Author: johnrothwellblog

A good day of fishing does not mean having to travel to that out of the way lake, pond, or stream.  Accessible fishing is available on the Grand River, in the urban setting of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

A Group of local protesters who are tying to change drivers license laws for undocumented immigrants in Michigan,  make a pilgrimage from Grand Rapids to the states capitol in Lansing.

Big trucks plus lots of mud equal a common Michigan pastime, known as mud bogging. After a tragic loss, the community of boggers came together in support of one of their own. 

Grand Rapids — The Baby Trump balloon, that has been making recent headlines made its way to Grand Rapids, Just in time for The mid-term election.  The 20-foot tall balloon, anchored down inside a small fenced-in area, brought a stream of visitors, to Rosa Parks Circle on Saturday October 27, 2018.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Briggs Park was the site for the annual Creston neighborhood celebration of National Night Out.

Hosted by the Creston Neighborhood Association, neighbors participated in activities and games for both adults and children.

The City of Grand Rapids Parks and Recreation made available free swimming at the Briggs Park pool. Free tacos were provided by Catered Creation and Vista Springs Riverside Gardens sponsored a Monarch Butterfly release.

Representatives of Movimiento Cosecha GR listen to county officals during Monday night’s meeting.

Members of Movimiento Cosecha GR and GR Rapid Response to ICE met with representatives from Kent County on Monday, August 6, 2018 to discuss ending the County’s contract with ICE.

The meeting, facilitated by Assistant County Administrator Matthew VanZetten, brought commissioners Robert Womack, David Bulkowski, Stan Stek and Chief Deputy Over Corrections Chuck Dewitt to the table where members of Movimiento Cosecha GR and Rapid Response to ICE shared experiences that are happening in the local immigrant community.

Kent County’s Robert Womack, Matthew VanZetten and Chuck Dewitt at Monday night’s meeting

Gema Lowe, lead organizer of Movimiento Cosecha GR, suggested that the purpose of the meeting is to have clear steps going towards ending the contract with ICE.

People of color are being stopped for petty, non-arrestable offences that are leading to arrest and ultimately, deportation. Major issues of concern and perception are driving while black or brown.

“The community is scared and has lost trust in the police,” Lowe said. “Many people in the area have been separated from their families.”

GR Rapid Response to ICE member Amy Carpenter mentioned how people in the immigrant community need help, saying that the arrests have caused families to lose their breadwinner, ultimately having to go without food and or even to lose their housing.

After listening to the concerns presented by the groups, Commissioner Stek wanted to know the core issue the organization is asking the commission to consider.

“Is it rubber-stamp the resolution without doing an analysis, without doing the thinking, without doing the investigation, without doing a lot of due diligence, or are they asking to roll up sleeves and do that analysis?” Stek asked.

Stek added, “All I am saying is, equip us with as much as you think you can and let us do some analysis and thinking.”

Upset that neither the sheriff nor undersheriff was present at the meeting and feeling that the movement was being lectured to by county officials, Cosecha members walked out of the meeting before its conclusion. No decision was made, commissioners were left to discuss the issue without further input from the group.

County officials talk among themselves after  Cosecha members walked out of the meeting.

Demanding that Kent County end its contract with the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE.) Supporters of the immigrant rights group Movimiento Cosecha GR protested at the Thursday, July 26, 2018 Kent County Commissioners meeting.

Protesters staged a peaceful sit-in causing officials to temporarily suspend the meeting.

GRAND RAPIDS TOWNSHIP, MI — On Wednesday July 25th, more than two dozen people protesting Kent County’s contract with ICE gathered in Manhattan Park before marching down Morningside Drive SE to the house of Jim Saalfeld, board chairman of the Kent County board of commissions.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Photos from the protest

Protesters chanted and left signs in Saalfeld’s yard calling him a coward and demanding the county end its contract with ICE.

Neighbors could be seen videoing the protest, one neighbor showed up on a moped to complain that the groups noise was disrupting his family’s swimming time.

Several Kent County Sheriff deputies arrived on the scene to keep on eye on the protest. No arrest were made. 

he Grand Rapids City Commission voted 6-0 on Tuesday, July 24, 2018 to appoint Nathaniel Moody to fill the Third Ward seat vacated by the resignation of David Allen last month.

Tuesday night’s vote followed interviews with the three finalists: Ryan Anderson, Austin Dean, and Moody that had been held earlier in the day.

The City Commission previously said it would make an appointment in a special meeting on July 31. The decision to appoint a new commissioner came at the very end of Tuesday night’s meeting. Commissioners were in the closing part of the meeting sharing their final thoughts when the decision was made not to wait until next week.

Not expecting a vote until next week, Moody was surprised yet glad that the vote was taken and the vacancy filled Tuesday night.

Moody was sworn in immediately following the appointment.

Commissioner Moody is looking forward now to sitting down with fellow Third Ward commissioner Senita Lenear to put their thoughts together, look at the plans the city has for the Third Ward and continue to push those plans to create new things. Hoping to bring better economics, better education and making sure the third ward continues to grow are on Moody’s agenda.

“To the residents of the third ward I think at this point and time as i take this seat I am hopping with thought that as we continue to grow, that we look forward to some new and exciting changes to occur,” Moody said.

According to a press release from the city, Commissioner Moody is senior pastor of Brown Hutcherson Ministries. He also serves on the Children’s Advocacy Council, Grand Rapids Community College Foundation Board and Grand Rapids Area Association of Pastors. He is a former member of the Grand Rapids Public Schools Board of Education, Police Chief Advisory Committee and Grand Rapids Urban League, among other boards and committees. He is a lifelong resident of Grand Rapids and has been married to his wife, Laura Moody, for 39 years. The couple have four children and four grandchildren.

In his application, Commissioner Moody pointed to his experience serving on boards with diverse people and addressing such issues as community and police relations, lead poisoning, affordable housing and racism.

Commissioner Moody will join the City Commission at the manager candidate interviews, set for 2 p.m. Tuesday, July 31 in the ninth-floor Commission Chambers at City Hall.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Photo essay of the Hollyhock Lane and East Grand Rapids parade.

Thousands of people in the metro Grand Rapids area lined streets to view Fourth of July parades that took place over the holiday.

Typical parade activities included bands, antique cars, political campaign candidates and candy being tossed along the route.

The East Grand Rapids parade experienced protesters from the Movimiento Cosecha GR denouncing Kent County’s contract with ICE.