The gift will go towards technology-based care and additional social work services for the families of young patients afflicted with complex diagnoses, Michigan Medicine officials said.
October 4
Breaking ground on new GRFD fire hall
For 125 years, the Grand Rapids Fire Hall has been located just east of City Hall on NE Fifth Street. This week, city leaders joined the Grand Rapids Fire Department (GRFD) to break ground on a new site for the hall.
A lot directly north of the IRC Building in Grand Rapids and south of SE 11th Street between Pokegama Avenue and SE Second Avenue will be the location of the new Grand Rapids Fire Hall. The current fire hall will be sold to Itasca County for the purpose of expanding county jail facilities onto the existing courthouse building.
In an amazing show of support during an amazingly difficult year, Itasca County residents donated more than 2,000 toys and more than $4,000 in funds to the Second Harvest Food Bank. The effort was coordinated by Itasca County Sheriffâs Deputies Mike Partlow and Tom Williams.Â
Their aim was to fill one of their department boats with toys and gifts for local families. And they did that and so much more. According to Sheriff Vic Williams, the generosity of people was âremarkable.â
During a typical year, local law enforcement participates in a âShop With a Heroâ event that invites disadvantaged children to walk a store with an officer and pick out gifts, with funds donated from area sponsors, for their loved ones. This year, that event could not be held. So, Sheriff Williams explained how a couple of his deputies took it upon themselves to make sure that those children were not forgotten.Â