Focus West Michigan
Focus West Michigan for 7-1-24
(upbeat music) Today on Focus West Michigan, over 90 employers have been awarded grants from West Michigan Works. Gas prices are on the rise ahead of the holiday. A local artist is creating a series of murals at the Ford Airport and more state and West Michigan news. For WGVU, I'm Joe Bilecki. Today is Monday, July 1, 2024. (upbeat music) Focus West Michigan is brought to you by listeners like you to support this show and everything we do. Visit WGVUNews.org and click the donate button. (upbeat music) More than 90 employers have been awarded millions in grants from a West Michigan Jobs Network. WGVU, Steve Morrison, reports. West Michigan Works awarded $4.8 million to 94 regional employers through its Going Pro Talent Fund 2024 Cycle 2 grants. The award supports training 919 new hires, 387 apprentices and more than 1200 workers in an effort to boost job growth and skill development. Ken County received the most grants with 52. Ottawa follows with 20. Muskegon received six. Allegan five, Montcalm and Ionia two grants each. The funding focused on several industries with manufacturing receiving the highest number of awards followed by construction, healthcare, agribusiness and information technology, plus five awards in other sectors. Four grants are still pending. Statewide, the Going Pro Talent Fund is awarding over 300 businesses, $17.8 million in grants for Cycle 2. I'm Dee Morrison. As a record number of motorists are expected to hit the roads this week, AAA says gas prices increased just ahead of the Independence Day holiday weekend, and experts say they could go higher. WGVU's Jennifer Moss has more. AAA reported this morning that gas prices in Michigan had jumped 16 cents from a week ago. Michigan drivers are paying an average now of $3.67 per gallon for regular unleaded. Motorists are paying about $55 for a full 15 gallon tank of gasoline. Roadways are expected to be busy with a record high 2.3 million Michigan residents forecast to hit the roads over the Independence holiday week. Drivers across the state will be paying more for gasoline than they did last year on the 4th of July when the state average was $3.52. Adrian Woodlands, spokesperson for AAA, the Auto Club Group says, "Rising crude oil prices "have led to higher gas prices across Michigan "ahead of Independence Day. "She adds pump prices will likely continue to rise "this week as a record number of motorists "fill up for their holiday road trips." The most expensive gas price averages can be found in Jackson, Grand Rapids, and Lansing, while the least expensive can be found in Marquette, Metro Detroit, and Benton Harbor. I'm Jennifer Moss. - Michigan lawmakers sent a bill to the governor last week that would ban the use of so-called LGBTQ panic defense in court. Colin Jackson has more. - The panic defense involves claiming a defendant's discovery or perception of a victim's gender or sexuality may have been a factor in a crime. Democratic Representative Lori Polhutsky says it's had a chilling effect on the LGBTQ community. - Having to go through all of the trauma of reporting and a trial for nothing or a highly reduced sentence because the panic defense was deployed, it has been an issue. Both, you know, more statistically and also anecdotally I know people that have not reported for that reason. - The bill passed mostly along party lines in the state legislature, and the Senate concerns came up that the bill may be too broad. I'm Colin Jackson in Lansing. - Fireworks are often part of the fun celebrating the 4th of July, but there are some sensitive populations that have a difficult time with the noise. WGVU's Dean Morrison explains how you might help. The Kent County Sheriff's Department, veteran services and animal shelter sent out a joint statement offering some ways to prioritize safety and consideration during upcoming festivities. Fireworks may legally be used in Kent County, July 3rd through 5th, but local jurisdictions place their own time restrictions, so check for details. Unused fireworks or duds should be soaked in water overnight, wrapped in plastic to keep from drying out and thrown away. Sudden flashes and bangs from fireworks can remind many former service men and women of combat and cause distress. Advocates say if there's a known veteran in the neighborhood, let him or her know in advance exactly when fireworks use his plant and begin with low impact charges that build up to larger to reduce the shock of sudden explosions in the sky. Pet owners should keep animals indoors to prevent them running away and fright, and be sure information on ID tags or microchips is up to date. To muffle the sound of fireworks, close doors and windows and turn on music or a television. Consider asking the veterinarian for anxiety medication to give pets ahead of time. I'm Dee Morrison. Democrats in Michigan and other swing states are wondering what to do following President Joe Biden's widely panned debate performance against former President Donald Trump on Thursday. We have more from Rick Pluto. There's talk of delegates demanding Biden step aside in favor of an alternative, picked this summer at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. But would that solve the problem? Those Democrats see. Michigan State University political science professor Matt Grossman says that historically debates move polls by a couple of percentage points, but that effect doesn't linger. What usually happens is there's a little bit of a bounce coming out, but it dissipates later, and by the time you get to election day, you really can't see it anymore. But Grossman says Michigan is so evenly split right now that even a small swing in the vote could be decisive. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer is a Biden National co-chair and says Democrats should stick with the president. I'm Rick Pluto. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer is denying a report that she had called Joe Biden's campaign manager, Jen O'Malley-Dillon, to say that Michigan was no longer winnable for the president. Whitmer, in a statement today, insisted that Biden could still win the state in the wake of a debate performance by Biden that has left many Democrats concerned about his campaign. Whitmer's statement comes amid growing speculation within her party about whether she could replace Biden and run against Republican Donald Trump this fall. Whitmer and several other top national Democrats have publicly supported Biden since Thursday's debate. Some Michigan cities say they're investing in safer, more sustainable transportation in the coming years, thanks to federal funding. The Department of Transportation awarded $67 million total to Detroit, Kalamazoo, and Menominee, a small city on the Wisconsin border. Dennis Randolph is Kalamazoo's traffic engineer. He says the funding for that city will address longstanding concerns about downtown's high-speed, high-emissions traffic. We're attacking pedestrian safety, bicycle safety, from several different approaches. In Kalamazoo, the funding supports a long-term project to make downtown safer and more walkable. Detroit will expand Joe Lewis-Greenway, and Menominee will update its free infrastructure. Lawyers for the former Michigan State Police Sergeant accused of hitting a suspect with his car want the case move to federal court. WGVU's Dean Morrison reports. A probable cause hearing was held Monday for former Michigan State Police Detective Sergeant Brian Kealey, charged with second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter in the April 17th death of Samuel Sterling. Sterling was hit by Kealey's unmarked police cruiser while fleeing from officers in a Burger King parking lot, and later died of his injuries. Kealey appeared with his lawyer via Zoom for the proceedings as the judge discussed a motion by Kealey's lawyers to have the case moved to federal court. The motion was filed late Friday and argues, although Kealey worked for the state police, he was assigned to a U.S. Marshals fugitive task force when the incident happened, so the case should be in federal jurisdiction. Prosecutors opposed the move. The judge kept Kealey's preliminary examination set for August 12th due to the difficulty of scheduling the many lawyers involved in the case. The Michigan Attorney General's office has 21 days to respond. I'm Dean Morrison. (upbeat music) - For Tuesday edition of the Shelley Irwin Show, speak with Grand Rapids Fire Chief Bill Smith on Firework Safety Plus, the latest when it comes to stretching. That and more, that's tomorrow on the Shelley Irwin Show from 9 to 10. Thank you for listening and supporting. - Ford International Airport has selected a local artist for a new mural installation. WGVU Shelley Irwin spoke to Donia Gravengood about her art and plan to create 12 murals, greeting guests, driving to and from the airport. The artwork is entitled "Growth" with colors corresponding to native plant drawings. - Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority announces a winner, Donia Gravengood has been selected to create 12 murals, to greet guests, driving to and from the Gerald R. Ford International Airport. This is exciting and I'm happy to talk to you, Donia, about, well, how you got it done. Good morning to you, Donia. - Hi, thanks for having me. - Shates you, of course, here in our West Michigan, you call home. When'd you first pick up, I guess your first paintbrush, pen, when did you know you were gonna be an artist? - Oh, I could not even tell you. I've been doing it my entire life. Just painting and drawing, everything that I could see, but I've been doing murals since about 2020. It kind of smoothed the big time a couple years ago. - Thank you. Well, when it's time to move, you do. And of course, this new opportunity for you has got to be a landmark. So here we are, you and your artistic talent have been welcomed to the airport. How did this happen? - So I actually applied for a different project with the airport about a little over a year ago. They have this wonderful series of murals inside the airport, so I put it together a proposal for that and didn't get it, but they came back to me and basically said, "Hey, we think that your work would do