The City of Kentwood announced today, April 29, that starting Monday, May 3, there will be a full closure of 32nd Street SE between Breton and Shaffer avenues for reconstruction through August.
Drivers are encouraged to plan ahead and seek an alternate route or follow the posted detour that uses 29th Street, according to the announcement to WKTV. Access to homes and businesses within the project area will be maintained with intermittent impacts. Trash and mail service also will be maintained throughout the project.
“This section of 32nd Street has deteriorated to the point that major rehabilitation is necessary,” Kentwood City Engineer Brad Boomstra said in supplied material. “The contractor will work to minimize traffic disruption whenever possible as we improve the roadway.”
This Michigan Department of Transportation project will include new pavement, curb and gutter, sidewalk and storm sewer. Local engineering firm Prein&Newhof will oversee the construction on the city’s behalf.
The city reminds residents and commuters that they may sign up to receive biweekly updates on the City of Kentwood’s road construction projects by emailing boomstrab@kentwood.us or calling 616-554-0740.
This last weekend, reacting to Michigan’s Clean Slate Act coming into initial effect on April 11, two expungement resource fairs were held in West Michigan — “expungement” is the setting aside of a person’s record of criminal convictions for certain “lower level” crimes including older marijuana possessions offenses no longer even considered crimes.
The expungement resources fairs, held in Grand Rapids and Benton Harbor, are part of a wide-ranging series of actions being taken as part of the state’s criminal justice reform, specifically the Clean Slate Act, with actions by groups ranging from the office of Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II, to Western Michigan University’s Cooley Law School, to the Black & Brown Cannabis Guild.
A photo from a previous Clean Slate Act expungement resource event promotional material. (Black & Brown Cannabis Guild)
“At both (expungement resource) events, volunteer attorneys and law students will assist registrants who appear to be eligible with filling out their expungement applications and give them general instructions on the expungement process,” Kamau Sandiford, a Kentwood based lawyer serving as WMU-Cooley’s Access to Justice staff attorney, said to WKTV before the events.
The resource fairs were co-hosted by the Black & Brown Cannabis Guild, a group which, among on other advocacy efforts, seeks to gain cleared criminal records for persons imprisoned for crimes related to outdated cannabis laws.
“As the United States moves away from the criminalization of cannabis … there remains the fundamental injustice inflicted upon those who have suffered criminal convictions and the consequences of those convictions,” as the guild states on its Last Prisoner Project webpage.
Even before the expungement resource fairs, Sandiford and WMU-Cooley Law School associate dean Tracey Brame have been hosting training sessions for attorneys on the new law including for the the Grand Rapids Bar Association and Legal Aid’s Spring Training Session early this year.
During the presentation, according to the WMU-Cooley website, Sandiford explained that under the new law, the state will be required to have an automated expungement program in place by April 2023.
That “automated expungement” system is, however, a cause of some concern from Kent County’s top criminal prosecutor.
“The Prosecuting Attorney’s Association of Michigan was generally supportive of the Clean Slate bills,” Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker said to WKTV. “If someone has truly reformed their life and are doing well after past criminal convictions we did not see a problem in giving them a chance to have a clear record.
“If anything is wrong with it, I think the idea that we are going to have a computer system that is going to be able to ‘automatically’ clean convictions off records in two years is highly unlikely,” Becker continued. “The state is littered with computer programs/systems that were supposed to be developed and operational in a certain time, that took much longer than anticipated and never worked as promised. I fear something similar will happen here.”
Despite such concerns, the law will came into effect and the state is already working on a pilot program to aid people who have been hampered in their employment opportunities due to their past convictions and employers being able to gain access to such records.
Law’s history and state interim action
While Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed the “Clean Slate” bill package into law in October of 2020, the efforts to move it forward started much earlier, driven in part by studies that showed not only the individuals involved but society as a whole benefits from such actions.
According to the state’s Michigan Courts website expungement “can help more people have the opportunity to find good jobs and secure safe and affordable housing. A ‘clean slate’ can help strengthen families, communities, local economies across the state, and promote public safety.”
Also, a 2020 study by two University of Michigan Law School professors found that those whose criminal records are set aside experience “a sharp upturn in their wage and employment trajectories.” The study stated that job seekers obtained employment at an increase of 11 percent and their income rose by 25 percent in two years.
And the state is not waiting for 2023, for the automated process to come into effect, to start aiding those persons with criminal records to better gain employment.
Last week, the state announced the launch of a $4 million investment in a “Clean Slate Pilot” program to assist “returning citizens” — convicted persons returning to the community and the workforce — with setting aside a conviction, through which the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) will awards funds to Michigan Works! Agencies to support local workforce efforts until the expungement system is in place.
“My goal since day one of taking office has been to build fundamental reforms to make our communities safer and improve the people’s outcomes going through our criminal justice system,” Lt. Gov. Gilchrist said in supplied material. “The bipartisan Clean Slate legislation fundamentally changed Michigan’s criminal history expungement laws, for the better … (and) the Clean Slate Pilot program offers a stop-gap for expungement services until the Clean Slate law goes into effect.”
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signing “Clean Slate” bill package into law on October 12, 2020. Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II is in b background. (Office of the Governor)
As part of the pilot program, returning citizens can get an order setting aside their conviction and, according to the state announcement, “can legally state on any job or school application that they have never been convicted of or arrested for that crime.”
They will also be able to state that they have not been convicted of that crime on applications for public benefits, housing or employment.
“Before this legislation and this pilot program, there were many barriers in place for returning citizens,” Susan Corbin, LEO director, said in supplied material. “These barriers to seeking criminal record expungement include a lack of information, time constraints, cost of retaining a private attorney and fear of the criminal justice system. With the Clean Slate Pilot program, Michigan Works! Agencies will help these citizens overcome many of these barriers and guide them on a path to success.”
The Clean Slate Pilot Program funding will be awarded to all 16 Michigan Works! Agencies throughout the state with each of the agencies providing localized efforts.
For more information on the Clean Slate pilot program, visit here. To contact the local Michigan Works! office visit westmiworks.org.
Details of Clean Slate Act eligibility
Setting aside a conviction is the process that clears a public criminal record. In Michigan, there is one process to set aside a conviction on an adult record — often called expungement — and a different process to set aside a juvenile conviction, called an adjudication.
In WMU-Cooley promotional material for the recent expungement fairs, it was explained that individuals will be eligible for expungement after a waiting period of 10 years for certain felonies, or seven years for certain misdemeanors. Most traffic offenses will be available for expungement except DUIs, offenses causing injury or death, and offenses while operating a commercial vehicle.
Additionally, those who qualify for automatic expungement can have no more than two felonies and four 93-day misdemeanors expunged during their lifetime.
The Clean Slate Act also specifically allows individuals convicted of low-level misdemeanor marijuana offenses to apply for expungement, as “the law creates a presumption that these offenses were based on activities that would not have been considered crimes on or after Dec. 6, 2018.”
Crimes that will not be considered for automatic expungement include, according to supplied material, “assaultive crimes; serious misdemeanors; crimes of dishonesty; offenses punishable by 10 or more years imprisonment; violations related to human trafficking; and crimes committed against minors, vulnerable adults, injury or serious impairment, or death.”
With the much-anticipated Christian McBride’s jazzy WinterFest Music Festival back on the schedule, St. Cecilia Music Center announced today an initial 2021-22 concert schedule — beginning with the Sam Bush Band bringing their folk-rock sounds to town in October — as the music center “fully intends to bring live-audience concerts back to Royce Auditorium.”
Christian McBride (Supplied/SCMC)
Live in-person concerts have been suspended since March 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions but initial plans have St. Cecilia featuring more than a dozen evenings of performances by jazz, folk and chamber music artists in what will be the music center’s 138th season.
But St. Cecilia executive and artistic director Cathy Holbrook said she is not only looking for live acts on the stage but live people in the audience.
“We are thrilled and thankful to begin again in 2021-2022 with live concerts featuring most of the artists who were scheduled to appear this past season and had to be sidelined due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Holbrook said in supplied material. “We so missed seeing our loyal supporters and music lovers in person and we’re looking forward to hosting a year of celebration with live music again.”
The St. Cecilia folk series kicks off the season, but chamber and jazz will not be far behind.
The Acoustic Café Folk Series will feature six concerts including the Sam Bush Band on Oct. 6, Rodney Crowell on Nov. 12, Leo Kottke on Nov. 19, the Milk Carton Kids on Dec. 2, 2021 and Watkins Family Hour on December 16. In the new year, singer-songwriter Shawn Colvin will perform in the spring on May 12, 2022 — and more Acoustic Cafe Folk concerts may be announced later.
Marc Cohn (Supplied/SCMC)
However, one summer 2021 Acoustic Cafe Folk Series concert is currently planned as a stand-alone concert and will feature Marc Cohn appearing on Aug. 21 — with tickets currently available.
SCMC and The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center will celebrate its 10th anniversary season of partnership CMS players will perform three concerts: “From Prague to Vienna” on Nov. 18 (in a program planned for April 2020 but cancelled due to COVID-19) with CMS co-artistic directors David Finckel and Wu Han on stage. The program also featured two 2022 concerts, “Romantic Perspectives” on Jan. 27, and “The Jazz Effect” on March 31.
The jazz series’ headline event will be WinterFest, featuring seven-time Grammy-winning jazz bassist McBride “with some of his most talented musical collaborators for a three-evening festival in Royce Auditorium,” Feb. 24 -26, 2022.
