West Michigan Weekend (A Public Affairs Program from iHeartradio)

On this week's episode, host Phil Tower devotes the full program to a conversation with Greg Elzinga, President of Calvin University. Greg Ezinga was officially named the 13th president of Calvin University in October 2024. He joined us to talk about his path to this significant and esteemed leadership position at one of the nation's most respected and successful Christian universities. Elzinga is a 1990 graduate from Calvin University, and he served as president of Calvin University since February 2024. Before that, he served as the university’s vice president for advancement. Previously, Elzinga served as director of global engagement at Partners Worldwide, following a successful business career. Things we touch on in this exclusive interview with Greg Elzinga, President at Calvin University: **Being the first in his family to attend college. **How and why Calvin University pre-health graduates are in high demand. ** National Notoriety and success for Calvin: U.S. News & World Report's 2025 Best Colleges Guidebook lists Calvin University as the best university for undergraduate teaching and as the second most innovative school in its Regional Universities Midwest category. **Greg's powerful story about a real "stepping out in faith" moment." **His special experience speaking to graduates at the Calvin Prison Initiative program **Why Calvin University has strong commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion. **His excitement about the Calvin University Knights football team and their first season of football last year. More online: Calvin.edu

In this episode of West Michigan Weekend, Phil Tower welcomes Dr. Jo Lattimore, Ph.D. , director of the Michigan Clean Water Corps (MiCorps). Dr.Latimore spoke about the opportunity for Michigan residents to sign up for volunteer lake monitor training through the Michigan Clean Water Corps (MiCorps). MiCorps is a statewide network focused on water quality, has been running its Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program for 51 years, with support from the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. MiCorps is administered by Michigan State University Extension under the direction of EGLE and in partnership with the Huron River Watershed Council and Michigan Lakes and Streams Association. More Online: Michigan Clean Water Corps (MiCorps). Questions about getting involved with MiCorps?

In this episode, host Phil Tower speaks with Steven Hodas, executive director of GV NextEd Co-Lab. The GV NextEd Co-Lab furthers GVSU's commitment to creating new paths to and through the University for all learners in all communities. The Co-Lab works with traditional and non-traditional partners inside and outside GVSU, and harnesses universities’ powerful credentialing fulcrum to improve outcomes, not just in higher education but in the K12 and workforce sectors as well. As an incubator, the Co-Lab values growth and impact equally. The Co-Lab welcomes ideas and new partners and is especially interested in facilitating innovative research and practice ideas from GVSU faculty and students. Reach out to colab@gvsu.edu. Online: GV NextEd Co-Lab

In this episode, host Phil Tower speaks with Matt McPherson, Communications Manager, Kent County Department of Public Works. Matt joined us to talk about the new foam polystyrene drop-off recently announced by the Kent County Department of Public Works. Kent County residents now have a way to New at the North Kent Transfer Station and in West Michigan, the Kent County Department now has a way to recycle a notoriously stubborn form of plastic waste: Foam polystyrene, commonly called Styrofoam. Public Works (DPW) has installed a polystyrene densifier, which compacts the material and bales it so it can be taken to a processor and reused. The material was previously not accepted, ending up in a landfill, because it is difficult to recycle due to being mostly air. The densifier is available for Kent County residents to drop off foam polystyrene at the North Kent Transfer Station, located at 2908 Ten Mile Road in Rockford. Only clean, white polystyrene is accepted, including items like foam cups, coolers, packaging, and takeout food containers. Packing peanuts, colored foams, meat trays, and items with food residue are not accepted. Residents can visit the North Kent Transfer Station every day except Sundays from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Foam polystyrene is only accepted at this location. Online: Reimaginetrash.org reducing landfill waste, Kent County recycling, plastics recycling, foam, polystyrene recycling, curbside recycling.

In this episode, Phil Tower welcomes Dr. Jerry Avorn, MD, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and a senior internist in the Mass General Brigham health-care system.Dr. Avorn joined us to discuss his excellent new book, RETHINKING MEDICATIONS. Groundbreaking research has given us many decades of remarkable new medicines, but America’s drug evaluation process, once the envy of the world, is being seriously compromised. Under pressure from drugmakers, the FDA has been lowering its approval standards and has let poorly effective or risky products enter the market, while our prescription prices, the highest in the world, put crucial treatments beyond the reach of many. Get the Book: RETHINKING MEDICATIONS, - Simon & Schuster (Blackstone Publishing, Inc.)

