By M. Christine Byron, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch
This volume by local author Tom Dilley is a wonderful contribution to the growing number of books about the history of Grand Rapids. Postcard collectors, historians and researchers will find this a useful and interesting book with its black and white reproductions of 228 postcards from Dilley’s personal collection, many of which are quite rare.
Dilley begins the volume with a concise overviews of Grand Rapids history and the history of postcards. Short explanations are given for the various types of postcards: postal mailing cards, real photos, white border cards, linen and chrome cards. He points out the importance of postcards as historical documents capturing the social history of a certain time and place.
The book is divided into three sections: “The City,” “Life in the City” and “The City at Work.” This structure works well in categorizing the wide array of postcards. Dilley starts by showing aerial views of the city. He proceeds with street scenes, individual buildings and bridges. Dilley does an excellent job of identifying buildings, giving the location, interesting details, the architect when known, and the lifespan of the structure. Dilley often refers to the contemporary counterpart of a historical building, giving readers a real sense of “then and now.”
The section “Life in the City” includes the commercial, religious, educational and social activities of the growing city. There are wonderful views of museums, theaters, retail stores, cafes, hotels, hospitals, churches schools and parks. The author spotlights social organizations such as the YMCA, the Ladies Literary Club and the St. Cecilia Music Society. Dilley’s book includes rare interior scenes of the YWCA gymnasium and the clothing department of May and Sons.
Section Three, “The City at Work,” shows Grand Rapids as a leader in “wholesale, retail and manufacturing enterprise.” The furniture industry is given prominence, but other industries are also included. The Grand Rapids Brewing Company, Grand Rapids Brass Company, the Cargill Company, and Bissell Carpet Sweeper Company stand out as a few fine examples.
Grand Rapids in Vintage Postcards includes many cards that most people have never seen. Included is a rare double card of the Majestic Theatre, a real photo card of the Fanatorium Bowling Alley and a scene of visiting airplanes lined up for the 1919 dedication of the Grand Rapids Airport. Besides the wonderful visual images, a strong point of the book is the accompanying text, which is very helpful in giving a historical perspective on the postcard views. Dilley’s book will serve as a valuable reference work as well as an enjoyable walk down memory lane.
A project to bring new affordable housing to a Grand Rapids neighborhood is one step closer following action by the Board of Trustees of Grand Valley State University. At their July meeting, trustees authorized the university to lease property on its health campus in Grand Rapids to a developer who intends to build affordable housing compatible with the Belknap Lookout neighborhood.
Grand Valley’s Community Relations Director Patricia Waring presented the resolution to the board. She and others from Grand Valley worked with representatives from the City of Grand Rapids and from the Neighbors of Belknap Lookout (NOBL) to create a Memorandum of Understanding after the university purchased land to expand its health campus north of Michigan Street. The MOU required the committee to prepare a request for proposal and choose a developer.
The board’s action authorizes Grand Valley to lease .85 acres to Three CPK, which is a joint venture of Third Coast Development and PK Housing, for development of the affordable housing project, which is a provision of the MOU. The housing will be built on the south side of Trowbridge, between Lafayette and Prospect, in the Belknap area of the city of Grand Rapids.
“Moving forward with this project represents steady cooperation between Grand Valley, city officials and those representing the Belknap Lookout neighborhood,” said Waring. “We have shared a goal of providing the best quality of life for those who live, work and attend classes in this busy area of the city. There are many details to projects like this one, and I’m pleased we had bright minds and wonderful attitudes around the table. We’re looking forward to the addition of this housing project in the neighborhood with our health campus.”
An aerial view of the proposed develoment
The project will have a housing mix of 70 percent affordable and 30 percent market rate. CPK will submit an application for low-income housing tax credits in November, and if successful, the project could be completed as early as fall 2019. The university will not use tuition revenue or any of its funds for the construction of the project, operating expenses or any future repairs or renovations.
“This collaborative effort should serve as a model for development within the city,” said Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss. “This project is consistent with what the residents of the neighborhood want, and it’s consistent with the strategy outlined by the city commission, which calls for preserving affordable housing, encouraging mixed-income neighborhoods and supporting our vulnerable populations. Progress can truly be good for all involved.”
Other board action:
— The trustees also adopted the university’s FY 2019 budget and set tuition rates for the academic year. Trustees approved a $245 per semester increase in tuition, bringing the annual tuition to $12,484 for a full-time undergraduate Michigan resident. The budget includes $52.4 million in financial aid for students, which is an increase of $5.1 million to be awarded in the form of scholarships and grants.
Grand Valley is expected to receive $72.1 million in state funding, some of which is awarded based on the university’s superior performance in key areas such as retention and graduation rates. Grand Valley ranks third in retention and fourth in graduation rates among the 15 public universities in Michigan.
— The board approved a resolution to name the Student Services Building on the Allendale Campus for President Emeritus Arend (Don) Lubbers and his wife Nancy Lubbers.
Don Lubbers served as president of Grand Valley for 32 years, and with Nancy worked to build Grand Valley from a small college to a regional university. Both have been leaders in the creation of Grand Valley’s Robert C. Pew Grand Rapids Campus, the Cook-DeVos Center for Health Sciences on Grand Rapids’ Medical Mile, The Robert B. Annis Water Resources Institute in Muskegon, the Meijer Campus in Holland and the Traverse City Regional Center.
— The board also approved a resolution for authorization of Martin Luther King Jr. Education Center Academy (Detroit), approval of an extended start date for Saginaw Covenant Academy to February 1, 2019 (Saginaw), and appointment or reappointment of charter school board members to GVSU-authorized public school academy boards.
— The board also selected a new chair and vice chair. Mary Kramer will serve as the next chair of the Board of Trustees; Megan Sall will serve as the next vice chair. The board also approved a resolution thanking outgoing chair John Kennedy for his service to the board for the last two years.
I recently attended a meeting in the greater Grand Rapids area where the discussion centered on how we can benefit Michigan and its communities. In typical brainstorm fashion, our large group was divided into smaller tables to discuss and generate ideas which would be reported out to the larger group.