Other artists scheduled for 2022 as part of the jazz series will include saxophonist Joshua Redman on Jan. 20, Grammy and Tony Award-winning jazz singer Dee Dee Bridgewater together with phenomenal jazz pianist Bill Charlap on March 10, and acclaimed trombonist, composer and producer Delfeayo Marsalis with his Uptown Jazz Orchestra on April 14.
“These great artists are looking forward to getting back out on tour to perform in front of live audiences and to bring music back to concert stages in the U.S. and worldwide,” Holbrook said. “We are looking forward to this new season, especially in light of the inability to host live audiences within our beautiful hall last season.”
Subscription tickets for the 2021-22 series are now on sale, with individual concert tickets to go on sale June 1. For more information visit scmc-online.org.
In addition to its ongoing yard waste drop-off program, the City of Kentwood is assisting residents with general trash and debris, as well electronics, disposal as it will again offer its annual Community Cleanup Day on Saturday, May 1 for residents wanting to “spring clean” their homes and yards.
In a Monday, May 26, announcement to WKTV, the city stated this year’s Community Cleanup Day will accept yard waste, trash and general debris for disposal, and electronics for recycling, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Kentwood Department of Public Works, 5068 Breton Ave. SE.
Following the cleanup event, the city’s yard debris (including brush and leaf debris) drop-off sites, also located at Kentwood’s DPW facility, will remain open through Saturday, May 29. Hours of operation for the yard debris drop-off sites will be noon to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
“Our Community Cleanup Day offers residents a timely opportunity to dispose or recycle items as part of their spring-cleaning efforts,” John Gorney, Department of Public Works director, said in supplied material. “We encourage residents wanting to declutter their homes and property to take advantage of these free collection services.”
Most electronics can be recycled at local community clean-up days, including one planned for Kentwood residents. (Supplied/Comprenew)
The City of Kentwood’s yard waste drop-off site includes accepting brush, sticks, tree limbs and logs at the brush drop-off site, as well as leaves and grass clippings at the leaf drop-off site. Leaves should be loose when dropped off, not left in bags.
Red Creek Waste Services will be on hand for Kentwood’s Community Cleanup Day to accept general debris and trash for disposal.
Comprenew will be on-site to recycle electronic waste, such as mobile phones, computers and fax machines. Individuals with questions about other electronics that can be accepted are asked to call the toll-free number at 833-266-7736.
Items for donation and household hazardous materials will not be accepted during this year’s cleanup event. Those looking to safely dispose of household hazardous materials may utilize the Kent County Department of Public Works’ SafeChem program, which remains available to residents at the Kentwood Department of Public Works facility, 5068 Breton Ave. SE, 1:30 to 5:30 p.m., on Tuesdays.
The cleanup day and drop-off services are available to Kentwood residents only.
Anyone wishing to participate is asked to enter the drive off Breton Avenue where staff will check ID for residency and direct traffic flow to maintain physical distancing. For the safety of City staff and community members, all participants are asked to adhere to CDC guidelines, including staying at least 6 feet from other people and wearing face coverings.
Kent County taxpayers now have easier access to pay delinquent taxes, after Kent County Treasurer Peter MacGregor this week announced the launch of a new online platform to provide residents with greater access to contactless services.
The service is available though a Kent County website and a free mobile app — myKentCounty — and will allow individuals to pay their delinquent taxes online.
“Over the past year we have seen how important it is to give our residents the option of contactless services,” Treasurer MacGregor said in supplied material. “This new electronic service will allow residents to view and pay their delinquent taxes from the convenience of their home or business.”
To access this new service, residents should visit payments.mykentcounty.com or download the free myKentCounty app in the iPhone or Google Play (Android) app stores. They can then create an account with the internet payment site PayIt, select Kent County Delinquent Property Tax, and then view and pay bills as well as printing or digitally storing receipts.
Kent County Treasurer Peter MacGregor. (WKTV)
“We are excited to launch myKentCounty as it will greatly improve our payment system while simultaneously saving taxpayers time and potential penalties,” MacGregor said. “This is another important step in how my office will serve county residents and we will continue to work with PayIt to add future services to the platform.”
The Kentwood Public Schools Board of Education will interview six finalists — including two in-house candidates and the current superintendent of Godfrey-Lee Public Schools — on April 28-29, to replace Michael Zoerhoff as superintendent, who will leave the position at the end of the school year.
The Board of Education, and the Michigan Association of School Boards, which is assisting the search, announced today, April 20, that the Kentwood Public Schools superintendent posting closed on April 6, “with considerable interest and 31 applicants,” and Board of Education has selected the six candidates for first-round interviews.
Scheduled to be interviewed on Wednesday, April 28, are Tracy Reed, chief academic officer at Fort Wayne (Indiana) Community Schools (at 6 p.m.); Marcus Davenport, Ph.D., superintendent of Beecher Community Schools (7 p.m.), and Kevin Polston, Ed.S., superintendent, Godfrey-Lee Public Schools (8 p.m.)
Scheduled to be interviewed on Thursday, April 29, are Evan Hordyk, executive director of secondary education, Kentwood Public Schools (6 p.m.); Nkenge Bergan, director of student services, Kalamazoo Public Schools (7 p.m.); and Jamie Gordon, executive director of human resources, Kentwood Public Schools (8 p.m.).
According to the announcement, interviews will be held in person, with appropriate social distancing, at the Kentwood Administration Building, 5820 Eastern Ave., in Kentwood. Community members, staff and students are encouraged to watch the interviews online as they take place. The district website (kentwoodps.org) will have viewing instructions and more information.
There will also be an option for limited in-person seating and viewing opportunities at the administration building during the interviews. To accommodate proper social distancing, the Board of Education asks that interested persons RSVP to attend the interviews in person by emailing: interviews@kentwoodps.org.
In honor of Arbor Day and Kentwood’s new designation as a Tree City USA, the city will give away 300 tree seedlings to residents throughout the week leading up to its Arbor Day Celebration on Friday, April 30 — a celebration which will include a tree planting.
Kentwood residents are invited to the city’s Arbor Day Celebration, planned to begin at noon on Friday, April 30, at Veterans Memorial Park, 355 48th St SE. The event will begin with an Arbor Day proclamation, followed by a tree planting in the park.
Arbor Day is an annual day of observance typically held in the spring to celebrate trees and encourage tree planting.
“The Arbor Day Celebration is an exciting opportunity to engage residents in improving the city’s tree canopy,” Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley said in supplied material. “Celebrating and planting trees in Kentwood will help generations to come enjoy a better quality of life with a healthier and more beautiful environment.”
Kentwood’s Arbor Day Celebration is also part of city’s participation in the Tree City USA program. Kentwood was recently recognized with the 2020 Tree City USA honor for promoting and caring for trees within the community, according to supplied material, and this is the first time Kentwood has received the designation.
In order to become a Tree City USA, cities must have an annual Arbor Day observance, a community tree ordinance, a tree board or department, and spend at least $2 per capita on urban forestry activities.
“The (Tree City USA) program provides the necessary framework for communities to manage and expand their public trees, celebrate the importance of an urban tree canopy and improve care of vital city trees,” according to supplied material.
The city’s Arbor Day event will include free hot dogs and slushies, available at the concession stand. Attendees are reminded to wear face coverings, except when eating or drinking, and to follow physical distancing guidelines.
For more information on the City of Kentwood’s Arbor Day Celebration, visit kentwood.us/events.
Tree seedlings, park steward volunteer opportunities
Leading up to the Arbor Day celebration, city residents can receive free red maple or white pine tree seedlings at the Kentwood Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE, and at City Hall, 4900 Breton Ave. SE. The seedlings will be available during business hours Tuesday, April 27, through Friday, April 30, or until they are gone.
Residents are also invited to post a picture of their planted seedling on social media using the hashtag #GreeningKentwood.
The Kentwood Activities Center is open 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays. City Hall opens weekdays at 7:30 a.m., and closes at 4:30 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. City Hall closes at 6 p.m. Tuesdays and at noon Fridays. Face coverings are required for anyone who enters either building.
During Arbor Day week, residents can check on tree seedling availability by calling the Parks and Recreation Department at 616-656-5270.
Additionally, residents can also get involved beyond Arbor Day by joining the Kentwood Park Stewards, a new environmentally focused program to help preserve and maintain neighborhood parks, trails and public spaces.
Kentwood Park Stewards will participate in a hands-on workshop to remove invasive garlic mustard at Paris Park, 3213 60th St. SE, at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 24, in collaboration with Kent County Parks. An online “lunch and learn” on the importance of trees will also be offered at noon Wednesday, April 28.
More information and registration details for both events are available at kentwood.us/ParkStewards.
With a recent history of voter support for local school millage funding, the Kelloggsville Public Schools district will be seeking an extension of its existing non-residential (non-homestead) property millage and well as an additional temporary 2-year 0.5 mill increase on the May 4 ballot.
The district received voter support on the millage two years ago, and the current and the proposed extension would allow that millage to “be renewed by 18.0181 mills ($18.0181 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 2 years, 2022 and 2023, and also be increased by 0.5 mill ($0.50 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 2 years, 2022 and 2023,” according to the official Kent County elections ballot proposal information.
According to information supplied by the district, the proposal “is a renewal to be levied against non-homestead property. Resident properties are exempt from being taxed by this proposal (no cost to the homeowner). This is a renewal on business properties and not homes. The renewal will notcost the homeowner any additional taxes.”
