Midday West Michigan

The Fate of the Furious is the spring blockbuster crashing movie screens and 20 years after Trainspotting comes T2.  WGVU talks with Ron Van Timmeran and Eric Kuiper from Celebration Cinema about these films, plus a slate of new independent movies and documentaries.

Thornetta Davis is Detroit's reigning Queen of the Blues.  She's one of the finest living American R&B singers and she's released a new album, Honest Woman.  A renowned songwriter and performer, Davis is performing at Billy's Lounge in Grand Rapids at the annual Local Blues Matter concert, along with The Jimmie Stagger Band, and the Boss Blues Band.  Doors open at 6pm.

WGVU spoke by phone with Thornetta Davis and asked her about the songs on Honest Woman.

Grand Rapids has a new poet laureate! The Grand Rapids Public Library Foundation announced today that Marcel Price, better known as Fable the Poet, will be our new ambassador of letters. However, more interesting is that he is the first laureate of color, the first one under age 40 and the first one without a college degree. Yet, his career speaks for itself, as he tours the country regularly with his poems. For WGVU’s Mutually Inclusive, Mariano Avila brings us this extended interview with Fable.

MA:

The Grand Valley State University Lakers Track & Field teams travel throughout the country during the outdoor season giving student athletes the best chance to qualify for the NCAA Finals. We preview the GVSU Track & Field outdoor season.

WGVU talks with Ron Van Timmeran from Celebration Cinema about movies opening up this week, including the comedy Going In Style, with Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine and Alan Arkin.  Plus, the animated kids picture Smurfs: Lost Village and faith based The Case of Christ are also appearing on west Michigan movie screens.

WGVU's Scott Vander Werf with Ron  Van Timmeran from Celebration Cinema.  It's movie talk on Mid Day with The Boss Baby and Ghost In The Shell, among others.

Helen by Euripides premieres at Grand Valley Friday night in a new translation by GV Prof. Diane Rayor at 7:30pm at the Louis Armstrong Theater on the Allendale campus.  Rayor worked with director Karen Libman and GV student actors on the work.  WGVU has this interview with the renowned translator of ancient texts.

Grand Valley State University Swimming & Diving teams competed in the 2017 NCAA Division II Finals held in Birmingham, Alabama.

Sophomore diver Brad Dalrymple was the surprise 1 meter diving board champion last year and has competition from his own team to defend the championship. In Birmingham, Dalrymple claimed the NCAA Division II National Championship on the 3 meter diving board and was named the 2017 Men's Diver of the Year.

GVSU men finished 5th and the Laker women came in 11th place at the NCAA Championships.

Kong: Skull Island opens in theaters this weekend throughout Michigan.  WGVU sits down with Ron Van Timmeran from Celebration Cinema to talk the history of the iconic movie ape and the latest film incarnation.

We discuss how the new U.S. Department of Education Secretary, Betsy DeVos, separates family business interests from her federal government function. Also, Blue Cross Blue Shield is proposing lower rates for small businesses.