This high school level robotics competition will showcase 18 Michigan teams battling in complex two-minute matches against highly skilled competitors in last season’s game, Crescendo.
Highlighting women in tech
GRGRC is a FIRST Robotics off-season event (Courtesy, GRGRC 2022)
The GRGRC is a FIRST Robotics off-season event. Michigan boasts the most FIRST Robotics teams in action, and the competition will be energized.
During this unique event female team members will be the primary drivers, operators and pit crew members of their team’s robot.
“I’ve really looked forward to the Girls Tournament every year since I’ve known about it,” said Emma Bustraan, #4967 That ONE Team – Our Next Engineers. “It’s kind of a neat experience, because there’s something special about being responsible for how you end up placing.
Female team members operate their team’s robots (Courtesy, GRGRC 2023)
“It’s a cool feeling to have the joystick in your hands and knowing that, if you break the robot, you have to fix it.”
The GRGRC will begin with a Ladies in Tech panel at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 12.
This panel is a great opportunity to connect and learn from female STEM leaders in our community.
The robotics competition begins with opening ceremonies at 8:45 a.m., concluding with the awards ceremony at 4:30 p.m.
Family-friendly and FREE
Mark your calendars for this family-friendly event and to learn more about STEM and FIRST Robotics. All events are FREE, open to the public and will be held at Wyoming High School, 1350 Prairie Parkway SW.
GRGRC is hosted by Demons Robotics #858 from Wyoming High School, Red Storm Robotics #3875 from East Kentwood High School, Red Storm Rookies #9566 from East Kentwood Freshman Campus, and community team That ONE Team #4967.
Stay up-to-date on competition details on the GRGRC Facebook page.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) raises several ethical and controversial questions regarding topics such as privacy and surveillance, human autonomy, job displacement, the role of human judgment – and many more.
Kent District Library (KDL) is hosting the Next Nexus Summit: AI for Business to provide community members with an opportunity to hear unbiased information presented by local AI leaders. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions during the Summit ethics panel.
“Even though the focus is on how AI impacts your business, this is a good way for everyone to get a somewhat unbiased approach of what AI really means,” said Hannah Lewis, KDL Community Engagement Librarian.
“AI just kind of came out of nowhere, and you can’t escape it. That’s scary, and it’s okay to feel that.”
AI is impacting libraries and several educational fields (Courtesy, KDL)
Lewis went on to say that the Summit evolved due patron feedback and AI impact on education.
“A lot of patrons have been coming in to ask questions about AI,” Lewis said. “AI is impacting libraries too; they’re impacting the educational fields a lot.”
Bright local minds in artificial intelligence, technology, innovation, and legal considerations will come together to explore the future of artificial intelligence and its impact on our world and business.
Local AI leaders are willing to answer questions and provide clarity for the community (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
Those minds include:
Joe Chrysler With a deep background in machine learning and AI ethics, accelerator manager and software consultant at Atomic Object Joe Chrysler will discuss how you can leverage AI in marketing and business development using AI tools that are available today.
Amy Baddley A leading data privacy attorney, Amy Baddley will address the legal implications of using AI as part of your business model and the concerns of AI, intellectual property, and privacy.
Jessica Bratt An advocate for inclusive technology, Jessica Bratt, an instructional designer from Casual Simulation, will provide a visionary outlook on where AI is headed and how you can stay ahead of the curve.
Morgan Hanks Kent District Library’s User Experience Manager and a pioneer in bringing AI to the library to support staff and patron needs, Morgan Hanks will introduce each speaker and moderate the closing panel discussion on the ethical concerns related to the use of AI.
“This is a group of people that are not Google, they’re not Microsoft, they’re just telling you the pros and the cons without mega corporation baggage behind it,” said Lewis.
A safe place for conversation
The event ethics panel is prepared to answer tough questions regarding AI (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
There will also be an ethics panel where these experts will answer honest questions people have been asking, Lewis continued. Questions such as: how can we avoid issues and build trust? How do we determine what’s true and what’s not true? Will this take over the world?
“We’re totally experienced in handling any questions, especially those tough ones,” said Lewis. “Part of what [the event] is about is being able to ask those questions.
“I do think that, for the most part, this is going to be a very positive and optimistic experience. We know this is something that’s on a lot of people’s minds.”
Through the Next Nexus Summit, KDL is providing avenues for community members to gain information and clear takeaways while in a safe environment.
Registration details
Each event can accommodate 100 patrons, and both event programs feature identical content.
Interested participants can register themselves and one other person using a KDL account. Registration can also be completed using an email address.
Those unable to attend but who have questions for the presenters about AI can submit questions on the event website.
Business owner attendees are invited to bring business cards and/or other promotional items to give away.
This exciting exhibit provides new insights into biology and technology with eight robotic animals of considerable size. Visitors will discover how chameleons change color, giant squids propel themselves, flies walk on the ceiling and more.
Over a dozen hands-on activities illustrate fascinating real-life animal characteristics. Cutaways expose the mechanical animals’ insides as a host of easily recognizable machine parts and gadgets that demonstrate what makes them work.
“By comparing the anatomy, environments, and size of the actual creatures to the mechanic counterparts, The Robot Zoo provides fantastic new insights into biology and engineering, and hands-on fun for all ages,” the website states. “This exhibit reveals the magic of nature as a master engineer.”
Plan a field trip!
Educators are invited to bring students to experience The Robot Zoo. GRPM’s Educator’s Guide can enhance your group’s visit with a fun collection of multidisciplinary activities.
Insect investigations, sensory experiences of the rhinoceros and additional crafts and experiments can be utilized before or after the exhibit experience.
Cutaways expose the mechanical animals’ insides as a host of easily recognizable machine parts and gadgets (Courtesy, GRPM)
Dive deeper with books!
The GRPM and Kent District Library have collaborated to expand learning opportunities about biology, robotics and biomechanics with a variety of English and Spanish book titles for all ages.
Explore the fascinating worlds of animals and machines with these books!
Meijer BeBop and Pixie Drone (Courtesy, GVSU/Meijer)
By Brian Vernellis
GVSU Communications
Grand Valley State University’s Annis Water Resources Institute (AWRI) will showcase an innovative, remote-controlled beach-cleaning device designed and deployed to collect refuse and plastic litter from Michigan beaches along the Great Lakes shorelines.
A Few Friends for the Environment of the World (AFFEW), a Ludington-based environmental nonprofit group, has invited the AWRI to publicly demonstrate the litter capture and cleanup device, called the BeBot, for an upcoming beach cleanup scheduled for July 17, from 7-8:30 p.m., at Ludington’s Stearns Park.
Models estimate as much as 22 million pounds of plastic every year could be entering the Great Lakes, the source of drinking water for 40 million Americans and Canadians. Plastic in the lakes and surrounding watersheds will cost hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars annually to combat.
Cleanup technology
Since 2022, Meijer has donated close to $2 million to the Council of the Great Lakes Region Foundation to expand the deployment of two plastic litter cleanup technologies, the BeBot and Pixie Drone. This is part of the Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup Program, a joint initiative of the Council of the Great Lakes Region and Pollution Probe in Canada.
Jamie Cross, outreach and science education instructor at AWRI, will be at Stearns Park to talk about BeBot and AWRI’s participation in the project.
The public is invited
AFFEW invites the public to watch BeBot in action as well as volunteer in the cleaning of Stearns Park’s beach.
Participants should meet at the south concession stand in Stearns Park. Bags and gloves will be provided.
For more information about this event or AFFEW, visit affew.org.
Following the success of its first two years, community partners in Grand Rapids are excited to announce the return of Tech Week Grand Rapids Sept. 16-21, 2024.
This community-wide event is designed to showcase the region’s vibrant tech community and will host over 13,000 attendees.
“Tech Week GR has grown exponentially since its inception,” said Andria Romkema, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications at The Right Place, and lead organizer of Tech Week GR.
“This remarkable growth is due in part to Tech Week’s wide variety of events and content. It isn’t just for the techies of our community; there is truly something for everyone at Tech Week GR.”
What to expect
Tech Week GR will feature diverse events and programming, including panel discussions, hands-on tech exhibits, networking opportunities and more. Several large-scale events will participate, with more details to be announced soon.
Author and podcast host Stephen Dubner will deliver the keynote address at Tech Week GR (Courtesy, Tech Week GR)
The schedule is continuously expanding, and attendees can expect updates at www.techweekgr.com as additional events are confirmed.
One of the highlights of the week will be Stephen Dubner’s kick-off keynote address. Dubner is co-author of the bestselling book Freakonomics and host of the Freakonomics Radio podcast.
This open and collaborative “unconference” will feature events hosted by various organizations across the community. Applications are now being accepted for businesses and organizations interested in hosting a Tech Week event. For details on how to apply, please visit the Tech Week website.
“The tech industry in Greater Grand Rapids is thriving, and Tech Week GR’s remarkable growth is an example of this success,” said Mark Johnson, co-founder and partner of Michigan Software Labs and co-chair of Tech Week GR.
Event Schedule (as of 5/29/24):
Monday, Sept. 16: Tech Week Kick-Off featuring Stephen Dubner at GLC Live at 20 Monroe
Tuesday, Sept. 17: Student Tech Showcase at Kent Career Technical Center
Tuesday, Sept. 17: Tech Talks Speaker Series at Twisthink
Tuesday, Sept. 17: Tech on the Deck at Michigan Software Labs
Wednesday, Sept. 18: AI Session at GRCC
Wednesday, Sept. 18: Start Garden’s Demo Day at Calder Plaza
Wednesday, Sept. 18: Tech Talks Speaker Series at GVSU
Thursday, Sept. 19: Tech Talks Speaker Series at LaFleur Marketing
Friday, Sept. 20 & Saturday, Sept. 21: Confluence Festival at Rosa Parks Circle
A leading tech hub
Tech Week offers opportunities to engage the workforce with our region’s tech community (Courtesy, pxhere.com)
The Right Place is the proud organizer of Tech Week Grand Rapids, working in partnership with business and community leaders to make the event a leading destination for tech and innovation. The event is guided by an advisory board of over 35 community leaders, with Bank of America providing support as the Premier Sponsor.
“Tech talent development and retention are fundamental to our region’s goal of becoming a leading tech hub in the Midwest,” said Dr. Philomena Mantella, President of Grand Valley State University and co-chair of Tech Week GR.
“This year, Tech Week GR will offer countless opportunities to engage the next generation of the workforce with our region’s growing tech community.”
Artificial Intelligence such as ChatGPT are changing the way school assignments can be done. (Pxhere.com)
LANSING – ChatGPT has been around since November 2022 and has taken the internet by storm but is raising questions in Michigan classrooms.
The free Artificial Intelligence software can answer any prompt you can think of – from solving math equations to writing essays.
And that’s led some school districts, most prominently the New York City school system, to ban use of ChatGPT on its networks and school equipment.
Some Michigan education experts say they’re worried, too, about students’ possible misuse of the software to cheat.
Wendy Zdeb, the executive director of the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals, said using ChatGPT would go against districts’ academic dishonesty policies.
“Many school districts have used firewalls and active means of blocking access to the software on school devices,” Zdeb said.
She said that such measures would not require a new policy, just an adaptation of the protocols in place.
Being aware of what ChatGPT can do
Teachers are also aware of the software and its potential for use and misuse.
Crystal VanWalsum, an English teacher at Lansing’s Waverly High School, has used in-class essays to avoid the use of ChatGPT and similar AI software.
“One way to avoid a problem like plagiarizing from the internet is to have students write essays in class,” said VanWalsum.
For example, she assigned an in-class essay on King Arthur and put the essay prompt into ChatGPT ahead of time to see what the software would come up with.