“This millage is all student programming and activities. Many of the programs and activities we currently have in place are tied to it,” Eric Alcorn, Director of Human Resources for Kelloggsville Public Schools, said to WKTV. “Again this is a renewal of a millage that we approved two years ago. The support that we receive from our community is and has been tremendous. The continued support would be greatly appreciated.”
If approved, the 0.5 mill increase will also be for a period of 2 years, 2022 and 2023, and will “provide funds for operating purposes,” according to the official ballot statement, “the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and 18 mills are levied in 2022 is approximately $3,463,580 (this is a renewal of millage that will expire with the 2021 levy and the addition of millage which will be levied only to the extent necessary to restore millage lost as a result of the reduction required by the ‘Headlee’ amendment to the Michigan Constitution of 1963.”
For more information about Kelloggsville Public Schools millage extension proposal contact the administration office at 616-538-7460.
How and when to vote
The Michigan Secretary of State recommends that to register to vote by mail for the May 4 ballot voters should do so as soon as possible. Individuals may also register to vote online at Michigan.gov/vote, or in-person at the City of Kentwood and City of Wyoming city clerk’s office through May 4, with the required documentation.
According to state supplied material, due to COVID-19, the Secretary of State will continue mailing absentee voter ballot applications to all registered voters. Registered voters must complete and submit the application to receive their absentee voter ballot. To vote by mail, fill out the application and sign it, and then mail or email it to the city clerk. (When filling out the application, if you check the box to be added to the permanent absentee voter list, you will get an application mailed to you before every election.)
If you registered to vote after absentee voter ballot applications were mailed, applications may be obtained online at Michigan.gov/vote. Absentee voter ballots are available by through May 4, 2021.
Kentwood Public Schools serves more than 9,000 students, many of which are shown in this undated photo from a pre-pandemic student gathering. (Supplied/KPS)
Nearly every building in the Kentwood Public Schools system would see improvements should voters support a bond proposal by the district on the May 4 ballot — a proposal which would actually lower the net millage from the prior year of a school system already the lowest in Kent County.
But two of the items of focus in the stated planned uses of the building and infrastructure funding are in direct response to lessons learned about the need for workforce training for students and for heightened health and safety capabilities in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“A number of improvements are being made in light of the COVID-19 pandemic,” according to the district’s 2021 Bond Proposal Fact Sheet. “These changes focus on student health and wellness.
“As a vibrant growing community, KPS needs additional facilities to maintain small class sizes and safe distancing in key areas. In a COVID-19 era, facility renovations and additions such as kitchens and cafeterias, athletic facilities, playgrounds and restroom modifications help to ensure health and safety for students and staff.”
One of the students in the Kentwood Public Schools’ “very hands on” Red Storm Robotics program. (Supplied/KPS)
The fact sheet also takes notice of the need for workforce options for students — “Our community needs skilled plumbers, carpenters, auto mechanics, and first responders. This bond will enhance the facilities that serve these areas and provide students with cutting-edge vocational learning opportunities that will serve our community for years to come.”
Overall, the bond proposal would fund 10-plus years of improvements to district infrastructure and educational technology, that “would provide programs, technology, and facilities for current and future needs.”
Kentwood Public Schools serves more than 9,000 students, includes about 1,200 staff, and is responsible for 22 buildings, including 17 schools, totaling over one million square feet of structures on more than 450 acres of sites.
Official ballot proposal info
If passed by voters, Kentwood Public Schools would be able to “borrow the sum of not to exceed One Hundred Ninety-Two Million One Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($192,150,000) and issue its general obligation unlimited tax bonds …” according to the Kent County elections office ballot statement.
“The estimated millage that will be levied for the proposed bonds in 2022 is 0.21 mill ($0.21 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation), for a net 0.25 mill decrease from the prior year’s levy. The maximum number of years the bonds of any series may be outstanding, exclusive of any refunding, is thirty (30) years. The estimated simple average annual millage anticipated to be required to retire this bond debt is 2.26 mills ($2.26 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation).”
One of Kentwood Public Schools’ 22 buildings, including 17 schools, totaling over one million square feet of structures on more than 450 acres of sites. (Supplied/KPS)
As further explained in district-supplied material, if approved, this bond would extend the current debt tax levy from 2044 to 2058. It would decrease the debt tax rate by .25 mills, from 4.25 mills to 4.00 mills in 2022, and “the debt tax rate is projected to remain at 4.00 mills through 2038 and projected to decline further in the future.”
Also detailed in district-supplied material, such bond proposals are the means by which a public school district asks its community for authorization to borrow money to pay for capital expenditures. Voter-approved bond funds can be spent on new construction, additions, remodeling, site improvements, athletic facilities, playgrounds, buses, furnishings, equipment, technology, and other capital needs.
“Funds raised through the sale of bonds cannot be used on operational expenses such as employee salaries and benefits, school supplies, and textbooks,” according to the material.
Funds from such bond proposals are independent of the support the district receives from the State of Michigan for annual operations on a per pupil basis, but “the bond would likely have a positive impact on the annual operating budget for existing facilities.
“It would allow the district to reallocate operating funds that are currently being spent on aging facilities, mechanical systems, and technology. The savings generated from new and cost-efficient facilities could be redirected to student programs and resources.”
For more information about Kentwood Public Schools bond proposal visit the district website at kentwoodps.org/bond2021.
How and when to vote
The Michigan Secretary of State recommends that to register to vote by mail for the May 4 ballot voters should do so by Monday, April 19. Individuals may also register to vote online at Michigan.gov/vote, or in-person at the City of Kentwood City Clerk’s office through May 4, with the required documentation.
An undated State of Michigan Absentee Ballot return envelope. (WKTV)
According to supplied material, due to COVID-19, the Secretary of State will continue mailing absentee voter ballot applications to all registered voters. Registered voters must complete and submit the application to receive their absentee voter ballot. To vote by mail, fill out the application and sign it, and then mail or email it to the city clerk. (When filling out the application, if you check the box to be added to the permanent absentee voter list, you will get an application mailed to you before every election.)
If you registered to vote after absentee voter ballot applications were mailed, applications may be obtained online at Michigan.gov/vote. Absentee voter ballots are available by through May 4, 2021.
David J. Beeke was a Kalamazoo-area Foxbody Mustang restoration expert who died of cancer a few years ago. A memorial event at the Gilmore Car Museum will benefit a local cancer center. (Supplied/Gilmore)
By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.com
The Gilmore Car Museum’s car show season will begin a little earlier than expected this year as the museum has added the David J. Beeke Mustang & Ford Show to its 2021 event season.
The early season car show, according to a statement from the museum, “will feature Ford Mustangs, with special emphasis on 80s/90s Foxbody Mustangs and other Ford vehicles, but is open to all classic car makes and models.”
The memorial car show will celebrate classic cars while it also honors the life of passionate car enthusiast David J. Beeke, a Kalamazoo-area Foxbody Mustang restoration expert died of cancer a few years ago.
Beeke’s family and friends started the annual event as a tribute to him, and this year will bring the event — and Beeke’s Mustangs — to the Gilmore. A portion of event proceeds will be donated to the West Michigan Cancer Center (wmcc.org), a 501c3 nonprofit based in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
“Bringing a Mustang & Ford Show to the Gilmore Car Museum for our community is exactly the kind of thing that David would have wanted to be a part of,” Matt Sturdy, close friend of Beeke and co-coordinator of the show. “It will be special to have David’s Mustangs there on the grounds, and to have him there with us in spirit.”
Beeke family members and friends will assist with car judging and selection for awards, including presentation of the “Beeke Best In Show” award.
One (little) part of the Gilmore Car Museum. (Supplied)
Food and beverage will be available onsite, as the Gilmore Bar and vintage 1941 George & Sally’s Blue Moon Diner will both be open for business. The show will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Showcar/Participant pre-registration is $20, can be handled in advance online at GilmoreCarMuseum.org, and includes admission for two people (driver + guest). Or, registration can be handled onsite on the morning of the event, once the show car gate opens at 8 a.m.
Registration also includes access to all museum indoor buildings and galleries.
More early season events at the Gilmore
Several more early season events are scheduled for the weeks following the David J. Beeke Mustang & Ford Show, including: Boats at The Barns, May 8, for classic wooden, fiberglass, and aluminum boats; Vintage Travel Trailer Rally, May 15, for vintage campers and RVs; Corks & Crafts Wine and Beer Festival , also on May 15, for beer and wine enthusiasts; and Vintage Motorcycle Weekend, June 12-13, for pre-1996 motorcycles and scooters.
By order of Michigan’s governor, all museum visitors age 5 and over are required to wear a face mask in all indoor spaces, and in outside venues at any posted “mask required” areas or any time social distancing of 6’ cannot be maintained at any area of the museum.
The Gilmore Car Museum is located 20 minutes north of Kalamazoo and 45 minutes south of Grand Rapids. For questions or more information, visit www.GilmoreCarMuseum.org.
Grand Rapids’ Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, along with the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation and the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies at Grand Valley State University, continue to offer virtual programs this month.
The next program, available via Zoom meeting, will be “Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead”, a virtual book talk with Gen. James M. Mattis (Ret.) — a retired U.S. Marine officer, U.S. Secretary of State, and now book author — on Wednesday, April 21, starting at 7 p.m.
To register for this free event, including on the day of, visit here.
Following the talk by Gen. Mattis, on Thursday, April 22, Prof. H.W. Brands will offer a virtual talk “John Brown and Abraham Lincoln and the Struggle for Freedom”, based on Brands’ recent book “The Zealot and the Emancipator: John Brown and Abraham Lincoln and the Struggle for Freedom”. The talk will begin at 7 p.m.
