vote on the renewal of an existing Veterans Millage first passed in 2014.
The meeting included several local veterans groups but was focused on the work of the Kent County Veterans Services (KCVS) office and its associated Veterans Services Advisory Committee. The KVCS provides dedicated services to veterans of active United States military service and their dependents, with a current staff of nine full- or part-time employees under the direction of manager Martha Burkett and including six veterans who provide direct service and a contract Veteran Support Coordinator who is also a veteran.
A second meeting of the group was set for will be Tuesday, Jan. 18, from 1-3 p.m., in room 311 of the Kent County Administrative Building, downtown Grand Rapids, at 300 Monroe Avenue NW. (and not at the KCVS building on Fuller Avenue).
The meetings are open to the public, veterans and non-veterans alike, according to supplied material.
The decision to take the renewal request to the voters would eventually need to be approved by the Board of Commissioners.
In November 2014, Kent County voters approved a Dedicated Veterans Millage, an eight year, 0.05 mills tax that, at that time, would raise about $1 million a year and was estimated to cost the owner of a $200,000 home approximately $5 annually, according to the county website.
Due to several factors — including the 1978, voter-approved amendment to the Michigan Constitution which included a number of provisions related to state and local taxes and now commonly known as the Headlee Amendment — the actual tax collection decreased from 0.05 mills to 0.0482 in 2021.
Statewide, 51 of Michigan’s 83 counties posted a millage dedicated to veterans in 2020.
Thanks to a federal grant totaling three-quarters of a million dollars, the Wyoming Department of Public Safety hopes to curtail gun violence and violent crimes by adding six community police officers to its department.
During a National Night Out event, a Wyoming police officer helps a resident on a motorcycle. Through a federal grant, the Wyoming Department of Public Safety plans to expand its Community Services Unit. (WKTV)
The Department was awarded the $750,000 Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Program grant from the United States Department of Justice. The Wyoming City Council accepted the grant at its Dec. 20 council meeting. With the grant money, the Department will be able to add six officers to its department, bring the police department’s total number of sworn officers to 99.
“We have seen a significant increase in violent crimes,” said Capt. Timothy Pols, the department’s public relations officer. “Last year, we had eight homicides, which is an all-time high for the city.”
Pols said the department could not contribute the increase specifically to COVID, as there was a rise before the pandemic started. However, current conditions have impacted the community with there having been an increase in reported shootings involving property damage and people being hurt, he said.
The Wyoming Department of Public Safety has been searching for funding to help increase its numbers. The COPS Hiring Program is designed to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by proving direct support to state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies nationwide. The program funding supports the hiring of career law enforcement officers to increase an agency’s community policing capacity and crime prevention. The funding covers up to 75 percent of the approved entry-level salaries and fringe benefits of full-time officers for three years. The city is required to cover the remaining 25 percent.
The COPS Hiring Program is an open solicitation. For the 2021 fiscal year, COPS received 590 applications from about every state and U.S. territory. It awarded grants to 183 state, local, and trial law enforcement agencies totaling $139,232,523 to support the hire of 1,066 full-time officers and deputies.
The Wyoming Department of Public Safety was one of four police departments in Michigan to receive a COPS Hiring Program grant. The other cities to receive funding were Battle Creek, West Branch, and Hamtramck. Wyoming received the highest awarded grant monies out of the four Michigan cities that received funding.
“Obviously this is a great thing for the City of Wyoming and it is really hard to turn money like that down,” said Mayor Jack Poll during the Dec. 20 City Council meeting. The grant does come with the requirement that the city fund the new six positions for at least 12 months beyond the three-year time period. The department hopes through additional local funding to maintain the new positions beyond the three-year timeframe.
The Community Services Unit works on building relationships. (WKTV)
The COPS Hire Program grant is dedicated to community policing. With the six new hires, the Wyoming Department of Public Safety will be able to move seasoned officers into its Community Services Unit, which currently consists of four Community Services Officers, three School Resource Officers, and a supervisor. By expanding the community policing, the Wyoming Department of Public Safety hopes to curtail gun violence and violent crimes through expanded evening coverage; adding a dedicated crime analyst office, gang intelligence officer, dedicated apartment liaison, and dedicated hotel/motel liaison; and increasing participation with juvenile offender reentry programs and area summer camps comprised predominately of at-risk youth along with high visibility patrols, especially in high crime areas and other community policing initiatives.
Currently, the Department is in the hiring process, Pols said adding that they have interviewed some strong candidates.
