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Wild, weedy & edible: the infamous garlic mustard

Submitted 04-28-2011 under LOCAL LIFE

What is the adage, "A weed is a plant that is growing where you don't want it?" Abundant in areas of disturbed soil - at the forest's edge, along roadsides, and on river floodplains, the garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) is...

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Grand Rapids Public Libraries' pre-reading programs: Getting them started young

Submitted 04-25-2011 under LOCAL LIFE

Grand Rapids Public Libraries are helping parents with their children’s language development. At all of the branches the libraries offer three different sessions: Pre-Reading Classes for Babies, Pre-Reading Classes for Toddlers, and Pre-...

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Yesterdog: A photo essay

Submitted 04-25-2011 under LOCAL LIFE

Yesterdog is a place that attracts many kinds of people. From who the employees describe as "arrogant suits" to "drunken fools" to Janet Jackson, all types seems to find their way to the restaurant. They all have their own...

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River Bank Run Runner: Joselyn Vaughn

Submitted 04-25-2011 under LOCAL LIFE

The race of choice: 25k Why she runs: "To get in shape after my last pregnancy; to prove to myself that I can do the long distances still and do support my sisters. They’re doing the 10k and are coming through some pretty significant...

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GR Gets Bike Friendly

Submitted 04-20-2011 under LOCAL LIFE

When Josh Leffingwell and Tyler Doornbos met for the first time, neither one of them imagined they’d become immediate friends, let alone business partners. However, as the conversation and ideas started rolling, so did the premise for...

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SMart Multimedia Art Festival explores "virtual authenticity"

Submitted 04-19-2011 under LOCAL LIFE

In an age where social media, television, and internet consume our time and challenge our senses, how do we know what is or what isn’t real? This is the theme explored by Grand Rapid’s only multimedia art festival, SMart Festival....

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Family Hope Foundation provides relief for Grand Rapids families

Submitted 04-19-2011 under LOCAL LIFE

This is Keagan. He is four years old, loves sports and Spider-man and was born three months early against all odds. When he was about six months old, he started to show signs of physical disability: not holding his head up, not wanting to grasp or...

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Running the RIver Bank

Submitted 04-14-2011 under LOCAL LIFE

You stand in a pack numbering somewhere in the thousands as the sweat of anticipation beads along your forehead. Everyone around you is in reserved motion: jumping from one foot to the next, jogging in place, grabbing their ankles and stretching...

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Rapid Revolution to kick off Rapid Yes initiative

Submitted 04-13-2011 under LOCAL LIFE

  Much of our country appears to be undergoing a rebirth of cities.  Baby boomers are moving back from the suburbs, big-box retailers are adjusting their business models to fit into urban centers, and perhaps most importantly, urban mass-...

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A Cheetah on Wealthy Street

Submitted 04-11-2011 under LOCAL LIFE

The Electric Cheetah restaurant on Wealthy and Diamond is a chic little establishment that's hard to miss. With a front glass exterior exposing the dining room and the name "The Electric Cheetah" written in bold over the entrance, the...

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