UPDATE - GRAND RAPIDS (WZZM) - The construction that will close the intersection of Fulton and Monroe has been delayed until Friday, February 24.

GRAND RAPIDS (WZZM)- You will need to plan another way through part of downtown Grand Rapids beginning Wednesday. 

The...more intersection at Fulton and Monroe will close for three weeks so crews can repair utility ducts and street lights.  The intersection will temporarily reopen with one lane heading in each direction beginning March 30th. 

This is the first phase of a five phase project for Fulton Street.  The second phase will close the intersection at Fulton and Ottawa beginning March 15th.  The sidewalks will stay open during the work. 

Construction should be finished by May.

by Roberta King

The ladies are taking over The Pyramid Scheme on Saturday, March 3 with Grand Rapids' inaugural LadyFestGR. The event will feature all female line-ups of musicians, artists, comedians, workshops and other fun stuff. Organizer and musician Jes Kramer said that LadyFest...more events first began in Olympia, Washington but her first experience was when she attended and performed at a LadyFest event in northern Michigan.

"It was the first time I'd ever heard of it. I did a bit of research and kept my eye open for other events in Michigan and nothing was turning up. I was kind of bummed out about that," she said.

To try to remedy the lack of LadyFests in West Michigan she posted a note on Facebook: "Just a little note, 'Hey, if I plan a LadyFest in Grand Rapids, who wants to help?' and there was an overwhelming response," she said.

She began to work with Tami VandenBerg and Sarah Scott, who were already planning...

...READ MORE

GRAND RAPIDS (WZZM) - Grand Rapids police say a man is dead after being shot during a possible road rage incident. He has been identified as Lance Byers, an employee with Michigan's Department of Human Services.

The shooting happened near the intersection of Lafayette Avenue and State...more Street SE in Grand Rapids shortly after 8:00 am Tuesday.

Police say they're looking for a man and a woman who fled the area in a black Lincoln Navigator or similar large sport utility vehicle.

A witness, who did not want to be identified, told WZZM 13 News he was stopped at the intersection when he saw people in the two cars arguing out on the street.

"They argued for a little bit until the guy in the black SUV started to get heated up and started getting in the guy's face and the guy in the silver car basically just pushed 'em away and then tried to turn around that's when we heard the gunshot."

Anyone with information is asked to call Silent

GRAND RAPIDS (WZZM) - Construction is progressing on Grand Valley State University's downtown Grand Rapids campus.

Today, the final beam will be raised for the Seidman Business Center. Students and faculty signed the beam in a ceremony this morning.

The Seidman Center will be Grand Valley's 16th LEED-certified building. It will open for classes in the fall of 2013.

GRAND RAPIDS (WZZM)- The federal government is renewing a program in Grand Rapids to make sure students eat well during the summer. 

Last year Grand Rapids Public Schools received a $700,000 grant which was divided among 2,500 low income students.  The money is placed on electronic...more cards and used to buy pre-approved items at local grocery stores.

Tuesday GRPS announced the government is rewewing the program so more students have access to healthy food during the summer months when school lunches are not available.

Here's a running list of the 2012 Lenten Fish Frys around West Michigan.  If you have a Fish Fry to tell everyone about, click HERE.

 
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Got a great West Michigan Fish Fry for the 2012 Lenten season? Let everyone know about it!

See the complete list HERE.
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Last year we did Pizza and Burgers. Now we want to know who has the best Happy Hour. Please voice your opinion by completing our poll.

This is not just about alcohol, but the environment.  We want to know what restaurant has the best food, servers, specials, and even customers.  The...more kind of place where "everybody knows your name."

Throughout the week of March 5th, WZZM13 will reveal each of the top five restaurants in an on air segment.

Support your community by placing your vote below!Who has the best HAPPY HOUR?Ada/Cascade - Riverbend Bar and GrillComstock Park/Alpine - Vitale's Sports and LoungeCoopersville - Champs Bar and GrillEast Grand Rapids - Big Bob's PizzaGR Central - Brewery VivantGR North - SazeracGR South - Log CabinGR West - Joe V's Sports BarGrand Haven/Spring Lake - Stan's BarGrandville/Jenison/Hudsonville - Vitale's HudsonvilleGreenville/Belding - Winter InnHolland/Zeeland - BoatwerksKalamazoo - O'Duffy'sKentwood - Quaker Steak and