To register for this free event, including on the day of, visit here.
A general talks leadership, in war and peace
“Call Sign Chaos”, according to supplied material, is the account of Gen. Mattis’s storied career, from wide-ranging leadership roles in three wars to ultimately commanding a quarter of a million troops across the Middle East.
James H. Mattis (Ford Presidential Museum)
Along the way, Mattis recounts his “foundational experiences as a leader, extracting the lessons he has learned about the nature of war-fighting and peacemaking,” the importance of allies, and the strategic dilemmas and short-sighted thinking now facing our nation.
“He makes it clear why America must return to a strategic footing so as not to continue winning battles but fighting inconclusive wars,” the supplied material states.
Call Sign Chaos is a memoir of a life of war-fighting and lifelong learning, following along as Mattis rises from Marine recruit to four-star general. It is a journey about learning to lead and a story about how he, through constant study and action, developed a unique leadership philosophy, one relevant to us all.
‘The Zealot and the Emancipator’
“The Zealot and the Emancipator” is acclaimed historian H. W. Brands’s account of “how two American giants shaped the war for freedom,” according to supplied material.
John Brown was a charismatic and deeply religious man who heard the God of the Old Testament speaking to him, telling him to destroy slavery by any means. When Congress opened Kansas territory to slavery in 1854, Brown raised a band of followers to wage war. Three years later, Brown and his men assaulted the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, hoping to arm slaves with weapons for a race war that would cleanse the nation of slavery.
Brown’s violence pointed ambitious Illinois lawyer and former officeholder Abraham Lincoln toward a different solution to slavery: politics.
Lincoln spoke cautiously and dreamed big, plotting his path back to Washington and perhaps to the White House. Yet his caution could not protect him from the vortex of violence Brown had set in motion. After Brown’s arrest, his righteous dignity on the way to the gallows led many in the North to see him as a martyr to liberty. Southerners responded with anger and horror to a terrorist being made into a saint.
Lincoln, Brands argues, “shrewdly threaded the needle between the opposing voices of the fractured nation and won election as president. But the time for moderation had passed, and Lincoln’s fervent belief that democracy could resolve its moral crises peacefully faced its ultimate test” — the Civil War.
For more information on the Ford Museum’s scheduled of events, visit here. For more information on the museum, visit here.
Singer/songwriter Josh Rose, who once prowled the football sidelines as a coach, is a person who found music to be his life’s playbook. (Supplied/SCMC)
St. Cecilia Music Center, like most live music venues in Wet Michigan, are looking toward the fall of this year with hopeful ears open for a return to filled seats for its chamber, jazz and acoustic folk series. But in the meantime, the center is offering three more virtual concerts in April — two of them “live” from the Royce Auditorium stage.
The first of the three concerts will be this week, Thursday, April 8, starting at 7 p.m., when Jen Sygit and Josh Rose will perform from the Royce Auditorium stage in a performance streaming free of charge on St. Cecilia’s Facebook and YouTube channels, and accessed through scmc-online.org.
Also on the free-streaming concert schedule are Delfeayo Marsalis and the Uptown Jazz Orchestra, on Thursday, April 15, as well as jazz-plus pianist Rufus Ferguson, Wednesday, April 21, with the Ferguson concert again ‘Live” from the Royce Auditorium stage. Both concerts will begin streaming at 7 p.m.
For a complete list of all virtual concerts offered by St. Cecilia for home viewing, see scmc-online.org/virtual/.
Jen Sygit and Josh Rose
Well-known local musicians Sygit and Rose will share the stage, swapping stories and songs “for an hour of fantastic folk,” according to supplied material.
Sometimes traditional, sometimes contemporary, when it comes to her “folk”, singer/songwriter Jen Sygit has released four solo albums with her latest, “It’s About Time”. (Supplied/SCMC)
Sometimes traditional, sometimes contemporary, when it comes to her “folk”, singer/songwriter Sygit has released four solo albums. Her latest, “It’s About Time”, was produced by long-time friend and collaborator Dominic John Davis (bassist to Jack White and Buddy Miller) and features guest performances from Luther Dickinson, Colin Linden, The McCrary Sisters and Rachael Davis.
The album’s title track won “Best Americana Song” at the 2019 Independent Music Awards in New York City and her music video for the tune “Love is Wild” won the “Vox Pop Fan Favorite- Best Director of a Short Form Music Video” the same year.
In addition to her solo career, Sygit co-fronts the roots rock Lincoln County Process with Ann Arbor-based songwriter Sam Corbin, is a founding member of the all-female string band Stella! and is also a veteran session vocalist appearing on over 50 albums nationwide.
Singer/songwriter Rose, who once prowled the football sidelines as a coach, is a person who found music to be his life’s playbook. With his guitar in hand, he has played shows throughout the Midwest for 16 years and has recorded three studio albums — with another on the way, according to supplied material.
“Rose’s wistful songs allow all curious listeners to extract what they can from the cloud, to open the floodgates, and to share in the beauty of music, earth, humanity and air,” we are told.
Delfeayo Marsalis and his Uptown Jazz Orchestra
Delfeayo Marsalis and his Uptown Jazz Orchestra were scheduled to appear as part of the St. Cecilia Jazz Series in the Royce Auditorium on April 15, but were not able to be in-person this year — however, St. Cecilia is working on a reschedule date for the 2021-22 season!
However, local audiences can enjoy the music virtually with a recorded show — on April 15.
Over the course of his prolific music career, acclaimed trombonist, composer and producer Delfeayo Marsalis has been praised for his “technical excellence, inventive mind and frequent touches of humor,” and heralded as hailed as one of “the best, most imaginative and musical of the trombonists of his generation,” according to supplied material.
The latest Uptown Jazz Orchestra release, “Jazz Party”, pays tribute to the soulful and funky sounds of celebration in music, with a jazz sensibility. But the band’s repertoire consists of material that spans the 100+ years of American music with a contemporary flare, with influences from Louis Armstrong to Count Basie, James Brown to J Cole.
Rufus Ferguson
Pianist Rufus Ferguson is into jazz and so much more. He is an educator who earned degrees from Western Michigan University under the mentorship of Jeremy Siskind and Matthew Fries. And he has shared the stage with artists such as Dwight Adams, Bob Hurst, Rodney Whitaker, Ali Jackson, The Temptations and many more.
Rufus Ferguson (Supplied/SCMC)
Rufus is equally well-versed in multiple genres of music which has made him a fixture in the regional jazz, R&B and gospel music scenes. His jazz arrangements have most recently been presented by his 9-piece ensemble at the 2018 Gilmore Keyboard Festival and his orchestral arrangements have been performed by the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra.
Rufus has performed at several festivals such as the Summer Solstice Jazz Festival in Lansing, Michigan, Notre Dame Jazz Festival, Elmhurst Jazz Festival, Flint Jazz Festival and the Jazz Education Network (JEN) Conference in Louisville, KY.
A City of Kentwood Police Department officer shows police car controls and features to participants during a lesson about traffic stops, from the Kentwood Police Department’s 2019 Youth Academy. (City of Kentwood)
The City of Kentwood Police Department knows that local youth often consider the field of law enforcement to be something they might want to pursue after graduation, but they also know that those same youth might not really know what the career field is all about.
The Kentwood Police Department’s Youth Academy, currently accepting applications for this year’s academy scheduled for July, gives those youth that “first-hand” knowledge.
The academy allows “them to just come in and see what it is like to be a police officer, to be involved with some of the training, some of the scenarios,” Kentwood Police Chief Richard Roberts said to WKTV during a recent visit to our studios. “We think that is important to offer that to individuals who might be considering law enforcement.”
Chief Roberts also pointed out that “we are offering (the academy) to any high schooler — they don’t have to be a Kentwood high schooler — as long as they are graduating this year, or they will be (a returning high school student next year) …, if they are interested in law enforcement.”
This year’s four-day program will take place Monday to Thursday, July 26-29, and is open to all graduating seniors and students who will be a sophomore, junior or senior in the 2021-22 school year. Applications are due May 14.
The free program will run 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day at the Kentwood Police Department, 4742 Walma Ave. SE, with COVID-19 safety precautions in place, according to a statement from the City of Kentwood.
Students will experience a wide-range of police training activities including traffic stops, drunken driving enforcement, building searches, subject control and handcuffing, as well as tactics of the Special Response Team.
Eligible participants “must possess good moral character and pass a background check,” according to the statement. They will be interviewed before being accepted into the program and will be required to attend a pre-academy informational meeting with a parent or guardian. Each participant will be provided a uniform and daily lunch.
To participate, students must contact Sgt. Tim Wierenga for an initial screening and application at wierengat@kentwood.us or 616-656-6561. Applications may be delivered in person at the Kentwood Police Department or by mail to Sgt. Wierenga at 4742 Walma Ave. SE, Kentwood, MI 49512. Applications are available online here.
The City of Kentwood Police Department and Lacks Enterprises, Inc., last week held another pop-up event, and thanks to a $1,000 donation from Lacks, the pair were able to surprise about 100 customers at two local restaurants by helping to pay for lunch. Here, Off. Jeff Augustyn is with workers and a customer at El Ganadero Mexican Grille. (City of Kentwood)
In December of last year, the City of Kentwood Police Department and Lacks Enterprises, Inc. — both understanding the importance to the community of small businesses, including local eateries, in this time of COVID-19 dining restrictions — partnered to help both two Kentwood restaurants and their customers.