“The response included details that were not part of the story that we read in class. If it had been an outside-of-class essay, then somebody may have turned in something that included details that would not have been relevant to what we had read in class. It wouldn’t have worked anyways,” she said.
She said she can tell if a student has used software like ChatGPT.
“Things that have been AI-generated completely lack any kind of original voice. They’re very flat,” she said. “A lot of the sentence structure is the same throughout the entire thing. There’s not much variation in sentence structure at all. As you read, it doesn’t sound like the student who turned it in.”
Making its way into West Michigan
Blake Mazurek, an eighth-grade U.S. history teacher at Grandville Middle School, said his son introduced him to ChatGPT over the Thanksgiving holiday.
“Somehow we got on the topic of technology and he mentioned (ChatGPT) and was telling me what he knew at the time,” Mazurek said.
That conversation led him to do some research about ChatGPT, and it piqued his interest.
When asked if they knew anything about it, his eighth-grade current events students were silent.
“I talked to my current event kids and nobody knew about it,” he said.
He said that few of his colleagues have heard about the new software.
Mind-blowing’ in what AI can do
John VanWagoner, the superintendent of Traverse City Area Public Schools, was introduced to the software a few months ago during a meeting of the Future of Learning Council, an organization of 40 Michigan school districts and learning organizations.
He said that the council brought up ChatGPT and showed what it could do.
“It was mind-blowing. It’s a game changer as far as the ability to process data and knowledge into writing,” said VanWagoner.
After the initial introduction, VanWagoner showed ChatGPT to his staff, and they came up with various tasks and prompts for the AI software to solve.
“It’s pretty amazing what the AI capability has to be to do that work,” he said.
School officials in Michigan have been aware of ChatGPT and say its use in the classroom has a positive effect.
Teaching students how to use the technology at hand
Phil Jankowski, the superintendent of Anchor Bay Schools in St. Clair County, said he is not concerned about students’ use of the software to plagiarize.
He said that anti-plagiarism software the district uses can detect if ChatGPT was used to create an essay.
“Between work in the classroom and the use of those applications, we believe we can counter much of it,” he said.
He said he tried out the software and found that it’s not that great at writing essays.
ChatGPT “is not especially good yet, but it does open a window into what the future will look like,” Jankowski said.
He said he is optimistic about the future of AI in the classroom.
“Artificial intelligence such as ChatGPT are things students will have to use and will be faced with in the future. There is a strong argument that we need to teach students how best to use the technology as it is on the forefront of the AI horizon,” he said.
Wyoming’s Demon Robotics and East Kentwood’s Storm Red battle during the Grand Rapids Girls Robotics Competition on Oct. 8. (WKTV/Jodi Miesen)
By Jodi Miesen WKTV Contributor
It was an intense battle for bragging rights for two local all-girls high school robotics teams that took part in a competition that focused on their abilities in a very male-dominated field.
The 2022 Grand Rapids Girls Robotics Competition was held at Wyoming High School over the weekend. Most high school robotics teams are co-ed but for this unique annual STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) event, only the girls were allowed to compete. GRGRC event coordinator Mallorie Edwards said the event was founded in 2016, by Wyoming High School teacher Richard Budden. Budden taught STEM and noticed female students were not as interested in it.
Edwards, who has been with the organization since 2017, said she’s passionate about the organization’s mission and was excited GRGRC could bring the competition back this year. This is the first time they’ve been able to hold the all-day event since the COVID-19 pandemic started. Turnout was lower this year than in the past with only 14 teams. The event is capped at 24 teams.
“I am hoping to grow the numbers that participate in the competition next year,” Edwards said. “A challenge I heard from many coaches that I reached out to was that they didn’t have enough girls on the team to compete. That is the exact reason why we are doing this event. To show girls that they can do these roles, be successful, and have fun.”
The key to success: the willingness to learn
The event drew robotics teams from high schools all over the state with two local teams, Red Storm (Team 3875) from East Kentwood High School and Demon Robotics (Team 858) from Wyoming High School.
Team Captain Abby Strait from Wyoming High School’s The Demons, stands next to the team’s robot. (WKTV/Jodi Miesen)
Through out the competition, teams form alliances with other teams to battled in complex two-minute games against other alliances. This all done with robots that the students have built and program. Wyoming’s The Demons and East Kentwood’s Red Storm ended up being on the same alliance and were fierce competitors, losing by just two points.
“You can do it! You don’t have to be super smart to be in robotics, you just have to be willing to learn,” said Abby Strait, a Wyoming High School senior and team captain. “Your team will teach you all that you need to know.”
Strait, who has been on robotics teams since 8th grade, was excited that her school was hosting an event that promotes girls to pursue science and math fields. She said she felt that far too often girls shy away from robotics thinking it will be too hard, but she hopes events like this will draw more female interest.
“I’m hoping to go to college for some sort of engineering, something really hands on, as opposed to just math behind the desk,” Strait said as she reflected on what career she might want to pursue in the future. “But this has definitely made me more interested in the STEM career field.”
Taking STEM by storm
Red Storm team captain Sarah Shapin, a senior at East Kentwood High School, is in her seventh year participating in the robotics program. Shapin said she started in middle school and plans to continue her interest in the STEM field in the future.
Team Captain Sarah Chapin from East Kentwood’s Red Storm stands by her team’s robot and displays the logo she designed for this year’s event. Casa Calvo Marketing designed the t-shirt. (WKTV/Jodi Miesen)
Shapin she too believes that women are under-represented in this area but said events like this can help bridge that gap.
“A lot of times women are on it,” Shapin said as she relayed an analogy told to her by her mentor. “And then a guy kind of takes a screwdriver out of her hands and doesn’t give it back. So, it’s not necessarily that women are blocked from it. However, it’s very male-dominated and so therefore, giving this opportunity like this competition allows for women to really get in there, get involved and push through.”
Shapin said she hopes to attend Michigan State University, double majoring in computer science and music. Her goal is to be a software engineer and continue playing the clarinet.
Breaking the stereotypes
According to Edwards, all that hard work pays off on competition day after seeing the students’ reactions and from the correspondence she receives after the event is over.
“The Grand Rapids Girls Robotics Competition is important to me, because of the letters I receive after the competition; expressing how happy they were to be able to participate in a role that usually a male teammate would be in,“ Edwards said. “And also, during the competition, I get to see the excitement exude from these kids. They love what they’re doing! They love STEM!”
The competition also featured a panel of guest speakers, “Ladies in Tech,” made up of women successful in the STEM fields.
Wyoming Team Captain Abby Strait gets help moving the Demons’ robot off the field. (WKTV/Jodi Miesen)The alliance of the Wyoming, East Kentwood, and Marysville teams gathers before the final competition. (WKTV/Jodi Miesen)
Thursday afternoon, Mobile Defenders and eduPARTS held a ribbon cutting to celebrate their new building near Kentwood. (Courtesy, Mobile Defenders)
Thursday afternoon, Mobile Defenders and eduPARTS held a ribbon cutting to celebrate their new building near Kentwood. Mobile Defenders, which provides wholesale cell phone replacement parts around the world, and eduPARTS, which offers Chromebook and iPad parts for school districts, students and businesses, moved into the location this summer to handle growing demand and growing staffs.
The 89,430-square-foot structure was built by Veneklasen Construction and is located at 6155 East Paris Ave. SE, near M-6 and the Gerald R. Ford International Airport. Mobile Defenders and eduPARTS share ownership and employ more than 50 people total. Those employees were joined by leadership from both companies, Veneklasen Construction and representatives of the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce at the ribbon cutting. Company ownership says the new space is perfect to allow them to serve their customers quickly and successfully.
“Having this new home allows our teams to efficiently and effectively work together to quickly meet our customers’ needs,” said Erich Baum, vice president of Mobile Defenders. “In our industry, speed is everything and our new location close to the airport allows us to have a workspace that people enjoy and get products out the door quickly.”
The building includes both office and warehouse space. The office space is setup to facilitate teamwork while having easy access to leadership. The workspace includes sound-masking artwork that hangs from the ceiling. There is also a modern, spacious break room and electric car chargers in the parking lot for employees and customers to use.
The new 89-430-square-foot building includes office space and a warehouse (pictured above.) )Courtesy, Mobile Defenders)
“It’s been exciting to work with Mobile Defenders on a building that gives them exactly what they need both now and in the future,” said Julie Byrne, president of Veneklasen Construction. “Our team was able to remain flexible during the construction timeline which allowed us to complete the work in a timely manner of a building we’re very proud of.”
“Serving schools and businesses locally and nationwide is our core focus at eduPARTS. This new facility has provided us with space to expand our warehouse to better provide them with the Chromebook and iPad repair parts they need. Since moving, I’ve seen an improvement in efficiency, enthusiasm, and teamwork, ” said Cole Manning, managing director of eduPARTS.
Construction on the $7.5 million project began in summer 2021. Mobile Defenders and eduPARTS currently occupy more than half of the space, with other tenants scheduled to move in later this year.
By Emily Armstrong Area Agency on Aging of West Michigan
When learning to use tech, start with small tasks such as setting up email. (pxhere.com)
These past few years of pandemic life have forced many to turn to technology as a means of connection. Doctor’s appointments turned to video visits, typical in-person social engagements became phone calls or text chains, and classes and activities moved to Zoom and other virtual platforms. This large shift, happening almost simultaneously, can be confusing to navigate. How do you set up your new tablet? How can you use an app to order groceries or download library books? How can you give an Alexa device commands to check the weather? There are endless possibilities of what technology can help you to do, especially as a senior, to enhance your life, but navigating just how to do so can be a challenge. Here are a few tips.
First and foremost, identify what you’d like to accomplish. Just jumping in and trying to learn everything at once is overwhelming. Set a goal to focus on just learning how to do that one thing and give yourself the grace to do so over multiple sessions.
Start small with activities such as turning on a device or setting up an email address. If there are barriers to getting started, such as internet access or affording a device, identify these barriers and reach out to your local Area Agency on Aging where you can be connected to resources.
Ask for help if you need it. It is okay to not know everything and if you hit a wall, it can be helpful to turn to a friend or family member for guidance and input.
Seek out resources. If you don’t have a person to turn to for questions, you can use one of the many resources below.
GetSetUp: Michigan Department of Health and Human Services partnered with GetSetUp, a digital education platform for older adults, to offer 150+ technology and enrichment classes, all taught by retired educators. www.getsetup.io/partner/michigan
Making IT Easier Series: The Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan has a video series designed to teach seniors how to use technology to enhance their lives. You can check out these videos on our website, including lessons on how to use Facetime, order grocery delivery via Shipt, get a ride with Lyft, and more www.aaawm.org/tech
Senior Neighbors Technology Support Program: Through workshops and one-on-one support, local seniors in Kent County will receive person-centered services to provide access to affordable internet and devices, develop technical skills, and find confidence in utilizing technology. You can learn more about this program at www.seniorneighbors.org/tech
Older Adults Technology Services (OATS): A national program, with Senior Planet as its flagship, OATS provides courses, programs, and activities to help seniors learn new skills, save money, get in shape, and make new friends. You sign up for their newsletter and participate in online offerings at https://seniorplanet.org/ You can also call the Senior Planet Tech Hotline: (888) 713-3495.
AGING Connected: Partners with telecommunications companies, nonprofits, and public entities to bring low-cost internet options to older adults nationwide. Call for support: 877-745-1930
Practice online safety. Write down your account information and passwords to online accounts and keep them in a safe place. Check your links and attachments to ensure they are from trusted sources, oftentimes an “https” before a website link is a good indicator that a link is secure.
Use Accessibility Features. It can be hard to see a screen, type on a keypad, and click through screens. You can utilize accessibility features to make devices more user-friendly, these include options such as voice commands, magnifier and zoom options, color filters, dictation features, assistive touch, and more.
