Departing GRCC board member Terri Handlin reflects on GRCC’s growth, mission
May 10, 2013; MLive
GRAND RAPIDS, MI – When Terri Handlin was first elected to the Grand Rapids Community College Board of Trustees in 1991, both the college’s student body and its campus were a fraction of its current size.
Mother’s irreplaceable keepsakes destroyed in Grand Rapids fire
May 11, 2013; MLive
GRAND RAPIDS, MI — As fire spread through her Southeast Side apartment, Kylie Sylvester understood that she and her 2-year-old son, Alexander, would loss possessions that could be easily replaced.
… Sylvester, who is a student at Grand Rapids Community College, said this is the second time that fire has left her out of a home. Seven years ago, when Sylvester used to live in Arizona, an electrical fire started from inside the walls in the apartment she was living in at the time.
GRIL U participants teens graduate from college
May 10, 2013; therapidian.org
In a time where many of our urban teens are known to drop out of high school, GRIL (Grand Rapids Initiative for Leaders) is proud to announce the college graduations of three of our GRIL U teen leadership program graduates!
… Terrill Charleston graduated from GRCC with an Associate’s degree in Business Education. Charleston plans to work towards his Bachelor’s at Davenport University in the fall. Charleston graduated from the GRIL U program in 2008 through Jubilee Jobs, Inc.
Fracking comes to West Michigan
May 10, 2013; therapidian.org
Perhaps you’ve seen them: billboards that aim to educate the public about horizontal hydraulic fracturing or fracking, a relatively new process of oil and gas extraction from deep shale layers.
(Article is by Maryann Lesert, of GRCC’s English Department.)
West MI Fractivist Sarah Barker sings for a silent spring
May 10, 2013; therapidian.org
Sarah Barker, who performs as Sairuhnade, wrote the song “Silent Spring” in honor of Rachel Carson’s book by the same title, the book often referred to as marking the start of the modern environmental movement, and one that Barker read in an EcoLit and Activism class at GRCC.
(Article is by Austin Stadler, a student in GRCC’s Writing for Publication class.)
West MI Fractivist: Jeff Smith and the ‘People’s EPA’ indict the oil & gas industry
May 10, 2013; therapidian.org
With a welcoming smile and laid back attitude its difficult to imagine that a few short months ago Jeff Smith, founder of Grand Rapids Institute for Information Democracy (GRIID), was in jail for occupying the downtown office of Wolverine Oil and Gas.
(Article is by Tiffany Szakal, a student in GRCC’s Writing for Publication class.)
West MI Fractivist Nicole Berens-Capizzi puts compassion and action up against injustices
May 10, 2013; therapidian.org
Try to imagine living your life without cash. The work you put forth helping other people is paid for in goods or services you need. If you have an extra microwave oven and need a blender, you simply swap items with a member of your community, and neither item goes to waste. This is part of what a Grand Rapids-based organization, Mutual Aid GR is trying to achieve. In addition to their Barter Board, Mutual Aid also assists in planting community gardens and focuses on direct action to help citizens of Grand Rapids who are in need.
(Article is by Martin Simons, a student in GRCC’s Writing for Publication class.)
West MI Fractivist Steve Losher: “We’ve got every right to be here!”
May 10, 2013; therapidian.org
The past year was an exciting one for Steve Losher, president of Michigan Land Air Water Defense (MLAWD), and he has no plans of slowing down in 2013. Carpenter by trade, Losher is finally putting his 25 years of pent up environmental angst to work. Losher has recognized, researched and taken a stand against hydraulic fracking as a founding member of MLAWD, a non-profit organization composed of citizens from all types of backgrounds, in the hopes that people become involved and educated on the dangers of fracking.
(Article is by Noel Fleming, a student in GRCC’s Writing for Publication class.)
Dow grad Allen finishes collegiate baseball career on high note
May 10, 2013; Midland Daily News
Midland’s Michael Allen certainly ended his college playing days on a high note.
… After graduating from Dow High, Allen attended Saginaw Valley State University, then transferred to Grand Rapids Community College, where he played under head coach Mike Cupples, a former minor league catcher in the Oakland Athletics system during the mid-1980s.
Undrafted linebacker getting close look by Bengals
May 12, 2013; Lancaster Eagle Gazette
CINCINNATI — When trying to assess if an undrafted rookie will make the Bengals 53-man roster in September, the first place to look would be linebacker. Of the six linebackers who were on the roster when last season ended, four were undrafted players including Vontaze Burfict and Emmanuel Lamur.
… (Nick) Truesdell, a former Anderson High standout, has not played since 2011 at Grand Rapids Community College after he tore his ACL. Before that he played briefly at UC in 2008, lasting eight games before being kicked off the team due to some legal incidents.
Baseball season ends with regional loss for Muskegon Community College
May 11, 2013; MLive
MUSKEGON, MI — The baseball season came to an end for the Muskegon Community College baseball team.
The Jayhawks finished 34-15 after dropping a 6-3 decision to Grand Rapids Community College in a losers bracket game Friday in the regional tournament in Battle Creek.
Delta College’s stunning tournament roll halted one win shy of World Series
May 11, 2013; MLive
BATTLE CREEK — Delta College delivered a magical run.
But the Pioneers couldn’t complete the fairy-tale finish.
After knocking off the top three seeds to reach the championship game of the NJCAA Regional baseball tournament, the underdog Pioneers ran out of magic one win from the World Series. Grand Rapids Community College came out of the losers bracket to score 8-3 and 3-0 victories Saturday to make Delta’s dreams disappear.
KVCC softball team advances to NJCAA national tournament for first time since 2006 with 8-1 win over Owens CC
May 10, 2013; MLive
Kalamazoo Valley Community College softball coach Mike Clark said he had a feeling this could be a special season for the Cougars softball team on the first day of practice.
… Clark said a pair of losses to Grand Rapids Community College on April 9 seemed to change the tide for his team this season.
Kellogg CC baseball ousted from regional
May 10, 2013; The Battle Creek Enquirer
Kellogg Community College saw their season end with two tough losses on Friday in the NJCAA Division II Region XII Tournament.
The Bruins lost a 5-3 heartbreaker to Delta College in the semifinals early on Friday afternoon and were bounced from the double-elimination tournament by Grand Rapids Community College with an 8-4 loss on Friday night.
Delta baseball one win away from World Series
May 11, 2013; Midland Daily News
BATTLE CREEK– In just its second season as a varsity program, coach Dan Smith’s Delta College baseball team is now one win away from the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II World Series.
The Pioneers, the No. 8 seed in the eight-team double-elimination regional, will play in today’s noon championship game at C.O. Brown Stadium against either Grand Rapids Community College or Kellogg Community College. If Delta loses, there will be a second championship game at 4 p.m.