After one group’s suggestion that we help communities recruit individuals, an audience member respectfully suggested, “Why grow?” When the response was “to keep our communities from stagnating,” the audience member persisted that growth is bad, causing unnecessary congestion and build out, and that we should learn to live with what we have. Polite as the discussion was, I resisted the urge to jump up and debate the topic that day.
So there is no misunderstanding, growth is a good thing, if done right. There are countless examples from the old days, and unfortunately present day too, of poorly managed growth in urban sprawl, over taxing of utilities, etc. That is bad growth.
Communities are just like people, they are either green and growing or ripe and rotting, nothing stays the same. Each of us tries to grow personally, professionally and keep in shape, as a result we are better than we were before. In fact, we can choose to continually grow and improve. Yes, we all know that one guy from high school that 20 years later is still sitting on the couch re-living the same game-winning-touchdown-pass he caught. That is an example of no growth. Communities are the same, they can’t sit around remembering the good ol’ days. Instead, they need to look forward and position themselves for a positive, productive future.
If you’ve been paying attention, Michigan has been hemorrhaging for 10 years when three major companies ended 400,000+ manufacturing jobs. This created a ripple effect and tailspin of people leaving our state, taking their skilled talents and families with them. Although Michigan has done many things right and we are gaining back ground, we still need talent. We need people to move back to Michigan bringing their skills and talents, but also their families, ideas and civic involvement. It is this growth that Michigan and our communities desperately need in order to be a vibrant state.
Here’s the fun part. Yes, we have to encourage and embrace growth in order to be better, but we must be smart about it. As communities and as a state we need to decide what type of growth works, where best to encourage it and what happens when it comes. In other words, we must do some advanced planning so that the growth we so desperately need is organized, positive and helps us get to where we want to go.
And here’s the really fun part, there are loads of people and resources out there that can help. From your local economic development organization, in our case the Northern Lakes Economic Alliance, to the MSU Extension, regional planning agencies such as Networks Northwest or the Northeast Michigan Council of Governments to the Michigan Municipal League and others.
Michigan has a bright future, and I hope growth will be part of it!
Michigan State University Extension has had a unique relationship with the regional economic development organization Northern Lakes Economic Alliance (NLEA) for more than 20 years. Recognizing the strength of combining resources, this partnership focuses on economic development, entrepreneurship growth and community infrastructure throughout a four-county region in the northwest Lower Peninsula, specifically Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan and Emmet counties. As a result, the NLEA utilizes resources offered through MSU Extension as it provides leadership to statewide programs sponsored by MSU Extension.
Producers Paul Blake and Sony/ATV Music Publishing announce that the Tony and Grammy Award-winning Broadway hit “Beautiful—The Carole King Musical,” about the early life and career of the legendary and groundbreaking singer/songwriter, will make its Grand Rapids premiere at DeVos Performance Hall Feb. 13-18 for eight performances. Tickets are now on sale by visiting Broadway Grand Rapids’ website. To purchase tickets, visit www.broadwaygrandrapids.com, or call 1-800-745-3000. Ticket prices start at $52.50.
“Carole King might be a native New Yorker, but her story of struggle and triumph is as universal as they come – and her music is loved the world over,” producer Paul Blake said. “I am thrilled that “Beautiful” continues to delight and entertain audiences around the globe, in England, Japan and Australia and that we are entering our third amazing year on the road in the U.S. We are so grateful that close to four million audience members have fallen in love with Carole’s story and her indelible music.”
With a book by Tony® and Academy® Award-nominee Douglas McGrath, direction by Marc Bruni and choreography by Josh Prince, “Beautiful” features a stunning array of beloved songs written by Gerry Goffin/Carole King and Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil. The show opened on Broadway at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre in January 2014, where it has since broken all box office records and recently became the highest grossing production in the Theatre’s history.
The Original Broadway Cast Recording of “Beautiful – The Carole King Musical”(Ghostlight Records) won the 2015 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album and is available on CD, digitally, and on vinyl. “Beautiful” launched its first US National Tour in September 2015, and is also currently playing internationally, with productions in Japan, Australia and touring the UK. An Award-winning production recently concluded its run in London’s West End after opening on Feb. 25, 2015.
Long before she was Carole King, chart-topping music legend, she was Carol Klein, Brooklyn girl with passion and chutzpah. She fought her way into the record business as a teenager and, by the time she reached her twenties, had the husband of her dreams and a flourishing career writing hits for the biggest acts in rock ‘n’ roll. But it wasn’t until her personal life began to crack that she finally managed to find her true voice. “Beautiful” tells the inspiring true story of King’s remarkable rise to stardom, from being part of a hit songwriting team with her husband Gerry Goffin, to her relationship with fellow writers and best friends Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, to becoming one of the most successful solo acts in popular music history. Along the way, she made more than beautiful music, she wrote the soundtrack to a generation. Beautiful features a stunning array of beloved songs written by Gerry Goffin/Carole King and Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil, including “I Feel The Earth Move,” “One Fine Day,” “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” “You’ve Got A Friend” and the title song.
In Focus today is Michael Bulthuis of The Rapid public transit system. The Rapid, on November 7, will be asking for renewal of the system’s current 1.47 mil local property tax millage. (WKTV)
By Hannah Haviland, WKTV Editorial Assistant
news@wktv.org
At the upcoming Nov. 7 election, residents of the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood are being asked to consider a 1.47 millage rate so that The Rapid can continue serving these cities along with four other municipalities in the greater Grand Rapids area.
The millage request, which is listed as the Interurban Transit Partnership Board Transit Millage Ballot Proposal 2018-2019 on the Nov. 7 ballot, is not an increase, but rather would replace the current Rapid millage of 1.47 mills which is set to expire in July of 2018.
According to information supplied by The Rapid, for a $100,000 home with a taxable value of $50,000, the homeowner would continue to pay around $73.50 a year for the millage. The millage, which has been active for the past seven years, is about a third of The Rapid’s total budget of $44 million, covering about $15.5 million. The majority of the rest of the budget comes from the Michigan Department of Transportation’s local bus operating assistance and passenger fares.
