West Michigan Weekend (A Public Affairs Program from iHeartradio)

In this episode post, Phil Tower speaks with John Schmidt, Program Manager with Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers Council. They operate the "Cruise the Great Lakes" initiative. John joined us on the program to discuss the 2025 forecast for cruising on the Great Lakes, as interest continues to grow year after year. John told us that Great Lakes cruises will welcome over 22,000 individual passengers, representing a nearly 10% increase from 2024. With more than 700 port visits planned—up nearly 30% from last year—the total number of cruise passenger visits across the region is estimated to exceed 150,000. The economic impact of cruising on the Great Lakes is expected to exceed $230 million in 2025, a 15% increase from 2024. More passengers, more port visits, higher shoreside spending, and a rising price premium for Great Lakes cruises are drivers of this growth. The ongoing expansion of Great Lakes cruising continues to bring significant economic benefits to large and small port communities throughout the region. Some new ships will be sailing the Great Lakes in 2025, with the return of Victory Cruise Lines to the Great Lakes. Cruise lines scheduled to operate on the Great Lakes in 2025 include Pearl Seas, Viking, St. Lawrence Cruise Lines, Ponant, Hapag-Lloyd, and Victory. About Cruise the Great Lakes

In this episode, Phil Tower welcomes Brittney Primeau, the Director of Communications at Crystal Mountain. Brittany joined us from Crystal Mountain to discuss the resort's growth and improvements made over the years and its significant impact on the positive economic growth in the region.Brittney also discussed the plethora of winter sports available at Crystal Mountain with a primary focus on skiing and snowboarding but continued growth in cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and several other available sport options at Crystal Mountain, including of course, golf in the summer and fall months. Online: Crystal Mountain John: Please email me back to confirm this program has been uploaded successfully and it's ready for broadcast.

In this episode, host Phil Tower speaks with Dawn Baker, Show Manager for The Michigan International Auto Show. Dawn joined us for a preview of this year's show and the upcoming Cars for Kids Gala on Wednesday, January 29th at DeVos Place. Mary Free Bed is this year’s charity partner for the annual " Cars for Kids Gala" as chosen by the Grand Rapids New Car Dealers Association. Proceeds will support the Mary Free Bed Kids pediatric rehabilitation program which provides Michigan’s most comprehensive physical medicine and rehabilitation services for kids and their families. Dawn reminded us that the Michigan International Auto Show is hosted by the Grand Rapids New Car Dealers Association with presenting sponsor Gentex Corporation. The show runs from Thursday, January 30 to Sunday, February 2, 2025, at 5 pm. Full details on what will be a terrific show once again are at www.GRAutoShow.com

In this episode, host Phil Tower welcomes back guest Michael Wildschut, Director of the January Series at Calvin University. The January Series is a free, 10-day event filled with brilliant speakers, fascinating topics, and enlightened conversation. The long-running series presented by Calvin University, features prominent academics, educators, artists, activists, and others to present thought-provoking lectures in their areas of expertise. Michael gave us an overview of this year's speakers; as usual, it will be a stellar year. You can attend the January Series from virtually anywhere…in person, on-campus at Calvin University, online, or at a remote viewing location. There are 15 of them in Michigan alone! You can stream the January Series live on your device from any location or stream year-round on YouTube. Online: The January Series at Calvin University

On this week's episode, Randy Thelen, President & CEO of The Right Place. Community business leaders and economic experts gathered in downtown Grand Rapids in early December for the 2025 Economic Outlook for the Greater Grand Rapids Region. The event, hosted by The Right Place, Inc., looked at the current state of the region’s economy. It also offered forecasts on the state and national economy and offered insights into the area’s manufacturing industries. Randy joined us for the full program to discuss highlights from The Right Place 2024 Year in Review report and presentation. Highlights from our conversation include: **Randy described 2024 as a transformative year, marked by significant milestones and impactful successes for our region. **We touched on the expansion of 20 businesses across the Greater Grand Rapids region **Looking at the major projects underway in Grand Rapids, including the Acrisure Amphitheater, the Amway Stadium, and the potential triple-tower project in downtown Grand Rapids. **Randy also spoke about the economic outlook for West Michigan and the importance of talent retention for filling future. ** We also discussed the potential impact of trade tariffs, as promised by the incoming Trump administration. **Finally, we looked at the importance of available labor in the region and a possible future shortage of available labor for a growing number of jobs, including high-tech jobs. Online: The Right Place. The Right Place 2024 Year In Review The Right Place 2025 Economic Outlook Topics discussed: economic outlook for West Michigan, jobs, labor, market, talent retention, tech sector jobs, tech week, talent pipeline, trade tariffs, undocumented workers.

