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AC Grand Rapids announces home opener
Mark your calendars — AC Grand Rapids will play its inaugural home opener Friday, March 19, 2027, at the brand-new Amway Stadium. That will mark the first-ever sporting event at the 8,500-seat downtown venue. The team's opponent will be announced later. Team President Darrius Barnes calls it the culmination of a decade-long effort to bring professional soccer to West Michigan. The stadium is more than 134,000 square feet with 16 field-level premium suites, a club level with dining, and an outdoor courtyard connecting to the surrounding neighborhood. AC Grand Rapids opens its inaugural season on the road in February 2027. Seven of its 14 regular season matches will be played at Amway Stadium as part of the league's new sprint season.
Michigan author series at the Grand Rapids Public Library announced
The Grand Rapids Public Library is adding two new events to its Michigan Author Series this fall, and both are free. Both dive into Michigan's history. On September ninth, author Lynn Liberato digs into the women who served as delegates to Michigan's 1961 Constitutional Convention... including two Grand Rapids trailblazers, Dorothy Judd and Ella Koeze (koo-zee). Then November third, local historian Colleen Alles (alice) brings old Grand Rapids back to life with a fresh take on Charles Belknap's classic "The Yesterdays of Grand Rapids"... packed with newly uncovered stories. Both events run seven to eight-thirty at the main library. Go to https://www.grpl.org.
You're invited to Hugo the Hippo's first birthday party!
John Ball Zoo's Hugo the hippo is turning one, and his birthday wish is a big one — literally. The zoo is throwing a Pickle Hippo Party this Thursday, September 3, with a special celebration from 9:45 to 10:30 a.m. as the community helps raise funds for a ginormous pickle for the growing pygmy hippo. The all-day party includes pickle-themed decorations, free stickers, and special pickle-inspired food and drinks. Guests are encouraged to wear green or pickle-themed attire. Donations of any amount will help cover Hugo's birthday surprise and support his continued care as he heads into his second year. Head to jbzoo.org/events/pickle-party to donate and join the celebration.
Wealthy Street Block Party is back for its second year
The East Hills neighborhood is gearing up for its second annual Wealthy Street Block Party... set for Saturday, September twenty-sixth at the vacant lot on the corner of Wealthy and Eastern. Despite the name... Wealthy Street itself will stay open to traffic. The Wealthy Street Business Alliance and the East Hills Council of Neighbors are teaming up for a full day of live, hyper-local music... food and drink from neighborhood favorites... a kids' zone... and an artisan market featuring nearly twenty local makers. New this year... Wealthy Theatre is bringing "Shrek" to a giant inflatable screen at seven-thirty p.m.... complete with a costume contest and themed drinks. For more details... go to EastHillsCouncil.org.
Bronson LakeView Hospital renovation and expansion project
Bronson LakeView Hospital in Paw Paw is getting a major upgrade — the hospital just received final state approval for a nearly $15 million project to renovate and expand its emergency department. Construction could begin as early as this year, with completion targeted for 2028. The expansion comes after the E.R. saw more than 24,000 visits in 2024, that's a 38% jump from five years earlier. Plans include a new patient entrance, additional trauma and exam rooms, and space for future imaging needs. The current ER will stay fully operational throughout construction, so patients won't see any disruption in care. Hospital leaders say the upgrade will help meet growing demand while improving the experience for both patients and care teams in Van Buren County.
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