Because the millage makes up such a large percentage of The Rapids’ operational expenses, without the renewal, most of the fixed route services that the millage helps fund would not be be able to operate, according to The Rapid Marketing and Communications Director Michael Bulthuis, who sat down to talk about the millage in a recent WKTV Journal: In Focus segment.
“Most of our riders are using the bus at least once a week, if not every day, for a work related activity,” Bulthuis said. “If you consider that we have between 11 to 12 million rides every year, 80 percent of those rides are work related trips.”
Each of the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood have nine Rapid routes not counting the Silver Line. These are among the 22 routes that would potentially be shut down if the millage doesn’t pass.
“You would start to see service cuts, frankly, because you’re not getting that $15.5 million in millage funding,” Bulthuis said. “That millage funding also helps leverage state funding so you’re losing millions of dollars in state funding as well.”
The millage has been active for the last seven years, and if it passes, will continue at the same rate of 1.47 for twelve more years. If, however, it doesn’t pass, all of The Rapids’ normal bus routes would cease. The Rapid would only be able to operate on a contractual basis for entities that would entirely cover the cost of its service. Go!Bus, the service for the elderly and disabled, would also be drastically decreased, putting people in that demographic at risk of missing doctor’s appointments or other needed services.
The millage funds are only used for everyday expenses such as wages for employees, fuel, tires, and other essential needs. It is not used for other projects such as new buses, buildings, or project construction. The Silver Line, which operates along Division Avenue connecting downtown Grand Rapids to the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming, would also not be affected since it is funded by state and federal grants.
The WKTV Journal: In Focus episode including the discussion about The Rapid millage, and a discussion with Wyoming Public Schools Superintendent Thomas Reeder on his district’s millage request, will air twice this week on WKTV channels but all interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal: In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVVideos.
“WKTV Journal: In Focus” will air on Tuesdays and Thursdays, at 6:30 p.m., on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel.
The smoking area during events at Van Andel Arena will be relocated from the plaza in front of the building to outside the southeast corner of the venue for all events, effective immediately. The relocation will allow more efficient access for patrons coming and going from the arena as well as better flow on the front plaza.
The new smoking area will be accessible from the concourse by the stairs located at the southeast end of the arena. Fans with accessibility needs can use the elevator at the southeast corner of the concourse to access the smoking area outside of the employee entrance and will be wrist banded for re-entry.
The smoking area will be available for fans beginning with the opening of doors until 30 minutes prior to the end of a show or midway through the final period of sporting events.
Continuing SMG’s commitment to maintaining a safe and secure facility, security staff will continue to be present in the smoking area at all times.
It’s no secret that Grand Rapids is a hub for craft beer activity. “Beer City” has over a dozen breweries providing countless options of well-made ales, lagers, pilsners, and stouts. On top of the beer explosion, the rise of rustic-style restaurants and distilleries that pay homage to a cultural history has grown with the help of a community who is taking the time to consider what they’re eating and drinking.
This set of ideals fits in perfectly with the culture at New Holland Brewing Company. It’s one of the major reasons the Holland-based beer and spirits brand opened The Knickerbocker Brewpub and Distillery on the west side of Grand Rapids. Opening its doors last week with a seating capacity ore more than 400, The Knickerbocker will serve as a space to showcase what New Holland considers the craft lifestyle: sourcing local wherever possible and exploring new and reimagined recipes.
Located in an area steeped in Grand Rapids heritage, The Knickerbocker will highlight the cultures imbedded in the Westside. The menu includes known dishes such as Galumpkis and Smoked Kielbasa and Kraut alongside modern additions including a Black Bean Farro Burger and Smoked Tempe Burger. And while many people recognize New Holland as a big player in the Michigan craft beer scene, the new location will also highlight their growing spirits catalogue. New Holland’s award-winning whiskies, rums, and gins are featured in the upstairs lounge manned by well-educated bartenders. The lounge will feature a large library of specialty spirits designed to bring out the best in the base spirit to make room for even more creativity in their cocktails.
At New Holland, craft is more than just a buzzword; it’s a choice that enables both the restaurant and its patrons to think about their meal. If it’s a beer, a cocktail, or a dish, The Knickerbocker makes it with purpose. So celebrate and raise a glass to a great addition to the Grand Rapids community!
The self-styled ‘advocate for the value of play’ celebrates its 19th year with a Birthday Party Celebration on July 31st. Festivities will include carnival games, bubbles, face painting and more as GRCM shows its appreciation to hundreds of faithful supporters.
The event dovetails with GRCM’s newest exhibit, BOXES, which opened May 24.
Paying tribute to the first traveling exhibit the GRCM ever hosted, BOXES lets kids and their adults build anything they can think of out of cardboard. There are boxes of all shapes and sizes — some that can be stuffed and weighted to use as a base for a bigger structure, some that can be cut and ripped, and some remnant cardboard pieces that can be colored, cut, torn and added on to any special creation.
It’s a dragon!
“BOXES embodies the infinite open-ended play style that The Grand Rapids Children’s Museum Mission advocates,” said Jack Woller, Associate Director of the GRCM.
“Guests can build cardboard armor, cities, games and anything that their imagination can come up with.”
As with all exhibits and programs at the museum, this new exhibit is designed to let kids (and their adults) learn through play and stretch their creative muscles.
“Creativity is important to child development, and kids need to be empowered to explore and develop their creativity,” said Woller. “The exploration and experimentation in exhibits like BOXES supports a foundation for learning, invention and scientific discovery throughout life.”
BOXES runs through August, kicking off a year of special events celebrating the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum’s 20th anniversary.
For more information, contact Adrienne Brown at 616.235.4726 ext 204 or visit the website here.
Earlier this week, the management arm of the Van Andel Arena, SMG, announced that country legend Garth Brooks and the Garth Brooks World Tour will make its first ever appearance and only show in Michigan for 2016 in Grand Rapids on May 14.
