Our network

Boston Marathon: At least 97 from West Mich.

BOSTON, Mass. (WZZM) - According to the Boston Marathon's website, at least 97 runners from West Michigan registered for Monday's race; however at least 19 local entrants were not listed on the race results page.

Organizers stopped the race shortly after two explosions erupted around 2:45 p.m. near the finish line. Not every entrant had finished the race at that time.

This year, 26 people from Grand Rapids registered for the Boston Marathon, but two men, 29-year-old Chad Yerrick and 65-year-old John Campbell, were not listed on the race results page.

From Holland, 14 people entered the Boston Marathon, but six were not listed on the race results page. Their names include 35-year-old Virginia Beard, 49-year-old Rick Ganzi, 60-year-old Lin Light, 56-year-old Carol Neckel, 61-year-old Dave Willard and 46-year-old Nancy Wooley.

Community Sponsors

Fine Yarns for You!
Enhance your child's potential!
Children learning through interacting with their surroundings and daily experiences

Free program helps home and business owners deal with mercury

(ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMPANY)– The Environmental Quality Company is proud to partner with The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Mercury Collection Project.

This is an on-going effort to collect and properly recycle mercury.  Small and large business operations have traditionally been overlooked during mercury collection events.  The project’s objective is to address this issue and promote a long-term solution for easily collecting and recycling of mercury.  The program is free to anyone located in Michigan – residents included. 

The program is easy.

Flooding expected in low lying areas

Flooding expected in low lying areas

The calendar may say it is spring, but mother nature is delivering a different season.  Kent County residents woke up to snow showers this morning as temperatures hovered in the low to mid 30’s. 

Rain is in the forecast virtually every day in the next week, according to the 13 On Target Weather team.

Rivers and streams in West Michigan will remain high with localized flooding of low lying areas, according to meteorologists at the National Weather Service in Grand Rapids.

Here are the current river conditions in Kent County.  All readings are from Saturday, April 13:

The Thornapple River in Hastings is close to flood stage.  As of 12:15pm today, the river was at 6.71 feet.  Flood stage is 7 feet.

The Thornapple River in Caledonia was at 8.18 feet at 11:30am today.  Flood stage is 10 feet. 

Downstream in Cascade, the river spilled over its banks just below the Cascade Dam at Tassel Park.

Enter the WZZM 13 'Made in Michigan' giveaway

(WZZM) -- WZZM 13 is highlighting companies that make products here in our state and you could be a winner. Friday we will announce the third winner of our Made in Michigan giveaway.

This week's prize package includes one box of Sweetland chocolate every month for a year, a premium twin mattress set from Jonathon Stevens, and makeup from Artistry cosmetics.

To enter the contest visit the WZZM 13 Grand Rapids Facebook page. You can enter the contest once each day. The winner will be announced Friday during WZZM 13 News at 6 p.m.

Click here for a list of all the

Community Sponsors

Drivers ticketed for detour through Home Depot

KENTWOOD, Mich. (WZZM) - Now that construction is causing traffic delays on 28th Street in Kentwood, drivers are looking for ways to avoid the congestion.  

Some are choosing a bypass that is not only considered unsafe, but also illegal.  They are taking a detour through the parking lot of the Home Depot store on the corner to get around the tie up at 28th and Patterson.

"They were using it as a cut-through," explains Home Depot assistant manager Mike Morrissey. "Our concern is for the safety of everyone who shops at the store. We needed to stop the flow of traffic across the front of the building."

With the help of the Michigan Department of Transportation, Home Depot installed additional stop signs and barriers to discourage drivers from cutting through.

Kentwood Police are also patrolling the lot and writing tickets when they catch people trying to bypass the traffic signal.

Two local lumber suppliers closing after 50+ years

KENT COUNTY (WZZM) - Plainfield Lumber & Hardware in Grand Rapids abruptly closed Friday after being opened for 67 years.

The owners haven't told us why, but we do know they were behind $28,000 in taxes, according to county records.

Plainfield Lumber proceeds Meekhof Lumber in Cascade Township which is also closing in June. We talked with one of the last standing long-time local lumber businesses to tell us what is behind this trend.

Standale Lumber & Supplies has been around almost as long as Plainfield Lumber & Hardware. "60 years...a milestone," said Standale's Tom Muenzenmeyer. But news of their big competitor closing up shop, isn't welcome. "It does worry everybody."

"The biggest competition that has obviously happened is the big box." Muenzenmeyer is talking about places like Low's and Home Depot.

Wolverine fan gets free Final Four tickets

CASCADE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WZZM) - A fan of the University of Michigan and her friend are driving to Atlanta after she unexpectedly got two free tickets to the NCAA Basketball Tournament Final Four.

Whitney Smith is a bartender at Watermark Country Club in Cascade Township. One of the members gave her the tickets.

"He told me at the beginning the year he might have tickets if Michigan goes all the way," she explains. "I didn't think anything of it. Then I got an e-mail. He had extra tickets and he saved a couple for me."

Whitney says she and the club member have cheered the Wolverines during their games at the Watermark Grill. This year the team is in contention for the championship.

"This is a huge deal," she says. "Look at how long we have waited for Michigan to go to the Final 4 again. I'm taking a friend that also works here and we are going to drive the 12 hours."