On this episode, host Phil Tower welcomes Kevin Klein: CEO of Cherry Capital Airport. Kevin Klein is in his 22nd year with Cherry Capital Airport. He started in 2002 as operations manager and today oversees every aspect of the airport as CEO. Klein was named Airport Manager of the Year by the Michigan Association of Airport Executives in 2017. Kevin told us about exciting plans for the airport. They will soon begin the construction of a terminal expansion at Cherry Capital Airport. Klein said the expansion will add additional space and numerous other enhancements, including a new concourse with four more gates and a potential fifth gate. Kevin said the improvements are primarily needed because of the massive increase in the number of travelers each year. That number exceeded 700,000 passengers in 2023. Cherry Capital Airport serves about twice as many passengers as it did a decade ago. The population of Grand Traverse County has grown by nearly 11% since 2010 and stands at 96,421 as of 2023. Online: Cherry Capital Airport

On this episode, host Phil Tower welcomes Scott Graham, Executive Director of the Michigan Brewers Guild. Scott joined us for an update on the state of breweries and brewing in Michigan and to preview one of the biggest beer events in Michigan: the 19th Annual Winter Beer Festival presented by the Michigan Brewers Guild, on Saturday, February 22, from 1 to 6 p.m., LMCU Ballpark in Comstock Park. Formed in 1997, the Michigan Brewers Guild held its first festival in July 1998. Today, it hosts four festivals dedicated exclusively to Michigan beer produced by its nearly 300 member breweries. Michigan is called “The Great Beer State” ranking #8 nationally for the *number of breweries(*Just over 400). The festival will feature hundreds of fresh, local beers from Michigan's finest breweries, plus local music, ice sculptures and carving demonstrations, fire pits to chase away the cold, and food available for purchase. ABOUT THE MICHIGAN BREWERS GUILD The Michigan Brewers Guild is a network of innovative and passionate brewers that serves as the recognized advocate for the Michigan beer industry. The Guild's mission is to promote and protect the Michigan beer industry, with an overarching goal of realizing continued share growth and assuring a healthy small business environment for breweries. Michigan’s thriving brewing industry contributes more than $1.8 billion in economic impact. Online: THE MICHIGAN BREWERS GUILD

On this week's episode host Phil Tower welcomes back Skot Welch, M.M., Co-Founder & Managing Partner with New Community Transformation Fund. Scott gave an update on the New Community Transformation Fund, and told us of a recent affiliation agreement with Michigan Capital Network. Under this agreement, both organizations will remain as stand-alone entities and will continue to operate under their respective governance structures. MCN Ventures will now provide guidance, due diligence, compliance support, and administrative services for NCTF’s investment initiatives. New Community Transformation Fund was established in January 2020 and is based in Grand Rapids. Skot told the story of how the fund's creation came from conversations with longtime The Right Place, Inc. president and CEO Birgit Klohs and Skot Welch had to create opportunities for entrepreneurs of color. The New Community Transformation Fund aims to primarily invest in companies owned and/or operated by diverse business leaders while providing suitable risk-adjusted returns to its investors. The fund focuses on early to mid-stage businesses and transitioning succession companies within financial technology, health care, advanced manufacturing, and information technology. Finally, Skot touched on his work with The Mosaic Film Experience. MFE was founded in 2012 by Skot Welch, as a pioneering innovation initiative focused on engaging underrepresented youth in digital media and storytelling. Skot shared the exciting news that the Mosaic Film Experience was recently awarded a $50,000 grant from the Sony Electronics CREATE ACTION program. ONLINE RESOURCES: -New Community Transformation Fund -The Mosaic Film Experience

On this week's program, host Phil Tower speaks with Elton Andres Knight, CEO of Mahou USA. Knight became CEO of Mahou USA in February 2022. Mahou USA is a combination of three brands…Avery Brewing, Founders Brewing, and Mahou Imports. Mahou specializes in complex, in-your-face ales with huge aromatics and tons of flavor, and it is among the top 10 largest craft breweries in the U.S. Internationally, the company has a rich 134-year history. Mahou USA brands have received numerous awards from the World Beer Cup and the Great American Beer Festival, and RateBeer and BeerAdvocate users often rate its beers among the best in the world. *This conversation was also featured as one of our iHeartradio CEOs You Should Know Podcasts. Online: Mahou USA

