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My Town: Top five movies playing at Celebration Cinema this weekend

Submitted by Brennan Prill, WZZM13|Grand Rapids Reporter
Friday, July 25th, 2014, 9:00am
My Town: Top five movies playing at Celebration Cinema this weekend

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Summer is still in full swing, and new movies are premiering every weekend.

Celebration Cinema has a few good movies this weekend that you won't want to miss. Here are my top five for this weekend:

1.) A Most Wanted Man (Rated R) - Premiers this Friday at Celebration North. This movie is about a brutally tortured immigrant who turns up in Hamburg's Islamic community, laying claim to his father's ill gotten fortune. Both German and U.S. security agencies take a close interest. As the clock ticks down and the stakes rise, the race is on to establish this most wanted man's true identity.

2.) And So It Goes (Rated PG-13) - Premieres this Friday at all Celebration locations. This movie is about a self-centered realtor who enlists the help of his neighbor when he's suddenly left in charge of the granddaughter he never knew existed until his estranged son drops her off at his home.

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My Town: Heart of West Michigan United Way awards $3.3 million in community grants

Submitted by Anonymous on Wednesday, July 23rd, 9:30 am
My Town: Heart of West Michigan United Way awards $3.3 million in community grants

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.—More than three dozen organizations and agencies helping people get back on their feet are getting millions of dollars in support.

The Heart of West Michigan United Way awarded $3.3 million in grants to 39 agencies that reach out to the community-from offering home-delivered meals to senior to after school care.

 “We value our partnership and believe a community that takes care of its friends and neighbors is a good place to live. By investing in the basic needs of the community, we are working together to help the people that are the most in need,” says Maureen Noe, president and CEO of Heart of West Michigan United Way.  “If people have their basic needs met, such as food, shelter and a safe home situation, they are able to focus on the future and take the next steps to improving their lives. “

This year’s grant recipients are: 

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My Town: Restaurant Week GR to include specials from 66 restaurants

Submitted by Anonymous on Thursday, July 17th, 10:18 am
My Town: Restaurant Week GR to include specials from 66 restaurants

GRAND RAPIDS (WZZM) - Restaurant Week is about a month away, but you can start making your plans by salivating over the menus.

The 5th annual event runs from Aug. 13 to Aug. 24 at 66 Grand Rapids restaurants. This year, the theme is "Perfect Pairings" to showcase beverages that pair well with foods.

Restaurants are now taking reservations for Restaurant Week Grand Rapids. This year, 44 restaurants will offer 3-course locally inspired menus for $28 per person, including:

 

My Town Ada/Cascade

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My Town: Local restaurants named winners of wine

Submitted by Anonymous on Wednesday, July 16th, 10:21 am
My Town: Local restaurants named winners of wine

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.—At least half a dozen restaurants in West Michigan have made the cut for the corks they pop.

They are among 3,748 restaurants worldwide to make Wine Spectator’s 2014 Restaurant Wine List Awards.  For the first time this year, top honors went to Clos Maggiore in London, La Toque in Napa, Nice Matin in New York, Saison in San Francisco, The Stonehouse in Santa Barbara and Studio in Laguna Beach.  They join 68 other winners of the Grand Award, which honors restaurants that generally offer guests 1,500 or more wine selections and for superior cellars, service, ambiance and cuisine.

The program’s entry-level Award of Excellence went to 2,791 restaurants; another 883 restaurants earned the Best of Award of Excellence for typically offering a list of 350 or more quality wine selections.  Locally, the following restaurants made the cut:

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My Town: Consumers Energy Foundation awards nearly $31K to volunteer groups

Submitted by Anonymous on Monday, July 14th, 9:03 am
My Town: Consumers Energy Foundation awards nearly $31K to volunteer groups

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.—Dozens of organizations are getting a financial boost from the Consumers Energy Foundation.

The organization recently awarded 64 grants totaling $30,900 to nonprofits across the state.  The Volunteer Investment Program grants are aimed at encouraging volunteering within Consumers Energy by rewarding those who work or have worked for the company.  This year’s recipients include:

Kalamazoo

  • $650 to Girl Scout Junior Troop 80462 (Jim Cottrell)
  • $450 to Mattawan Consolidated Schools Battle of the Books (Hillary Hogarth)
  • $550 to United States Bowling Congress Kalamazoo Area Youth Association/Airway Lanes (Susan Searles)

Kent

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My Town: August voters to decide funding for Kent District Library branches

Submitted by Anonymous on Sunday, July 13th, 7:00 am
My Town: August voters to decide funding for Kent District Library branches

-------NEWS RELEASE-------

KENT COUNTY, Mich. (Kent District Library)-- On Tuesday, August 5, 2014, Kent District Library residents will vote on a 1.28 mills ballot proposal to provide funding for KDL for 10 years.

The 1.28 millage rate consists of a renewal of the 0.88 mills levy, which has been in place since 2000 and expires at the end of 2014, and an additional 0.4 mills. The Kent District Library property tax millage provides 90% of the funding for services offered at 18 branch locations and online, including all library materials, technology, staff and programs.

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My Town GR North: NorthPointe Christian students compete to give away $1,000

Submitted by Kim Lowitzki on Monday, June 16th, 11:01 am
My Town GR North: NorthPointe Christian students compete to give away $1,000

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.-- Before wrapping up their school year, NorthPointe Christian School students competed in an unusual contest: Who has the best idea of where to give $1,000?

The exact challenge: create a one-minute video explaining what you would do with $1,000 that would make a difference in impacting the world for Jesus Christ.  The incentive: $1,000 in prize money.

Coined “Heart Prize 2014,” the contest motivated 46 NorthPointe Christian middle and high school students to step up to the challenge.  Students passionately presented local, national and world causes to their fellow student body, inviting the school as a whole to consider needs outside themselves.  Hundreds of views and votes poured in through the contest’s youtube channel, eventually narrowing down the entries to a top six.

One of the top six contestants was Tadesse Yasin.

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