Tickets, which are $74.98 and include at $2.50 facility fee and $6.25 service charge, for the show go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, April 15 at Ticketmaster.com/GarthBrooks or Ticketmaster.com. There will be no sales at the venue box office or TicketMaster outlets on April 15, according to an SMG press release. Calls for tickets can be made at 1-866-448-7849 or 1-800-745-3000.
Brooks exploded on the scene in 1989 with his self-named first album, which featured the song “Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old),” that was followed by No Fences that included “Friends in Low Places,” “The Thunder Rolls,” and “Unanswered Prayers.” Brooks would continue with a string of albums, each with chart topping songs such as “The River,” “What She’s Doing Now,” “Somewhere Other Than the Night,” “In Pieces,” and “Standing Outside the Fire.” In 2000, he announced his retirement from performing and left to focus on his family, making brief performances such as for We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Center and at Las Vegas. In 2014, he made his announcement of signing with Sony Music Nashville, his new tour and the release of his latest album Man Against Machine. In 2012, Brooks was inducted into the County Music Hall of Fame.
“We are just really excited about being able to bring Brooks to Grand Rapids,” said Mike Klompstra, SMG marketing assistant.
The show includes Garths’ wife Trisha Yearwood, a country star in her own right who broke out in 1991 with the song “She’s In Love With a Boy.” Yearwood was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 2000 and has won a number of awards including three Grammy Awards, one for her signature song “How Do I Live” from the soundtrack of Con Air.
Marking its 20th year, the Van Andel has hosted a number of high profile names including most recently Elton John along with Kate Perry, Taylor Swift, Zac Brown Band, Aerosmith (several times), Marilyn Manson, and Rush.
TicketMaster will be the only authorized seller. Tickets will be available at 10 a.m. sharp and a personal recommendation is to start checking before the start time. There will be an eight ticket limit and timers will be set to keep people moving through.
Some other tips from Ticketmaster’s “On Sale Tips” section: if you don’t have one, create an online account now and mark the concert for an alert; sign in ahead of time; split up the number of tickets you are requesting – the fewer the number makes it easier to find seats; keep checking back as tickets do get released; and only buy verified resale tickets.
Lastly, if you miss you chance to snag tickets for Brooks at the Van Andel Arena’s May show, he will be returning to Michigan in 2017. The tour is scheduled to come to Detroit’s Joe Louis Arena Feb. 20 – 21 and 27 – 28, according to the Garth Brooks World Tour official website.
What? Really? Click on the link and according to “KNP 7 News, Your Local News Source,” Carrey is moving because he is “… just tired of the L.A. lifestyle and the fake people, honestly, and I feel like, at this point in my life, I’d rather just live in a place full of real, genuine people. I’ve been to Grand Rapids a few times over the years and the people there are real…”
OK. But my question is whom is KNP 7 a local news source to? The only news outlet I know in the Grand Rapids area with a seven in its name is Fox 17. Checking the “about” section of the KNP 7 site and it states: “KNP 7 News is a fantasy news site. All news articles on knp7.com are satire or pure fantasy.” Hmm. Which coincidentally, Fox 17 News was quick to debunk the rumor.
Still, those West Michiganders who left welcoming messages – or shared the announcement on Facebook – shouldn’t feel too deflated. While Carrey might not be moving here, West Michigan has been home to a number of big name stars. For starters, Good Morning America weather anchor Ginger Zee, who hails from Rockford, for starters. Zee is currently on Dancing With the Stars.
And there must be something about Rockford as Dick York, from the 1960s television show Bewitched, lived there as well.
Other famous faces are Gillian Anderson, of The X Factor fame; Taylor Lautner, of Twlight fame; Conan O’Brien’s sidekick Andy Richter; and Tony Award-winning actress Elizabeth Wilson, just to name a few of the many who entered the entertainment field.
Musically we have Anthony Kiedis from Red Hot Chili Peppers, Kevin Max of dc Talk, Brian VanderArk from The Verve Pipe, Dennis “Fergie” Frederiksen from Toto and Al Green.
The list of sports names is long but boxers Floyd Mayweather Sr. and Jr. top it along with olympic medalist Brian Diemer who still hosts the Brian Diemer 5K every June. This year is June 11 in Cutlerville.
And while Carrey may have portrayed many different types of characters, he has never had the role of being president, something that Grand Rapids favorite son, Gerald R. Ford, certainly achieved.
Bottomline is, if Carrey was to move West Michigan, he would be among some great famous company, but if he doesn’t we won’t be a “grinch” about it.
Pastor Troy “PE” Evans probably best described the Cesar E. Chavez Social Justice March and Community Gathering the best.
“I was about to apologize about there not being enough room, but this is pretty sweet,” said Evans from the podium at the Edge Urban Fellowship where he serves as pastor and where the community gathering took place.
The event – in honor of civil rights leader César E. Chávez – started with the march from Potters House School on the corner of Van Rattle and Granville Avenue, known as César Chávez Boulevard. The parade, which was lead by Mayor Grand Rapids Rosalynn Bliss and Committee to Honor César Chávez Chairperson Lupe Ramos-Montigny, ended at Edge Urban Fellowship, located at 735 Ritzema SW, right next to the César Chávez Elementary.
The little over an hour-long program – will be broadcasted on WXTV (channel 25 on Comcast, channel 26 on AT&T, and channel 99 on U-verse) – started about 15 minutes late as organizers worked to seat attendees with the audience spilling into the foyer and balcony area.
The annual event is organized by The Committee to Honor César E. Chávez in partnership with the César E. Chávez Unity Committee, a community and collegiate collaborative that includes Ferris State University, Aquinas College, Central Michigan University, Davenport University, Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Rapids Public Museum, Grand Rapids Public Schools and Grand Valley State University.
The legendary Latino leader, who died in 1993, co-founded the United Farm Workers Union. The event, which falls on his birthday every year, is designed to commemorate the vision of Chávez “to engage all, particularly youth, to carry on his values and timeless vision for a better world.” During his life, Chávez made several visits to Grand Rapids in support of improving working conditions for migrant workers who worked in the fields.