On this episode, host Phil Tower welcomes three individuals to talk about Michigan's newly updated law regarding surrogate parenting. Phil spoke with Tammy Myers, a Michigan mother who was forced to adopt her biological twins in 2021 due to Michigan’s outdated surrogacy laws; Melissa Neckers, an attorney at Miller Johnson, and an expert in assisted reproduction and surrogacy law; and Jarret Zafran, a NYC-based attorney he is the founder and executive director of Brownstone Surrogacy. All three guests join the program to talk about the new Michigan Family Protection Act. The new law, which took effect on April 1, 2025, decriminalizes surrogacy in Michigan and establishes clear legal frameworks for families formed through assisted reproduction and surrogacy. The law ensures legal recognition of intended parents in surrogacy arrangements from the moment of birth and provides protections for children, surrogates, and intended parents. Michigan was the only state where surrogacy was still a felony, and it was the first state where surrogacy became a felony.

In this episode, we speak with Alicia Mathieu, president and founder of Down to Defend. Alicia is the mother of three children, one of those children is living with Down syndrome. When Alicia received her son Levi’s diagnosis, she said she was empowered to change the gut-wrenching statistics that she unveiled during her research. We spoke with her about her journey to this role as president and founder of Down To Defend.The mission of Down to Defend is to educate and equip those living with intellectual and developmental disabilities by providing safety classes and resources to lead a more fulfilling life. Online: Down To Defend

In this segment, host Phil Tower, welcomes Katie Tucker, a personal injury attorney with Sinas Dramis Law Firm. Katie specializes in advocating for the rights of people who have been seriously injured or killed in Michigan auto accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian-motor vehicle accidents, etc. She's also an expert on child safety seat laws in Michigan. Katie joined us to breakdown Michigan’s new child passenger safety laws which took effect on April 2, 2025. Some of the key changes with the new child safety seat laws involve extending the rear-facing car seat requirement until the age of 2 or the child exceeds the maximum height or weight limit specified by the manufacturer. Changes with a forward, facing car seats, changes with children, who use booster seats, and no guidance on property use of adult seatbelts for older children. We also learned that any child under the age of 13 in the state of Michigan is still required to sit in the back of a vehicle. Katie also spoke about the upcoming Sinas Dramis Bicycle helmet giveaway, known as “Lids For Kids” coming up on May 25 here in Grand Rapids. Lids for Kids is West Michigan’s Biggest FREE Bike Helmet Giveaway” and also offers free bicycle helmet fitting along with giveaways. The Grand Rapids event is Saturday, May 31, from 10 AM – 12 PM at Garfield Park. Read More: New Laws Seek to Protect Michigan Children Involved in Car Accidents Online: Lids For Kids

In this episode, host Phil Tower speaks with automotive experts Al Schwinkendorf, and John Puhek. Al and John are both ASE certified automotive technicians with Verburg’s Automotive in Grand Rapids. Al and John are also hosts with Michigan's Auto Talk Podcast …a Grand Rapids-based podcast for car and truck lovers, backyard mechanics, and automotive enthusiasts. They joined Phil on this program to talk about the five most common mistakes that car owners make, and how to avoid them. More: Troubleshooting Common Car Problems With Napa Auto More: Verburg's Automotive

In this episode, host Phil Tower welcomes Charles Burke, the President & CEO of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. Charles joined us on the program to discuss his unique and inspired journey to his current position as President and CEO of Frederik, Meijer Gardens, and sculpture Park. Since becoming president and CEO in February 2023, Charles has led the wildly popular destinations to new heights, including achieving the highest annual attendance in the organization’s 30-year history and welcoming its 15 millionth visitor. Meijer Gardens has been recognized as the Best Sculpture Park in the United States by USA Today’s "10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards" in 2023 and 2024 and consecutively named one of the Best Places to Work in West Michigan, further solidifying its reputation as a cultural landmark of international acclaim. Charles brings a strong vision of accessibility, transparency, and creativity to every aspect of Meijer Gardens and he was a has a very compelling personal and professional journey to this position. We talked about his background and passion for music, and the arts. We also talked a year-long celebration recognizing 30 years of Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park and the powerful legacy created by Fred and Lena Meijer. Online: Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park