Want one-time one-on-one support? The Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan will be hosting a drop-in technology event at Scottville Senior Center (140 S. Main Street, Scottville, MI 49454) on Tuesday, Sept. 27, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Individuals more than 60 and in the nine-county region (Allegan, Ionia, Kent, Lake, Mason, Mecosta, Montcalm, Newaygo, or Osceola) can take part. You can bring in your device and receive assistance from staff. Don’t have a device? A limited number of tablets will be available to participants who do not currently have a device. Participants may take home their new tablet following the event. Questions? Call Brandon Beck at 616-222-7024.
There are a number of reasons that a municipality may seek government-run broadband such as faster service at a lower cost, encourage economic development, and provide economic development. (pxhere.com)
For more than a decade, municipalities around the United States have been starting their own government-run broadband networks to bring high-speed internet to their residents.
They might do so for a variety of reasons: to provide residents faster service at a lower cost, to encourage economic development, to provide high-speed internet to areas that private Internet Service Providers aren’t interested in serving, or to bring more economical connections to urban areas where residents can’t afford the service provided by private ISPs.
But due to laws on the books in Michigan, cities can face significant obstacles in starting their own network.
Michigan is one of 18 states that put restrictions on municipal broadband programs. Under the Metropolitan Extension Telecommunications Rights-of-Way Oversight Act of 2002, public entities can provide telecommunications services only if they have first requested bids for the services and received fewer than three qualified bids. They also must subject themselves to the same terms as those specified in their Request for Proposal.
Around the United States, measures regulating municipal broadband are enacted largely due to the influence of telecommunications companies wishing to be shielded from competition, according to MuniNetworks.org, a Community Broadband Networks Initiative of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.
According to the Common Cause Education Fund, which tracked the spending of telecommunications companies for the years 2019 and 2020, Comcast spent $13 million on lobbying in 2019 and $14 million in 2020. The company spent $15 million on political contributions and expenditures in the 2020 election cycle. AT&T spent $11.5 million on lobbying in 2019, $11 million in 2020, and $13 million in political contributions in 2020.
Some small cities in the Michigan, such as Marshall, have been able to start their own network because they sent out a Request for Proposal and no ISPs responded, according to the Battle Creek Enquirer.
Holland is exempt from the Metro Act provisions because their fiber system predates the Metro Act, according to Ted Siler, utility services director for the city. They started it in the 1990s to connect their public utilities.
But even though the regulations don’t affect Holland’s plans to build a fiber network in the city, there are still parties pushing to stop it.
In late May, Holland residents began getting a “push poll” text from G1 Research. While purporting to be an opinion poll, the questions aligned with talking points by conservative commentators who believe municipal broadband networks place a unnecessary burden on taxpayers.
Daniel Morrison, a broadband activist who leads the civic group hollandfiber.org, said he didn’t know who was behind the push poll. All he had were “rumors and suspicions,” he said.
But he believes the Holland community supports the plan.
“I think the community is behind this because we have such a well-respected utility that takes good care of us,” he said. “It’s very clear to residents why a community-owned broadband utility fits in really well and would be an improvement over what they have now.”
Telecommunications companies aren’t the only ones trying to halt municipal broadband networks. Conservative lawmakers routinely introduce legislative restrictions because they feel municipal networks raise taxes and are not a cost-effective solution.
Holland representatives believe there is support to have a government-run broadband within their city.
Some studies have shown that municipal networks don’t attract enough users to pay for themselves. Elizabeth Hicks, U.S. affairs analyst at the advocacy group the Consumer Choice Center, cites a 2017 study by the University of Pennsylvania Law School concluding that of 20 municipal fiber projects that reported results of their municipal operations, 11 generated negative cash flow, and only two were on track to break even.
“What happens if there’s not enough consumers who end up signing up for the municipal broadband services or network? If that does happen – and what we see happen across the country with other municipal broadband networks – is the taxpayers within that municipality are stuck holding the bag for this failed network. So not only do they have a network that doesn’t work, but now they’re paying for it with their own tax dollars.”
But according to MuniNetworks.org, several of the cities that were subjects of the University of Pennsylvania Law School study disputed the accuracy of the numbers used in the calculations. The authors of the study issued a correction to some aspects of their report. The University of Pennsylvania released an updated study in January this year which again found that the actual performance of municipal broadband projects fell short of their financial forecasts.
Hicks said she believes everyone should have access to high-speed internet at reasonable prices, but that municipal networks are not the most effective way to do that. She said she has seen public-private partnerships work in rural areas where it’s cost-prohibitive to bring fiber. Cable and satellite service could be other options to consider, she said, or government subsidies for broadband in areas where there are ISPs providing service, but it’s too expensive for residents.
“There are a lot of unique solutions – I just don’t think jumping to a municipal broadband network should be the first one,” she said, adding that more than 200 communities nationwide currently offer municipal broadband, but only a small percentage of them have been successful.
In Holland, if the ballot measure passes, city residents will pay a millage of about $12.50 per month for building the system. Those who choose to connect would pay about $42 per month for service of 1 gigabit per second. The cost will depend on the “take rate,” in other words, how many people sign up. The more people who sign up for the service, the lower the cost will go.
Holland leaders are confident they will have the numbers needed to ensure success. The City and its Board of Public Works surveyed residents in 2018 and found that the vast majority of residents were in favor of a community-owned solution that provides high-speed internet access.
Morrison said demand for fiber connection in Holland’s existing downtown pilot project area has been strong. They have more than 200 customers in 150 buildings, he said.
The Covid pandemic and the lockdowns that followed brought the need for high-speed internet into sharp focus, he said.
“Everyone understands now the value of a good, reliable internet connection. We look at our very reliable utility that has been lowering electric rates, and say ‘We want (internet service) to be a utility just like water, sewer, or electricity.’ That’s what we want. We want to be in control of our own destiny. Not leave that up to a big telecom company.”
On Aug. 2, the City of Holland could join a short list of cities that has broadband as a city utility. (pxhere.com)
When Holland voters go to the polls on Aug. 2, they will decide on a milage proposal that would give residents a benefit that’s relatively rare in the United States: a publicly funded, city-wide broadband internet network available to anyone living within the city limits.
The Holland City Council voted in April to take the measure to the voters. Now, the city is immersed in a campaign to educate voters about the benefits of the proposal.
If the ballot measure passes, Holland would join cities like Chattanooga, Tennessee; Sandy, Oregon; Cedar Falls, Iowa, and several others spread around the country that have a broadband network run by the municipality.
“Covid made it very clear that home internet is not a luxury,” said Daniel Morrison, a local broadband advocate who runs Hollandfiber.org, a civic group that has long championed the idea. “I’ve been banging this drum for years – that it’s not just people’s Netflix. It’s a utility. Covid changed the perception of that. It’s how you work. It’s how you go to school, it’s how you do everything, It’s not just entertainment. But even entertainment is important too.”
If the ballot measure passes, the funds raised by the millage will extend a fiber network that already exists in the downtown area to the rest of the city. The network will be owned and maintained by the Holland Board of Public Works and operated in the same way as other utilities, such as water or electricity.
“For the average family, we expect this would give them better choice in internet providers and lower – possibly significantly lower – prices,” Morrison said. “Better service at a lower price is what we’re seeing.”
Downtown business in Holland already have been enjoying the faster upload speeds offered by the city’s fiber connections. (pxhere.com)
Residents would be able to choose between several different Internet service providers that offer service packages using the new fiber network, bringing a more competitive environment.
Residents would pay to hook up to the service – $820 per address – but would be allowed to pay that off at a cost of $7 per month for 10 years, according to hollandcityfiber.org, the city website explaining the proposal. A sample internet service bill provided by the city shows an estimated monthly cost of $42 for internet service – $7 for the monthly installment payment for connection, $7 for internet access and $28 for maintenance of the network.
The millage would levy up to 1.5 mills in its first year, and about 1.12 each year after that for the life of the 25-year bond, according to hollandcityfiber.org. The millage would cost about $12.50 per month for the owner of a $200,000 home with a taxable value of $100,000. If approved, the project to run the fiber throughout the city would start in 2023 and be finished two years later.
Morrison said that for businesses in Holland, the service would let them take advantage of high-speed uploads they may not have had before. Businesses in the existing downtown service area are already reaping the benefits, he said.
“There are some companies in town that do video work and they’re able to upload finished projects crazy fast over our current downtown service area,” Morrison said. “It’s unlocking so much potential of high-speed, high-availability options for businesses outside the downtown area.”
Pete Hofswell, Holland’s broadband services superintendent, said Holland first developed a fiberoptic system in the early 1990s to connect, monitor and control the city’s public utilities.
That system has been growing slowly ever since, but expanding broadband access to the rest of the city has been a priority for many years, with ongoing discussions between the city council and the board of public works, Hofswell said.
“City Hall would get back to us and challenge us, saying ‘How can you get this service into more people’s hands?’ They see the value of it. They want to connect everybody in our town.”
A survey of residents taken in 2021 showed that 65% believed community investment was needed to ensure sufficient broadband access for all, and more than 72% agreed that community based broadband would benefit the community, according to hollandcityfiber.org.
Because Holland has had its fiber optic network for decades, the city is in a unique position to expand its network without being hampered by regulations that might affect other communities attempting to put a publicly funded fiber network in place.
The services are governed by the Metropolitan Extension Telecommunications Rights-of-Way Oversight Act, Public Act 48 of 2002, and Michigan Telecommunications Act, Public Act 179 of 1991. In Michigan, public entities by law can provide telecommunications services only if they have first requested bids for the services and received fewer than three qualified bids. And they have to abide by same terms and conditions as those specified in their request for proposals.
But Ted Siler, utility services director for the city, said that because Holland has been providing broadband service for more than 30 years and its service predates the Metro Act, “we’re exempt and grandfathered in.”
Morrison said he’s not worried about regulation popping up to derail Holland’s plans. But other communities might not be so lucky.
“The telecom companies have had their hands in legislation for decades to try to prevent cities from doing what we’re doing. We’re lucky that we been doing this for 30 years in Holland so we’re unaffected by that legislation now,” he said. “But I feel bad for other communities that won’t have the same luxury we do. It’s going to be harder for them.”
Kentwood’s Redo Storm Robotics will hosts its first competition since 2019 on April 1 and 2. (WKTV)
FIRST Robotics competitions kick off this weekend when 36 teams, two from Wyoming, competed in the district event at Grand Valley State University.
The teams from the Wyoming area competing are Lee High School’s robotics team and Potter House’s Tactical Hams robotics team.
Opening ceremonies are set for 10:30 a.m. with matches running from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m .on Friday. Saturday, opening ceremonies are set for 9 a.m. with matches beginning at 9:30 a.m. and playoff rounds running from 2-5 p.m. Teams are guided by teachers and industry mentors. Under strictrules, limited time and resources, teams are challenged to raise funds, design a brand, hone teamwork skills and build and program competitive, industrial-size robots.
All events take place at the GVSU Fieldhouse Arena on the Allendale campus. Events are free and open to the public, however per GVSU and FIRST Robotics COVID-19 guidelines, participants, volunteers and visitors must wear face masks.
Next week, WKTV will be filming the FIRST Robotics competition at East Kentwood High School. The free event follows the same rules and guidelines of the GVSU one.
There will be 33 teams at this event including the local teams of Potter House’s Tactical Hams, Kentwood’s Red Storm Robotics, and Wyoming High’s Demons. Events will start on Friday with play-offs taking place on Saturday.
