Author: Wendy Nelson

Hopes have been high that the new 75-million-dollar Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan, will be a key attraction in revitalizing the downtown area. From all indications since the recent Grand Opening, it looks like things are going according to plan. But some are worried about the effect. It’s a familiar trend for developers and residents to clash when businesses move into neighborhoods. So in the case of this downtown development project, steps have been taken since the beginning to include the area residents in the planning process. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Wendy Nelson has this report:

There’s no doubt that a massage is relaxing. Athletes and their trainers will attest to its benefits in relieving sore muscles. Now some different uses for massage that have been practiced in other countries for years are beginning to gain popularity among a new crowd in the United States. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Wendy Nelson reports:

All across the country, hunters are taking to the woods with the opening of bow hunting season. Each year at this time, the debate over hunting flares, and finding themselves attacked again and again by animal rights advocates, some hunters are now fighting back to change their image. As part of a national campaign, hunters are taking steps to help the hungry through their sport. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Wendy Nelson has this report:

Many urban areas have turned to community gardening as a way to revitalize the landscape – and the people – of the inner city. In vacant lots from Chicago to Cleveland, greenery sprouts up, framed by dilapidated buildings. But in Grand Rapids, Michigan, there’s a new twist on the concept of community gardens. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Wendy Nelson has more: