People

My Town: Viking Group announces new leadership team responsibilities

Submitted by Cheri Mikowski, WZZM Receptionist & Community Blogger

Friday, February 27th, 2015, 2:29pm

---NEWS RELEASE---

The Viking Group, a global leader in the manufacture and distribution of fire protection products and services, is pleased to announce the following executive leadership appointments, all of which are effective immediately.

View Comments | Post a Comment

My Town: Real estate professionals to give back to public servants

Submitted by Tyler Lecceadone on Wednesday, February 25th, 4:56 pm

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – A group of real estate professionals have come together to create a service that is giving back to those who serve the public in the Grand Rapids area.

"U Deserve" has brought together several professionals who are dedicated to lowering costs associated with buying, selling or refinancing a home for active military members, veterans, firefighters, police officers, EMS providers, health care professionals and educators.

“Growing up with a father who served in the National Guard and as a police officer, I was able to see first-hand how much public service individuals give back to their communities,” said Kevin Wildman, founder of U Deserve. “U Deserve is a way of saying ‘thank you’ to those individuals.”

View Comments | Post a Comment

Submitted by Cheri Mikowski, WZZM Receptionist & Community Blogger

Wednesday, February 25th, 2015, 2:00pm

My Town: Rep. Afendoulis to lead criminal law reform work group

----NEWS RELEASE---

State Rep. Chris Afendoulis today announced he will co-chair a House workgroup tasked with reforming Michigan’s criminal laws. Afendoulis will co-chair the workgroup with Rep. Kurt Heise, R-Plymouth.

“I look forward to working with Rep. Heise and my other colleagues to bring common-sense reforms and improve consistency within Michigan criminal law,” said Afendoulis, R-Grand Rapids Township. “It’s time to focus on identifying and repealing unnecessary criminal statutes and burdens currently in state law that result in over-criminalization and over-penalization of Michigan citizens.

“Too many good people are being unfairly punished by laws that were written to serve the 19th century and not the needs of the modern Michigan family. It is well past time to change this.”

View Comments | Post a Comment

Sable Homes president talks to state leaders about need for skilled trades talent

Submitted by Tyler Lecceadone on Monday, February 9th, 3:30 pm

LANSING, Mich.-- Members of the Home Builders Association of Michigan (HBAM) testified in the State House Friday to urge the legislature to find ways to increase the number of workers entering the skilled trades.

“The lack of workers going into the skilled trades is the biggest factor impacting the growth of Michigan’s home building industry,” said John Bitely, president of Sable Homes in Rockford. “The shortage of labor is resulting in construction delays and increased labor costs, and it’s dragging on our state.”

Bitely cited several Michigan laws that make it difficult for home builders to hire young workers and encourage them to look at careers in the construction industry.

View Comments | Post a Comment

Submitted by Cheri Mikowski, WZZM Receptionist & Community Blogger

Monday, February 9th, 2015, 7:00am

My Town: Third annual Write Michigan Contest winners announced

--------NEWS RELEASE-------Kent District Library, Schuler Books & Music and Herrick District Library announce the winners of the third annual Write Michigan Short Story Contest. More than 700 writers from across the state entered the contest: 215 adults, 426 teens and 104 in the youth category.

“We’ve had another successful year,” said KDL Assistant Director Michelle Boisvenue-Fox. “We are always excited to see and read so much great talent in Michigan. We are supported by 155 volunteer reviewers—librarians, booksellers and Friends of the Library—with over half of them returning from last year’s contest. Many people find this a fun way to support aspiring writers.”

View Comments | Post a Comment

Submitted by Christa Ferguson, My Town Administrator

Tuesday, January 13th, 2015, 9:31am

My Town: Grand Rapids Township lawmaker opens new office

----NEWS RELEASE---

State Rep. Chris Afendoulis announced the opening of his Lansing office, along with important contact information for residents to reach out to him.

Afendoulis will continue to utilize former Rep. MacGregor’s toll free phone number at 1-855-347-8073 to ensure a smooth transition for residents in the 73rd District. He can also be reached at his Lansing office at (517) 373-0218, via email at ChrisAfendoulis@house.mi.gov, and by mail at P.O. Box 30014, Lansing, MI 48909-7514.

“It is important to me that the hard-working taxpayers who sent me to Lansing know I’m here to serve them,” said Afendoulis, R-Grand Rapids Township. “I encourage people to reach out to my office with their thoughts and concerns so that my staff and I can be of assistance at any time.”

View Comments | Post a Comment

Submitted by Christa Ferguson, My Town Administrator

Wednesday, January 7th, 2015, 9:38am

Congressman Justin Amash rejects Boehner for speaker

WASHINGTON (Todd Spangler, Detroit Free Press) – U.S. Rep. Justin Amash of west Michigan — once again — joined the move to dump House Speaker John Boehner as his party's leader in the chamber.

It didn't work: Boehner, R-Ohio, was elected to his third two-year term as House speaker but it didn't come without a a spirited challenge by his critics, including Amash, who joined 27 members who rejected either Boehner or Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi as speaker.

Boehner was elected with 216 of 408 votes cast in the 435-member chamber. Pelosi, the former speaker, received 164 Democratic votes. The rest of the votes were split among more than a dozen other names.

Amash was the only one of nine Republican members of Michigan's 14-member delegation to the House to vote against Boehner, a position he announced Tuesday morning on social media.

View Comments | Post a Comment