About 700 middle and high school students competed in 46 different events for the Regional 12 Science Olympiad competition which was at Grand Valley State University. (Supplied)
West Michigan Aviation Academy beat out 46 other teams to snag one of six high school spots to advance to the Michigan Science Olympiad state competition.
Around 700 middle school and high school students from Kent, Muskegon and Ottawa counties displayed their STEM-related work during the competition. at the Regional 12 Michigan Science Olympiad which was held Saturday, March 19, on the Grand Valley State University’s Allendale campus. Six middle school and six high school teams qualified for the state tournament, said tournament co-director Chelsea Ridge.
Besides West Michigan Aviation Academy, the other five high school teams were Grand Haven High School, Hudsonville High School, East Grand Rapids High School, Allendale High School and Forest Hills Central High School.
The middle school teams that qualified were Grand Haven’s Lakeshore Middle School, Forest Hills’ Northern Hills Middle School. Hudsonville’s Riley Street Middle School, Grand Haven’s White Pines Intermediate School, Chandler Woods Charter Academy in Belmont, and Allendale Middle School.
“The team dynamic helps students to foster a community at their school where they can dig deeper in STEM areas they are passionate about that may not be covered in a traditional science class,” Ridge said. “The tournament is an opportunity for them to showcase all they have worked so diligently to master throughout the season.”
Hosted by the GVSU’s Regional Math and Science Center, the 46 scheduled events included competitions involving airplanes, indoor bottle rockets, vehicles and more.
The state competition is set for April 30 at the Michigan State University campus, which is located in Lansing.
Col. Eileen Collins is the featured speaker at this year’s “Roger That!” two-day program. (Supplied)
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) and Grand Valley State University (GVSU) have announced the return of “Roger That!,” a multi-day event celebrating space exploration and the life of Grand Rapids native, Roger B. Chaffee.
In its sixth year, “Roger That!” will take place on Feb. 18 and Feb. 19 with various components to the celebration, all themed around women in space — including remarks from pioneering pilot and astronaut Eileen Collins, the first woman to both pilot a spacecraft and command a space shuttle mission.
“After four in-person events and one virtual iteration of‘Roger That!’ we’re excited to combine the best of both with a hybrid conference in 2022,” said Deana Weibel, event co-organizer and GVSU professor of anthropology.
The two-part event will feature speeches on both days by Eileen Collins, who made history in 1995 as the first woman to pilot a U.S. spacecraft with the Discovery shuttle flight. In 1999, she was the commander for Columbia, making her the first woman to command a space shuttle mission. She ultimately logged 872 hours in space.
GVSU will host a free academy conference on Feb. 18 that is open to educators and the general public. Speeches will be available in person and virtually, over Zoom.
2022 speakers include: Computational Chemist Michelle Franci; Space Historian Catherine Newell; Planetary Scientist Louise Prockter; Space Educator Crzarina Salido; Bioastronautics Researcher and Spacesuit Technician Yvette Gonzalez; Space Media Archivist Megal Prelinger; Electrical Engineer Heidi Jiao and Space Historian and Eileen Collins’ Biographer Jonathan Ward.
The Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium is named after the Grand Rapids native who perished in 1967 on test of the Apollo 1 mission to the moon. (Supplied)
To attend the “Roger That!” Academic Conference, register at gvsu.edu/RogerThat. The events being held at GVSU this year will be free, as will the virtual talks, but guests must register. A reception with light refreshments will be held ahead of Collins’ talk at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 18 at the Loosemore Auditorium on GVSU’s Pew Grand Rapids Campus. The lecture is free through registration at gvsu.edu/RogerThat; it will also be livestreamed.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum will have activities both days centered around local astronaut Roger B. Chaffee, who died in 1967 during a NASA test flight, and space exploration. Hands-on activites include build stations where attendees can design their own rockets and paper airplanes, astronaut challenges, artifact interactions including meteorite samples, and tektite and more.
Collins will speak at 11 a.m. Feb. 19 at the GRPM. Tickets for this lecture will be available free of charge at grpm.org beginning Jan. 14.
University of Michigan Health – West Chief Medical Information Officer Dr. Lance M. Owens discusses patient care while the Dragon Ambient eXperience program takes notes. (Supplied)
University of Michigan Health-West (formerly Metro Health – University of Michigan Health) is the first system in the state to pilot automated documentation in the exam room, allowing health providers to focus on the patient rather than the computer.
The AI-powered Nuance Dragon Ambient eXperience (DAX) is an ambient clinical intelligence solution that captures and contextualizes every word of the patient encounter and automatically creates clinical documentation.
The pilot at University of Michigan Health-West began earlier this year with 13 providers, throughout primary and specialty care settings.
“We have already discovered multiple advantages to suggest that Nuance DAX could become a transformative innovation for our organization,” said Dr. Lance M. Owens, Chief Medical Information Officer, who is leading the pilot. “This technology captures documentation automatically and removes the computer as a barrier between providers and their patients and enables better patient- provider engagement. It is yet another way we are relentlessly pursuing our vision to deliver innovations that change care and care that changes lives.”
University of Michigan Health – West Chief Medical Information Officer Dr. Lance M. Owens has been leading the pilot on ai-powered documentation. (Supplied)
“University of Michigan Health-West is a model for the deep partnerships needed to transform healthcare delivery and empower physicians with the advanced technology they need to provide personalized patient care,” said Diana Nole, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Nuance Healthcare. “Nuance DAX works seamlessly in the background unlocking the physician from the burden of administrative tasks and enables them to focus solely on the patient. This was our vision when introducing Nuance DAX, and now, together with our customers like the University of Michigan Health-West, we are bringing that vision to life by delivering an enhanced patient-provider experience.”
In initial surveys at pilot sites, when asked to compare their visit to previous healthcare encounters, patients overwhelmingly agreed with several performance indicators, stating:
“My visit felt more like a personable conversation.”
“The provider seemed to be more focused on me during the visit.”
“The provider spent less time typing on their computer.”
“The benefit to patients is becoming readily apparent,” Owen said. “By reducing the documentation burden, we allow providers to focus on delivering the best care for their patients and stronger patient-provider relationship.”
After using Nuance DAX, one University of Michigan Health-West provider saw a decrease in 31 minutes per day in documentation. Another provider saw an average reduction of 5 minutes of documentation time per appointment. One particularly efficient provider decreased time per note from two minutes to 1.9 minutes, totaling a significant decrease in documentation time overall. In addition to helping providers stay on schedule and spend more time with patients, the system improves accuracy and thoroughness of documentation because providers don’t have to divide their attention between patient and computer.
“As we continue to track key metrics during the pilot, we plan to roll out the system for all primary care physicians over the next year,” Owens said. “We see potential to expand for specialty use, in the Emergency Department and nursing settings in the near future.”
For more about University of Michigan Health-West and its innovation initiatives, please visit www.uofmhealthwest.org.
This summer, both the Grand Rapids Public Museum and the Grand Rapids Art Museum explore America’s culture — from pop to folk — through different lenses.
Grand Rapids Public Museum: POPnology and Pollinators
The Grand Rapids Public Museum takes a futuristic approach to American culture with its “POPnology” summer exhibit along with giving visitors a ground view of the life of pollinators in “Amazing Pollinators.”
“This summer, you won’t want to miss these two exciting additions to the experience at the Grand Rapids Public Museum,” said Kate Kocienski, the Public Museum’s vice president of marketing and public relations. “Great for all ages, these exhibits will entertain while teaching about nature, science, technology and engineering.”
A featured item in the “POPnology” exhibit is the DeLorean time machine car from “Back to the Future.” (GRPM)
“POPnology” is three floors of exhibit space featuring the DeLorean time machine, androids, and extraterrestrials from far-away galaxies and more. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore and see how technology has been featured in movies, books, television, art, and created by futurists. Four featured areas explore science and technology in everyday lives, where we’ve been, and where we’re going: How We Play, How We Connect, How We Move, and How We Live and Work.
Among the highlights of the “POPnology exhibit are:
Local Motors showcasing the Strati, the world’s first 3D printed car
Two interactive state of the art game that allow you to explore our fascination with the red planet – the Mars Rocket Builder and Mars Lander
Virtual projection games
Futuristic musical instrument technology
Jetpack from Disney’s “The Rocketeer”
Autopia car from Disney World’s Tomorrowland
Artistic renderings from visual futurists who created the look of such movies as “Blade Runner,” “Star Wars,” “Alien”
Moving from futuristic to the real world, “Amazing Pollinators” is a bilingual and playable maze that has hundreds of interactive flowers spread across nine environments like lotus flowers in the rain forest, saguaro cactus in the desert, and moon flowers glowing in the black lit night room.
Visitors explore the “Amazing Pollinators” exhibit at the Grand Rapids Public Museum. (GRPM)
In the maze, visitors take on 48 survival missions from eight different pollinator groups including bats, bees, beetles, birds, butterflies, moths, flies, and wasps. There are six missions for each group that increase in complexity and difficulty, putting players in the shoes of different species like the hibiscus bee, soldier beetle or ruby-throated hummingbird.
Both exhibits will be available through the summer season. Tickets for “POPnology” are $5/person and $3/GRPM member and are in addition to general admission to the Museum. “Amazing Pollinators” is included in the general admission. Kent County residents receive discounted admission to the Public Museum, including free general admission every day for Kent County kids ages 17 and under.
Advance ticket purchase is required before visiting the museum. Visitors are required to wear masks properly during the duration of their visit. For social distancing guidelines and other information, visit grpm.org.
Cotton, with pencil quilt by Jessie B. Telfair (1913–1986), 1983; Jessie B. Telfair, (1913–1986); Freedom Quilt; 1983; Textile; Quilt; Cotton, with pencil; 74 x 68; American Folk Art Museum; Parrott, Georgia, United States; 2004.9.1
Grand Rapids Art Museum: American Perspectives
More than 80 American folk art objects, spanning from paintings and pottery to quilts, needlework, and sculpture, are on display at the Grand Rapids Art Museum through Aug. 28.
“‘American Perspectives’ offers our visitors a chance to look at America through the eyes and experiences of folk artists,” said GRAM Director and CEO Dana Friis-Hansen. “The diversity of experience and perspective is what strengthens our community, and we look forward to sharing a platform for stories that have often been untold throughout history.”
“American Perspectives: Stories from the American Folk Art Museum Collection” is organized into four sections: Founders, Travelers, Philosophers, and Seekers. Within each of these sections are themes of nationhood, freedom, community, imagination, opportunity, and legacy.
Many of the works in the exhibit present the perspectives of groups that are largely unseen in museums, such as enslaved people, immigrants, and people with disabilities. It reinforces how many of our society’s current issues — immigration, political turmoil, economic uncertainty, and loss of personal liberties — have been a concern in the past and remain topics of significance today.
“‘American Perspectives’ include traditional art works like portraiture and landscape paint to more unexpected pieces like carousel figures, wood carvings, and dolls,” said GRAM Assistant Curator Jennifer Wcisel. “The craftsmanship and beauty of each work is remarkable, but what truly makes them come alive are the diverse stories behind them.
“From Felipe Archuleta who was unable to find work as a carpenter and began creating life-size animal sculptures to Jessie B. Telfair, a black cook in Georgia who created her ‘Freedom Quilt’ after being fired from her job when she tired to register to vote — I hope visitors will find stories that relate to their won lives and the social and political issues of the present.”
The exhibit is included with the general admission to the Grand Rapids Art Museum. For social distancing guidelines and other information, visit artmuseumgr.org.
Godfrey-Lee Public Schools recently announced that it was one of 15 districts across the State of Michigan selected to participate in the continuation of a state STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) program, the MiSTEM Place, Project and Problem (3-P) Based Learning Playbook for the State of Michigan.
In return for participation in this program, the district will be awarded $10,000 for the enhancement of the districts current STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math) programs.