In this segment, host Phil Tower welcomes Bill Morris, author of The Lions Finally Roar: The Ford Family, the Detroit Lions, and the Road to Redemption in the NFL. Bill Morris is the author of the novels Motor City and Motor City Burning, along with the family memoir The Age of Astonishment, available from Pegasus Books. Bill's great new book tells the epic and tumultuous story of the Lions, the Ford family, and the city of Detroit—and how all three have come together on the cusp of a new era. "Born under a bad sign" is how Bill Ford’s ownership of the Lions began. After a decade of supremacy, Ford led the team on a half-century slog of mediocrity, the fruit of his mercurial nature and undying loyalty to the wrong people. The Lions Finally Roar is bursting with the colorful ruffians who have made the team one of America’s most beloved sports franchises despite its years of futility. Bill is the featured author and guest at the National Writers Series in Traverse City Michigan on December 18. Get Bill's Book: The Lions Finally Roar: The Ford Family, the Detroit Lions, and the Road to Redemption in the NFL Topics Discussed: the city of Detroit, National Football League politics, National Football league ownership, the impact of professional sports on cities, Women in sports leadership.

In this episode, host, Phil Tower, welcomes Andy Balaskovitz, Managing Editor, Crain’s Grand Rapids Business. Andy joined us for a recap of some of the biggest business stories, impacting West Michigan, in 2024, including the major construction projects in downtown Grand Rapids...the new Amphitheater construction, the expected construction of the newly named Amway soccer stadium, and the DeVos & Van Andel Three Towers development. Other stories that Andy covered included Microsoft buying hundreds of acres in Kent/Allegan counties for planned data centers, the Downtown GR office-to-housing conversion plans, and The Tipped Wage changes: After years of pandemic disruptions, restaurants have been sounding the alarms about the implications of a pending law that could phase out tipped wages for restaurant workers. **Finally, Andy told us about the massive 1800-acre redevelopment project being undertaken by the economic development wing of the Gun Lake Tribe. Topics Discussed: hourly wages, living wages, housing shortage, commercial real estate, artificial intelligence, economic development, Grand Rapids tourism. Online: Crain's Grand Rapids Business crainsgrandrapids.com

On this episode, Phil Tower welcomes Kerry Lynch, Director of Sales at Shorts Brewing Company in Bellaire, Michigan. The first Shorts Pub was opened by entrepreneur, Joe Short in Bellaire, Michigan in 2004. Since then, The Shorts Pub has grown to include five storefronts, including a Shorts store and a private dining space, The South End. Kerry joined us on this segment to unveil a perfectly timed Christmas holiday feature from Shorts Brewing, “The Short’s Holiday Battle Plan.” This seasonal 12-pack of beer is designed with a Home Alone-inspired theme and includes four special new beers from Shorts Brewing all with unique tie-ins to the classic Holiday film. Kerry reminded us that “The Short’s Holiday Battle Plan” is available in stores across Michigan. Online: Shorts Brewing Company

On this episode host, Phil Tower welcomes back one of our favorite guests, Patrick DeHaan, Head of Petroleum Analysis at GasBuddy.com Patrick is the leading source for reliable and accurate information on gas price hikes. In this segment, Patrick joined us to discuss the impact of the new incoming Trump administration on oil prices globally and the domestic price of gasoline in the United States. He also offered his analysis of President-elect Donald Trump's promise to levy 25% tariffs on imports from several companies around the world, including Canada, from which the United States purchases a significant amount of crude oil. Patrick also discussed the impact of electric vehicles, slumping EV sales on oil prices, and the current state of gas prices across the country below three dollars a gallon nationwide. Online: GasBuddy.com

In this segment, host Phil Tower welcomes Christy Walcott, Director of Marketing and Communications, Gaylord Area Convention and Tourism Bureau, and Brad Jacobsen, Director of Ski Operations at Treetops Resort. Christy joined us to talk about Gaylord as a prime destination for snow lovers of all ages! The Gaylord area is a popular spot for travelers in the mood for snowmobiling, skiing, snowshoeing, extreme tubing, winter rafting, or moonlit walks at midnight. Brad talked about making snow and ideal snow conditions at Treetops and other resorts in the Gaylord Area. Snow is covering the runs at Treetops, and more is on the way. The Gaylord area averages 152 inches of snow annually, making it a true up-north paradise every winter. More online: Gaylord Michigan Treetops Resort

On this segment, host Phil Tower welcomes Micah Herrboldt, waste reduction educator at the Kent County Department of Public Works. Micah joined us to announce that the Kent County Department of Public Works has released its 2024 Holiday Recycling Guide…it’s full of helpful information for county residents on the safe disposal of batteries, holiday decor, and more. The annual guide is focused on helping keep items out of landfills – which are no place for holiday cheer – and educating residents on items that are commonly tossed in the trash but can be recycled. From wrapping paper and gift bags to that pesky children’s toy packaging and all the batteries, holiday string lights, and frying oil for holiday meals, the DPW has instructions on how to limit holiday waste and properly dispose of or recycle these items. The DPW's website provides more information and the complete Holiday Recycling Guide.