“I can hardly speak,” said Ramos-Montigny as she spoke to those who had crowded into the church. “And I know, coming from me, it’s hard to believe,” gathering a chuckle from those in attendance.
“I am truly moved by the students,” Ramos-Montigny said, adding that she has made it her life’s work to educate the students about Chávez, his life, his work and the importance of all people coming together for a common goal.
This year’s event was in, in fact, dedicated to education. “Education is the pathway to social justice,” said Ramos-Montigny, who had the audience repeat it several times. As part of the education focus, this year’s honoree was Kathleen N. Straus, who served on the State Board of Education from 1992 – 2016. She served six terms as president of the board along with filling various other positions. Straus was presented a portrait of her by Grand Rapids artist Erick Picardo.
Ramos-Montigny noted that this year’s brought together Straus, who was ending her education career with students who were just starting there. On hand at Thursday’s program were students from a number of local colleges and universities, including Ferris State University and Grand Valley State University. Also, students from Northview High School’s Varsity Voices performed as well as students from the César Chávez Elementary School, who performed the closing song, the traditional folk-song and considered to be the anthem for the United Farm Workers Union, which Chávez helped found, “De Colores.”
“So you will see me with my peacock tail with my feathers all ruffled as I am very proud of what we the committee has done every year for all the students,” Ramos-Montigny said.
WKTV will be broadcasting the César E. Chávez Social Justice March and Community Gathering. Check the WKTV listings at wktk.org for dates and times.
Gilda’s LaughFest, the nation’s only community-wide festival of laughter, today announced the addition of Miranda Sings and other ticketed shows for the 2016 festival,which takes place March 10 to 20, 2016. Individual tickets for all events will be available for purchase on Friday, Jan. 15 at 10 a.m.
Miranda Sings
Most recognizable for her signature big red lips, international YouTube sensation, Miranda Sings first established herself on YouTube quickly generating over 60 million views all over the world. Her one-woman show is filled with comedy, hit songs, magic tricks and much more. Her performance will take place on March 19 at Fountain Street Church, and will be her second appearance at LaughFest after a sellout show in 2014.
Hasan Minhaj
Hasan Minhaj is best known as a correspondent on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah and stars in his own one-man show off Broadway. Minhaj will perform on March 11 at 10:30 p.m., at Wealthy Theatre.
David Cross
Emmy Award winner and Grammy Award nominee, David Cross was named one of the Top 100 Stand-Up Comedians of All Time by Comedy Central. Perhaps best known for his role as Tobias on Arrested Development, Cross will launch his own nationwide tour this year and will premiere on IFC’s third season of Todd Margaret. You can see Cross perform at Fountain Street Church on March 18.
Michael Palascak is known for clean adult laughs and recently finished in the top 5 of last season’s Last Comic Standing on NBC. He has previously performed on a variety of late night television shows such as The Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Comedy Central’s The Half Hour, The Late Show with David Letterman and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Palascak’s performance will take place at Grand Volute in Lowell on March 18.
Michael Palascak
Other shows announced today include Failure:Lab – LaughFest Edition, an intimate event showcasing the untold failures behind success and exploring the space between people who fail and quit, and those who get back up again; the Rockin’ Homegrown Jam is returning for its fifth year as part of LaughFest, with an added twist – special musical guest The legal Immigrants join the comics on stage to perform songs between each comic’s set; and Hen Sapp and Friends Keeping it Clean, featuring edgy Christian comedian Hen Sapp performing for the sixth time at LaughFest along with special guests Crystal P. and Laughin Lenny.
LaughFest 2016 will include more than 200 free and ticketed shows featuring over 100 artists at more than 40 venues in Grand Rapids and Lowell during the 10 days of the festival. Artists already previously announced include headliners: Seth Meyers, performing during Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids Signature Event, Kathy Griffin, Ron Funches, Anjelah Johnson, Roy Wood Jr., Chris D’Elia, Bert Kreischer, and Heather McDonald.
Individual tickets are priced from $7 to $80, excluding the Signature Event. These will be available beginning Friday, Jan. 15, 2016 at the Van Andel Arena Box Office, Ticketmaster outlets, LaughFest Central, when it opens in mid-February, through the closing day of LaughFest, and at ticketmaster.com.
Gilda’s LaughFest was created by a team at Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids in 2011. Designed to celebrate laughter for the health of it, LaughFest features free and ticketed events including stand-up, improv, film, authors, community showcases and a variety of seriously funny stuff. Past LaughFest headliners have included George Lopez, Wanda Sykes, Billy Gardell, Jay Leno, Lily Tomlin, Mike Birbiglia, Margaret Cho, Betty White, Whoopi Goldberg, Rodney Carrington, Martin Short, Kevin Nealon, Wayne Brady, Joel McHale, Lewis Black and Brian Regan.
Michigan’s award-winning Reserve Wine & Food proudly welcomes Josh Adams as its new Executive Chef. The James Beard Awards Semi-Finalist comes from Peoria, Illinois where he owned and operated June Restaurant for five years.
Chef Adams started his culinary education early. At the age of ten, his mother enrolled him in his first cooking class and from then on, the kitchen beckoned. Adams cooked throughout his childhood with his mom and grandmother, who encouraged his creativity and curiosity. His mother—a poet and amateur photographer, and father—a successful businessman, both nurtured his innovative spirit and instilled a strong work ethic.
Adams recalls a pivotal turning point in his career. “I went to Charlie Trotter’s to celebrate my birthday and had the luxury of dining at the Chef’s Table in the kitchen. Witnessing a professional kitchen operate at such a high level—so seamlessly—changed my perspective on what it meant to be a chef, forever.” Before leaving, he spoke with Chef de Cuisine Matthias Merges. Recognizing the potential in Adams, Merges offered him an internship position, which Adams eagerly accepted.
Chef Josh Adams
Committed to a career as a chef, Adams attended both the French Culinary Institute as well as Illinois Central College’s culinary arts program. He supplemented his scholastic studies with several internships (Alinea, Revolver) and outfitted his home kitchen to professional grade to further his knowledge.