“With all that has happened in the past couple of years with COVID, I believe it has given us some dedicated candidates who have a good understanding about what is involved with today’s police work,” Pols said.
The department is seeking to fill the six positions along with several other positions that will be opening up due to retirements this year. Pols said the goal is to have the positions filled by the end of 2022.
As the outgoing chair of the Kent County Board of Commissioners looked back on a list of the county’s 2021 accomplishments — not the least of which was being a key partner in the West Michigan’s efforts to battle the pandemic — the board selected new leaders to begin 2022.
The Board of Commissioners unanimously selected Stan Stek (District 6) as chair and Emily Brieve (District 10) as vice-chair during a Monday, Jan. 3, organizational meeting. Stek, who had served as vice-chair, takes over as chair from Mandy Bolter.
As incoming vice-chair, Brieve will lead the Legislative and Human Services Committee. Commissioner Diane Jones (District 4) will continue to serve in her role as chair of the Finance and Physical Resources Committee.
Kent County Board of Commissioner Chair Stan Stek. (Supplied)
“It is truly an honor to be chosen to lead this Board,” Stek said in supply material. “I look forward to working together to maintain our strong fiscal position, improve residents’ quality of life, enhance the overall delivery of services, and ensure continued economic growth for the region.”
And, in a statement from the county detailing some of the board’s 2021 accomplishments, the wide-ranging duties and efforts of the county board were detailed.
Financially, the board late last year approved a balanced 2022 budget of $527 million, including $454.8 million for operating expenditures, of which $16.7 million will be capital improvements. It also maintained maintained its dual AAA bond rating from S&P Global and Moody’s Investors Service — for the 23rd consecutive year.
The county also was a key player in the local effort to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and to distribute federal funds meant to do the same.
The West Michigan Vaccine Clinic, created in response to the need to vaccinate as many people as possible, saw Kent County, Mercy Health Saint Mary’s, and Spectrum Health develop one of the largest vaccination clinics in the country at DeVos Place — with more than 231,000 COVID-19 vaccinations administered between January and May 2021.
In addition, the county Health Department added three new mobile health units in 2021. These self- contained mobile health facilities have been used extensively to target vulnerable populations in the administration of COVID-19 and other vaccinations, HIV testing, and community outreach. To date, more than 1,000 county residents have received COVID-19 vaccinations at clinics supported by these units, according to supplied material.
Kent County Commissioner Mandy Bolter. (Supplied)
“Despite the various pressures placed on public services this past year, our Board and staff were dedicated to continuing to provide excellent service to our community,” Bolter said in supplied material. “While we continued to meet the challenges of the pandemic, we also maintained a strong focus on meeting the needs of continued economic growth.”
Other stated accomplishments, according to the county statement, included expansion and bonding of The Gerald R. Ford International Airport; the hiring of the county’s first Chief Inclusion Officer “to underscore our commitment to fully embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion in our strategic priorities and service delivery”; and establishing three new “issue-focused” subcommittees (Broadband, Judicial Resources and Veterans Millage Review).
The county also funded county Sheriff’s Office cruiser and deputy body cameras, and secured an expansion of the Chief Hazy Cloud Park into a 395-acre natural preserve along the Grand River and allow for future trail expansion to connect multiple communities.
Incoming leadership has long local history
Stek, whose District 6 includes the city of Walker and part of the city of Grand Rapids, was first elected to the commission in 2014. He is an attorney at Miller Canfield and, according to supplied material, has a long history of serving his community on various boards and committees.
Among his current and past work is serving on the Crisis Center Task Force, Dedicated Millage Committee, Kent County Community Action Board, Kent County Workforce Development Board, Lakeshore Regional Entity, Millennium Park Advisory Board, Michigan Works!, Network 180, Senior Millage Allocation Board, Substance Use Disorder Oversight Board, and Walker Citizens Advisory Committee.
Kent County Board of Commissioners vice-chair Emily Brieve. (Supplied)
Brieve, whose District 10 includes Gaines Township and part of Caledonia Township, has served in the board since 2014. She works for her family’s small business, FastoolNow.com.
She currently chairs the Board of Public Works and Community Health Advisory committees and is a member of the Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority, Grand Rapids Public Museum, and West Michigan Sports Commission.
The cities of Kentwood and Wyoming are represented on the county board by Stan Ponstein (District 7), Dan Burrill (District 8), Matt Kallman (District 9), Monica Sparks (District 12), and Michelle McCloud (District 13). For complete information on the members of the board, and the areas they represent, visit here.