The two partners, last week held another pop-up event, and thanks to a $1,000 donation from Lacks, the Kentwood Police Department were able to surprise about 100 customers of El Ganadero Mexican Grille and Mr. Burger with $10 toward their lunch orders “as a thank-you for supporting local restaurants,” according to a statement from the city.
El Ganadero Mexican Grille is located at 4208 Division Ave. SE, and Mr. Burger is at 1750 44th St. SE.
Kentwood police Chief Richard Roberts, in the WKTV studios for an interview last week, spoke of the program and it being part of a wider effort by the police and the city to support the residential, workforce and business community.
“We’ve been partnering with some great businesses in our city,” Chief Roberts said to WKTV. “One of our great partners, Lacks Enterprises, they have so many people who live in our community, work in their manufacturing, they like to give back. And they like to give back though the police department, through a partnership — it is a great way to partner for the community.”
The event was the second in the Police Department’s local business showcase series to “support Kentwood businesses and create positive experiences with the community during these difficult times,” according to the city statement.
“Lacks Enterprises believes you need a lot of different components to make a community a place for people to live and raise their families,” Jim Green, executive director of human resources at Lacks, said to WKTV at one of the pop-up event sites in December. “But the real backbone of this community is the small businesses. Without that you would not have all the other things that make the community what it is today.”
The series highlights businesses within Kentwood — both those donating to restaurants to create similar pop-up events and the local businesses supported by the donations. Local businesses interested in participating, either by donating or by being possibly involved with the pop-up events, can call Sergeant Tim Wierenga at 616-656-6561.
“We just wanted to give our small businesses a little support,” Sgt. Wierenga said to WKTV at the first pop-up event. “What we’d like to see of this is (to continue) showcasing our business community and showcasing the city that we love. We would love for this to develop into something more. … We’d love to have some more showcase events.”
Just in time for Spring Break — and those staycationers looking to get out of the house but staying close to home — Woodland Mall will be open for more hours and offering special events for everyone to safely enjoy time off from school and work.
Starting Monday, April 5, the mall will be returning to pre-pandemic operating hours, Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday noon to 6 p.m., according to an announcement from the mall. And several events are planned including a Small Business Expo and Pokémon Go opportunities.
“For those families who still aren’t comfortable traveling, Woodland Mall is the perfect spring break destination,” Cecily McCabe, Woodland Mall marketing director, said in supplied material. “From shopping to games and other creative opportunities, we are eager to help families enjoy a safe and fun staycation experience.”
Woodland Mall will host a Small Business Expo in its Von Maur wing on Saturday, April 10, from 11 a.m.–7 p.m., where business owners will set up booths to showcase their products and engage with the community. Guests will in turn have the opportunity to learn more about these small businesses and support them.
With the weather warming up, it’s the perfect time to build your own skateboard. Vans and Zumiez have all the gear needed to build a customized board.
Pokémon fans will also be able to collect free stickers and trading cards from GameStop throughout the week. As an added bonus, the mall has two Pokéstops for those playing Pokémon Go.
Families looking for fun can visit the Funshop Arcade located in the Macy’s wing and exploring the games and toys at Toysmark and Barnes & Noble.
And, of course, guests can also “get that beach resort feel without traveling far from home” by getting pampered at Lynny Nails, Tricho Salon or Massage Works.
“Choosing to spend spring break at the mall also benefits the retailers and restaurants and their employees who are still trying to recover from the pandemic,” McCabe said. “Visiting the mall is a great way to give our local economy a boost.”
Even after spring break, guests will continue to see new developments at the mall.
Backstage by Macy’s will celebrate its grand opening as a stand-alone business on the department store’s recently renovated second floor on Saturday, April 17. The shop offers men’s, women’s and children’s clothing, accessories and more at affordable prices. Offering prizes, gift cards and other exciting deals on opening day, shoppers won’t want to miss out on even greater savings.
Persons were waiting for their appointment times at the West Michigan Vaccine Clinic at DeVos Place on Monday, March 29, where clinic operators hoped to be vaccinating as many as 12,000 on that day. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
With access to more vaccine supplies becoming available, and the West Michigan Vaccine Clinic at DeVos Place ramped up and ready to deliver, the operators of the clinic announced Monday, March 29, that they would be vaccinating as many as 12,000 persons on that day.
That total would not only be a single-day record for the local clinic but, to put that number into perspective, anybody who has been to a sold-out concert at the Van Andel Arena was part of a crowd of about that same number of people.
And according to two local persons in line to get their shots on Monday, one from Wyoming and one from Kentwood, the process was not only welcome news but a fairly easy process.
Persons entering the West Michigan Vaccine Clinic at DeVos Place on Monday, March 29. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
“My daughter and I were talking … and she mentioned that she had signed up through the website, and so I signed up my husband and I,” Julie Hall, of Wyoming, said to WKTV as she waited her time to enter the clinic. “Then yesterday (Sunday, March 28), we both got texts … They set me up for this morning and my husband this afternoon. He is working today.”
The system used by the West Michigan Vaccine Clinic — operated by Kent County, Spectrum Health and Mercy Health in collaboration with Vaccinate West Michigan —was not only easy-in but also fairly quick out.
“It was a very easy process, they ask a few questions and it moves quickly,” Sonya Oliver, of Kentwood, said to WKTV as she exited after getting her shot. “I was in there about 15, 20 minutes. It was very easy.”
Brian Brasser, chief operating officer of Spectrum Health Grand Rapids, one of the partners in the West Michigan Vaccine Clinic at DeVos Place. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
And according to Brian Brasser, chief operating officer of Spectrum Health Grand Rapids, the clinic is expecting to vaccinate about 40,000 persons this week and is capable of handling as many as 20,000 in a single day.
“We are only limited by the supply of vaccine available,” Brasser said to WKTV.
Supply, demand lead to expanded parking options downtown
According to the Monday announcement from the clinic operators, people 65-plus or who require mobility assistance can park directly at DeVos Place, entering the north parking entrance from the west on Michigan Street or the south parking entrance from the east on Lyon Street.
Drivers also can use the drop off zone in front of DeVos Place on Monroe Avenue and proceed to the cell phone lot within the Gerald Ford Museum parking lots to wait until pick-up notification. (There was a steady stream of persons being dropped off in front of DeVos Place as WKTV was present on-site Monday morning.)
Another parking option is the Government Center Ramp across the street from DeVos Place, at 300 Monroe. The ramp can be accessed off Ottawa or one of the two Monroe entrances. And the parking ticket will be validated at the clinic.
Also, there is free parking at the Gerald Ford Museum north and south lots, and Rapid Shuttle’s Park at the Museum lots, located off Scribner Avenue and Bridge Street/Michigan Avenue, with a shuttle from The Rapid will run every eight minutes to and from DeVos Place.
More information about the West Michigan Vaccine Clinic visit wmvaccineclinic.org.
For local restaurants struggling to keep the doors open, any financial help is valuable, including the about $500 Kentwood’s The Candied Yam and owner Jessica Ann Tyson will not be spending on a county food service licensing fee this year.
The Kent County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted Thursday, March 25, to waive the 2021 food service licensing fee for all existing food establishments in Kent County “due to the significant hardship food establishments have experienced with closures and capacity limitations related to COVID‐19,” according to a statement from the county.
“It will help … its like $500 and up,” Tyson told WKTV when asked about the fee and how much it will save her business.
“Our restaurant owners and employees are hurting — they are among the hardest hit by the pandemic,” Kent County board chair Mandy Bolter said in supplied material. “The Board of Commissioners felt very strongly about waiving this fee as one small way to provide meaningful assistance where possible.”
This one‐time waiver, according to the county statement, will apply to the 2,294 existing food establishments (permanent, fixed, temporary, Special Transitory Food Units, or mobile) in Kent County that would otherwise be required to pay their annual licensing and inspection fee by April 30.
The Kent County action will total to “about $1.1 to $1.2 million” in waived fees, Monica Sparks, county commissioner for Kentwood’s commission District 12, said to WKTV.
“We took that out of the (county) budget,” Sparks said, while also giving credit to Dr. Adam London, Kent County Health Department director, for bringing the idea forward.
“The Health Department has worked tirelessly with our restaurants and bars over the last year to adapt to evolving regulations and occupancy restrictions,” London said in supplied material. “We are keenly aware of the challenges facing these establishments and we appreciate the Board providing this financial relief as they continue to weather the impacts of the pandemic.”
While the licensing and inspection fees are being waived, all restaurants are still required to submit a renewal application by April 30. The application will ensure establishments remain licensed during the 2021-22 operating period.
If an establishment does not intend to renew its license, the application still should be returned but include a signed note requesting its license be cancelled. Food establishments should expect to receive a renewal application from the health department within the next two weeks.
Restaurant owners with questions should contact the Kent County Health Department, Environmental Health Division, at 616‐632‐6900 or KCEHMail@kentcountymi.gov.
For generations, millions of Americans grew up with the sing-song phrase of “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” This was, of course because fruit contained its fair share of vitamins, complex carbohydrates and other nutrients the body needs to maintain healthy living. With the COVID pandemic still a force in our lives a full year after it’s beginning, researchers are taking a new look at the role nutrients play in slowing severe COVID disease which has now killed more than 530,000 Americans in just one year.
COVID virus (FDA.gov)
The nutrient that appears to be a significant weapon against severe COVID disease (and most respiratory diseases) is vitamin D3. Researchers now point to new findings that the high rate of deficiency in vitamin D3 in the American population could be playing a significant role in the high death rate Americans are experiencing, especially among the poor.
For millions of Americans who live in latitudes north of Tennessee, sunlight; one of the primary creators of Vitamin D in the body, is in short supply during the long, cloudy winter months. Research shows that Americans in these more northern regions combined with a diet high in processed foods that contain high fructose corn syrup and little available sunlight can create a vitamin D deficiency that only makes a population more vulnerable to the ravages of disease, especially one like COVID 19.
But if COVID finds an enemy in Vitamin D3, it appears the vitamin has an enemy in high fructose corn syrup. The National Center for Biotechnology Information has published a study that high fructose corn syrup, once it is metabolized by the kidneys, has the effect of reducing the amounts of Vitamin D3; critical to the body’s defense against COVID.
The linkage between severe COVID disease and a poor diet with the inherent health problems it brings is gradually being better understood. On the surface, this may seem like a foregone conclusion, but being a novel or “new” virus, researchers have followed the twists and turns that COVID-19 has led them on and, is often the case, the causes researchers seek take multiple paths and in some cases go back decades.
In 1973, the FDA began mandating that food manufacturers begin labeling the contents of all pre-packaged or processed foods. This regulation has allowed consumers to see what it is they’re actually eating. However in the 1970s, food manufactures primarily in the United States, introduced the artificial sweetener high fructose corn syrup, or HFCS into the American diet. At first, the long term effect in foods was unknown, but as an inexpensive sugar substitute, high fructose corn syrup HFCS became a darling of the food processing industry. Within a decade it was present in foods from bread to soft drinks to ice cream and countless other pre-packaged goods.
Researchers now point to the fact that one way of slowing the COVID death toll among these groups is education on a change in diet. (pxhere.com)
Researchers now point to the fact that one way of slowing the COVID death toll among these groups is education on a change in diet. To wean a sugar-saturated American population off of high fructose corn syrup and to increase consumption of foods either rich in Vitamin D3 or with supplements, is no easy task.
Of course there are the Vitamin D3 supplements, which are the easiest method for increasing Vitamin D3 intake, but with HFCS now shown to decrease the amount of D3 in the body, avoiding processed foods becomes even more important. Unfortunately, most foods in their raw state, apart from salmon, trout and eggs, do not contain large amounts of Vitamin D, which is why dairy products for decades have been fortified with the nutrient. To increase your amount of Vitamin D3 during the less sunny months and during the time of COVID, supplements may be an important tool. Researchers caution however that too much Vitamin D3 needs to be avoided. As a fat soluble vitamin, it stores in the body’s fatty tissue and can build up over time.
It’s as simple as turning over the box or can and reading the label,” says Dr. Afriyie Randle, of Mercy Health. “I mean, the information is there. It’s not being hidden. You just have to read it.” Dr. Randle also points out that the American diet that is high in processed sugars like high fructose corn syrup is also playing a huge role in the obesity epidemic in the United States. “And with obesity comes hypertension (high blood pressure) and diabetes.”
Combined with poor diet, which in many studies is tied to lower income levels along with occupations and life (such as many people living together under one roof), Americans, particularly minority communities, are weathering the perfect storm. With all of this, it’s understandable why early conclusions point to just why COVID has wrought so much death at or near the bottom of the economic ladder. Prior to 1990, there was virtually no correlation in studies between obesity and poverty. However by 2000, poorer regions of the U.S. showed a significant uptick in the levels of obesity and researchers were able to correlate an increase in fructose intake, but particularly foods and beverages high in HFCS that were underneath the growing obesity epidemic among the poor.
As data shows, the United States has suffered a death toll disproportionally higher than many other countries and questions linger among researchers about how the role a high-sugar, highly-processed diet that many Americans have has played a role in that death toll.
Dr. Randle encourages the greater use of home prepared meals where the home cook has an enormous control over the content of what they eat. Perhaps it’s no surprise that researchers are drawing a connection between the high levels of severe COVID disease and diet. As Dr. Randle notes, “With lab work, I see patients with Vitamin D3 deficiency weekly.”
In Europe in the 1300s, the bubonic plague brought about a stunning death toll when aided by a population where a lack of personal hygiene provided the perfect breeding ground for the spread of that disease. Today, in one of the richest countries in the world where food is generally inexpensive, the obesity epidemic and its consequences can help us understand the disproportionate death toll among Americans from COVID disease and point to the roles that our American habits have been playing in this pandemic.
Tom Norton is the general manager of WKTV Community Media and hosts the podcast “Eureka!” which covers topics of science, health and historical role that both play in our society.
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.
On Friday, March 19, WKTV will be featuring live coverage of the relocation of the International Space Station Expedition 64 Soyuz MS-1 spacecraft from the earth-facing Rassvet module to the space-facing Poisk module. Coverage starts at 12:15 p.m., with the undocking scheduled for 12:38 p.m. and the redocking scheduled for 1:07 p.m.
Watch as Expedition 64 Flight Engineer Kate Rubins of NASA and Commander Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-SverchkovProgress from the Russian Space Agency Roscomos take a spin around their orbital neighborhood in the Soyuz MS-17 to relocate the spacecraft and free up the port in preparation for the arrival of three new crew members.
NASA’s Mark Vande Hei and Roscosmos’ Oleg Novitsky and Pyotr Dubrov are scheduled to launch to the space station on Friday, April 9, in the Soyuz MS-18 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
The ISS Expedition 64 Soyuz MS-1 spacecraft will be moved to a different module in preparation of a new space station crew. (NASA)
This will be the fifteenth overall Soyuz port relocation and the first since August 2019.
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.
More than 30 local artisans will be at Woodland Mall Saturday, March 20, for the mall’s first ever Spring Craft Bash, a 1-day event that will showcase a wide variety of handcrafted and vendor Items for sale.
The event, scheduled from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., will allow shoppers to browse for such items as books, games, artwork, skincare, home decor items, jewelry, succulents “and more” in the Von Maur wing of the mall.
“We are looking forward to showcasing more than 30 local artisans during our first Spring Craft Bash,” said Cecily McCabe, marketing director for Woodland Mall, said in supplied material. “Whether you’re in the market for a gift for a loved one, or something nice for yourself, there’s sure to be great options for everyone to enjoy while supporting local entrepreneurs.”
The event was organized by Kelly Hume Events LLC.
Participating vendors include Amanda’s Nail Addiction, Andria & Co, Basinski Personal Creations, Beth’s Glass creations, Better Than Urs Designs, Breeches and Bloomers, Bring Your Own Beauty, Deanna Rae’s Designs, Discovery Toys, Foliar Effects LLC, JRK Embroidery, Kel’s Creations, Knotty Jared, Little Arts, Madi Made Jewels, Mick Art Productions, Mud Matters Studio, Mulberry Pines, Paparazzi Jewelry, Pink Zebra, Porch Signs By Patti, Rarity Nails, Roundabout Society, Sheila’s Satchels, Sol E Lua, Still I Stay Designs, Sunset Succulents, Sylvia’s Sudsery, Upcycle Creations, Usborne Books & More, and Whim.
According to a statement from the mall, Woodland Mall asks all guests to follow CDC recommendations by using the hand sanitizer stations located throughout the mall, wearing face coverings and practicing physical distancing.
In order to comply with Michigan requirements, occupancy numbers remain limited as the mall operates on reduced hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 8 a.m., Friday through Saturday; and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday.
It is often said by people in the local live music business that their venues, small and large, were the first to close when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and will likely be the last to fully reopen.
While the stage door was cracked open a little early this month when the state allowed venues to open at a reduced capacity, and the continued decrease in pandemic statistics and the rapidly increasing number of people getting the COVID-19 vaccines give even more hope, a sampling of local venues offer few gigs planned in the short term.
The now quiet and empty Pyramid Scheme concert room. (Pyramid Scheme Facebook)
“We do not plan to book any live music indoors until capacity limits are higher,” Tami VandenBerg, co-owner of Pyramid Scheme in Grand Rapids, said to WKTV. But she, like many in the industry, holds hope for later in the year — “The shows still booked for spring will very likely be moved to fall.”
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s outdoor amphitheater, and news of its its usual Fifth Third Bank Summer Concerts at Meijer Gardens and Tuesday Evening Music Club, are still quiet these days. But they too, are optimistically looking toward later in the year.
“We are working hard behind the scenes to be able to safely present live music at the Frederik Meijer Gardens Amphitheater during the summer and/or early fall of 2021,” John VanderHaagen, director of communications at Meijer Gardens, said to WKTV. “Current capacity restrictions are 1,000 for outdoor venues and we are hoping that as the numbers of vaccinated folks increases and cases fall, those restrictions will continue to be adjusted.”
The bottomline, VanderHaagen said, is that “guest safety remains our top priority and we will not present a series until that can be done safely in accordance to all local, state and national guidelines.”
State restrictions and guidelines, and local reaction
On March 2, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) updated two of its epidemic orders, among other things allowing for increased capacity limits at various entertainment venues. The changes went into effect March 5.
Those changes impacting entertainment venues included now allowing indoor entertainment venues to be at 50 percent capacity, up to 300 people; indoor stadiums and arenas are allowed have 375 if seating capacity is under 10,000, and 750 if seating capacity is over 10,000; and outdoor entertainment and recreational facilities have a capacity of 1,000.
