Cooking up awards
Gilles Renusson, French Agricultural Merit award winner, discovers profession in boarding school.
Upcycling for the Greater Good
Social justice and passion have always been a part of Janay Brower’s work. Before starting Public Thread, she worked for the city of Grand Rapids and the Grand Rapids Area Coalition to End Homelessness, doing systems change and public policy work. But despite the work she was doing, Brower wanted to find a way to foster deeper systemic change.
Furniture Makers Open Rustic City Living Storefront
Best friends since the third grade, Amy Calvert and Kristy Dipiazza started a business together simply out of need.
Family Debuts Mobile Event Venue
A pair of Calvin College grads and their kids have moved back to West Michigan with an Airstream trailer and a vision in tow.
Looking For An Escape?
At the corner of Division and Weston in downtown Grand Rapids sits a building that begs the question, “Will you make it out alive?”
Angling on the Grand
Tom Werkman shares his love of fishing with other anglers.
DIY at Wax Poetic Candle Bar
The life of a candle shop owner means your trash never smells bad.“I mean literally, it never stinks,” says Jill Bromley-Sung, owner of Wax Poetic Candle Bar, who also comes away smelling pretty nice herself.
Make Room for the Mountain Minnies
Say hello to the winter adventure program designed to get little girls outside to brighten the colder months.
Walking Down Memory Lane
Kelly Kermode still has the small pinch pot she made in kindergarten. It’s a reminder of where she started and where she’s going when it comes to life and her pottery skills.
‘The Quarry’ Collaboration
The road to publication of The Quarry wasn’t free of rocks and ruts, but now local author Mike Salisbury and local illustrator Marvin Luna are entering the world of graphic novels
Representing the Black community
Dr. Charles Gibson is one of only a few Black trauma surgeons in the country.
Dégagé Ministries Commemorates Impact with Event Featuring Patrons’ Stories
Transforming lives and restoring hope in the Heartside community, Dégagé Ministries is a Christ-centered, non-profit organization that offers valuable programming and services to homeless and disadvantaged individuals in Grand Rapids. To commemorate its impact on the community, the ministry is hosting this year’s “Celebrate Dégagé.”
Collector Donates 5,000 Historical Postcards to Library
A visual history of Grand Rapids is now available at the Grand Rapids Public Library in postcard form.
Rockford native to present on bike tour of North America
Author Robert Downes will speak on his experiences in long-distance biking.
Purple Backpack Project Delivers Lifesaving Items to Homeless
As temperatures drop and snowstorms await, local nonprofit Dirt City Sanctuary said even though items such as a proper pair of boots should be an essential necessity to surviving winter, many individuals in West Michigan walk the streets without such provisions.
Couple Continues Their Story with Epilogue Books
Once Valerie Burkholder retired early this spring, after working for 28 years, she decided to follow her lifelong dream of opening a bookstore.
Locally Made Film Spoofs Evangelical Summer Camp
The old adage, “write what you know” served Eric Scott Johnson and Eric Machiela well. The pair recently completed Camp Manna, a coming of age film that takes place at an Evangelical Christian summer camp.
Passing Peacefully
When they say “dog is a man’s best friend,” that’s no exaggeration. A family or companion pet can make a profound difference in many people’s lives, and their memories are often cherished forever.
New City Manager Makes History with Appointment
Mark Washington, Grand Rapids’ next city manager, is a busy man.
Gemini Handmade Expands to Collaborate with Community
This past June, Parliament the Boutique rebranded as Gemini Handmade after five years on the South Division Avenue for the Arts corridor. Now, the local artisan-based shop has made another big move—to 963 Cherry St. SE.