“We have a strong Board and an incredible community, and we are committed to supporting the prosperity of our businesses and residents,” Stek said. “We look forward to tackling the challenges ahead with fiscal responsibility, innovation, and collaboration.”
Local musicians seeking an audience – and audiences seeking local music – have a new way to find each other.
KDL Vibes, a streaming service featuring music by more than 40 West Michigan artists, went live in early December.
David Specht, digital marketing strategist for KDL, said anyone can navigate to the site at vibes.kdl.org and start listening.
“As a library, it’s our responsibility to provide quality, worthwhile, important content to our patrons,” he said. “We saw this as an opportunity to do that.”
KDL Vibes brings local music to people who don’t have the means or the opportunity to go to live shows, and it also offers musicians a big new audience. The KDL serves hundreds of thousands of patrons, Specht said.
Mark Lavengood, a songwriter, singer and multi-instrumentalist, has an album called “We’ve Come Along” on KDL Vibes.
David Specht was on the team that brought the Vibes streaming music platform to the Kent District Library. (Photo courtesy of KDL)
“Once I started researching the mission I was just really impressed and grateful for the initiative to perpetuate the local music scene throughout the community,” he said. “Personally, I’m hopeful it might turn a few folks on to my catalog. For the community, I hope that they take to the new service and discover some of their new favorite artists, music venues, and songs.”
You don’t need to live in Kent County or have a KDL library card to use KDL Vibes. But some services are available only to those with a KDL card.
“The advantage to having a KDL library card is that you can sign in with that card and pin favorite single songs and also full albums, so it builds a playlist for you,” Specht said.
About 15 libraries in the U.S. are offering the service, which is built on software called MUSICat.
Specht said there are a lot of music-loving staff members at the Kent District Library, and when they heard about the streaming platform being used in cities like Seattle and Austin, they got a team together to bring it to Kent County.
In September, the KDL had a six-week open submission period when local musicians could send in a sample track and brief bio. They got 130 submissions.
A team of curators active in the local music scene narrowed them down to the 43 that are on the site now. In addition to Specht, the curators are Andrea “SuperDre” Wallace, Ted Smith, Hugo Claudin, Gabriella De La Vega, Eric Green, Linda “Lady Ace Boogie” Tellis, Laura Nowe, and Jake Wunderink.
Mark Lavengood’s album “We’ve Come Along” is one of the 43 albums on the site. (Photo by John Hanson)
“We wanted to make sure we had a collection that represents the West Michigan music scene, doing our best to include music from all the different genres that the musicians here have to offer,” Specht said. That meant they had to bypass some great music if they already had enough in that genre, but the musicians who didn’t get in the first time will have another shot.
Open submission periods for musicians will be held twice a year in the spring and the fall, so the collection will keep growing. The next open submission will likely be in the late winter or early spring, Specht said.
Both the musicians and the curators are paid a $250 honorarium for their contributions to the site.
Specht said they will keep adding new music indefinitely, and they will have a rotating panel of curators so people with a variety of tastes get a chance to choose the music.
“It won’t be the same folks from one year to the next. That’s intentional, so we can give other people an opportunity to work on it,” he said. “I feel like the project will never grow stale.”
The Kent County Health Department announced on Dec. 29 that it is changing its isolation and quarantine guidelines for people who have tested positive or been exposed to coronavirus to align with this week’s changes in U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) protocol.
The CDC has stated that science now shows the majority of COVID-19 transmission happens early in the illness, generally in the first one to two days before symptoms start and the two to three days thereafter, according to the Kent County Health Department (KCHD) announcement.
“Therefore, effective immediately, the new guidance shortens the isolation and quarantine periods under certain scenarios,” according the the KCHD announcement.
If an individual tests positive for COVID-19, the new isolation guidelines, regardless of vaccination status, are for the person to isolate for five days, and a person may leave isolation if they no longer have symptoms after five days, but those people are urged to continue to mask for an additional five days.
If an individual is exposed to someone with COVID-19, the new quarantine guidelines are:
For people who are not vaccinated, or if it has been more than six months since they received the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or more than two months after receiving the J&J vaccine and have not received a booster, they should quarantine for five days followed by mask usage for five additional days.
People who have received a booster do not need to quarantine following an exposure but should wear a mask for 10 days after the exposure.
All persons who have been exposed should test five days after the exposure. A person who experiences symptoms during quarantine should be tested for COVID-19 and stay home until receiving a negative result.