In this episode, Phil Tower welcomes Dr. Allen Hunt … “The Fourth Quarter Guy”. He helps people discover how to become the best version of themselves in the Fourth Quarter of life. A four-time #1 Amazon best-selling author, Allen collaborated with Matthew Kelly to write No Regrets: A Fable about Living Your Fourth Quarter Intentionally. In that fable, they share the ground-breaking secrets of the Fourth Quarter: the 5 Keys to Living and Dying with No Regrets. Those 5 keys then led them to create The Fourth Quarter of Your Life: Embracing What Matters Most, a workbook to help people do just that: Discover and plan how to intentionally live their fourth quarters with confidence, boldness, and passion. You can experience his life-changing discoveries and coaching for yourself. Learn more about Allen: Online: Fourth Quarter Guy

On this episode host Phil Tower speaks with Michelle Parkkonen, Managing Director of technical assistance programs at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation MEDC. Michele spoke with us about the exciting new collaboration between the City of Grand Rapids and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) is unveiling resources that will streamline the process for communities to add housing in existing neighborhoods. Permit-Ready Plans, a collaborative partnership between the City of Grand Rapids, MEDC, Michigan Municipal League (MML), and Driven Design, LLC, lowers the barrier for infill housing development by decreasing construction costs and shortening permit processing timelines. Infill housing is the process of putting additional housing units into an already-approved subdivision or neighborhood. They can be provided as additional units built on the same lot, by dividing existing homes into multiple units, or by creating new residential lots by further subdivision or lot line adjustments. Housing plans include single-family, two-family and multi-family housing types, providing communities and prospective developers with options that will work best for each property. Plans for the three housing types can be found here. The target audiences are small- to medium-sized developers trying to enter the housing market and local municipalities seeking to line up pre-reviewed plans with fewer barriers to building more homes.” The City of Grand Rapids Planning Department will be hosting a Lunch & Learn at the Development Center, which will provide a comprehensive review of the Permit-Ready Plans Program, how to participate, and what to expect on May 20th. Online: Permit-Ready Plans Program Resource Links MEDC Developer Toolkit City of Grand Rapids Permit-Ready Plans Program Landing Page City of Grand Rapids Emerging Developer Grant Michigan Municipal League Pattern Book Homes

In this episode, host, Phil Tower, welcomes Kelly Alcock, a Client Program Coordinator with the Equest Center for Therapeutic Riding. Kelly joined us on the program to talk about the power of equine therapy and the hundreds of clients who benefit from it who are served by the Equest Center. April 19th is the date that the Equest Center for Therapeutic Riding will be holding their annual Easter with the Equest Bunny event and all are invited! Kelly told us that every dollar raised at this event goes directly towards scholarship funds to ensure that all special needs riders are able to continue participating in our programs. The Equest Center for Therapeutic Riding is a year-round facility located in Rockford, Michigan. They offer equine-based therapy programs to those with physical, mental, and social/emotional disabilities and they serve over 200 individuals ages 2-100 each week. Online: The Equest Center for Therapeutic Riding Topics Addressed: recreation therapy, Post traumatic stress disorder, military veterans, special needs children, disability awareness, equine therapy.

In this episode, host, Phil Tower, welcomes Erin Skene-Pratt, Executive Director at The Michigan Afterschool Partnership. The Michigan Afterschool Partnership advocates for equitable systems that support and expand quality out-of-school time experiences for all youth in the state. Out-of-School Time (OST) refers to youth development programs that occur before and after the school day, as well as programs that occur during school breaks. Comprehensive OST programs ideally include both expanded learning opportunities to support the school day and school-age care to support working families. Online: The Michigan Afterschool Partnership

In this episode, host Phil Tower speaks with Dianna Higgs Stampfler, author of Kalamazoo County Characters. Dianna's book Kalamazoo County Characters, is from the History Press. Since its founding in the early 1800s, Kalamazoo has welcomed a variety of notable characters who have shaped the community’s legacy in their own special way. Some, like Orville Gibson and Derek Jeter, are nationally recognized, while others, such as Sue Hubbell are lesser known. Abraham Lincoln and Flora Temple briefly passed through town, and Mary Jackson and Gwen Frostic were among those who came here to attend college. From founding fathers to early innovators, groundbreakers to entrepreneurs, artists to authors and athletes to entertainers, author Dianna Higgs Stampfler celebrates fifty fascinating figures in Kalamazoo-area history. And the final figure profiled in Dianna's book happens to be a highly successful DJ in the area named Jim Higgs. Higgs is Dianna’s father, and while not famous himself, Jim Higgs has a wonderful connection to fame in the world of rock 'n' roll and you'll learn about that story in her book, Kalamazoo County Characters. Get the Book: Kalamazoo County Characters.

On this week's program, host Phil Tower speaks with Richard Anderson, co-founder and co-owner of Iron Fish Distillery in Thompsonville, MI. On this week's program, we feature a CEO You Should Know, Richard Anderson, with Iron Fish Distillery. Iron Fish Distillery was founded in 2016 as Michigan’s first farm distillery. It grows grain, distills spirits, and barrel-finishes sourced whiskey. Richard shared his story of how he and his brothers-in-law became co-owners of the unique distillery located in rural Northwestern, Michigan. To say that Iron Fish Distillery has had a significant positive economic impact on Benzie County would be an understatement as it has become a true tourism destination for 125,000 guests annually to the agricultural destination, reborn on a long-time abandoned 120-acre farm located in rural Springdale Township in Manistee County. Richard also shared with us that Iron Fish Distillery was named for the Steelhead that journeys up the nearby Betsie River, every step of the Iron Fish soil-to-spirit process occurs onsite. Their multistep process of milling, mashing, fermenting, distilling, and barrel aging is on display for visitors daily. Online: Iron Fish Distillery

In this week's episode, host Phil Tower chats with Dr. John Eliot, co-author of How to Get Along with Anyone The Playbook for Predicting and Preventing Conflict at Work and At Home In his new book, Dr. John Eliot and co-author Jim Quinn help you defuse any heated conflict by learning which of the five conflict styles YOU are and how to resolve even the most sensitive dispute. Dr. Elliott told us that the average American worker spends 156 hours a year engaged in the kind of moderate to intense workplace conflict that adversely impacts both performance and health. Through three decades of building and facilitating team chemistry for Fortune 500 companies, professional sports franchises, schools, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and families—Drs. Jim Guinn and John Eliot have reduced the time and cost of conflict resolution. Online: The Conflict Docs Website Get the Book: How to Get Along with Anyone The Playbook for Predicting and Preventing Conflict at Work and At Home

In this episode, Phil Tower speaks with Dr. Sarena Shivers, Executive Director of the Michigan Nonprofit "Talent Together." Dr Shivers joined us on the program to discuss how MI Talent Together is ensuring all students have qualified teachers. Talent Together is a relatively new nonprofit here in Michigan and one of the nation’s largest ‘grow your own’ teacher programs. Dr. Shivers told us the organization was created to provide solutions to address Michigan’s teacher workforce shortage by targeting the needs of all school districts, including those in underserved communities. Talent Together was designed to remove barriers for its candidates like the cost of a degree, time constraints, and accessibility to teacher prep programs to help them pursue a teaching career. Since its launch in December 2022, Talent Together has received more than 5,000 applications from potential candidates.

In this segment host, Phil Tower welcomes Dr. Sonia Hassan, founding director of Wayne State University’s Office of Women’s Health SOS MATERNITY Network, a network seeking to end preventable causes of death in mothers and children. SOS Maternity is a healthcare collaborative led by the Wayne State University’s Office of Women’s Health. It’s comprised of 14 maternal-fetal medicine universities and healthcare systems across Michigan. Every two minutes, a woman dies of pregnancy or childbirth in the United States, and the latest statistics indicate the infant mortality rate in Michigan is higher than the national rate of 5.6%. Dr. Hassan noted, "The SOS MATERNITY Network has created a statewide network of Michigan’s finest universities and healthcare systems to declare war on our terrible rates of maternal and infant mortality." Learn more about the SOS Maternity Network

On this episode, host Phil Tower welcomes Scott Turow, NY Times Bestselling author, writer, and former practicing lawyer, who is the author of thirteen bestselling works of fiction, including Presumed Innocent. Scott’s a wildly successful best-selling author and writer, and a former practicing lawyer, who is the author of thirteen bestselling works of fiction, including Presumed Innocent. His virtual event with The National Writers Series happened February 27 featured discussion on his new book, Presumed Guilty. Online: The National Writers Series Online: Scott Turow