Candor Media

15/11/2023

Many Grand Rapids residents are urging the city commission to issue a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. On Tuesday evening, the Grand Rapids City Commission opted not to issue such a resolution.

https://www.candormedia.org/articles/grand-rapids-residents-demand-ceasefire-resolution-city-commission-silent-despite-public-outcry

08/06/2023

The Grand Rapids Police Department is seeking approval to spend $100,000 to buy multiple drones that they say will greatly enhance the effectiveness of their law enforcement operations.

“Drones are an invasion of our privacy. And our children need to know what privacy is, as well as what freedom is, and peace of mind is, and having these drones around is not going to help us,” GR resident Ann Bishop said. “If anything, it tends to criminalize the community even more.”

The Grand Rapids Police Department is currently seeking approval to spend $100,000 to buy multiple drones that they say will greatly enhance the effectiveness of their law enforcement operations.

14/01/2023

Issues surrounding housing and homelessness continue to dominate discussions at first Grand Rapids’ City Commission meeting of 2023.

“It is illogical and a clear moral issue to penalize people who are forced to carry out life-sustaining activities on the street and in public spaces when our community lacks alternative resources. We must treat homelessness as a housing health crisis. Not a problem for the criminal justice system...

13/01/2023

“On a daily basis, I notice many students tend to skip lunch. The food isn't really appetizing or appealing. A lot of students will complain and sometimes throw away or not eat it at all. Some of my friends go a whole day without eating,” said Karina Rodriguez, a student from City Middle High School.

Students from several Grand Rapids Public Schools spoke to the newly elected and appointed trustees about the need for better school lunches and a repaired pool for the Ottawa Hills swim team and Southeast communities at the first school board meeting of the year, Monday, January 9, 2023.

14/12/2022

On Tuesday December 13, 2022 the Grand Rapids Public Safety Committee listened to reports from the police chief, fire chief, and deputy city manager. Much of the discussion was in response to a letter from the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce proposing ordinances which would fine unhoused residents

13/12/2022

All local hospitals and over 120 local business leaders have co-signed letters supporting proposed ordinance by the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce.

09/12/2022

“It's our belief that these common sense ordinances may help some of them [the unhoused] to make different choices, to either seek the help that's readily available to them, or to even self-resolve from homelessness,” according to Mel Trotter Ministries’ Executive Director Dennis Van Kampen.

Van Kampen was one of multiple local business owners and nonprofit executives at the Grand Rapids City Commission meeting on Tuesday, December 6, 2022, to discuss unhoused residents in Grand Rapids. These community leaders were part of a full house turning out in response to a letter to the City bei

07/12/2022

The Grand Rapids Public School’s Monday, December 5, 2022 board of education meeting central discussion concerned the process around filling the vacancy left by board member Kristian Grant’s resignation due to her election representing the 82nd District in the Michigan House of Representatives.

17/11/2022

Over 40 comments were given at the Tuesday, November 15, 2022 Grand Rapids City Commission meeting. Residents remain highly concerned about equitable opportunities for Black, brown, and indigenous residents, particularly surrounding new community developments.

08/11/2022

Dozens of students and parents attended Monday night’s Grand Rapids Public Schools Board of Education meeting to express their dismay over the involuntary reassignment of Robert Rizkalla from the Blandford School for sixth graders and their hopes that he could come back. Parents also expressed confusion over his removal from Blandford only to be reassigned to another district school, the Museum Middle School.

Dozens of students and parents attended Monday night’s Grand Rapids Public Schools Board of Education meeting to express their dismay over the involuntary reassignment of Robert Rizkalla from the Blandford School for sixth graders and their hopes that he could come back. Parents also expressed con...

08/11/2022

In the 2022 race for Grand Rapids’ First Ward City Commissioner an estimated $142,000 to well over $200,000 has been spent to elect Drew Robbins. This is a historically large amount spent to beat incumbent City Commissioner Kurt Reppart, whose donations total $26,260, within the $15,000-$40,000 most local candidates raise to run for the office.

In the 2022 race for Grand Rapids’ First Ward City Commissioner an estimated $142,000 to well over $200,000 has been spent to elect Drew Robbins. This is a historically large amount spent to beat incumbent City Commissioner Kurt Reppart, whose donations total $26,260, within the $15,000-$40,000 mo...

19/10/2022

On Monday, October 17, 2022 the Grand Rapids Public Schools held their bimonthly Board of Education meeting at the GRPS Administration building on M.L.K. Jr. St.