“We continue to monitor the data closely, and based on current trends we are taking another step toward normalcy,” Elizabeth Hertel, MDHHS director, said in the March 2 announcement.
One state change in restrictions and guidelines which is also impacting local entertainment venues is allowed restaurants and bars to increase to 50 percent capacity up to 100 people and now allowing them to be open to 11 p.m.
For one, the Listening Room live music venue, known as a music-focused club, has opened with an adaptation.
Jazz night at the Listening Room with members of the Robin Connell Trio, from January 2020. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
“We currently have live jazz from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, though it’s not as much of a (strictly music) show” as usual, Quinn Mathews, general manager of Listening Room, said to WKTV. “We partnered with our restaurant downstairs to serve dinner up in Listening Room during the live music.”
But, Mathews added, “we’ll do an outdoor concert series this spring and summer as well in the piazza here at Studio Park … (and) touring artists are confirming for the fall, so — fingers crossed — Listening Room will be back doing shows by fall.”
The fact that most venues are, in fact, awaiting national touring groups to begin feeling comfortable touring to set up local fall schedules was echoed by several venue spokespersons.
WKTV Journal In Focus recently talked with Kent County Commissioner Robert Womack, who late last year was named to co-chair Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s new state initiative, the Black Leadership Advisory Council. Go here for the story.
Dr. Afriyie Randle
Talking with ‘Dr. Randle’ about dementia
In a recent “Medical Moments with Dr. Randle”, she talked about the different stages of Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia, and how early detection can help in assuring your loved one is cared for properly. Go here for the story.
Feeding America West Michigan currently owns 30 trucks, that drove about 418,000 miles in 2019, according to the organization. (Feeding America WM)
Talking with a local non-profit ‘Feeding America’
During a recent visit to the studio of WKTV Journal In Focus, Feeding America West Michigan looked back on 40 years of helping to feed those at risk of hunger after experiencing a 2020 that presented both challenges and opportunities. Go here for the story.
(Not so) Fun Fact:
20
There are at least 20 invasive species of plants being battled in Kent County by landowners and the Kent Conservation District. Jessie Schulte, of the Kent Conservation District, worked with WKTV to explain the problem and a District-led strike force. Video on the issue.
The City of Kentwood will once again offer free brush and leaf drop-off services to residents this spring.
According to an announcement from the city, starting Saturday, April 3, residents may drop off brush, sticks, tree limbs, logs, loose leaves and grass clippings at the Kentwood Department of Public Works, 5068 Breton Ave. SE. Drop-off is available noon-8 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and noon-6 p.m. on Sunday, continuing through Saturday, May 29.
“As snow melts in the spring, getting yard and tree debris out of the right-of-way is incredibly important for our roadways and storm drains,”Jim Wolford, Department of Public Works supervisor, said in supplied material. “Clearing brush and leaves prevents buildup in these areas, keeping our infrastructure running smoothly throughout the city.”
The services are available to Kentwood residents only, and proof of residency is required. Materials that cannot be accepted include trash, paper and plastic bags, dirt, concrete, asphalt, tires, rocks, stones, construction materials, glass and metal.
In addition to making yard maintenance easier, leaf and brush drop-off services also help residents stay in compliance with city ordinances. The accumulation of leaves and debris on a property or in the right-of-way is prohibited in the City of Kentwood, as well as burning leaves and brush.
More information about Kentwood’s brush and leaf drop-off services is available at kentwood.us/BrushLeafDropOff.
At C Grace Productions, we love horses, road trips, and working together. So, pooling our talents and passions, with friends in the creative and tech industries, we support those in the equine industry. Michigan captured our hearts as we fell in love with the scenery and the people.
Trixie Chicks Trick Riders perform at the 2002 Michigan Horse Expo in Lansing. (Supplied)
In 2016, we attended a Keuring, a judging venue of Friesian foals, mares, geldings, and stallions. Having only admired these horses in movies, we were overwhelmed by their beauty. We had lots of questions and the owners were happy to educate us. We soon grasped the need to support them and others in the equine industry with digital marketing and video support. In the meantime, Bill Rinderknecht had begun volunteering for WKTV who trained him to master videography…the timing was impeccable.
In early 2020, we were cruising into the new year with plans for travel, filming, meeting friends, and making new ones. We had a major cross-country trip planned for April/May to film at farms and events. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 restrictions put the kibosh on that. Fortunately, we were able to enjoy the Michigan Horse Expo in Lansing. It was one of the last major Michigan events before COVID restrictions shut down sports, concerts, and other arena events throughout the state. The Expo, held at the Michigan State University Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education, brought horses, performers, vendors, and spectators from around the region.
A team from Heritage Hill Farms. (Supplied)
With Charlotte Rinderknecht directing and the support of WKTV, husband Bill, and Riley Zoet captured much of the weekend’s action. The highlight of the weekend was the “Mane Event” on Saturday night in the arena. It was produced by Gascon Horsemanship from Poplarville, Mississippi. Michael Gascon, known as the horse guru, has trained many untrainable horses and hosts clinics and conferences nationwide. He led the exciting “MG Never Give Up Tour” to Lansing and thrilled the packed house.
The performers, many from within 100 miles of Lansing and some internationally known, included beautiful horses, trick riders, dancers, ropers, and even an aerial act that thrilled the crowd—ever seen soccer on horseback?(!) C Grace captured the entire show with highlights scheduled to be broadcast on WKTV. On Wednesday, March 10, at 4 p.m. and Friday, March 12, at noon, will be the MG Never Give Up Tour show.
Treetops Collective is hosting a four-part speaker series, “Women are Resilient,” beginning today, on International Women’s Day, March 8, and continuing throughout the month of March.
One of Treetops Collective’s core values is a “posture of listening” that recognizes that “each person is an expert of their own experience,” according to supplied material. As a practice of this value, the Women are Resilient speaker series is “an invitation to learn from the strength, creativity, and leadership displayed by women throughout West Michigan who are engaged in transformative work and relationships.”
All four events will take place online and are free to the public.
According to the Treetops Collective website the group’s focus is making West Michigan a place “where refugee women can sink their roots down and flourish with their families for generations to come.”
Also, the March program includes a special opportunity to support local businesses and the work of Treetops Collective by purchasing a cocktail kit for our final celebration of women entrepreneurs.
This series is supported by the partnership of Eastern Kille Distillery and Emme’s Plantain Chips.
Kentwood’s 32nd Street between Breton and Shaffer avenues will be closed for a week starting today, March 8.
The City of Kentwoodannounced today that starting Monday, March 8, 32nd Street between Breton Avenue and Shaffer Avenue in Kentwood will be closed all week for tree clearing to prepare for the reconstruction of 32nd Street.
The road is expected to reopen on the evening of Friday, March 12. Drivers are encouraged to plan ahead and seek an alternate route or follow the posted detour.
The West Michigan Jazz Society will host a Facebook live “Speaking of Jazz with WMJS” discussion, “Women in Jazz Roundtable”, Wednesday, March 3, starting at 8 p.m.
The conversation will be hosted by guest moderator Crystal Rebone, and will feature Lisa Sung, Robin Connell, Kaleigh Wilder, Sharon Cho and Cristina Smith.
“Speaking of Jazz with WMJS”, according to supplied materials is “focused on providing insights into the lives and careers of jazz musicians in our region, and also nationally.”
(Additionally, pianist Connell, with guest Paul Brewer, will live stream a special piano jazz concert at St Cecilia Music Center on March 11, starting at 8 p.m. Visit here for more information.)
The pandemic has shut down many things, but not the efforts of Kent County and its partners to identify and reduce lead exposure in the community — a serious health hazard especially for children before, during and unfortunately likely to continue after COVID-19.
Kent County Health Department Director Dr. Adam London provided an update Feb. 25 to the Executive Committee of the Kent County Board of Commissioners. As part of the report, London detailed the “significant strides the department has taken over the last year to identify lead hazards and conduct education efforts,” according to a statement from the county, work which occurred despite the coronavirus pandemic shutting down site visits for approximately six months.
“There is no safe level of lead in children and it is toxic to everyone,” London said in supplied material. “We have to keep the momentum of this work going to mitigate long-term negative impact of lead exposure on our community.”
The Kent County Health Department (KCHD) manages three lead programs including the Children’s Health Insurance Plan (CHIP), the Multiple Elevated Blood Level (MEBL) list, and part of the county-funded Ready by Five effort.
According to the Kent County announcement, since December 2019, several actions have been taken, including: 161 ongoing or completed investigations at properties that have/had potential lead hazards, and 81 properties on the MEBL List out of 427 properties identified by Lead Action Team; 57 site visits for lead inspection, risk assessments and home health screenings; and 39 homes cleared of lead hazards including helping remediate/abate lead hazards at 28.
In addition, the effort has attained regulatory compliance through working with residents and landlords and initiated enforcement activities at five properties. Also, the lead team has been fully staffed with five lead sanitarians, a health educator, and a lead clerk.
“I am very proud of our team,” Brendan Earl, KCHD supervising sanitarian, said in supplied material. “We have been able to continue the critical work of reducing lead exposure despite the setbacks caused by COVID-19.”
Additionally, according the announcement, the KCHD will be “working in the months ahead to re-engage the Lead Action Team which was formed in February 2020 to bring together local units of government and a multitude of other partners to make our community safer from the harms of lead exposure.”
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.
Cecily McCabe, Woodland Mall marketing manager, talking about support of Black-owned businesses and product brands focused on the Black community. (WKTV video)
Woodland Mall, and parent company PREIT, knows it is good for business and good for the local community to support Black-owned businesses and to support brands focused on the Black community, and not just during Black History Month.
