| WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2024 |
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In today's newsletter, a Grand Rapids' high school’s mandatory AP course now serving as national model, how West Michigan can address its child care shortage and a tiny Upper Peninsula area gets first snow honors of the year. |
Take time to enjoy Michigan's great outdoors |
This week's sunny skies, slightly warmer temperatures and peak fall foliage across Michigan sounds like the beginning of a weekend full of outdoor adventures. The new "Bermasaurus" mountain biking trail in the Upper Peninsula is bringing a "prehistoric vibe" to Copper Harbor thanks to its name and topography, according to organizers. The trail—which includes sections of bedrock, jumps, berms and slopes—is best suited for intermediate to expert riders. For those who want to get your steps in while taking in a myriad of fall colors, look no further than Ludington’s Cartier Park Pathway. The 80-acre forest is located within city limits and is close to the area's Lake Michigan beach, downtown shopping and restaurants, and historic bed and breakfasts. |
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The new Bermasaurus mountain biking trail features sections of bedrock, jumps, berms and slopes all crammed into a .9-mile, 442-foot descent that takes two to four minutes to ride at East Bluff Bike Park in Copper Harbor, Mich. It's a trail by the Copper Harbor Cycling Club. (Provided by Copper Harbor Cycling Club) |
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| This Michigan high school’s mandatory AP course now serving as national model |
In the classroom: Grand Rapids' Northview High School last year received a visit from the College Board for a school-wide Advanced Placement program. That program is now serving as the blueprint for others across the country to adopt it for all 10th grade students. Since first offering the course six years ago, Northview High School spent several years as the only school in the country where all 10th graders took the Advanced Placement course, AP Seminar, that’s meant to build academic confidence. Northview’s version is a hybrid of 10th Grade English and AP Seminar, which is an interdisciplinary course encouraging students to demonstrate critical thinking, collaboration and academic research skills. Roll call: More students are showing up for class in school districts across Michigan for the second year in a row, according to the latest numbers for the 2023-24 school year. But the Michigan Department of Education says student attendance overall has rebounded by only about half when compared to numbers from before the COVID-19 pandemic. |
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Friendly zoning, talent pipelines: How West Michigan can address its child care shortage |
Taking a village: Economic development and nonprofit leaders are working to address a critical shortage of child care options in West Michigan that they say is limiting economic growth and workforce participation across the region. There is only enough child care capacity in West Michigan for 26% of children under the age of 13, and 56% of children under age 6, according to data shown in the new West Regional Childcare Action Plan. In court: A judge has approved a $13 million settlement in a lawsuit over an unannounced active shooter drill at the state-run Hawthorn Center, a psychiatric hospital for children, in suburban Detroit. The event terrified kids and staff and caused them to scramble for cover, text family and call 911. Online: A 14-year-old boy in Plainfield Township is accused of trying to sextort other teens on social media. Kent County sheriff’s deputies believe that the 14-year-old targeted up to 17 other teens on social media and pressured them to send sexually implicit images. He is charged with three counts of child sexually abusive activity, two counts of using a computer to commit a crime and possession of child sexually abusive material. |
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NFC North enjoying historic early success as Lions begin divisional play |
The NFC North was already cooking with gas coming off the bye week for the Detroit Lions. And then every team inside the division won again last week, with the Minnesota Vikings on top at 5-0, with the Lions (4-1), Chicago Bears (4-2) and Green Bay Packers (4-2) right in the thick of things. For those wondering the historic nature of that hot start top-to-bottom, it’s the first time since the merger in 1970 that every team in a division has at least four wins through the first six weeks. Get well soon: Detroit Lions and former Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson has spent his career honoring children battling illnesses and other challenges by writing their names on his water bottle on game days. Several patients at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor are showing support for Hutchinson by decorating their own water bottles with encouraging messages and recording video messages for him. On the basketball court: Hours before their preseason finale at Little Caesars Arena, the Detroit Pistons made a roster move. Sources confirmed to MLive that the team is waiving forward Tosan Evbuomwan. ESPN’s Tim Bontemps first reported the news. |
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Join the Hunt for the Reds on the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail |
Have a glass: Red wine fans, October is your month. Wineries along the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail are celebrating Hunt for the Reds all month long, putting the spotlight on the area’s red wines and offering special deals on tastings and more. The ticketed event invites wine enthusiasts to try exclusive tastings from each participating vineyard’s best red selections until Thursday, Oct. 31. Family-friendly: Grand Rapids’ ultimate trick-or-treat destination for families who want to walk on the wild side is back. For over two decades, John Ball Zoo has been transforming into the scenes of “Hocus Pocus” and “Halloweentown” for its annual event, Zoo Goes Boo. Guests can expect to immerse themselves in the festivities while donning their best costumes from Oct. 18-20 and 25-27. Cheese lovers, unite: If you’ve ever dreamt of chasing a big wheel of cheese down a mountain (who hasn’t?), this is your chance. The first Marquette Mountain Cheese Roll is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19. Marquette Mountain teamed up with The Cheese Cave at Everyday Wines Marquette for the event. |
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Thanks for starting your day with us. |
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