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Local post offices help 'Stamp Out Hunger' with 150,000 pounds of food donations

Local post offices help 'Stamp Out Hunger' with 150,000 pounds of food donations

A pantry spokesperson says one of the nation’s largest food collection drives “went off without a hitch” in West Michigan.

Saturday, May 11 was the annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.  Letter carriers picked up bags of donations left at mailboxes throughout the Grand Rapids area.  Andrew Steiner with Feeding America West Michigan says seven area post office branches collected about 150,000 pounds of food, and more is expected to trickle in throughout the week. 

Steiner says 190 volunteers helped Feeding America West Michigan staff members and letter carriers collect, sort and ship the food to the pantry’s warehouse in Comstock Park.  The donations are expected to provide roughly 117,000 meals to the one in six people struggling with hunger in West Michigan and the Upper Peninsula.

 Participating post offices include:

  • Northwest (1625 Walker NW, Grand Rapids): 32,635 pounds
  • Patterson/East Paris (3970 South Green

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Armed robbery at Metro PCS store

KENT COUNTY, Michigan (WZZM) - The Kent County Sheriff's Department is investigating an armed robbery at the Metro PCS store in the 6000 block of Kalamazoo Avenue. The robbery happened about 6:15 pm Monday.

The Sheriff's Department reports that a man entered the store, showed a weapon, and demanded money. He got some cash and fled the store.

Grand Rapids and Kentwood Police dogs helped track the suspect, but were not able to locate him.

If you have information about this crime, you are asked to call the Kent County Sheriff's Department at 616-632-6100.

 

 

Michigan Historical Commission approves tribute to Meijer family

Michigan Historical Commission approves tribute to Meijer family

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.— Grand Rapids is getting another tribute to the men behind Meijer Stores.

On May 8, the Michigan Historical Commission approved a marker to honor Hendrik and Fred Meijer, who in 1962 became the first grocers to combine two popular retail models—discount department stores and supermarkets—into a single store on 28th Street, called “Thrifty Acres.”  The Meijers then took their model to Holland and Muskegon. 

Meijer now has nearly 200 stores across the Midwest, including Kalamazoo, Walker, Wyoming, Jenison, Rockford, Plainfield Township, Forest Hills, Lowell, Grandville, Kentwood, Grand Haven and Greenville, where Hendrik Meijer opened his very first store in the 1930s.

The new historical marker will be added to more than 1,700 green and gold signs found across the state, that chronicle the people, places and events that make Michigan’s heritage unique and unforgettable.  The historical markers are nominated by spons

Kentwood school district considers replacing district computers

KENTWOOD, Mich.—Hundreds of refurbished computers could soon find their way into the labs at Kentwood middle and high schools.

Monday, May 13, the district superintendent and executive director for secondary education will consider a proposal to purchase 352 refurbished computers from School Tech Supply.  The order would include new LCD monitors for each computer, at a total purchase price of $133,660.  The computers would be paid for by the district’s general fund.

During Monday’s school board meeting, district leaders will also consider adopting the proposed Kent Intermediate School District budget resolution.

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West Michigan teacher wins Google Glass prize

KENTWOOD, Mich. (WZZM) -- All it took was a tweet, and a West Michigan teacher got to go on a trip of a lifetime and be one of the first people in the world to own Google's latest creation.

Google Glass is essentially a computer that you wear on your head. It takes photos and videos, can search, and shows an image right into your eye, however it has not yet been released to the public.

Andrew Vanden Heuvel isn't your ordinary teacher. "The students that I am teaching online, they log into a computer and do everything remotely," says Vanden Heuvel. "I am an online physics teacher or an freelance educator, depending on who I am talking to."

The idea behind Google's competition was simple, tweet a message about how you would use Google Glass. Andrew's tweet said that he wanted to use the device to make every moment a teachable moment.

East Kentwood High School musicians invited to Michigan Youth Arts Festival

East Kentwood High School musicians invited to Michigan Youth Arts Festival

KENTWOOD, Mich.—The East Kentwood High School instrumental music program will be well represented at the Michigan Youth Arts Festival held at Western Michigan University this weekend.

Five band and orchestra students have been selected to perform at this festival. As a result of their superior performances at both district and state solo and ensemble festivals, Claire Ross and Katey Armstrong have been selected to perform in the MYAF Honors Orchestra. This concert will be held on Saturday, May 10 at WMU's Miller Auditorium.

As a result of their superior performances at the MSBOA State Jazz Festival, Aaron Krause, Charlie Cooper and Hy Doan have been selected to perform in the MYAF Honors Jazz Ensemble. This is a huge honor---only 20 students in the entire state are selected and three-fifth of the jazz ensemble's rhythm section comes from East Kentwood! Their concert will also be on Saturday afternoon in Miller Auditorium.

Camp Roger swings into spring with new feature

Camp Roger swings into spring with new feature

 

ROCKFORD, Mich.—Camp Roger is swinging into spring with a new feature built by camp volunteers and the Wolverine Building Group.

In honor of the company’s upcoming 75th anniversary, Wolverine Building Group donated labor and materials to build a rope swing at the camp on April 26.  The project was part of Wolverine’s inaugural “Take Action Day”.

Camp Roger offers summer camp, an adventure course for school, team and corporate team building, and a Discovery Nature Center that can cater to local schools and homeschooled students.  The camp features a zip line, a four-story tree house, and a climbing tower.

For more information on Camp Roger or to register a camper, visit www.camproger.org.  For more information on Wolverine Building Group, visit www.wolvgroup.com