1. Those living in Ottawa County who may need some help have access to a food distribution event this week.
The Ottawa County Community Action Agency will be giving out food this week to financially qualifying households.
Stop by the Salvation Army on Clover Street from 3 to 4 p.m. on March 21 or Church of the Savior on March 22 from 10 a.m. to noon.
Foods include milk, grits, canned diced tomatoes, peanut butter, and 2 pounds of cheese loaf.
Those who miss the distribution can contact a nearby pantry to collect food.
2. The first phase of a redesign of Calder Plaza is a go.
The space in the heart of Grand Rapids is adjacent to many government offices and hosts quite a few events.
$50,000 has been set aside for this initial phase which will include meetings, design plans, and renderings, as well as a cost analysis for the entire project.
According to Crain's Grand Rapids, the entire concrete deck will be removed, waterproofed, and replaced before the full plaza redesign happens.
A master plan was finalized in 2017, but stalled several times, especially because of the pandemic.
3. There's a big push to make Grand Rapids a more bike-friendly community, and leaders are going to the experts for help: the Dutch Cycling Embassy.
The group recently visited West Michigan to share their expertise on cycling innovations and infrastructure. The hope is to adopt the Dutch practices here to improve transportation efficiency, environmental sustainability, and quality of life.
The next step will take a group of city representatives to the Netherlands for a customized study tour, to gain firsthand knowledge of how the Dutch do bikes so well.
4. Celebrate the stars in the UP for the 2024 Upper Peninsula Dark Sky Festival.
This is the second year for the event in Copper Harbor, from April 11-13. There are three days of speakers and programming delving into everything from NASA, to the northern lights to photography.
Headquartered at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge with 550 acres of Dark Sky Park up to Brockway Mountain, there will be plenty of opportunity for amazing views. There are also guided experiences like snowshoe hikes and dark sky scouting.
Last year this sold out, so get your tickets soon. You can get them through the West Michigan Tourist Association.
5. We want to say "congratulations" to a member of our team this morning.
Last week Candace Monacelli and her husband Ryan welcomed Mia to the world. She was 7 pounds, 7 ounces, and a little over 20 inches long with a full head of dark hair. Welcome to the team Mia!