“Innovating the student experience has been a focus of our district and this award is an affirmation to the hard work of our staff and students,” Kevin Polston, superintendent of Godfrey-Lee Public Schools, said in supplied material. “We believe each child is brilliant and it is our mission to create conditions for student success. STEAM is one of many ways we accomplish this goal.”
The playbooks will be published for Michigan schools to utilize as examples of programs who exemplify outstanding implementation of 3-P Learning. Godfrey-Lee was recognized for K-12 STEAM, Senior Capstone Experience and recent project “Bilingualism is our Superpower!”
The MiSTEM award will go to support the further development of the K-12 STEAM program including vertical curriculum development, according to supplied material. It will also fund opportunities for student teams to share their STEAM experiences with surrounding communities such as representing Godfrey-Lee by speaking at the MACUL Student Showcase.
The MiSTEM organization is locally run through Grand Valley State University and is a longstanding partner with Godfrey-Lee schools.
In early April, it was announced by AT&T and the nonprofit Connected Nation that Godfrey-Lee Public Schools would be one of 13 schools and nonprofits across Michigan that would receive free mobile hotspots and internet connectivity with the specific goal of serving at-risk students.
That news follows the district last November gaining voter approval of a $17.8 million bonding measure intended for building and infrastructure improvements. So there is big technology news happening in the Godfrey-Lee community.
Adrianne Rose, Director of Technology, Godfrey-Lee Public Schools, on WKTV Journal In Focus set. (WKTV)
Visiting WKTV Journal In Focus in this segment are district Superintendent Kevin Polston and Director of Technology Adrianne Rose. And we will not only talk specifically about the technology improvements in-work and planned, but also the status of the all the improvements that $18 million will fund.
Superintendent Polston also talks about his state-wide education work after being appointed early this year by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to lead the Student Recovery Advisory Council of Michigan. The group is looking at educational issues caused by the pandemic and is tasked to “provide guidance and recommendations to ensure Michigan students have the tools and resources they need to get back on track.”
So, coming full circle, the Godfrey-Lee schools leader talks about how technology and connectivity will also be an essential element of getting students back on track.
WKTV Journal In Focus airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel (For dates and times on Channel 26, see our Weekly On-air Schedule. For dates and times on Channel 99, visit here). All individual interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.
NASA’s Mark Vande Hei and Roscosmos’ Oleg Novitskyand Pyotr Dubrov head off to the International Space Station. (NASA)
By Kelly Taylor WKTV Program Director
On Friday, April 9, WKTV will be featuring live coverage of the launch of the International Space Station Expedition 65 Soyuz MS-18 spacecraft. Coverage starts at 2:45 a.m., with the launch scheduled for 3:42 a.m. The coverage includes video b-roll of the crew’s launch day pre-launch activities.
NASA’s Mark Vande Hei and Roscosmos’ Oleg Novitskyand Pyotr Dubrov head off to the International Space Station from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
The docking of the Expedition 65 Soyuz MS-18 will take place at 6:15 a.m. and the hatch opening at 8:30 a.m.
At 1 p.m., NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter prepares for takeoff. For it’s first flight, the helicopter will take off a few feet from the ground, hover in the air for about 20-30 seconds and land.
This will be a major milestone as it is the very first powered flight in the extremely thin atmosphere of Mars.
For more information on NASA TV or the International Space Station, log on to www.nasa.gov.
NASA TV can be seen on the WKTV 26 Government Channel on Comcast and AT&T U-verse 99 Government Channel 99.
NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter will take it first flight on Mars on Friday. (NASA)
The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity has been in the news a lot over the last year for programs to support workers in the state in this time of pandemic economic hardships, including the Futures for Frontliners program, which is providing free tuition to certain Michigan essential workers for them to continue their education.
But that temporary program is only one of several ways the LEO, as it is often called, supports workers.
With us via Zoom is Susan Corbin, acting director of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, who details Futures for Frontliners and well as other work by her department to support all workers in the state.
For more information about Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity visit michigan.gov/leo/.
WKTV Journal In Focus airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel (For dates and times on Channel 26, see our Weekly On-air Schedule. For dates and times on Channel 99, visit here). All individual interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.
The City of Kentwood has announced that the Kentwood Police Department is introducing a body camera program that will include the training and outfitting of all officers with the new technology.
While the department has had in-car cameras since 2000 and some body cameras since 2016, the new program, according to a March 22 statement, is “an effort to enhance accountability and transparency.”
The Kentwood City Commission recently approved a five-year contract with Axon, the largest body camera provider in the U.S., for the equipment and technology. The annual cost for the equipment and technology will be $117,000, according to the statement.
Kentwood Police Department Chief Richard Roberts. (Supplied)
“The Kentwood Police Department has consistently placed great emphasis on community engagement, accountability and transparency,” Kentwood Police Chief Richard Roberts said in supplied material. “With the implementation of this technology, we can build on those efforts to continue to serve our community with excellence and grow trust. We know the trust of our community can only be earned by impartiality and fairness in daily policing functions and outreach to engage and educate the community.”
The Kentwood Police Department has 71 sworn officers serving a community of approximately 51,000 residents “through a variety of programs and community engagement efforts.”
The body camera program, according to the statement, is part of the department’s “longtime commitment to accountability and transparency in order to achieve its mission to reduce serious crime, increase traffic safety and serve the community with excellence.”
The department plans to have all the department’s officers trained and issue them body cameras by the end of May.
“This technology is beneficial for our community and our police officers,” Chief Roberts said. “It serves as another tool to ensure the safety and security of our community and the residents we serve. The Kentwood Police Department appreciates Mayor Kepley and the city commissioners in supporting the department’s goal in implementing this technology.”
KPD joins eight other Kent County agencies that have implemented or are in the process of implementing body cameras.
A tradition of community engagement
The Kentwood Police Department, according to the statement, utilizes a variety of programs and engagement efforts to “strengthen relationships with the community, address immediate needs and ensure safety.”
Operation P.R.I.C.E. was launched in 2014 by the Kentwood Police Department in an effort to curb retail theft along the 28th Street corridor. (Supplied)
The department uses resident satisfaction surveys and continually reviews its policies, procedures, tactics and techniques to ensure all align with federal and state legal standards, as well as best practices in the profession. These include trainings several times a year on multiple tactics and techniques for various types of interactions with community members, and annual review of agency practices.
Among its existing and on-going efforts are:
— A data-driven approach to crime and traffic safety program that integrates location-based crime and traffic data to establish effective and efficient methods for deploying law enforcement and other resources. The goal is to reduce the incidence of crime, crashes and traffic violations in the community.
— An interactive crime mapping portal that further fosters awareness of crimes and builds trust through transparency. Data is automated daily, allowing residents to stay up to date with incidents that occur in their neighborhoods.
— A school resource officer program that is a partnership between KPD, the community and schools to reduce crime, increase security and promote a positive role model between youth and law enforcement. KPD has three dedicated certified police officers assigned to specific school districts in the city.
— Operation P.R.I.C.E., the Preventing Retail Theft Through Initiative, Collaboration and Enforcement, which since 2014 has helped local businesses decrease incidents of retail fraud.
— Drug Take Back program, which provides community members with a free and secure location to safely dispose of unused and/or unwanted prescription medications. This reduces potential accidental poisoning, misuse and overdose.
— Participation in community events such as National Night Out, Touch-A-Truck and Trunk-or-Treat to “build meaningful relationships with residents.” Officers also attend Neighborhood Watch meetings to provide crime and safety information and strengthen community relations.
More information about the Kentwood Police Department is available at kentwood.us/police.
The City of Kentwood has partnered with Kent County to “help residents stay connected while enjoying many of its parks and visiting the main City campus” with free public wireless internet access now available at 13 Kentwood locations.
The access is funded by Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security ( CARES) Act funding allocated to increase free public Wi-Fi throughout Kent County. According to the United States Census Bureau, approximately 33,000 households in Kent County do not have a broadband internet subscription.
“The pandemic has increased demand for internet use and many in our community do not have access,” Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley said in supplied material. “We are grateful to be able to provide more public Wi-Fi across Kentwood for our residents, especially our students, to stay connected for work, school and play.”
Kentwood joins 16 other communities and Kent County Parks as part of the initiative to add free public Wi-Fi access across the county.
The free access is available at the following Kentwood locations:
Bowen Station Park, 4499 Bowen Blvd. SE
City Campus — City Hall, 4900 Breton Ave. SE
City Campus — volleyball courts, 5068 Breton Ave. SE
East Paris Nature Park, 5995 East Paris Ave. SE
Home Acres Park, 145 Farnham St. SE
Jaycee Park, 1088 Gentian Drive SE
Kellogg Woods Park, 275 Kellogg Woods Park Drive SE
Northeast Park, 1900 Middleground Drive SE
Old Farm Park, 2350 Embro Drive SE
Pinewood Park, 1999 Wolfboro Drive SE
Stanaback Park, 3717 Whitebud Drive
Stauffer Station Park, 2360 52nd St. SE
Veterans Memorial Park, 355 48th St. SE
Kent County was awarded $114.6 million in CARES Act funding for COVID-19 economic relief efforts. Of that, $1 million was allocated for near-term solutions for free public Wi-Fi access throughout the county.
The costs of Kentwood’s newest Wi-Fi access points and their installation were covered by Kent County through the CARES Act funding. The total infrastructure investment in the City of Kentwood was $60,855, according to a city statement.
The City of Kentwood will also pay electricity and monthly Wi-Fi service charges. The total cost for the city is expected to be $18,000 over the next two years.
The leader of the Kent County Board of Commissioners announced early this month the formation of a new Kent County Broadband Subcommittee charged with “assessing barriers to broadband service throughout the county, developing collaborative strategies to break down the barriers” as well as identifying federal, state and local funding to support the strategies.
“The pandemic has made it clear: access to broadband internet service can no longer be considered ‘optional’ for residents of Kent County,” Commission Chair Mandy Bolter, who will convene the committee, said in Feb. 15 supplied material. “For almost a year, thousands of our residents have worked from home, our children have attended school online, and patients have relied on telehealth services for critical medical and behavioral health appointments. We need everyone in Kent County to have access to those opportunities through a quality broadband network.”
The committee, according to the county announcement, will assess existing broadband coverage countywide; prioritize areas where gaps are most significant and where the population is growing; identify regulations, policies and issues that may stand as barriers to service installation; monitor relevant statewide and national efforts; study successful models in other communities and recommend for the Board of Commissioner’s consideration collaborative strategies to address the challenge.
“There are many roadblocks we have to take into consideration when addressing the need for broadband throughout the County,” county Commissioner Michelle McCloud said in supplied material. “Our solutions will have to be creative and we will have to tap into the skillset of each subcommittee member.”
The group will also study the feasibility of establishing an organizing structure, such as an authority of local units of government that could work together to implement the strategies and “administer funding to fill the service gaps,” according to the announcement.
Commissioner Ben Greene will chair the subcommittee.
Other members will be Bolter and McCloud; Ken Yonker, Kent County Drain Commissioner; Steven Warren, Kent County Road Commission managing director; Tim Beck, director, Kent County information technology department; Ruth Gaudard, area manager, external affairs, Michigan Legislative & Regulatory Affairs, AT&T; Tim Mroz, vice president, Strategic Initiatives, The Right Place, Inc.; Marilyn Passmore, director, State Government Affairs, Charter Communications; Ryan Peel, Vergennes Broadband; Jeff Snyder, manager, External Affairs, Comcast, Heartland Region; and Natalie Stewart, vice president of Government and Public Affairs, Switch.