Through its “Support Black-Owned Businesses and Brands 365” initiative, the Mall has created a home on its shopwoodlandmall.com website highlighting Black-owned retailers, fashion brands, cosmetics, fragrance lines, books, music and other products for sale within other retailers at the mall.
“We feel this was a concrete step we could take to encourage our guests to support Black-owned businesses throughout the year,” Cecily McCabe, Woodland Mall marketing manager, said in supplied material. “The past year has been challenging for many retailers, but Black-owned businesses have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. Consumers can now make even more informed buying decisions that will directly support Black entrepreneurs in our community.”
According to an announcement this week from the Mall, this is part of an ongoing effort by the Mall’s parent company, PREIT, to “spotlight Black-owned entrepreneurs and brands within its portfolio of top-tier and region-leading properties in eight states.”
Among Woodland Mall’s programs was this 2020 African-American legends event during Black History Month (with reenactors from New Hope Baptist Church.) (Supplied/Woodland Mall)
During the coming year, at least two-thirds of PREIT properties also plan to host community-wide Black-owned Business Showcases, providing entrepreneurs with a venue to showcase their goods and services.
Woodland Mall was the first property in the PREIT portfolio to host a showcase, welcoming more than 80 regional Black-owned businesses in October 2020, and the Mall plans to do so again in August.
PREIT properties are also planning events and activities throughout the year as a way to highlight the importance of Black-owned business and brands beyond Black History Month. During 2021, Woodland Mall has hosted an art exhibit, documentary screening and this past weekend’s successful pop-up shop welcoming Black-owned entrepreneurs to the mall.
Mall, retailers have history of Black community support
Woodland Mall is already home to Boutique Boulevard, a unique women’s clothing and accessories retailer curated from locally owned Black businesses. The store is located in the Barnes and Noble wing near Kay Jewelers.
Woodland Mall retailers also feature a wide variety of Black-owned brands and merchandise, including products that can be found at Sephora, including, Fenty Beauty by Rihanna, Briogeo by Nancy Twine and others. The JCPenney Salon features Hair by Athulia, which specializes in luxury hair care for women of color.
Macy’s honors and celebrates “the brilliant legacies woven into the fabric of Black history and experience,” by spotlighting Black creators and change makers who continue to make their mark. Macy’s is also committed to empowering future leaders by supporting UNCF and Black Girls CODE through donations at the register or online.
Williams Sonoma is paying tribute to the historic achievements of generations of African Americans in the culinary arts and beyond. Shoppers can get cooking with great recipes and expert cooking tips and explore cookbooks by Black authors.
Woodland Mall asks all guests to follow CDC recommendations by using the hand sanitizer stations located throughout the mall, wearing face coverings and practicing physical distancing.
In order to comply with Michigan requirements, occupancy numbers remain limited as the mall operates on reduced hours 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 8 a.m., Friday through Saturday; and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday.
Ansel Adams (American, 1902-1984), “Half Dome, Merced River, Winter from The Photographs of Yosemite Suite” (Silverprint photograph, 1938. Gift of the Friends of Art, 1989)
This year, the Muskegon Museum of Art is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Friends of Art, an independent non-profit organization established in 1921 that promotes the study of art and supports the museum.
Two exhibitions organized by the MMA recognize the contributions of the Friends of Art, highlighting works of art that the group has contributed to the MMA over the past century — including one exhibit featuring iconic photographs of Ansel Adams which opened Feb. 18.
The exhibit “Friends of Art: 100 Years” features almost 30 artworks donated by the “Friends” to the museum’s permanent collection over the decades.
Tunis Ponsen (American, 1891-1968), “Yacht Club Pier” (Oil on canvas, 1931. Gift of Friends of Art, 1931)
“Visitors will discover a rich diversity of objects along with some of the museum’s most significant works of art, including pieces by James Richmond Barthé and Paul Howard Manship and one of our signature paintings, Tunis Ponsen’s ‘Yacht Club Pier’,” Art Martin, MMA senior curator, said in supplied material.
The exhibition runs through May 2, and includes a video, “Friends of Art 100th Year Anniversary”, which tells the story of the history of the group through the years. The video and exhibition information can be found here.
Also on exhibit as part of the celebration is “Ansel Adams: The Photographs of Yosemite Suite” which features 24 iconic images taken in the 1940s of Yosemite National Park — the location and pictures that defined Adams’s internationally celebrated career.
In preview material of the exhibit, it is stated: “The artistic and technical contributions Ansel Adams made to photography established him as a legendary figure in American art. Seen by millions of viewers during his lifetime, Adams’s images documented the American wilderness, capturing transitory moments of light and weather that gave his subjects an emotive power not previously seen in landscape photography.”
Friends of Art members purchased the photographs for the museum collection in 1989. The exhibition runs through May 9.
Paul Howard Manship (American, 1885-1966), “Flight of Europa” (Bronze on onyx base, 1928. Gift of the Friends of Art, 1944)
The museum is open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays, and closed Mondays. Health and safety measures include limited occupancy in galleries and other public spaces, enhanced cleaning, and mask wearing is required for guests and staff.
Visit muskegonartmuseum.org for museum updates, visitor information, and exhibition information.
Thomas Jefferson, as portrayed by Bill Barker of Monticello, speaks during a 2019 event at the U.S. Chamber Foundation in Washington, D.C. (U.S. Chamber Foundation YouTube)
Grand Rapids’ Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, along with the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation and the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies at Grand Valley State University, continue to offer virtual programs this month.
The next program, available via Zoom meeting, will be “Bill Barker: President’s Day Celebration — Man and Legacy”, with Barker talking as Thomas Jefferson, on Thursday, Feb. 18, starting at 7:15 p.m.
To register for the free event, including on the day of, visit here.
In a description of Barker/Jefferson event, it is stated:
“In times of great strife, Americans have often looked to our nation’s founding fathers for guidance. In doing so, we inevitably address the paradoxes they posed. The same Thomas Jefferson who penned the idea that ‘all men are created equal’ in our Declaration of Independence, is the same founder who owned hundreds of slaves through the course of his life. How could this be, and what are the lessons to us today?
“To help us unpack these and other historically loaded questions, the Hauenstein Center, along with our partners at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation and the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum and Library, welcomes Monticello’s William Barker back to Grand Rapids. Widely regarded as the nation’s foremost Thomas Jefferson interpreter, Barker joins us for a celebration of Presidents’ Day and for a conversation that plumbs our difficult past.”
Timely topic webinar coming later in February
Next up on the schedule will be a live webinar virtual event — “The Constitution, Elections, and Democracy” on Wednesday, Feb. 24, at 7 p.m.
In a description of this event, it is stated:
“January 6, 2021, served as the culmination of a series of issues left to fester: a global pandemic, racial injustice, and social and political divisions that continue to grow. Across the country, citizens continue to wonder how the world’s leading democracy can move forward and how, as a nation, we can begin to heal the pain and wounds created that fateful afternoon.”
In the first installment of the Presidential Roundtable series, with support from the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies, the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation and other groups, Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, joins GVSU president Philomena V. Mantella and past GVSU presidents for a discussion that “probes our nation’s most revered document, the Constitution.”
For a list of more events hosted or co-hosted by the Ford Museum, visit here. For more information on the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, visit fordlibrarymuseum.gov.
Just a year old, The Pink Lounge, Dry Salt Therapy, has developed a following as it is the only dry salt therapy lounges in Kent County. Owned by local entrepreneur Jessica Ann Tyson, who also owns The Candid Yam, a restaurant featuring Southern comfort food, and JA PR, which helps with the annual Miss Metro Cruise competition, The Pink Lounge is at 3105 Broadmoor Ave., SE.
Name of business: The Pink Lounge, Dry Salt Therapy
What is your business? We use the proven scientific research of salt from nature to aid in wellness of the mind, body and soul.
How long has your business been operating? We will soon be coming upon our first year anniversary.
How did your business get started? My teenage daughter told me about how other cultures embraced the science of salt, specifically from the Himalayan mountains and the Dead Sea of Jordan. Upon further research and studies, I became so impressed with the many health benefits. I truly believe that creating this type of business was going to be a game changer …. to have a place where people could ‘unplug’ and feel respite in such a busy world.
Why did you decide to locate your business in the Wyoming/Kentwood area? Kentwood is a great vibrant community. I feel fortunate to live in a place where doing business feels easy and feels supported in so many ways.
What has been the greatest challenge for your business? COVID definitely has not been kind to many and many are afraid to get out. The Pink Lounge is a rare gem as one of the only salt spas in this immediate area of Kent County. Those who know of the science or have experienced us benefit from us being here – especially during COVID and beyond.
The Pink Lounge: Dry Salt Therapy is marking its first anniversary. (Supplied)
What is the most popular product/item at your business? People absolutely LOVE bringing their employees or family members to a special private VIP session we call a Salt N Sip! They have the salt spa all to themselves to eat on salt bricks, make their own bath/soaking salt to take home and experience total rest and relaxation, leaving the stress behind.
What is a Wyoming/Kentwood business you like to visit during your free time? We have three other businesses so free time is at a premium – LBVS! During our ‘free time’ we like to support other businesses. It’s the law of reciprocity!
Hopes for 2021: The Pink Lounge wants to be able to do what everyone else wants to do – be open for business! We hope that people will be in a place to feel comfortable resuming their ‘normal activities’ soon!