“These new guidelines will mean less disruption to people’s lives and still slow the spread of the virus,” KCHD Medical Director Dr. Nirali Bora said in supplied material. “However, COVID-19 cases and deaths remain unacceptably high. We encourage everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated and boosted as soon as possible. Anyone who is experiencing symptoms should be tested as soon as possible.”
This new guidance applies to the public and may not apply to those residing in congregate living settings, schools, or people who work with individuals in high-risk groups.
The KCHD is currently updating all its guidance and communication materials to reflect the change in the isolation and quarantine guidelines.
When Wyoming resident Matthew Gould posted his neighbor’s 10-foot suit of armor statue for sale, he wasn’t expecting the type of community outpouring that would cause his phone to ding constantly throughout the day.
“I don’t think after I posted the listing that I was even able to close my phone before it started dinging,” he said.
The ‘”Knight of 44th Street” is a familiar symbol to many residents traveling along 44th Street. (Photo courtesy of Matthew Gould)
Few who have driven 44th Street heading east from U.S. 131 have missed the 10-foot statue sitting on the lawn of the Zoet home. According to Mabel Zoet, her husband Nelson, who was an auctioneer, often traveled to Laredo, Texas, where he would purchase the suits of armor statues, which were made in Mexico. He then would sell the seven-foot statues, she said.
“One day a friend said to him ‘Why don’t you put up a 10-foot one up?’” Zoet said. “So he put one up next to the flagpole.”
That was about 30 years ago, Zoet said. Now after 58 years in their home, Zoet is looking to downsize. So she decided to put the “tin man” up for sale, never realizing how much of a symbol it had become to the community and her neighbors.
Fida K. wrote “I used to see this as my parents drove by that house as a young child!! I love/still love him!! Such an icon! Please keep him!”
“Oh I’m so sad to see this for sale,” wrote Amber M. “I remember walking past that thing when I was a little girl on the way to school and imagining the things we could do if we were inside it.”
“It’s like the only cool thing on 44th Street,” wrote John F.
In fact, so many people thought the statue was too “cool” to be moved that they encouraged a GoFundMe campaign to purchase the statue to keep it in the community. In less than 24 hours, the $500 was raised to purchase it.
For more than 30 years, the suit of armor statue has been on the Zoet property located along 44th Street just east of US-131. (Photo courtesy of Matthew Gould)
Gould said the task now will be to find a new home for the statue.
“I feel like this needs to be put up in a park nearby or even downtown with a little plaque ‘The Knight of 44th St.’” wrote DK. “Crazy how this was something of significance to a lot of us growing up!”
Alex C. agreed. “This is a landmark icon, we need to preserve this art. Make it known, put the man’s name on a plaque at least.”
For now, Zoet said the statue can stay in her yard. Gould, who lives next door to Zoet, said his yard is also available until a permanent home can be found. Gould said he plans to reach out to city officials in 2022 as he works to secure the statue’s new home.
“…He was a childhood icon for me when my parents would take me to C’s Dairy and Dogs for the car shows,” wrote Josh W. “I’m forever thankful for this guy no matter where he goes.”
John Irwin helps a student at the Y’s Safety Around Water program. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
Upon retiring as the West Michigan region president for Huntington Bank, John Irwin traded in his business suit for a different kind of suit, swimming trunks. His boardroom is now a swimming pool and instead of talking about financial security, he is now discussing water safety.
“I knew with retirement that I wanted to give back to my community,” said Irwin, who is a triathlete having completed more than 80 events in the past 20-plus years. “I knew I wanted to do something more on a one-to-one basis versus being on a board.”
Being a member at the David D. Hunting YMCA in downtown Grand Rapids, Irwin was aware of the many programs being offered at the Y, such as the water safety program.
“I basically sent an email and said ‘I don’t want to run the program. I don’t want to get paid.’ I just wanted to volunteer,” Irwin said. “I think Becky was like ‘You’re my type of person.’ That is how easy it was.”
Becky Haveman, the YMCA association aquatics and safety director, gives out a little laugh.
“John sent me an email with his story and I said we should talk,” Haveman said, adding that the Y has had volunteers in the past help with the water safety instruction. “It is not unusual for us to have 14- and 15-year-olds looking to eventually teach.”
Irwin went through training with the Y staff, watched classes and in September was set up with his own class of about a dozen six-year-olds who have never been near the water.
