1. Just announced, Grand Rapids will be hosting the National Civics Bee next year.
How does it work? Students in grades 6 through 8 are invited to take part in the first-round civics essay competition which opens in mid-November.
A panel of judges will review their 500-word essays and the top 20 students will be selected to move on to the next round.
This will be a live quiz event that will take place on April 16 at Frederik Meijer Gardens.
For more information and specific essay topics go to grandrapids.org/civicsbee.
2. The Nature Conservancy in Michigan announcing the winners of its 2023 local photo contest.
The grand prize photo was "A Foggy Cloud Lake" taken by Chong Wu of Illinois. The judges found it to be "filled with interest, beautiful light, and colors and it's very inviting".
There were also several winners from our area. Steven Jessmore's photo won in the "People and Nature" category, and Brooks Angell's picture won in the "Water" category. Both are from Grand Rapids.
To view all the photos head to nature.org.
3. New bobbleheads have been unveiled commemorating the Grand Rapids Chicks and Kalamazoo Lassies.
The unveiling comes in celebration of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League champions bobbleheads' 80th anniversary.
The league ran from 1943 to 1954. The Chicks won championships in 1947 and 1953. The Lassies won the last championship in 1954.
Bobbleheads have also been made representing the Rockford Peaches, Racine Belles, South Bend Blue Sox, and Milwaukee Chicks.
Each bobblehead is individually numbered out of 1,943 and costs $40 plus shipping. The complete set may be purchased for $225.
4. Celebrate the origins of yuletide traditions when the Lake Michigan College Mendel Center welcomes the Baltimore Consort at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, December 1 in Grand Upton Hall.
With its festive cornucopia of instruments such as the lute, cittern, and crumhorns, the Baltimore Consort offers old carols and dance tunes from the British Isles, Germany, France, Spain, and the New World.
Tickets can be purchased at themendelcenter.com.
