Midday West Michigan

B3TLES: A Soulful Tribute To The Fab Four is the latest recording from WGVU favorite organissimo, one of the finest jazz-funk-jam bands in Michigan.  WGVU has this preview of an album that reinterprets the music of The Beatles with swing, soul and improvisational wit.

MiBiz takes a closer look at how the Trump Administration's immigration policy will impact the West Michigan economy. Also, Grand Rapids-based MC Sports files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and Michigan's Tax Tribunal rules in favor of Spectrum Health in a property tax dispute with Grand Rapids Township.

New movies opening this weekend include Matt Damon in the action film "The Great Wall", comedy "Fist Fight" starring Ice Cube, Charlie Day and Tracy Morgan, and the mystery thriller, "A Cure for Wellness." Ron VanTimmeren from Celebration! Cinema stops in to preview these and other movies during our weekly Movie Talk.

Today we celebrate the birthday of Grand Rapids native son and  NASA astronaut Roger B. Chaffee. This year also marks the 50 year anniversary of his death. Chaffee was killed January 27, 1967 , along with Virgil "Gus" Grissom and Edward White, when a fire broke out during a launch pad test of the Apollo 1 command module.  We talk with Brother Guy Consolmagno, Director of the Vatican Observatory in Castel Gandolfo, Italy about the legacy of Chaffee and the place where science and religion meet.

It's a sequel weekend for theaters around western Michigan as The Lego Batman opens along with John Wick: Chapter 2 and Fifty Shades Darker.  WGVU talks with Ron Van Timmeran from Celebration Cinema about those movies and nominations for Best Picture for the Oscars.  It's movie talk on Mid Day!

Three Grand Rapids-based affordable housing construction projects just received more than 7 million dollars in federal housing tax credits.  City officials say the tax credits are important in helping the projects come to life and provide much needed housing. WGVU’S Jennifer Moss talked with Kara Wood, Managing Director of Economic Development for the City of Grand Rapids.

Today on Gifts for the Greater Good: Philanthropy in West Michigan we take a closer look at the Johnson Amendment.

Earlier this month during the National Prayer Breakfast, President Donald Trump said he'll work to "get rid of and totally destroy" the Johnson Amendment.

What is it and what will it mean to do away with it?

We talk with Kyle Caldwell, executive director of the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy at Grand Valley State University.

As the battle between the White House and federal courts continue over the executive order banning entry for people from seven Muslim-majority countries, we decided to look at the way that this is affecting people in West Michigan. 

MA: Can you tell me why you left Iraq?

[Martin: Arabic]

[BS: translator] I left Iraq because the war was getting worse and our family was attacked and we had to leave to another country for safety, for ourselves and our family.

Three new movies open in theaters today, including the horror movie Rings, the sci-fi teen drama The Space Between Us and a new Robert DeNiro comedy The Comedian.  And more movies with Oscar nominations are screening, including Lion, The Salesman and Elle.  WGVU breaks it all down with Ron Van Timmeran and Eric Kuiper from Celebration Cinema.

Call it what you want, says President Donald Trump in a Wednesday tweet, but his executive order to restrict travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries to enter the U.S. is about keeping "bad people" out.

U.S. Representative Justin Amash disagrees calling it unlawful.

The Cascade Township republican spoke with WGVU about his recent Facebook post that says "President Trump's executive order overreaches and undermines the nation’s constitutional system."