John Irwin. a retiring Huntington Bank executive, with his first Safety Around Water class. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
Jumping in
“You see them now and you think I am their best friend,” Irwin said after just completing a short class demonstration. “It didn’t start off that way. Many of them would not even get in the water, much less near it.”
In Michigan, on average, a person is only about six miles away from natural water, Haveman said. Because of that, the YMCA offers a number of water safety and swimming classes. In fact, these classes are one of the most popular programs at the Y, with the organization teaching more than a million such classes nationwide.
“The water safety class is designed to teach the students that if they fall in the water or see someone fall in, they know what to do,” Haveman said.
There is the “jump, turn, grab” technique where students are guided on learning how to turn and grab onto the side or something if they fall into the water, Haveman said. There is also the “swim, float, swim” technique that if a student is swimming and gets tired, they roll over on their back and float for a while to rest and then resume swimming, she said.
After demonstrating a technique, Irwin asked “OK, who’s going into the water?” A few hands shot up right away and Irwin takes each child, one at a time, until he gets to a little red-headed boy who with a pouty face, shakes his head no.
“You don’t want to do it today?” Irwin asks with a smile. The boy again shakes his head no. “That’s OK. I know. You don’t like to jump in the water.”
Volunteering for the swimming program seemed like a natural fit for Irwin because of his triathlon experience. Irwin also got his level one swim coach certification.
John Irwin with the Y’s aquatics and safety director, Becky Haveman (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
“I am hoping that now I am retired, they plan on using me a little more,” Irwin said. Havman gives a quick head shake yes.
Irwin also is sharing his story in hopes of encouraging others to follow in his path.
“When people look at the Y, they see the buildings but they don’t think about all the great programs that they offer that are inside the buildings,” Irwin said. “I would encourage people to reach out to the Y, or any organization they want, and take what they love and see how they can use that talent to give back.”
Who knows, you might end up trading your suit for a pair of gloves and a garden or maybe some shorts and a gym, or, perhaps like Irwin, a pair of swim trunks and a pool.
Like to join the fun? The Y will be hosting training classes for would-be lifeguards. The four-day trainings are Dec. 20-23 and Dec. 27-30. Lifeguards must be at least 16, and while most are high school and college students, theranks are made up of professionals, retirees, and stay-at-home moms. For more information, visit grymca.org/events/lifeguard-training-class. For the Safety Around Water program, visit grymca.org/news/water-safety-y.
Booklovers, and those with lovers of books on their last-minute shopping list, are in for a treat as several new releases from well-known authors, as well as debut writers, are available just in time for the holidays.
And how better to get that last gift than by buying local, or making a holiday roadtrip out of it?
“There are a ton of really solid, interesting books by well-known authors, as well as those who haven’t written before,” said Tim Smith, Operations Manager for Schuler Books.
Schuler Books on 28th Avenue is a big bookstore with a small bookstore feel. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)
Founded in 1982 by Bill and Cecile Fehsenfeld, Schuler Books includes locations in both Grand Rapids and Okemos. The Grand Rapids location on 28th Street “offers a wide array of new and used books for adults and children, an extensive selection of book-themed gifts, and a café where shoppers can enjoy coffee and a bite to eat,” they say. And a “friendly, helpful staff contribute to the welcoming feel shoppers experience.”
And if you’re really into last minute Christmas shopping, Schuler Books invites all ages to come and enjoy the live reindeer that will be outside the store Christmas Eve.
Adding to the inviting atmosphere is the knowledge that the staff at Schuler Books have personally hand-picked each book lining the shelves.
“We have a team of buyers that meet with publishing reps (representatives),” Smith said, “and over time have curated our stock. There are core items, of course, but also items specific to each store and its location.”
Changes in readers’ tastes
Schuler’s Smith also mentioned a shift in what buyers are looking for in reading material.
“Over the past couple of years, but especially this year, it has been different because people are looking for books connected to particular current events that people are trying to understand,” said Smith. “People see the world is changing, that there are large changes happening, and people are looking to books to understand these things.”
Popular titles at Schuler Books this holiday season substantiate Smith’s observation, with several books addressing current topics prevalent in society today:
“Change Sings: A Children’s Anthem” by Amanda Gorman. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)
“How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America” by Clint Smith speaks to racial understanding.
“Firekeeper’s Daughter” by Michigan author Angeline Boulley concentrates on the indigenous community.
“Change Sings: A Children’s Anthem” by Amanda Gorman incorporates a call to action for people of all ages to use their abilities to make a difference.