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich-- Eat, Drink and Be Merry at the Wine Tasting and Silent Auction next week at St. Cecilia Music Center, 24 Ranson NE in downtown Grand Rapids. Fine wines from nearby Martha's Vineyard with be offered. Enjoy the elegant atmosphere of St. Cecilia Music Center and the luxurious...more tastes of Martha’s Vineyard’s best while bidding on special experiences and items. Tastes include high-end wine selection and hearty hors d’oeuvres from Catering by Martha’s and Nantucket Baking Company. The event is Friday March 2nd at 6pm and tickets start at $35 dollars. For more information please visit the web site at scmc-online.org

 

GRAND RAPIDS (WZZM)- This is Fat Tuesday and there's a big celebration planned for downtown Grand Rapids.  The event, being held in the Arena District, is called Carnivale.  Over a dozen bars and restaurants are participating.

At Bar Divani the festivities involve the three b's --...more beads, belly dancers and blues bands.  Every place has something different planned. "13 restaurants are participating.  We've created a little guide with a list of drinks, dining and entertainment if they have any," said Dennis Moosbrugger of Bar Divani ".

Those who collect beads from five of the 13 locations can enter to win a trip and other prizes.  There will also be minstrels roaming the streets playing music.

Carnivale is Tuesday night from 6:30 - 11:00.

(WZZM) - Rick Santorum is speaking at the Lincoln Day dinner hosted by the Kent County Republican Party tonight. The dinner is underway at the Amway Grand Plaza in Grand Rapids.

This is Santorum's first visit to Grand Rapids and comes on the heels of his visit to Detroit last...more week.

Santorum held rally in this afternoon at the Holiday Inn  in Muskegon.

This evening he visited Hope College's Maas Center in Holland.

Santorum has recently been quoted as saying he believes he can win Michigan. The most recent polls show him ahead of Mitt Romney by a slight margin.

GRAND RAPIDS (WZZM)- Islamic Minister Louis Farrakhan is scheduled to speak in Grand Rapids next month. 

Farrakhan, the head of the group Nation of Islam is expected to speak March first at Fountain Street Church.  His speech is titled "Duty, Responsibility and the Necessity of Self-sufficiency."

The free event is sponsored by the Nation of Islam's Grand Rapids study group.

GRAND RAPIDS (WZZM) - The Economic Club of Grand Rapids has announced that Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair will be the featured speaker at the Economic Club's Annual Dinner.

The dinner will take place on Tuesday, May 29th.

Tickets will be available in March at...more www.econclub.net.  You must be an Economic Club member to purchase tickets, which will cost $185 each and be limited to four per member.

Previous Annual Dinner speakers have included:

2011 - Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright & Former Secretary of State Colin Powell
2010 - President George W. Bush
2009 - Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
2008 - Former NBC News Anchor Tom Brokaw
2007 - President William Jefferson Clinton
2006 - U2 Singer & Humanitarian Bono

2012 marks the 25th annual Economic Club Dinner.

 

GRAND RAPIDS (WZZM) -  The area's largest homeless shelter is undergoing some major renovations.

Mel Trotter is adding on to almost every area of its downtown location, but the biggest addition will be the  number of hours it serves the homeless.

When the sun rises over the...more Mel Trotter shelter, out go the homeless.  Last winter, after a local daytime shelter closed, more men and women seemed to spend their daylight hours by heading into the public library.

"Public drunkenness, generally, or there are medical issues sometimes associated with that," said Grand Rapids Library Director Marcia Warner.

Warner says the number of incidents filed in the library from October 2010 - January 2011 jumped 82 percent, enough for Rev. Daniels to start making his own calls.

"There's a lot of loitering in the parks, a lot of panhandling," said Rev. Daniels. "We felt it was our duty to do more."

His sense of duty has led to the construction of

GRAND RAPIDS (WZZM) - Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum has expanded his campaigning in conservative west Michigan, adding stops in Muskegon and Holland Monday, hoping to capitalize on his surging poll support.   In a "poll of polls" by realclearpolitics.com, Santorum has 37%...more support in Michigan to Romney's 30%.  Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul each had 10% support.

For analysis of the Michigan race, click here for an ABC News blog post.   USA Today offers this analysis.

Romney has long been the candidate of the "establishment" republican party, while Santorum has appealed of late more to the tea party and conservative wings.   Santorum Monday night will wade deep into the heart of that establishment when he speaks to the Kent County Republicans' Lincoln Day dinner in Grand Rapids.   His speech will follow a pitch for Romney made by a surrogate, Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell.

Romney himself will campaign in eastern Michigan