“I am eager to start working with this group to ensure our residents are able to access the services and information they need,” commissioner Greene said in supplied material. “Information technology has become a critical component of the county’s infrastructure. Each member of this subcommittee will bring unique perspectives and expertise into the conversation.”
The subcommittee will begin their work in March and will be asked to provide a progress report to the full Board of Commissioners at the end of 2021. Depending on the progress and recommendations made at that time, the board may extend their work into 2022.
After City of Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley briefly discussed the likelihood of Tesla building and opening a facility in the city, recorded as part of the WKTV Community Media’s coverage of the Jan. 11 Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce’s Government Matters meeting, the city today confirmed it has issued a building permit for a Tesla service center and gallery.
According to the Tesla official website, there are only two other Tesla store and galleries in the state of Michigan, one in Clarkston (Detroit) and the other in Troy. The location of the Kentwood facility is unannounced at this time.
“We look forward to welcoming Tesla’s new service center and gallery to Kentwood later this year,” Mayor Kepley said in a Jan. 13 statement to WKTV. “Our city continues to be a destination for retail, drawing some of the nation’s premium brands to our community. It’s particularly gratifying to see investment during the pandemic, which is a testament to optimism in our economy. Kentwood remains open — and eager — for business.”
Tesla, according to its website, was founded in 2003 by a group of engineers “who wanted to prove that people didn’t need to compromise to drive electric – that electric vehicles can be better, quicker and more fun to drive than gasoline cars.” Currently, Tesla builds not only all-electric vehicles but also “infinitely scalable clean energy generation and storage” products.
According to various media reports, electric-car maker Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) was worth about $700 billion to end 2020. The stock was recently added to the S&P 500 index as its fifth largest constituent. Tesla’s vehicle deliveries in the fourth quarter of 2020 were reported to be about 180,600 units.
Elon Musk, head of Tesla and the Space X enterprises, recently was reported to have become the world’s richest person, with a net worth of about $185 billion.
To see the on-demand recording of the recent WKTV Government Matters program, visit WKTVlive.org.
Edgar Mitchell sets up an Apollo lunar surface experiments package made up of a set of scientific instruments placed at the landing site. (NASA/Alan Shepard)
With all the overpowering noise of the recent presidential election cycle, the good and bad news of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the mixed-reaction to Wonder Woman 1984, it was easy to miss the news that our children’s children may well be visiting a “Moon park”, of sorts, in the future.
In a late December, the office of U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Michigan), announced that The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bipartisan bill introduced by Sen. Peters and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) to permanently protect the Apollo landing sites on the moon.
The One Small Step to Protect Human Heritage in Space Act would enact first-of-its-kind legal protections for the Apollo sites by making NASA’s preservation recommendations a requirement for future activities on the Moon. After passing both the house and senate, it was signed by outgoing President Donald Trump on Dec. 31 and is now law.
Apollo 17 mission commander Eugene A. Cernan makes a short checkout of the Lunar Roving Vehicle during the early part of the first Apollo 17 extravehicular activity at the Taurus-Littrow landing site. This view of the lunar rover prior to loadup was taken by Harrison H. Schmitt, Lunar Module pilot. The mountain in the right background is the east end of South Massif. (NASA/
The legislation directs NASA to require future moon activities to follow its preservation recommendations, and honors the over 400,000 scientists, designers, and researchers who contributed to the Apollo programs, including NASA’s “Hidden Figures” like Katherine Johnson — an African American mathematician who worked at NASA for 35 years and calculated the trajectory of the Apollo 11 flight to the moon as well the trajectories for the spaceflights of astronauts John Glenn and Alan Shepard.
“As a former astronaut in the Apollo program, it is fitting that one of humanities’ greatest collective achievements should be preserved for future generations to learn about and be inspired by,” A.W. “Tony” England, an astronaut during the Apollo and Space Shuttle programs and now a professor at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, said in supplied material. The act “will honor Apollo’s invaluable legacy of innovation, collaboration, and determination and preserve it for future generations.”
Congressional support for protections
Sen. Peters has long been an advocate for NASA and America’s space technology programs.
“As a child, I watched the achievements of the Apollo missions with excitement about what is possible when we come together with a common goal,” Sen. Peters said in supplied material. “I was proud to author this bipartisan legislation to preserve for all of humanity the incredible achievements of the Apollo astronauts on the Moon.”
Sen. Peters has also led other efforts in Congress to support American space exploration. In September 2020, Peters’ bipartisan bill to strengthen the nation’s ability to predict and mitigate severe space weather events and mitigate their harmful impacts on Earth wa signed by President Trump. In addition, Peters’ bipartisan bill to help authorize and set priorities for NASA and the nation’s space exploration mission was signed into law in 2017.
One Small Step to Protect Human Heritage in Space Act also had bipartisan support in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“The Apollo landing sites mark one of humanity’s greatest achievements: the first time we were able to do more than look up at the sky, but actually leave our planet and visit another world,” said Rep. Frank Lucas (R-Oklahoma), of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee. “The One Small Step Act maintains these historic sites while encouraging the spirit of exploration that got us to the Moon. I’m proud to sponsor this bill to honor our historical achievements, and I look forward to the time when we can return humans to the Moon and continue the mission of discovery and learning that the Apollo astronauts began.”
International support for protections
Sen. Peters and the other bill authors worked closely with NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, who negotiated similar provision in the Artemis Accords and expressed his support for protecting the historic lunar sites in a 2019 Senate hearing, just before the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing.
Lunar module pilot James Irwin works at the Lunar Roving Vehicle during the first Apollo 15 lunar surface extravehicular activity at the Hadley-Apennine landing site. The shadow of the Lunar Module “Falcon” is in the foreground. This view is looking northeast, with Mount Hadley in the background. This photograph was taken by mission commander David Scott. (NASA)
According to the NASA website, NASA’s Artemis program has a goal to land the first woman and the next man on the Moon by 2024, “heralding in a new era for space exploration and utilization.” While NASA is leading the Artemis program, international partnerships formalized with the Artemis Accords “will play a key role in achieving a sustainable and robust presence on the Moon while preparing to conduct a historic human mission to Mars.
“With numerous countries and private sector players conducting missions and operations in cislunar space, it’s critical to establish a common set of principles to govern the civil exploration and use of outer space,” NASA states.
The Artemis Accords will “describe a shared vision for principles,” grounded in the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, to create a safe and transparent environment which facilitates exploration, science, and commercial activities for all of humanity to enjoy.
“As we go forward to the Moon with the Artemis Program, NASA has been clear that we must do so sustainably,” said Bridenstine in supplied material. “As part of the Artemis Accords agreements signed with partner nations, NASA has emphasized that protecting historically significant sites is critical, and I applaud the leaders of this legislation for their commitment to ensuring that future lunar science and exploration is done in a safe and transparent manner.”
The nations that have signed the Artemis Accords include, in alphabetical order, Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States of America. Noticeably absent in the initial list of signatories are Israel, Russia, China and India — all with working space programs.
Among the principles of the Artemis Accords are focusing on peaceful exploration, conducting activities in a transparent fashion to avoid confusion and conflicts, rendering assistance to personnel in distress, public release of scientific information, extracting and utilizing space resources in safe and sustainable exploration, planning for the safe disposal of debris.
“Fundamentally, the Artemis Accords will help to avoid conflict in space and on Earth by strengthening mutual understanding and reducing misperceptions,” Mike Gold, NASA acting associate administrator for international and interagency relations, said in supplied material. “Transparency, public registration, deconflicting operations – these are the principles that will preserve peace … The Artemis journey is to the Moon, but the destination of the Accords is a peaceful and prosperous future.”
The Kent County Board of Commissioners last week approved a $2.2 million request from county Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young to purchase new body cameras for about 200 law enforcement personnel in the Sheriff’s Office, and well as replacement tasers for all officers and replacement in-car cameras for about 83 police cruisers.
“Combined with training and clearly defined protocols for camera use and for public access to video footage, body cameras are shown to be valuable tools to increase the accountability of all parties involved,” according to the Kent County announcement.
WKTV asked Sheriff LaJoye-Young to define those planned protocols for camera use and public access.
“Training is scheduled to happen as soon as we get the full delivery of the equipment and installation in the vehicles — it is a very hands-on training,” Sheriff LaJoye-Young said to WKTV. “We have developed a protocol. It has largely been based on our experience with in-car camera systems, but also on the guidance we have received from other departments who have had body cams in play for awhile. Obviously, protocol is always managed, it constantly gets updated. And so we are going to see how it starts and then adjust it if we need to.
“That protocol will be available (to the public) for people to understand. And they should expect that any time they are dealing directly with an officer who is in uniform and a body cam, that that body cam is recording. They are always free to ask an officer if their camera is recording, and our officers would be required to answer that question.”
Approximately 200 Sheriff’s office uniformed and plainclothes deputies and sergeants, community police officers, undercover officers and other personnel performing law enforcement duties will be equipped with body-worn cameras in the first quarter of 2021.
The funding for the body cameras and other upgrades was transferred from the projected Sheriff’s Office General Fund to the Fiscal Year 2020 Capital Improvement Program Fund, according to the county statement.
“The Board of Commissioners strongly supports Sheriff LaJoye-Young’s commitment to transparency, accountability and effective law enforcement practices,” Board of Commissioners chair Mandy Bolter say in supplied material.
The Sheriff echoed the public transparency aspect of the effort.
“This investment will allow for greater transparency for the residents in our community,” Sheriff LaJoye-Young said in supplied material. “Body cameras offer real-time information about what happened on a call for service or with any public contact. Plus, the footage from these calls can be used in training and monitoring exercises to strengthen the performance of our law enforcement officers in the field.”
According to the county’s announcement, the tasers, in-car video cameras and body cameras “are all part of one seamlessly integrated package” — a package the includes five cameras for the detective bureau interview room and 25 docking stations as well as a service contract at a cost of $75,000 per year for the second through fifth years of use.
“Altogether, this system will allow for a streamlined Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and discovery process, further increasing the Sheriff’s Office transparency,” according to the statement.
The story of a 2019 cooperative project between the City of Kentwood police department and the Kentwood Public Schools Red Storm Robotics team, a robot that reached full operation in 2020, was a good news story early this year.
And despite Kentwood schools, and WKTV Journal, seeing big changes in how they did business starting in March due to the COVID-19 restrictions, it is still a good news story — a tool for Kentwood police to help them make better decisions in the field and an example of the high level of interaction between the city’s schools and city staff that Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley relentlessly advocates for.
“What I love about this is always investing in the next generation,” Mayor Kepley said in March when WKTV was producing a video project on the Red Storm Robotics project with the police department. “And this is just another opportunity, and really a great opportunity, to invest in the next generation. … The city working with the school, working with professionals, using technology, and more importantly investing in the very individuals who will be leading this community in the future.”
The police robot project is a prime example of not only engagement with the students but of also giving advanced students a lesson in real-world, on-the-job, design of robotic technology.
Of course, Red Storm was up to the challenge presented by the police department.
WKTV talked with Mayor Kepley, Kentwood Police Chief Richard Roberts and Sgt. Jeff Leonard, and instructors/parents of the Red Storm Robotics project, including Adam Veenendaal, Mark VanderVoord and Wendy Ljungern.
But most importantly, we talked with students of the program past and present, including Jason Gray-Moore, Kerim Puczek, Jacobi Thompson and Annalise Welch.
For more information on Kentwood Pubic Schools’ Red Storm Robotics program visit their website at redstormrobotics.com.
Stylist Lindsey Williams admits she cringing when she saw the pictures of home haircuts and coloring coming across her social media.
After months of waiting, people had just had enough, and like CNN’s Anderson Cooper, taking scissors to their bangs and seeking out at-home color kits. Hair salons had seemingly become the speakeasies of 2020 with a few people sneaking off to a hairstylist working out of his/her home or having one swing by and cut their hair on the back porch.