really well outside of the building because I focus on plant life and native plants, obviously." So over the course of about a year, we put together this project and the subject matter and the research kind of collaboratively. - Yes, so here you are with an opportunity to portray the native plants of the home you love, the project of lifetime, and that's basically a quote by you. So what are you charged to do? - I am painting 12 berms on the median, leading up to the airport. So right on the road, as you drive up to the airport, I am painting native plants from the Dune, the wetlands and the woodlands. So basically from the lake shore to the airport, all of less than a stand native plants. And I'm painting these, I basically call them field sketches that are kind of made into these massive sizes and kind of put onto the berms. So they're very intricate line drawing, but obviously can be seen from very far away, very delicate, but very large. - Yes. - So when do you start painting and when are you expected to be finished? - So we are on the third week now. I have been out here for three weeks through that heat wave, which was an adventure. So three weeks, I'm hoping to be finished with the majority of the painting this week and then adding final touches and kind of putting on that easy, resistant coating and varnish next week. - Yes, your artwork is actually entitled growth. Yes, tell us more about that. - So the entire title is growth, but they've been here the whole time. Kind of a tongue and cheek, obviously plants growth, but these species have been here longer than the airport has been here longer than basically any of us have been here, constantly growing, constantly new plants, but they have been here the whole time. - And now give me the practical picture of you painting. If I enter the airport, let's say while you're painting, what do I see? Do you have an entourage or is it just a solo Dania graven good? - Nope, just me. You'll see me and my hive is by my cart. I have a stool that was actually my grandpa's gardening stool that you'll see me perched on a bunch, just painting with very tiny brushes. I joke a lot about how basically I'm using miniature painting brushes, like brushes that you'd use for tiny models for these massive projects, but you'll just see me up close, crouch, near burm, just painting away through. - Be safe, drivers, if you don't. Rubber neck and watch Dania graven good do her thing. She was selected to create 12 murals to greet guests, of course, driving to and from our Gerald R. Ford International Airport, which is the second busiest airport in Michigan, so that's pretty cool. Their support looks like from the Fry Foundation and the Ford International Airport Authority. Many have come together to present this opportunity to you. - Yeah, I believe all provided for the grant, you'd have to check with the airport fully for the idea of those funds, but yes, definitely the airport's done an incredible job with their program, supporting the arts and getting local artists to put up work here and a very grateful for it. - And are these murals permanent? - They should be, so I'd say semi-permanent. You can expect a mural to last, I would say, about 10 to 15 years before they start fading. The sun does do its damage, which is why I'm putting UV resistance spray over it and UV resistance paint, but rain won't wash them away. Sun won't save them for many years. They should be here for a very long time. - Wow, very nice. So what's the take home message when I see your work on the walls of the airport outside? - So with my work, I always kind of consider that I believe that everybody deserves peace and benefit of nature. And so my work is my way of bringing those peace and benefit to spaces where they couldn't always be, like in the middle of the road, and to kind of raise awareness for the importance and the absolute vitality of these plants that are such a big part of our lives, even though we might not always notice them, but they're incredibly positive life. - Growth is entitled, "Your Work, Art Work," again, being selected to create these murals. Dania, how do we find out more information about your work personally? - So I have a business called Interpersonal Design. You can follow me on Instagram or Facebook, and I'm posting updates daily, basically, about what I'm doing and what I'm painting. So you're very welcome to follow me on Instagram. - All right, it will be a pleasure to note your artwork driving into the Gerald R. Ford International Airport and driving out as well. Dania, grab and go ahead again, selected to create these 12 murals, two great guests driving to and from the airport. Congratulations and kudos to you. - Thank you, we're happy to be here. (upbeat music) - This has been Focus West Michigan from WGVU for Friday, July 1, 2024. I'm Joe Bilecki. Our audio operations manager is Rick Beerling and our news and public affairs director's Patrick Center. We'll be back with more news and events in West Michigan tomorrow, wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening. (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music)