Other popular titles offer inspiration, humor, and a connection with nature:
“Taste: My Life Through Food” by Stanley Tucci; “The Impossible Mile: The Power in Living Life One Step at a Time” by Johnny Agar; “All Creation Waits: The Advent Mystery of New Beginnings” by Gayle Boss; “Where the Deer and the Antelope Play” by Nick Offerman; “A Carnival of Snackery” by David Sedaris; “Get Untamed” by Glennon Doyle, a companion journal to Doyle’s 2020 release, “Untamed”; “The Sentence” by Louise Erdrich.
Maybe make a day-trip shopping
If you like to do a little strolling around a small-town downtown with plenty of shopping, epilogue books, founded in July 2018 by Pat and Valerie Burkholder, is celebrating their fourth holiday season in Rockford.
Some of the staff picks at epilogue books in Rockford. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)
Tucked into a strip of stores just off East Bridge Street, epilogue books features a comprehensive selection of new books for readers of all ages, including several by Michigan authors.
“We try to support local Michigan authors and artists,” said Cindy Coats, bookseller at epilogue books.
Coats also said that the staff at epilogue books hand-picks each book that is placed on the shelves.
“We look at what books are projected to be top-sellers,” said Coats said, “as well as what people are asking for.”
And the staff also looks at trends: “People come in asking for books that are being made into movies, like ‘Dune’ (Frank Herbert) and ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ (Liane Moriarty),” said Coats.
Biographies and autobiographies have also proven to be a rising trend.
“People have been out of work, or not in their normal realm of work, for a year and a half and used that time to write their stories,” Coats said. “(Readers) like hearing where people came from, and especially about overcoming adversity.”
Several new releases on epilogue’s shelves cater to this topic, including “Will” by Will Smith, and “The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music” by Dave Grohl.
Pick one; all are worth reading. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)
“Atlas of the Heart” by Brené Brown, a self-help book that focuses on how to develop meaningful connections with the people in our lives, is another popular title this holiday season.
Cookbooks are also a top seller this year. “Lots of celebrities are now writing cookbooks,” said Coats. “Pop culture is really interjecting into food.”
The bookseller pointed to “An Unapologetic Cookbook,” written by TikTok sensation Joshua Weissman. “We can’t keep these on the shelf,” Coats said with a laugh.
Other popular titles offered by epilogue books include: “Go Tell the Bees That I am Gone” (Outlander Series, Book 9) by Diana Gabaldon; “The Silent Patient” by Alex Michaelides; “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Reid; “Cat Kid Comic Club: Perspectives” by Dav Pilkey.
A new reproduction of “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” by J.K. Rowling is also dazzling shoppers with its full color illustrations and eight interactive paper craft elements.
“They are stunning,” said Coats, touching the cover as she passed by.
And say ‘“Hi” to Tommy
epilogue books’ Tommy the Bookstore Dog. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)
Visitors to epilogue books will most likely be welcomed by the store’s most popular member, Tommy the Bookstore Dog, a mild-mannered golden retriever who loves to interact with customers.
“People come in just to see Tommy,” said Coats. “One woman drove all the way from Lansing after seeing him on a TikTok video, just to meet him.”
And after the holidays, an upcoming event that booklovers will want to mark on their calendars is a book signing with ABC’s chief meteorologist, Ginger Zee, featuring her upcoming release, “A Little Closer to Home.” A Rockford native, Zee will be at epilogue books Jan. 15 to meet fans and sign books.
USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), with a little bit of holiday lights lit, is the home of West Michigan’s Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew King, serving active duty in the U.S. Navy. (U.S. Navy)
In peacetime and in wartime, American serviceman and women often spend their Christmas Holidays far away from home but allowing those from their hometowns to enjoy the season safe and secure.
The U.S. Navy recently sent WKTV information on two such U.S. Navy personal from West Michigan, including their well wishes for family, friends and everybody they serve yet do not know.
Sailors help maintain America’s strategic advantage at sea, everyday, including the holidays. This means they do not always get to celebrate holidays with their loved ones.
U.S. Navy Seaman Breana Leonard. (U.S. Navy)
Seaman Breana Leonard, a Hastings native serving overseas will celebrate the holidays with shipmates in Guam.
“The holidays are a time to take a break and enjoy time with friends and family,” Seaman Leonard said in supplied material. And she wants to make sure her family back home know that they are loved and missed.
“Thank you for standing by me,” Leonard said. “I love you and I miss you all.”