In 2007, Adams worked at Vie restaurant in suburban Chicago under Chef Paul Virant; a chef known for his farm-fresh approach. Along with Chef Virant and Chef Trotter, Adams recognizes Heston Blumenthal, Pierre Gagnaire, Alice Waters and Ferran Adria as major influencers in his career.
These mentors helped Adams to shape his style, one that is a unique blend of farm-direct and molecular gastronomy. Applying progressive techniques to pristine ingredients, Adams seeks to preserve and accentuate the natural properties of the ingredients through precision cooking.
“With the development of each dish, I take into consideration the aroma, taste, texture, temperature, color, shape and arrangement to bring about the best possible result for the customer,” he says.
With his passion for seasonal and locally-grown products firmly rooted, Adams left Chicago in the spring of 2008, returning to his hometown—an area surrounded mostly by farms—to open his progressive, farm-direct June Restaurant.
Opened since September, 2010 and celebrating its 5th year, Reserve Wine & Food has been recognized by Grand Rapids Magazine, OpenTable, Food & Wine Magazine, the James Beard Foundation and Wine Spectator. Located in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids at 201 Monroe Avenue NW, Reserve Wine & Food offers a world-class menu fully embracing the West Michigan farm-to-table philosophy in an elegant yet casual fine dining setting.
This article was republished with permission from Dianna at Promote Michigan. We do our best to help with the promotion of the great State of Michigan!
The secret’s been out for some time now, but it’s never too late to offer well-deserved kudos to talented, hardworking actors. We are pleased to share the names of the 2015 Grand Awards winners honored during a ceremony held at the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre on Sunday, Oct. 11.
In addition to celebrating local community and college theaters, the awards ceremony raises money for the Combined Theatre Scholarship Fund.
Without further ado, here are the 2015 Grand Award Nominees. Bold denotes the winners.
Norma Brink Lifetime Achievement Award:
Jean Reed Bahle
OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
• Penelope Notter for “Mary Poppins” – Civic Theatre
• Carrie McNulty for “Catch Me If You Can” – Circle Theatre
• Scott Mellema for “Avenue Q” – Civic Theatre
• Jean Reed Bahle for “One Night with Fanny Brice” – Jewish Theatre
• Fred Sebulske for “Company” – Circle Theatre
OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A PLAY
• Jolene Frankey for “Becky’s New Car” – Circle Theatre
• Fred Sebulske for “4000 Miles” – Actors’ Theatre
• Penelope Notter for “The Mousetrap” – Civic Theatre •Fred Sebulske for “Other Desert Cities” – Actors’ Theatre
• Tom Kaechele for “The 39 Steps” – Circle Theatre
OUTSTANDING MUSICAL
• “Avenue Q” – Civic Theatre
• “Catch Me If You Can” – Circle Theatre
• “Company” – Circle Theatre
• “Light in the Piazza” – Actors’ Theatre
• “Mary Poppins” – Civic Theatre
OUTSTANDING PLAY
• “4000 Miles” – Actors’ Theatre
• “The Boatwright” – Civic Theatre
• “The Mousetrap” – Civic Theatre •“Other Desert Cities” – Actors’ Theatre
• “The 39 Steps” – Circle Theatre
OUTSTANDING THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES
• “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” – Civic Theatre
• “Footloose” – Civic Theatre
• “The Jungle Book” – Circle Theatre •“The Little Princess” – Civic Theatre
OUTSTANDING MUSICAL DIRECTION
•Charles Hutchins for “Avenue Q” – Civic Theatre
• Wright McCargar for “Catch Me If You Can” – Circle Theatre
• Charles Hutchins for “Company” – Circle Theatre
• Charles Hutchins for “Mary Poppins” – Civic Theatre
• Wright McCargar for “South Pacific” – Civic Theatre
OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY
• Chris Carnevale for “Avenue Q” – Civic Theatre •Mary Lohman for “Catch Me If You Can” – Circle Theatre
• Kyle Amanda Dutkiewicz for “Company” – Circle Theatre
• William Schutte for “Evita” – Circle Theatre
• Mary Lohman for “Mary Poppins” – Civic Theatre
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
•Jeremiah Postma as Anatoly in “Chess” – Actors’ Theatre
• Larry Young as Bobby in “Company” – Circle Theatre
• Todd Lewis as Carl Hanratty in “Catch Me If You Can” – Circle Theatre
• Kyle Jurassic as Frank Abagnale Jr. in “Catch Me If You Can” – Circle Theatre
• Jacob Reinstra as Princeton/Rod in “Avenue Q” – Civic Theatre
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
• Jolene Frankey as Eva Perón in “Evita” – Circle Theatre
• Sarah LaCroix as Fanny Brice in “One Night with Fanny Brice” – Jewish Theatre •Molly Jones as Kate/Lucy in “Avenue Q” – Civic Theatre
• Kathy Gibson as Margaret Johnson in “Light in the Piazza” – Actors’ Theatre
• Alyssa Bauer as Mary Poppins in “Mary Poppins” – Civic Theatre
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
• Mark Ayers as Brian in “Avenue Q” – Civic Theatre
• Andrew Schneider as Luther Billis in “South Pacific” – Civic Theatre
• Jared Douglas as Fabrizio Naccarelli in “Light in the Piazza” – Actors’ Theatre
• David Duiven as Frank Abagnale Sr. in “Catch Me If You Can” – Circle Theatre
•Kyle Jurrasic as Nicky/Trekkie Monster/Bad Idea Bear in “Avenue Q” – Civic Theatre
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
• Amy Groen as Amy in “Company” – Circle Theatre
• Eva Switek as Bloody Mary in “South Pacific” – Civic Theatre
• Chelsea Herrema as Clara Johnson in “Light in the Piazza” – Actors’ Theatre • Julianne Howe-Bouwens as Gary Coleman in “Avenue Q” – Civic Theatre
• Abbie Westers and Elizabeth Foster as Jane Banks in “Mary Poppins” – Civic Theatre
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A PLAY
