Patrick Center

As Congress works on its 2018 Farm Bill one consideration is making food assistance recipients work. Thursday, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue visited Grand Rapids’ Robinette’s Apple Haus & Winery meeting with local farmers. This is where Perdue was asked about what could be in store for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP.

Perdue made it clear the Trump administration and a Republican Congress won’t eliminate the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, rather there’s a need for the nutrition program to, as Pedue put it, work for Americans.

The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue visited Michigan Thursday. His first stop was for a breakfast at Grand Rapids’ Robinette’s Apple Haus & Winery meeting with local farmers. This where Perdue rolled out the agency’s new interactive website designed to assist American farmers.

“If any of us have ever gone to a governmental website looking for information it’s kind of like hunting for Easter eggs. You know, they’re kind of hidden many times. We want this to be very evident.”

The Dominican Sisters Grand Rapids are in the process of renovating and transforming its 35 acre Marywood Campus. Assisting in the planning are Mercy Health Saint Mary's and Trinity Senior Services Management.

WGVU spoke with Sister Maureen Geary, Prioress of the Dominican Sisters Grand Rapids about the comprehensive plan.

More than 65,000 veterans call West Michigan home. Within Kent, Ottawa, Muskegon and Allegan Counties, 77 percent are without a bachelor's degree.

Grand Valley State University is working to change those figures celebrating the opening of its Veterans Upward Bound Center. This is where veteran students can find assistance working toward completing their postsecondary educations.

The Dominican Sisters Grand Rapids is reinventing its Marywood Campus. From a pool of more than a dozen potential business partners, the Dominican Sisters selected Mercy Health Saint Mary’s.

The Dominican Sisters Grand Rapids have called its 35 acre Marywood Campus home for 95 years. This is also where a congregation of 120 nuns live. Think dorm life. As a transformative plan moves forward, one goals is improving their accommodations.

Axis Company builds robotic automation and assembly equipment. As the economy grows and demand for its products increases leadership had a decision to make; expand in Grand Rapids or look outside the state for a new, second location.

The temptation was to move closer to one of its major out-of-state customers. Instead, Axis will stay in Kent County. It plans to invest $4 million at a location to be determined and over the next three years, add 50 high-tech jobs.

John Canepa, one of Grand Rapids business leaders and philanthropists who help lead the charge reshaping the city skyline and rejuvenating the downtown business district has died. WGVU pays tribute.

Van Andel Arena, DeVos Place, The Meijer Majestic Theater, MSU Medical School and Grand Rapids Downtown Market are considered quality of life game changers advancing the city. They are projects spearheaded by Grand Action Committee co-chairs Dick DeVos, David Frey and John Canepa.

Tuesday, January 23rd at 9PM WGVU Public Television and FRONTLINE present Exodus: The Journey Continues. This is a close-up and personal look at global migration and European refugee crisis. WGVU spoke with the film’s director.

“Now when they arrive they’re met and put into refugee camps that look a hell of a lot like prison camps.”

James Bluemel is director of FRONTLINE’s Exodus: The Journey Continues.

Michigan voters will elect a new governor this year. As a lead up to the Republican primary the parties candidates are planning town hall forums. The first is planned for next week in Grand Rapids.

Republican gubernatorial candidates Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley, state Senator Patrick Colbeck and Dr. Jim Hines will take questions from voters next week in Grand Rapids.

It’s the first in a series of town hall forums planned for January and February.

A Barry County man claims a fragment of the meteor that penetrated the earth’s atmosphere over Michigan this week – the one with the sonic boom causing an earthquake registering 2.0 on the Richter scale – came down over his head just outside Hastings. WGVU made the drive and trekked the fields in search of its remains.

“Uh, uh…who’d of…50 yards from where it hits and seeing it!”

Stacy Garrison was pulling into his driveway around 8:10 Tuesday evening.