Grand Rapids

Grand Rapids and DC musicians team up to release a new album

Stateside Staff — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 21:36:58 +0000

Midnight Faces is a music duo consisting of Phil Stancil - he's been playing around Grand Rapids since he was in grade school - and Matt Warn - a product of the Philadelphia music scene who now lives in Washington DC.

The pair has been able to work around that distance between Grand Rapids and D.C. to come up with their debut full-length album and gear up to play dates in the U.S. and possibly Japan.

Phil Stancil and Matt Warn joined us from Grand Rapids.

Their website is midnightfaces.com and their album "Fornication" will be released June 18th.

Listen to the full interview above.

Watch Michigan change over time using Google's 'Earth Engine'

Mark Brush — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 20:58:25 +0000

My kids love using Google Earth. With the push of a button they "fly" from Ann Arbor, Michigan to Newfoundland, the Panama Canal, the Great Barrier Reef, or some other place they're curious about.

Now Google has mined satellite images from the U.S. government that allow us to fly back in time.

West Michigan’s largest planetarium to undergo major technology upgrades

Lindsey Smith — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 19:07:14 +0000

The Grand Rapids Public Museum’s Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium is getting a major upgrade.

The planetarium is popular; pulling in about 60,000 visitors a year. But it uses technology that's almost two decades old. GRPM spokeswoman Kate Moore says the upgrade will make a huge difference.

“Right now our shows, not only are they out of date technology wise, but some of the information is not shown in the best way that’s possible. They’re not at maximum capabilities to what, especially students, but also the general public is used to seeing these days,” Moore said.

Giving the gift of music to at-risk kids in Grand Rapids

Jennifer Guerra — Wed, 15 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Every once and a while, our State of Opportunity team receives a story pitch from someone in the community who's trying to make a difference in the lives of disadvantaged youth. This is one of those stories. It’s a piece about boys, girls, and the universal language of music.

Former President George W. Bush to give keynote in Grand Rapids

Michigan Radio Newsroom — Tue, 14 May 2013 14:54:48 +0000

Former President George W. Bush will be in Grand Rapids this Wednesday, May 15. He will be delivering the keynote address at the second annual West Michigan Aviation Academy’s "Leaders of Tomorrow Gala."

The West Michigan Aviation Academy is a charter school founded in 2010 by Grand Rapids businessman, Richard DeVos, Jr. In addition to teaching core curricula, the school specifically focuses on aviation with a general emphasis on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

The Gala is meant to raise money for the school’s summer Navigator’s camp, aviation related capstone events, incentive flights, simulators, and flight training.

According to Monica Scott at MLive, the event begins at 4:30 p.m. and Bush is expected to speak before the dinner served later in the evening. It will take place at the Alticor Hangar at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport.

According to the Gala's website, Bush will speak to a sold out crowd of more than 850 guests.

-Julia Field, Michigan Radio Newsroom