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Ellis doubles down on bid to upset Amash

Submitted by Christa Graban, Producer

Thursday, July 17th, 2014, 8:50am

Ellis doubles down on bid to upset Amash

WASHINGTON (Maureen Groppe, Gannett Washington Bureau)— Brian Ellis, the Republican financial consultant hoping to upset GOP Rep. Justin Amash in next month’s primary, has committed $800,000 of his own money to the race, new campaign disclosure reports show.

That puts him among the top 10 self-funders running for the House this year, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, a Washington group that tracks political fundraising. But Ellis still had only about half as much cash in the bank as Amash about a month before the Aug. 5 primary.

And Amash has benefited from about $373,000 in independent advertising from the conservative Club for Growth, which wants to see him re-elected.

That compares with the approximately $844,000 that Amash’s own campaign has spent through June and the $1 million that Ellis has spent.

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Caught Being Safe program launches statewide

Submitted by Tyler Lecceadone on Monday, June 30th, 11:04 am

Michigan State Police, local law enforcement and Michigan’s Field Neurosciences Institute have teamed up with McDonald’s of Michigan to once again launch “Caught Being Safe,” a statewide bicycle/scooter helmet safety program. Kids wearing helmets and “caught being safe” by participating law enforcement officials will treated to a free ice cream cone or Apple Dippers at McDonald’s.

According to the Field Neurosciences Institute (of Michigan): “Caught Being Safe! has shown a significant increase in both helmet utilization and public awareness regarding the critical importance of wearing a bicycle helmet. This program has impacted not only children but adults as well.”

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Submitted by Kal Kamyszek, Blogger, receptionist and cook

Saturday, June 28th, 2014, 9:00am

Rhubarb Custard Squares; It's still that time of year

My Grandma use to tell us kids that Rhubarb was like a Spring Tonic after the long winter. For that reason, I probably should have listed this recipe under Health. Anyway, I ran across this recipe recently, made it, and it was a hit. The rhubarb can almost be mistaken for apples when it is baked up.

Try this recipe for a special occasion and see what your family or guests think.

Rhubarb Custard Squares

2 cups Flour

¼ cup Sugar

1 cup cold Butter

Combine in a bowl and mix until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press into a greased 9x13 cake pan and bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Filling:

2 cups Sugar

7 Tablespoons Flour

1 cup heavy Whipping Cream

3 Eggs, beaten

5 cups cut up Rhubarb

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Submitted by Christa Graban, Producer

Monday, June 16th, 2014, 9:32am

My Town: Army of volunteers create new play space for children

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.—Hundreds of Grand Rapids children have a new place to play, thanks to an army of volunteers.

On June 13, more than 300 people from Amway, Ellington Academy of Arts & Technology and KaBoom! pitched in to build a new playground at in front of the school, located at 600 Burton Street SE. The volunteers spent several hours transforming children’s designs into a place to play.

Dr. Marvin L. Sapp and other community leaders will celebrate the playground’s grand opening Tuesday, June 17 at 5 p.m., before officially welcoming children to play at the new site, which is the 16th of its kind built by Amway and KaBOOM.

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Submitted by Christa Graban, Producer

Thursday, June 5th, 2014, 2:14pm

My Town: New Meijer Gardens exhibition focus on work of British icon David Nash

GRAND RAPIDS TOWNSHIP, Mich.—The work of renowned British sculptor David Nash is now on display at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.

“David Nash: From Kew Gardens to Meijer Gardens” features more than 25 sculptures and installations by Nash. Scattered across the Meijer Gardens grounds. The exhibition, organized by the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, will remain on display until Aug. 17.

Nash served as the first artist-in-residents at Kew Gardens, located outside central London. Much of his work is focused on trees, through cutting, charring, casting, planting, drawing, or documentation.

“In many ways David Nash and the whole of his career which conjoins sculpture and the natural world, is at the very heart of the mission of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park,” says David Hooker, president and CEO of Meijer Gardens.

David Nash Cube Sphere and Pyramid. Photo courtesy Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.

David Nash Cracking Box. Photo courtesy Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.

David Nash Iron Dome. Photo courtesy Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.

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My Town: Aquinas student awarded Amway scholarship to study in China

Submitted by Tyler Lecceadone on Tuesday, June 3rd, 7:00 am

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.-- Aquinas College student and native of New Bern, N.C., Joanna Sendor, has been selected as a recipient of the Amway China 100,000 Strong Scholarship.

This $5,000 scholarship will finance Sendor’s participation in Michigan State University’s summer marketing program in China. During this three week program, students will travel to five Chinese cities where they will visit businesses and historical and cultural locations. The program is designed to help students gain an understanding of the Chinese consumer and business to business marketing.

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Submitted by Christa Graban, Producer

Tuesday, May 27th, 2014, 9:50am

My Town: Local representative honored as Afterschool Champion

EAST GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.—A lawmaker from West Michigan is being honored for championing support for afterschool programs and the children who participate in them.

Rep. Peter MacGregor and Rep. Rashida Tlaib were recently honored as Afterschool Champions during a “Breakfast of Champions” by the Afterschool Alliance in Washington, D.C. Both state representatives worked together last year to generate bi-partisan support to restore critical afterschool funding in the Department of Human Services budget. MacGregor and Tlaib were also instrumental in securing funding for a summer learning loss study by Michigan State University researchers.

MacGregor represents East Grand Rapids and the townships of Cannon, Courtland, Nelson, Oakfield, Plainfield, Spencer and Grand Rapids.

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