In this episode, host Phil Tower welcomes Katie Bower, director of the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP). Michigan seat belt use rate fell again in 2024. However, the Hands-Free Law has helped reduce handheld device usage by 1.2 percent. For the second year in a row, Michigan’s seat belt use rate fell slightly, according to the results from a grant-funded direct observation study conducted by Michigan State University. The 2024 study, conducted in May and June, determined Michigan's seat belt use rate of 92.0 percent. The usage drop was a 0.4 percentage point decrease from the reported rate of 92.4 in 2023. Katie stressed, “We must remind everyone that safety is a shared responsibility. Every time we buckle up, we protect ourselves and everyone on the road.” In Michigan, seat belt use observation studies over the last ten years (2014-2023) indicate the overall annual use rate among front-seat occupants ranged from 92.4 to 94.5 percent. Notable: The state’s highest seat belt use rate was 97.9 percent in 2009. Online Resources: Michigan OHSP OHSP videos titled “Perfect World” and “Something Stops You”

On this episode, host Phil Tower speaks with Dr. Jordan Taylor, D.O., a UM Health-West neurologist. Dr. Taylor joined us to discuss the importance of stroke prevention and awareness, as we recently marked October 29th as World Stroke Day. As an expert on strokes and stroke prevention, Dr. Taylor joined us to discuss stroke prevention, trends, and treatment innovations. We know that strokes are a leading cause of disability and death: Stroke rates are steady for adults 65+ but rising in younger groups, specifically for persons 45 to 64 years: Stroke rates are up nearly 16%, and for persons 18 to 44 years: Stroke rates up almost 15% Some contributing factors: Obesity, high blood pressure, opioid use, and cigarette smoking. WARNING SIGNS – BE FAST: Balance – Sudden loss of balance or coordination Eyes – Sudden vision changes in one or both eyes Face – Drooping or numbness on one side of the face Arms – Weakness or numbness in one arm Speech – Slurred speech or difficulty speaking Time – Time to call 911 immediately More online: U of M Health West Topics addressed: stroke awareness, stroke warning sounds, stroke symptoms, High blood pressure, obesity, smoking, and stroke.

In this episode, we speak with Shannon Hills, a Regional Administrator at the Centers for Medicare and Medicare Services. Shannon walks us through signing up for health insurance through healthcare.gov. Open Enrollment is the time for people without health insurance to find an affordable, quality plan. Millions of people lack health insurance and now is the time to take advantage of the excellent coverage options and prices available at HealthCare.gov. Open Enrollment began November 1 and continues to January 15. Shannon reminded us that people seeking healthcare must select a plan by December 15 to ensure coverage starting January 1. Open Enrollment is also when enrolled people can change their health plan and update their application information. Shannon reminded us that available healthcare plans change yearly, so it's worth reviewing what’s available. The healthcare.gov website has been improved dramatically and streamlined to make finding affordable healthcare more accessible than ever. The toll-free number for questions and additional information is 800-318-2596 Online: Healthcare.gov Topics addressed:

On this episode, host Phil Tower welcomes Dawn Baker, Festival Manager for the Grand Rapids International Wine, Beer & Food Festival. Dawn gave us a final preview of the upcoming Festival, which will return to DeVos Place in downtown November 21-23. Dawn also let us know tickets are still available for Thursday's “Cheers for Charity” in the Grand Gallery space, benefitting Hospice of Michigan. The event will be an upscale experience featuring a dozen restaurants and specialty food producers serving mouth-watering small plates, food and beverage demonstrations on the Meijer Food Stage, hand-selected beverages, and much more. Tickets Plus more information about this year's International Wine, Beer & Food Festival is at grwinefestival.com Topics Addressed:

On this episode, host Phil Tower speaks with Gordon Oosting, Board Member and CFO with Mel Trotter Ministries. Gordon joined us for an update on the impact of the services of Mel Trotter ministries and to talk about the upcoming WOOD Radio & Mel Trotter Ministries Turkey Drop on Wednesday, November 20, 2024. Turkey Drop is an annual tradition in West Michigan. Mel Trotter Ministries, WOOD Radio, and Celebration Cinema partner for an entire day devoted to collecting frozen turkeys for our neighbors in need in the greater Grand Rapids area. This year's goal is to collect 5,000 turkeys. Online: WOOD Radio & Mel Trotter Ministries Turkey Drop