Leonard serves as a gunner’s mate aboard USS Emory S. Land. As a member of the U.S. Navy, Leonard, as well as other sailors, know they are a part of “a tradition providing unforgettable experiences through leadership development, world affairs and humanitarian assistance,” according to the U.S. Navy announcement.
“Serving in the Navy means that I’m setting myself up for success in the future,” added Leonard.
Leonard’s brother in arms, Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew King, a Grand Rapids native, will celebrate the holidays volunteering for Catholic services at the base chapel in Yokosuka, Japan.
But he remembers a special memory from a holiday past.
U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew King. (U.S. Navy)
“For me, the holidays represent birth and new beginnings,” Petty Officer King said in supplied material. “When I was 13, my house burnt down in the fall and when the holidays came a secret benefactor donated a home to my family. If you’re reading this, thank you!”
King, too, wants family back home to know they are missed this holiday season.
“I hope everyone back home has a merry Christmas,” King said. “Despite being in Japan, the Christmas spirit spans worldwide. I would also like to thank the students and staff of Meadowbrook Elementary School for sending us care packages.”
King serves as an intelligence specialist aboard USS Ronald Reagan.
“The Navy is about maintaining peace — especially for the holiday season,” King said. “That is all I could ask for.”
Stephanie Fox, of the Navy Office of Community Outreach, contributed to this story.
On a brisk, cold Tuesday morning, representatives from about 17 area first responders and law enforcement agencies — including Wyoming and Kentwood — helped Santa Claus by delivering about 500 new toys to Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.
“This is just awesome to have this opportunity to spread some holiday cheer especially among some children who may not be able to be home,” said Wyoming Department of Public Safety Officer Chad Lynn.
The Toy Express to the children’s hospital was made possible through a grant from the First Responders Children’s Foundation (FRCF), a national nonprofit organization that provides financial relief to the families of first responders who have been injured or killed in the line of duty. The event was spearheaded by the Grandville Police Department, which wrote the grant request to FRCF.
Wyoming police officers Chad Lynn and Devin Quintard and Kentwood officers Jamie Karwowski and Jeff Augustyn help deliver presents to the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
“On the second Wednesday of the month, local first responders come out and turn their lights on for the children [at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital],” said Grandville Chief Paul Anglim, who had served with the Wyoming Public Safety Department for 27 years.
“It was just a natural extension of the Project Night Lights since the group was already formed.”
Project Night Lights is a program of Silent Observer, a non-profit established in 1972 to help solve and prevent serious crime in the Grand Rapids area.
“Silent Observer is so appreciative of this donation and is thrilled that Grandville Police Department and the FRCF are recognizing Silent Obersrver’s efforts involving Project Night Lights and all the First Responders who give up their time, month after month, to show their love and support of the patients at the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital,” said Silent Observer Executive Director Chris Cameron.
The parade went from the Grand Rapids Community College’s parking garage off of Ransom Avenue and made its way up to the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital on Lake Michigan Drive. Officers then unloaded the toys to carts which were wheeled inside to the hospital.
“We’re so pleased to have donations like this from the generosity of the community,” said Kelly Dyer, president of Spectrum Health and Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Foundations. “The generosity is simply amazing. It has been such a challenging year for everyone, and we are grateful for those who make time for this kind of thing.”
It’s all about bringing a little bit of joy, she added with a smile.
Grandville Chief Paul Anglim (WKTV)
“Making a child feel normal while managing a challenging situation like being in the hospital is what it’s all about. Bringing a little bit of joy…that’s what we’re trying to do here.”
Glenn Colbert, a former Kentwood Police officer who is now manager of security at Spectrum Health, agreed with Dyer, adding he felt it was a great opportunity to showcase the public outreach many officers do for the community.
“We are happy to have this opportunity to partner with our fellow law enforcement officers and emergency medical personnel by supporting the children in the hospital,” said Matt Brinkman, director of security at Spectrum Health.
Along with Grandville, Wyoming and Kentwood police departments, other law enforcement and first responder agencies that participated in the Toy Express event were Spectrum Security Police, Grandville Fire, Michigan State Police. Kent County Sheriff’s Office, Grand Rapids Police, Walker Police, East Grand Rapids Department of Public Safety, Rockford Department of Public Safety, Grand Rapids Community College Police, Plainfield Township Fire, American Medical Response, Life EMS, Lowell Police, and Grand Valley State University Police.
Kentwood officer Jamie Karwowski and Jeff Augustyn help unload toys.
