Midday West Michigan

Dr. Robin Connell is the 2017 Jazz Musician of the Year, presented by the West Michigan Jazz Society.  A banquet celebrating Dr. Connell is next Monday, May 15th at the Guest House in downtown Grand Rapids beginning at 6pm.   WGVU has this feature profile on Dr. Connell.  For more information on the banquet go to www.wmichjazz.org

Letter Carriers across West Michigan are hoping to "Stamp Out Hunger" and they need your help. Now in its 25th year, the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive will give food to Feeding America West Michigan, which in turn provides food to those in need. 

The Grand Valley State University Women's Golf team is playing in the NCAA Regional this week in Canton, Ohio. Julie Guckian is a senior leader on a deep team that is hoping to qualify for the NCAA championship later this month.

Melanie Marod is one of the young, up and coming jazz singers creating music in New York City.  She grew up in Spring Lake Michigan and graduated from Hope College.  After studying opera abroad she moved to the Big Apple, seeking her fame in the jazz arena.  WGVU has this feature interview with Melanie about her debut album I'll Go Mad.

Guardians of the Galax2 hits the big screen this week, the sequel to one of the most critically acclaimed super hero movies from the Marvel comics universe.  WGVU talks with Ron Van Timmeran from Celebration about that movie and the historical golf drama Tommy's Honor and Eric Kuiper introduces a new lineup of indie films.

The UICA Movie theater is a full service film theater located in downtown Grand Rapids.  It presents independent, international and documentary films.  Nick Hartman is the man who curates UICA movies.  WGVU visited UICA for a conversation with Nick on the process of curating contemporary film.

The Michigan Municipal League is hosting public forums talking about the state’s system for funding municipalities that it believes is broken. The MML says mayors have consolidated services saving taxpayer dollars but more needs to be done.

During its Save MI City stop in Grand Rapids, WGVU spoke with Matt Bach, director of media relations with the Michigan Municipal League about the fallout from the Great Recession and how decreases in revenue sharing are impacting cities across the state.

Learning from Scratch was founded by Betsey Hamm in 1998. She collects large sums of commercially produced pieces parts that might otherwise end up in landfills. Hamm puts those industrial leftovers to work explaining, "All by themselves, these various remnants appear useless. But to a creative mind, it's part of something that evolves through an artistic or educational process." 

The Sf Jazz Collective is based out of San Francisco and is composed of renowned leaders from around the world.  They're performing in Grand Rapids at St Cecilia Music Center Thursday, May 4th at 7:3pm.  WGVU spoke with pianist and composer Edward Simon, a member of the ensemble about the concert, which will feature the music of Miles Davis, along with original compositions, and his own album Latin American Songbook.

Tom Hanks and Emma Watts star in The Circle, which opens in west Michigan theaters, along with Sleight, Colossal and How to Be A Latin Lover.  WGVU talks with Jenny Garone from Celebration Cinema.