• Patrick Hendren as Ben in “The Boatwright” – Civic Theatre •Kyle Cain as Richard Hannay in “The 39 Steps” – Circle Theatre
• Owen McIntee as Leo in “4000 Miles” – Actors’ Theatre
• Patrick Hendren as Willy Loman in “Death of a Salesman” – Jewish Theatre
• Zach Johnson as Romeo in “Romeo and Juliet” – Heritage Theatre
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A PLAY
• Amy McFadden as Becky Foster in “Becky’s New Car” – Circle Theatre
• Teri Kuhlman as Linda Loman in “Death of a Salesman” – Jewish Theatre
• Marti Childs as Vera in “4000 Miles” – Actors’ Theatre
• Carrie McNulty as Brooke Wyeth in “Other Desert Cities” – Actors’ Theatre •Jean Reed Bahle as Polly Wyeth in “Other Desert Cities” – Actors’ Theatre
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A PLAY
• Matt Ablan as Clown in “The 39 Steps” – Circle Theatre
• Dylan Harris as Clown in “The 39 Steps” – Circle Theatre
• Eric Hatch as Christopher Wren in “The Mousetrap” – Civic Theatre
• Jon March as Lyman Wyeth in “Other Desert Cities” – Actors’ Theatre •Kyle Los as Trip Wyeth in “Other Desert Cities” – Actors’ Theatre
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
• Sydney Doornbos as Annabella/Pamela/Margaret in “The 39 Steps” – Circle Theatre
• Nancy Wagner as Mrs. Boyle in “The Mousetrap” – Civic Theatre
• Sandy Kirchinger as Nurse in “Romeo and Juliet” – Heritage Theatre • Rose Anne Shansky as Silda Grauman in “Other Desert Cities” – Actors’ Theatre
• Rachel Varley as Mollie Ralston in “The Mousetrap” – Civic Theatre
OUTSTANDING SCENIC DESIGN
• David Len for “Avenue Q” – Civic Theatre
• Christian Poquette for “Light in the Piazza” – Actors’ Theatre
• David Len for “Mary Poppins” – Civic Theatre •David Len for “The Mousetrap” – Civic Theatre
• Christian Poquette for “Other Desert Cities” – Actors’ Theatre
OUTSTANDING PROPERTIES DESIGN
• Mary Jo DeNolf & Val Fischer for “Catch Me If You Can” – Circle Theatre
• Mary Jo Denolf for “Light in the Piazza” – Actors’ Theatre
• Sharon Hayes & Michael Wilson for “Mary Poppins” – Civic Theatre •Sharon Hayes & Michael Wilson for “The Mousetrap” – Civic Theatre
• Jennifer Smith for “Other Desert Cities” – Actors’ Theatre
OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN
• Timothy Schmidt for “The 39 Steps” – Circle Theatre
• Sam Johnson for “Avenue Q” – Civic Theatre
• Timothy Schmidt for “Catch Me If You Can” – Circle Theatre
• Timothy Schmidt for “Company” – Circle Theatre •Sam Johnson for “The Mousetrap” – Civic Theatre
OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN
• Kelly Lucas for “Catch Me If You Can” – Circle Theatre
• Bill Dunckel for “Light in the Piazza” – Actors’ Theatre •Robert Fowle for “Mary Poppins” – Civic Theatre
• Robert Fowle for “The Mousetrap” – Civic Theatre
• Kelly Muschiana for “Other Desert Cities” – Actors’ Theatre
OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN – Co-winners.
• Catherine Marlett Dreher for 4000 Miles – Actors’ Theatre •Thomas V. Lohman for Catch Me If You Can – Circle Theatre •Catherine Marlett Dreher for Light in the Piazza – Actors’ Theatre
• Catherine Marlett Dreher for Mary Poppins – Civic Theatre
• Mark Neumann for The Mousetrap – Civic Theatre
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A COLLEGE PRODUCTION
• Robbie Ellis as Dennis in “From White Plains” – GRCC
• Jerry Jones as Ethan in “From White Plains” – GRCC
• Connor Manion as John Barrymore in “I Hate Hamlet” – Aquinas
• Caleb Jenkins as Mikey in “Up” – Aquinas •Gabriel Reitemeier as Papageno in “The Magic Flute” – GVSU
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COLLEGE PRODUCTION
•Taylor Nefcy as Blue Girl in “Shout! The Mod Musical” – Aquinas
• Sarah Osborne as Deirdre McDavey in “I Hate Hamlet” – Aquinas
• Kendra McInerney as Helen in “Up” – Aquinas
• Zoe Collenburg as Tilly in “Melancholy Play” – Aquinas
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COLLEGE PRODUCTION
• Myles Messinger-Platt as Gregory in “From White Plains” – GRCC
• Gabriel Reitemeier as Harry in “Company” – GVSU
• Caleb Joyce as Hovstad in “An Enemy of the People” – Cornerstone
• Kenneth Judge as John in “From White Plains” – GRCC •Alexander Williams as Monostatos in “The Magic Flute” – GVSU
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COLLEGE PRODUCTION
• Maggie Bickerstaff as Amy in “Company” – GVSU
• Marisa Purcey as Green Girl in “Shout! The Mod Musical” – Aquinas •Macey Madias as Joanne in “Company” – GVSU
• Giovana Barrett as Maria in “Up” – Aquinas
• Katie Tamayo as Marta in “Company” – GVSU
OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A COLLEGE PRODUCTION
• Tom Kaechele – “Anton in Show Business” – GRCC
• Kathy Gibson – “Shout! The Mod Musical” – Aquinas
• Tom Kaechele – “From White Plains” – GRCC
• Randy Wyatt – “Up” – Aquinas
OUTSTANDING COLLEGE PRODUCTION
•“Anton in Show Business” – GRCC
• “From White Plains” – GRCC
• “The Magic Flute” – GVSU
• “Shout! The Mod Musical” – Aquinas
OUTSTANDING COLLEGE STAGE MANAGER
Each college names one winner. They are:
Bethany Brown – Cornerstone Kendra Jones – GRCC
Caitlin Cusack – GVSU
Ellie Allen – Aquinas
OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEER
Recipient: Dirk Grasman
RECOGNITION OF THE PAUL DREHER SCHOLARSHIP
Recipient: Amanda Wright
RECOGNITION OF THE NORMA BRINK SCHOLARSHIP
Recipient: Joshua Regan
RECOGNITION OF DAVID & NICOLETTE SCHOLARSHIP
Recipient: Patrick Nowak
Photos courtesy of Grand Rapids Civic Theatre and Circle Theater
ArtPrize, the radically open international art competition decided by public vote and expert jury, today announced the twenty artist entries selected from among 1,550 eligible works during the first round of public voting that will move on to Round 2 Voting with the hopes of winning the world’s largest art prize.