Kentwood Officer Jamie Karwowski hands a present to Officer Jeff Augustyn
Wyoming Officer Chad Lynn helps to unload a truck
Wyoming Officer Chad Lynn and Kentwood Officer Jeff Augustyn help with the toys
Wyoming Officer Chad Lynn places boxes full of toys on a cart
All of the law enforcement officers who helped on Dec. 7
Kent County 17th Circuit Court Family Division Judge Kathleen A. Feeney, on the court’s 2021 Adoption Day. (Kent County)
Kent County 17th Circuit Court Family Division Judge Patricia Gardner, right, with adopted youth Marissa Holmes, center, on the court’s 2021 Adoption Day. (Kent County)
Kent County 17th Circuit Court Family Division Judge Terence J. “T.J.” Ackert, on the court’s 2021 Adoption Day. (Kent County)
The Overway family, with newly adopted son Pierce, who was adopted on Kent County 17th Circuit Court Family Division’s 2021 Adoption Day. (Kent County)
The Kent County 17th Circuit Court, Family Division, marked its 25th Annual Adoption Day Dec. 2 with 27 adoptions finalized, a new record for the annual event, according to an announcement from the county. This year’s theme, “You are Deer to Us,” had many of the virtual courtrooms decorated and judges dressed in festive reindeer attire.
“We celebrate every single adoption that is finalized in our courtrooms throughout the year,” 17th Circuit Family Division Judge Kathleen Feeney, said in supplied material. “But our annual adoption day is a way to collectively honor these momentous occasions and to celebrate with the children and families whose lives are forever changed through adoption.”
The 17th Circuit Court’s Family Division finalizes an average of 300 adoptions each year, with the largest number in a single day typically slated for the Annual Adoption Days. Statewide, 2,161 adoptions are finalized in 2019. Of this number, 8 percent of the adoptions were youth between the ages of 13 to 17, according to the announcement.
This year, the Family Division judges had added reason to celebrate as nine teenagers officially joined their adoptive families. Among those adopted were 15-year-old Pierce Overway, who has spent the last seven years in foster care, with 10 different foster home placements and 15-year-old girl Marissa Holmes, who has spent more than seven years in foster care, with 13 different placements.
“The tragic truth is, teen adoptions are rare,” 17th Circuit Family Division Judge Patricia Gardner said in supplied material. “Like Pierce and Marissa, far too many kids spend years moving from one foster home to another with no sense of permanency. Many age out of the foster care system before they’re adopted.
“We are so happy for Pierce and Marissa and for their families. Theirs is a story of deep love, commitment and renewal — as are the stories of every single adoptive family.”
Dec. 1, 2021, marks 40 years since the beginning of the HIV epidemic in the United States. Since then, more than 700,000 people in the United States have died from the virus.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that one-in-eight people living with HIV in the United States do not know they have the disease. And testing is the only way for someone to know their status and take the necessary steps to stop the spread of the HIV virus.
In recognition of World AIDS Day, the Kent County Health Department (KCHD) will be holding a free walk-in HIV testing event on Wednesday, Dec. 1, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the health department’s main clinic at 700 Fuller NE in Grand Rapids.
Certified test counselors will be at the clinic to provide testing, answer questions, and connect residents with needed services.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has made testing difficult,” April Hight, Personal Health Services Supervisor at KCHD, said in supplied material. “This year we are hoping that more people will take advantage of our clinic and we will raise the level of community awareness about the importance of HIV testing.”
Great strides have been made in the treatment of HIV. While there is no vaccine for the virus, today’s treatments enable people with the virus to live long and healthy lives. One treatment is PrEP, a daily pill that is 99 percent effective at reducing the risk of acquiring the virus.
A person living with HIV who is on treatment and has an undetectable level of the virus in their blood are unable to transmit the virus to others. The prevention method is estimated to be 100 percent effective as long as the person living with HIV take their medication as prescribed, and gets and stays undetectable.
This concept, which the KCHD supports, is known as Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U).
HIV testing and PrEP is available at the KCHD Personal Health Services Clinic. Residents are encouraged to call the KCHD at 616-632-7171 to schedule a test or to find out if PrEP is right for them.
The theme for the 2021 World AIDS Day is “Ending the HIV Epidemic: Equitable Access, Everyone’s Voice,” which emphases the United States’ commitment to ending the HIV epidemic globally by addressing health inequities and ensuring the voices of people with HIV are heard.
Visit worldaidsday.org to learn more about this global health day.