When Williams, owner of East Grand Rapids’ Bang Blow Dry Bar and Salon, 2180 Wealthy St. SE, received a call from a customer asking about over-the-counter color kits, she knew she had to come up with a new way to help meet the needs of her customers.
“I offered to put together a color kit, drop it off, and then have a virtual session with her to talk her through applying the color,” Williams said. And bam, Williams’ had joined the growing list of virtual hair stylists.
As noted by NPR, in several major cities, such as New York and Los Angeles, virtual haircuts and styling have become increasingly popular as people seek relief from their hair. In fact, tech entrepreneur Greg Isenberg recently launched the app You Probably Need a Haircut, where customers are paired with freelance hair stylists who, for a fee, will talk the client through on cutting his/her hair.
Williams said during Michigan’s state of emergency, she has done several virtual counseling on bang trims and blow drying for customers. She also has a package where she will put together a color kit, deliver it, and schedule a time to meet the customer on FaceTime or Google Meet to walk the customer through the steps. The average session length is between 20 – 30 minutes with totally time depending on the customer.
“One of the biggest feedbacks I get from doing these is that it allows people to connect with someone, “Williams said. “It is kind of hair therapy, where you get to sit and talk to someone who is outside of your family.”
Stylist Lindsey Williams talks to her daughter, Willa, about hair care during a Google Meet virtual meeting. (WKTV)
While Williams has not been charging for her services, except for the color kits, as most of her virtual clients have been regulars. However, as word-of-mouth has spread, Williams said she probably will need to determine price structure for the virtual services.
While most stylists in the Greater Grand Rapids area have made their hair products available online, Williams appears to be one of the few people the area to offer virtual hair services, but she suspects that some salons or hair stylists may include it in their offerings to clients.
“Hair salons were one of the first businesses to close,” Williams said. Many hair salons started shutting down about a week before the Stay Home, Stay Safe order went into effect on March 24. Because of the close contact to clients, having to touch a person’s head and hair, Williams said the styling business probably will be one of the last to reopen.
Williams is hoping she will be able to reopen her salon on May 28, when Michigan’s state of emergency ends. This week, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced that sections of the state would reopen with Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and northern Michigan set to open this Friday. The governor has not put any restrictions on specific businesses opening in those areas.
Even with reopening, Williams said her team will need to clean all the surfaces. The salon has three chairs and Williams said they will be making sure that the chairs are at least six feet apart along with complying with other social distancing guidelines.
“We are going to try and make customers as comfortable as possible,” Williams said, but she acknowledges that there will be some not willing to come to a salon for a haircut. Coupled with the facts that there are many people who hope their first venture out is to a salon and once you open the Pandora box on a new idea it tends to stay, Williams said her future plans may include offering virtual cuts and styles for a while.
“Life is going in a different direction,” Williams said. “I’ve always tried to be forward thinking in what we can offer our customers and this is an opportunity to provide a service that could meet the needs of some of them.”
To say that the students in East Kentwood High School’s Red Storm Robotics program are ‘industrious’ would be a high-tech understatement. But the lessons they learn about robotics design and manufacture are only part of the curriculum.
Faced with a hiatus of the program in the light of COVID-19 school and social restrictions, one parent volunteer and Red Storm student looked around, saw a specific need for front-line medial workers, and realized they and the Red Storm community could be part of the solution.
A great first day. (Supplied)
The result, as of late last week, was the production and delivery of more than 1,200 protective face masks and ear guards (a comfort device for face masks) — at not cost to the users. The results are also another lesson for the Red Storm students about real-world applications for high-tech imaginations.
“It became clear early on that there was a shortage of PPE (personal protective equipment) in Michigan,” Trista Vandervoord, a mentor for the middle school program and parent to Red Storm student Ethan, said to WKTV. “We knew people were 3D printing PPE, and as a robotics team we have multiple 3D printers. It was an easy way to do our part. We borrowed five 3D printers from our robotics space, set up a print farm in the basement, and got to work. Once we identified the need, we felt we had to help if we could.”
The persons being helped include health care workers and other essential “front line” staff, almost all of them local in West Michigan but a few sent as far away as Tennessee.
A team effort to ‘do something good’
Trista and Ethan Vandervoord, getting a milestone delivery ready.(Supplied)
Trista and Ethan, an East Kentwood sophomore, started the project in early April by 3D printing themselves but also setting a community project with a dedicated website, a user request and distribution system, donation requests, and getting our drop site at the Kentwood Public Schools Administration Building.
Then the “Red Storm Cares: Operation Face Shield” 3D print army came charging in.
“More than a dozen Red Storm Robotics students are involved in a safe way, by punching holes in the transparencies, delivering face shields, writing emails to request support, writing thank you notes to our generous donors, and spreading the word,” Trista said. “It is a true team effort.”
The scope of production; shown are the ear guards (a comfort device for face masks). (Supplied)
The team effort is a coordination of volunteers, headed by team members of Red Storm Robotics, who are coordinating the effort independent of one another physically, “but united in spirit and drive to do something good,” according to supplied material.
“We are primarily providing face shields, which are composed of a 3D printed headband and a transparency sheet,” Trista said. “We have a 3D print army of individuals and robotics teams all over West Michigan who are printing in their own homes or businesses.
“To date, we have provided 1,200 face shields and 1,200 ear guards … and receive more requests each day. We have provided to hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living facilities, group homes, court bailiffs, pharmacists, community food distributors, COVID-19 test sites, and more.”
Some of the Red Storm Cares face shields were delivered to Rite Aid Pharmacy for use of the frontline workers. (Supplied)
The list of local places where the face shields have been put to good use include Cherry Health, Rite Aid Pharmacy, CareLinc Medical Equipment and Supply, and Pilgrim Manor Senior Living.
While their focus is in West Michigan, they also sent five to doctors at University of Tennessee Medical Center at Knoxville, “due to special request from a friend,” Tristia said.
The production lines; the supply chain
As with any Red Storm Robotics project, there were so initial design and production work to be done.
Ethan Vandervoord. (Supplied)
“We are using five 3D printers … and they are in production around the clock (literally),” Ethan, who is in his fifth year with Red Storm Robotics, said to WKTV. “We are using a tested shield design from Operation Face Shield Ann Arbor, who got us started in this effort. My dad is our technician, and he has learned a lot about 3D printing through this project.”
The project’s “top need now” is for additional members to join our 3D print army, Trista said. “We have filament, we just need people to turn it into useful items using their 3D printers. Beyond that, we have an Amazon Wish list at redstormcares.com for the community to purchase filament and transparencies for this project.”
The Wish List items are mailed directly to the home shop, and they also have a material donations drop site at KPS Administration Building, 5280 Eastern Ave. But, Trista stressed, no cash donations can be accepted.
For more information about Red Storm Cares: Operation Face Shield, visit their website or their Facebook page.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, two things have defined the American — and the world’s — job market: rampant unemployment and the explosion of work-from-home. That, and the already emerging changes due to interconnected world job markets and automation in the workplace, are profoundly changing the future of work.
So the World Affairs Council of West Michigan’s now virtual-only spring lecture series is perfectly timed as it looks at “The Future of Work” with three Tuesday evening lectures discussing the future workforce and workplace changes in a changing world.
“The Future of Work” series, presented in partnership with the Kent District Library, will start with the reality that “COVID-19 creates a ‘new normal’ in all aspects of our lives, including the economy and work,” according to World Affairs Council statement.
Set to start the series on Tuesday, April 14, Kristin Sharp, a partner with Entangled Solutions, out of Washington, D.C., will speak on “Global Trends Shaping the Future of Work”.
Following discussions will be April 21, as a panel led by moderator Attah Obande, “Director of Dream Fulfillment” at Spring GR, discuses “Entrepreneurs’ Experiences in the Changing Economy: Local Perspectives”.
Grand Rapids Community College President Bill Pink (GRCC)
Finally, on April 28,Dr. Bill Pink, president of Grand Rapids Community College, will discuss “Working Together for Growth in West Michigan: Industry and Education”.
The premier of each discussion will be 6:30-7:30 p.m. each Tuesday and can be attended for free via the World Affair’s Council’s YouTube page for an “interactive conversation” as there will be the ability to send questions during the live presentations. All the discussions will be available afterwards as archived videos.
“Globalization. Automation. Underemployment and the gig economy. What are the trends that have been shaping patterns of work?” the World Affairs Council states about the series. “How will government, industry, and educators respond to the new opportunities and challenges created by change? Just as importantly, how do people imagine new possibilities in their local roles as workers and citizens in a global and tech-driven economy, so that we can positively affect the future of work?”
Details of the discussion leaders
Kristin Sharp. (Supplied)
Kristin Sharp, as a partner with Entangled Studios, is “focused on building out the future of work, automation, and ed/workforce technologies portfolio,” according to her company’s webpage biography. Prior to joining the company, she co-founded the Shift Commission and launched the ShiftLabs and Work, Workers, and Technology projects at New America, examining the impact of automation and AI on the workforce. Earlier in her career, she worked in technology, innovation, and national security policy in the U.S. Senate, working in senior staff roles for senators and committees on both sides of the political aisle.
Attah Obande, of SpringGR. (Supplied)
Attah Obande works for Spring GR, “a grassroots business training experience that uses the business model canvas (think of it like a road map for starting a business) to help entrepreneurs develop their business idea or business,” according to the company’s website. Over the course of 12 weeks, the group brings people together in small groups, teach the business process, and provide coaching. … For two years following graduation, SpringGR “acts as a bridge to connect graduates to other resources throughout Grand Rapids to further grow and develop their businesses.”
Dr. Bill Pink is the tenth president of Grand Rapids Community College, starting in 2017. He has been an educator for over 25 years, including as Vice President for Academic Affairs at Oklahoma State University (Oklahoma City.) and he has taught and/or coached in Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Oregon. He has an Associate’s Degree from York College (Nebraska), a Bachelor’s from Oklahoma Christian University, a Master’s from the University of Central Oklahoma, and a Doctorate from the University of Oklahoma.
Cybercrime is always a problem, but during current COVID-19 restrictions, scammers are taking special advantage of people searching the World Wide Web. (GVSU)
Online scamming is nothing new — according to the Federal Trade Commission the most common categories for fraud complaints in 2019 were imposter scams, debt collection and identity theft, with identity-theft linked credit card fraud reported by more than 167,000 people.
But in the current world of COVID-19 awareness, cybercriminals are targeting Americans who are working from home, and spending more time online, according to a story on consumeraffairs.com by Rob Douglas, identity theft protection contributing editor.
“The Federal Trade Commission advises consumers to be wary of cybercriminals exploiting coronavirus fears to steal personally identifiable information (PII),” the Consumer Affairs article states. “Financial information and medical information is especially sensitive right now.”
There is also an increased number of hackers creating malicious websites that spoof legitimate public health resources. For example, a link can seem like it should lead you to a map of “COVID-19 cases near me” could infect your phone or computer with spyware or ransomware.
For reliable information on COVID-19, the public is urged to to visit the Center for Disease Control (cdc.gov) or World Health Organization (who.int) for accurate, safe information about coronavirus trends and statistics.
According to Consumer Affairs, increasingly common COVID-19 scams include:
Fraudulent e-commerce vendors for masks, sanitizers and test kits.
Fraudulent investment sites.
Phishing and vishing through update emails, texts and voicemails.
Spoofed government and health organization communications.
Marisa O. Ensor, center, has worked in in countries around the world and will talk on “Green Peacebuilding: Justice in the face of Climate Change”. (Courtesy)
WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
The World Affairs Council of Western Michigan’s 2020 Great Decisions series of local discussions will again tackle this year’s “issues of national an international importance” — the India and Pakistan powder keg, China’s power in the Americas, the present and future of American immigration policy, and the human impact of climate change, to name just a few.
The line-up of discussions, to be held Monday evenings at Aquinas College and Tuesday noontimes at Calvin University, will begin Feb. 10-11 with a discussion titled “Kashmir: Flashpoint between India and Pakistan” and will continue through the week of March 30.
All discussions are open to the public, with a $10 admission fee for non-Council members and collegiate partners, but free parking on each campus. No reservations are needed, and discounted series passes are available.
With the 2020 Great Decisions series, the World Affairs Council “continues its mission to empower the people and organizations of West Michigan to engage thoughtfully with the world,” according to supplied material. “Our largest community event, which we have been hosting since the mid-1950s. Diplomats, policy makers and practitioners, think tank specialists and journalists lead the conversation on some of the most pressing global issues of our time.”
The Monday lectures will run from 6 to 7:15 p.m., at the Aquinas College Performing Arts Center. The Tuesday lectures will run from Noon to 1 p.m., at the Recital Hall in the Covenant Fine Arts Center at Calvin University.
Raza Ahmad Rumi (Supplied)
The opening lecture, “Kashmir: Flashpoint between India and Pakistan” will be led by Raza Ahmad Rumi, Director of the Park Center for Independent Media at Ithaca (N.Y.) College. Rumi has been living in the United States since 2014, and is editor of Daily Times and founder of the Nayadaur Media digital platform. He is also a visiting faculty at Cornell Institute for Public Affairs.
Drawing on his deep background as a journalist and policy analyst, Rumi will “contextualize the factors that play into India and Pakistan’s actions and the U.S. response to these countries,” according to supplied material. Asking and discussing the questions “How do we de-escalate conflict between these two nuclear powers? India and Pakistan have a long history of conflict. How has escalation within the Kashmir region changed the stakes for the U.S. and the world?”
The other lecture dates, titles and speakers are:
February 17-18, “Mirror to the World: The Philippines under Duterte”, with Julie McCarthy, international correspondent with Manila Bureau of NPR.
February 24-25, “Regional Security in the Red Sea”, with Steve Dalzell, senior defense policy researcher at RAND Corporation.
March 2-3, “Green Peacebuilding: Justice in the face of Climate Change”, with Marisa O. Ensor, Justice and Peace Studies Program & Institute for the Study of International Migration, School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University.
March 9-10, “Human Trafficking: Global and Local Perspectives”, a panel discussion moderated by Rachel VerWys, co-creator of Solutions to End Exploitation (SEE).
March 16-17, “The Future is Now: Artificial Intelligence and National Security”, with Lindsey Sheppard, fellow at the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS).
March 23-24, “China’s Road into Latin America”, with Margaret Myers, director of Asia & Latin America at Inter-American Dialogue.
March 30-31, “Central American Immigration and U.S. Foreign Policy”, with Sonia Nazario, Pulitzer-winning journalist and author of “Enrique’s Journey”.
Of particular interest, for many, will be Ensor’s discussion on world justice in time of climate change. She describes herself, on her website, as “a gender and youth specialist with a background in forced displacement, environmental peacebuilding, humanitarian intervention, and post-conflict justice.”
Marisa O. Ensor (Courtesy)
She holds a PhD in Anthropology from the University of Florida, a Master’s in Law in International Human Rights Law from the University of Essex (UK), and a certificate in Forced Migration Studies from the University of Oxford (UK). She has over a decade of international experience in “the design and implementation of gender- and youth-inclusive projects in conflict-affected and fragile states, and those confronting forced migration and environmental insecurity” in 19 countries so far in Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and Europe.
In her discussion, Ensor “maps the relationship between climate change, conflict and fragile states and the lessons we can learn from those fighting for human rights and peace within their communities,” according to supplied material. Specifically she will discuss “What can young activists teach us about peace and climate change? … Climate change has become one of the defining issues of our time.”
For more information on the Great Decisions 2020 series visit here.
The digital age we live in today is fast-paced and full of constantly changing technology. This can be intimidating to aging adults who may fear they can’t understand new devices. However, combined, seniors and technology can be a powerful tool.
Modern devices connect us with loved ones, keep us in touch with medical professionals, and help us stay safe. If your loved one is nervous about getting started, here are a few easy ways to explore technology for seniors.
1. Use Technology to Connect
Today’s technology offers powerful ways to connect with our family and friends. For seniors who may not be as mobile as they once were, this is a huge benefit. There are many ways to use the digital world to stay social:
Help your loved one set up a social media account to see the latest photos and updates from grandchildren or long-distance relatives.
Use Skype or other video-chatting services to stay in touch when distance or health prevents face-to-face visits.
If your elderly family members can’t attend gatherings, upload family videos to YouTube and share privately.
2. Find Community Resources
The first step to understanding the digital world is mastering basic computer skills. For those of us who didn’t grow up with modern technology, this can be quite a challenge! If you need assistance or ideas for helping your aging loved one become comfortable with computers, research what resources are available in your area.
Many senior living community centers offer technology education. Local libraries, schools, and junior colleges have computer facilities and may offer classes or tutoring programs to the general public. Another great resource is your local Area Agency on Aging, a free service offered by the U.S. Administration on Aging.
3. Start Learning and Creating from Home
As we age, we may find that active pastimes are simply too demanding for our current health. Additionally, the living spaces in most retirement communities may not allow space for large projects. However, the digital revolution has made a huge range of new creative and educational activities possible from the comfort of our own homes.
Many people have always wanted to learn another language, but never had the time; some have a novel inside them just waiting to be written. Perhaps your loved one would enjoy blogging on a favorite topic and connecting with others who share their interests. Technology makes all these things possible! Check out resources like the National Novel Writing Month and Khan Academy for inspiration.
4. How to Get Started
No matter our age or lifestyle, trying new habits can be intimidating. Some seniors are ready and excited to get started with new technology, while some may be very overwhelmed.
Focus on small steps and loving communication.
Forming a new habit takes at least two months, so remember that this change in your loved one’s lifestyle probably won’t happen all at once.
To help keep your loved one from becoming even more overwhelmed, start with bite-sized projects.
Even a few small changes can make a huge difference! Just one email or social media account is enough to increase contact with family and friends.
These are just a few of the ways modern technology can enhance senior living for aging adults! With a few simple steps to introduce your loved one to the digital world, you can help them enjoy a happier, safer, and more convenient lifestyle. No matter where we are in life, the digital world is an exciting place to learn and explore.
Scientists are closer than ever to developing a smart hearing aid that separates desired sounds from undesirable background noise. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
Chances are if you’re over 60 it’s already happened to you: You’re in a crowded room and finding it tough to understand what your partner is saying a couple of feet away.
It’s a longstanding hearing-loss issue known as the “cocktail party” problem. Conventional hearing aids still aren’t able to fix it—to separate out the talk you do want to hear from the background chatter you don’t.
But scientists may be developing a device that can do just that.
The device would rely on an emerging technology called “auditory attention decoding,” or AAD. AAD cracks the cocktail party problem by simultaneously monitoring a person’s brainwaves and the sound around them.
With that data in place, the new hearing device would triangulate which voice or sound the person is focused on—and then give it an extra sonic boost.
“The cocktail party problem refers to a hearing condition where there is more than one speaker talking at the same time,” explained Nima Mesgarani, who led a group that published their new findings May 15 in Science Advances.
“Because hearing-impaired listeners have reduced sensitivity to different frequencies, they are not able to pick out the right voice,” explained Mesgarani.
He’s associate professor of electrical engineering with the Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, part of Columbia University in New York City.
Conventional hearing aids—which simply raise overall sound levels—don’t help much in a crowded room.
“Increasing the volume doesn’t help hearing-impaired listeners, because it amplifies everyone and not just the ‘target speaker,’” Mesgarani said.
AAD works differently.
“(It) works by first automatically separating the sound sources in the acoustic environment,” he said. “The separated sounds are then compared to the brain waves of a listener. And the source that is most similar is chosen and amplified relative to other speakers to assist the listener.”
But this research is still in its early stages, so crowd-addled seniors shouldn’t expect to order the technology anytime soon.
For the moment, the technology requires an invasive surgical procedure and isn’t portable. Any practical application is at least five to 10 years off, Mesgarani said.
Still, the research illustrates yet again the amazing versatility of the human brain.
As Mesgarani noted, neural networks in the brain’s hearing center are remarkably adept at pinpointing which voice a person wants to pay attention to, even with lots of competing noise.
Digging deeper into that phenomenon, the Columbia team enlisted a group of people with epilepsy (who were already undergoing surgical care) to listen to a massed group of several speakers. None of the patients had hearing difficulties.
By means of electrodes directly implanted into their brains, researchers were then able to monitor how brain waves responded to the various sounds. That data was fed into a computer, which quickly learned to automatically raise the volume of the “target” speaker’s voice.
Preliminary results suggest that the technology does work as intended. But to date, testing has been confined to a controlled indoor setting and it remains to be seen whether it would work as well among those with actual hearing impairment, the researchers said.
And, of course, it will take time to convert the technology into something that could be worn as an external hearing aid.
Tricia Ashby-Scabis is director of audiology practices with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, in Rockville, Md. She reviewed the new study and said the work “sounds highly promising.”
“Artificial intelligence certainly sounds like a great option in terms of focused listening and setting precedence on which speaker the listener wants to hear,” Ashby-Scabis said.
But questions remain.
“The difficulty is, communication is dynamic,” said Ashby-Scabis. “It is ever-changing. People jump in and out of conversations, and that is a lot of processing for a device to do, and a lot of knowledge it needs to have. I am surprised if this is something we are close to having researchers solving (or) developing, but it is certainly a promising area to be studying.”
The association between technology and seniors is often misrepresented; older adults of our society today did not have access to computers, smart devices, or the internet. While many people allude this disconnect to the idea that seniors find the devices complicated; it is merely an assumption. The reality is that many seniors do not understand how they can utilize these gadgets to meet their personal interests. Devices play a critical decision in informing the health and wellness decisions you make to stay young. The right application of different gadgets and software can save you time, money and make a situation less stressful. For example, using GPS in your post-retirement trips can save you money you would otherwise spend on a tour guide.
There are several ways you can utilize technology to stay young:
Health Checks
Staying on top of your health is a priority among many seniors; the right technology in your smart phone or tablet can save you several trips to the hospital. For example, there are different accessories and apps you can get to help you check your blood sugar. You can also access different fitness apps to help you follow your exercise routine from the comfort of your home. Additionally, there are games and brain exercises you can engage in to help keep your mind alert and active. The best part about using your device to stay healthy is that you can travel with it or use it indoors even in extreme weather when you’re stuck at home.
Connectivity
One way to stay young-at-heart is to stay connected to your friends and family, especially the younger ones. Even though you might be hundreds of miles away from your loved ones, you can connect with your family by sharing videos, pictures or by scheduling live video chats. If you choose to travel, you and your loved ones can enjoy a peace of mind knowing that you are a call away from each other.
Continuous Learning
Use your gadgets as a learning tool. As you grow older, you will realize you have a lot of time on your hands, which can easily bore you. Take up new courses, learn a craft or spend time indulging in your favorite subject. There are several learning tools available in your devices such as short courses, podcasts, videos, books and research papers; you will have access to an infinite source of information at the comfort of your home. Through your device, you can connect with people with similar learning interests from around the world without the hustle associated with traveling.
Improve your relationship with technology by looking it as an avenue for self-improvement. There are different applications and devices available to help you improve your physical, spiritual and mental wellness from the comfort of your home. Take advantage of the improved access to information to explore your passions.