Hundreds of visitors filled Rosa Parks Circle in downtown Grand Rapids on Sunday afternoon as ArtPrize Founder, Rick DeVos and Executive Director, Christian Gaines revealed the public’s top picks.
“The public vote is absolutely vital to the ArtPrize event, as year over year tens of thousands of visitors take the time to diligently explore hundreds of entries and discover their favorites,” noted Christian Gaines, ArtPrize Executive Director. “These deliberations reveal new layers of engagement — sparking an often intense and passionate dialogue around why art is important.”
Round 1 Voting closed Saturday night at 11:59 p.m., and 30,994 visitors had cast 377,302 votes for art, elevating five artist entries from each category — 2-D, 3-D, Installation and Time-Based. These twenty ArtPrize Seven entries will move on to the second round of voting, with the chance of winning over $200,000 in cash awards.
Balancing Act by Calvin Babich
“Every year the conversations surrounding the Public and Juried Shortlists evolve and grow and it’s incredibly inspiring to witness,” noted Kevin Buist, ArtPrize Exhibitions Director. “ArtPrize is a catalyst for debate and discussion and the dynamic between these differing opinions and selections is often where the most fruitful and intriguing conversations lie.”
The ArtPrize Seven Final 20 includes four prize-winning Artists from 2013, each of whom are displaying in the same venue as their 2013 entry.
In no particular order, the ArtPrize Seven Public Vote Final 20 are as follows:
Two-Dimensional
▪ As Above at Grand Rapids Art Museum, by Judith Braun from New York, New York
▪ Triple Play at Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, by Anni Crouter from Flint, Michigan, winner of the 2nd Place $75,000 public vote award at ArtPrize 2013
▪ michigan petoskey stone at DeVos Place Convention Center, by Randall Libby from Manistee, Michigan
▪ Northwood Awakening at Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, by Loveless PhotoFiber from Frankfort, Michigan, winner of the $200,000 ArtPrize 2013 Public Vote Grand Prize
▪ In a Promised Land… at DeVos Place Convention Center, by Shawn Michael Warren from Harvey, Illinois
Three-Dimensional
▪ Greatest Generation/Beta Team/November at Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, by Fred Cogelow from Willmar Minnesota
▪ The Race at DeVos Place Convention Center, by Kurt Swanson from Grand Rapids, Michigan
▪ Rolling Down at Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, by Kroeze Krew from Grand Rapids, Michigan
▪ Seasons at Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, by Robin Protz from New Hartford, Connecticut, winner of the 7th Place $5,000 public vote award at ArtPrize 2013
▪ MAYA 7624 at Kendall College of Art & Design / Fed Galleries at KCAD, by Seungmo Park from New Jersey City, New Jersey
michigan petosky stone by Randall Libby
Installation
▪ REACH and SPLASH at Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, by Andy Sacksteder from Port Clinton, Ohio, winner of the 3rd Place $50,000 public vote award at ArtPrize 2013
▪ Balancing Act at Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, by Calvin Babich from Toledo, Ohio
▪ TIME & AGAIN Grand Rapids at Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, by Midge Bolt from Pepin, Wisconsin and Doreen Gunnick from Kentwood, Michigan
▪ SENSI at at Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, by Gianluca Traina from Ventimiglia de Sicilia, Italy
▪ The Grand Rapid Tape Drawing at TowerPinkster — Architects | Engineers, by The Tape Art Crew from Providence, Rhode Island
Time-Based
▪ Movement at Grand Rapids Public Museum, by Craig Merchant from Wyoming, Michigan
▪ Whisper at 250 Monroe, by Emily Kennerk from Zionsville, Indiana
▪ BREAKTHROUGH at DeVos Place Convention Center, by Breakthrough Team from Ada, Michigan
▪ Hometown Hero at Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, by Pamela Alderman from Grand Rapids, Michigan
▪ Symphony of Gestures at Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts, by Sara Dittrich and Benjamin Buchanan from Baltimore, Maryland
BREAKTHROUGH by Breakthorugh Team
The top three winners from 2013 once again stand the chance of winning a cash prize at ArtPrize Seven — with each returning to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum for this year’s competition.
Ann Loveless, ArtPrize 2013 $200,000 Grand Prize winner for her quilt Sleeping Bear Dune Lakeshore, returns to ArtPrize Seven alongside husband Steven Loveless with a collaborative piece.
Anni Crouter finished second in 2013 — taking home the $75,000 prize for her hyper realistic painting, Polar Expressed.
Andy Stacksteader took home the third place $50,000 prize in 2013 for his sculpture, Uplifting.
Robin Protz, who also collected a $5,000 prize in 2013 for Myth-or-Logic, is once again a public vote favorite at Amway Grand Plaza Hotel.
ArtPrize visitors will have one more opportunity to voice their opinions and decide the winners of over $200,000 in prizes. Round 2 Voting will run through October 8 at 11:59 p.m. EST. Visitors can cast up to twenty votes, one per finalist — ArtPrize encourages visitors to consider voting for at least one entry in each category. The winners of both the public and juried awards totaling $500,000 will be announced at the Seventh Annual ArtPrize Awards on October 9.
By M. Christine Byron, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch
