The regular county park fees are only $5 per vehicle or $25 for an annual pass but on Wednesday, June 17, 2015, at all the Kalamazoo County Parks, it’s a free day for everyone. The county is trying to encourage people to get outdoors and explore nature. You can even enter for a chance to win a 2015 Annual Vehicle Entrance Pass.

A ribbon cutting ceremony will also be held at River Oaks County Park on this special day at 11am to celebrate the grand Opening of the new splash pad and dog park.

“Many people don’t realize all the opportunities for recreation at the parks in Kalamazoo and this is a great way to kick off summer and see what all the parks have to offer,” said David Rachowicz, Parks Director.

For additional information, including park locations and maps, go online at www.kalamazoocountyparks.com

KENTWOOD, Mich.-- The Grand Rapids Amateur Astronomical Association presents Greg Comegys, who will share part three of his talk about astronomy as a hobby.

Astronomy enthusiasts are welcome to Schuler Books, located at 2660 28th Street SE for this discussion on Saturday, March 14, from 1 p.m.  2 p.m. A telescope tune-up clinic will follow the lecture, from 2:15 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Helpful advice about upgrading equipment will be discussed; amateur astronomers may also get a glimpse at astro-imaging. Guests are invited to bring their telescope instruments for minor repair, assessment and alignment.

For more information, visit www.graaa.org.

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GRAND RAPIDS – It seems most households now have flat-screen televisions these days, but many people may still have an older Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) television in their home. Kent County Department of Public Works (DPW) has collected 5.6 million pounds of electronics, including televisions, since 2001, without charging residents a fee. These items are processed by a third-party recycler. CRT televisions contains approximately 5-10 pounds of lead, a toxic component for our environment that can cause a variety of health issues. Due to the increasing cost of recycling televisions, Kent County DPW will begin charging a recycling fee starting February 16.