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Here is something important to remember about George W.C. Walker III: Before he was 21 years old, he was in West Michigan, already studying for his sommelier exam.

A local mom is creating safer beauty products for tweens and teens.

When Henry entered the Humane Society of West Michigan (HSWM) he was not only malnourished and suffering from severe skin infections and internal wounds, but he’d also lost most of the fur on his body. Because of this, the HSWM staff members could not identify his breed.

Orchids. Those delicate, multibloomed delicacies of the botanical world. So desirable, orchids are smuggled globally as devotees seek out incredibly rare varieties.

For David Leslie, leaving his hometown of Grand Rapids in the 1990s began a 25-year journey west and back. He’s a furniture craftsman, owner of The Maker’s Bench, but that wasn’t what he set out to do intentionally.

Grand Valley State University is gaining a fresh perspective with new President Philomena V. Mantella.

Holland-born actor and writer Hopwood DePree will make an appearance at Schuler Books in Grand Rapids. 

Even without live events, the Hays have kept busy amid the pandemic.

Brian Kelly used a drone to capture images of Grand Rapids — his first muse.

It’s been 20 years since Marge Palmerlee first became the executive director of Dégagé Ministries, a nonprofit dedicated to helping homeless and struggling individuals in Grand Rapids get back on their feet.

Change is in the wind in the Third Ward of Grand Rapids.

In Mary McKSchmidt’s latest book, “Uncharted Waters: Romance, Adventure, and Advocacy on the Great Lakes,” she’s sailing with her husband on Lake Michigan, taking a view of its eastern edge, when she’s overcome by a nearly spiritual wonder. She’s scanning the shoreline for the spot she stood as a girl — recalling a vibrant springtime that left her in love with the water she sailed.

A doodle drawn out of frustration led local artist and writer Peter Welmerink to launch StickonStump, a simple cartoon figure who waxes motivational.

Tom Werkman shares his love of fishing with other anglers.

At the corner of Division and Weston in downtown Grand Rapids sits a building that begs the question, “Will you make it out alive?”

A West Michigan philanthropist and retail mogul recently died.

Don Myers had amassed a comic book collection of 30,000 issues when his college-age kids began encouraging him to do something more with his hobby, specifically, to open a comic book store.

From monthly visits to Mary Free Bed’s children’s floor to special appearances at Fifth Third Ballpark, Relay for Life, Gilda’s Club events and more, the Cosplay Crusaders are using their superpowers to lift kids’ spirits across Grand Rapids.

Once Valerie Burkholder retired early this spring, after working for 28 years, she decided to follow her lifelong dream of opening a bookstore.

The American Dream never goes out of style.