East Grand Rapids businesses around Reeds Lake are gearing up for what they expect to be one of their biggest weekends of the year as the community prepares to celebrate Independence Day.

Jersey Junction, a local ice cream shop, anticipates its busiest day of the year on July 4th. Isabella Connette, who has worked at the junction for five years, said the business makes extensive preparations for the holiday rush.

"The fourth is our busiest day of the entire year," Connette said.

Jersey Junction orders double its usual ice cream supply about 450 gallons and goes through approximately 600 waffle cones during the holiday. Lines typically stretch down the street, prompting the business to staff more workers through the weekend.

"We also over staff our employees here, just so we can be fully hands on getting through that line as efficient as possible," Connette said. She expects about seven employees to work each shift during the busy weekend.

Beyond serving regular customers, Connette said the holiday provides an opportunity to introduce Jersey Junction to visitors spending July 4th in East Grand Rapids.

"Not only locals, but people who are just visiting for family or whatever, for the Fourth of July. So many new faces, it's just really fun to give them a taste of what Jersey's like," she said.

The ice cream shop plans to stay open until 11 pm on July 4th so families can visit after watching fireworks.

"I think we're just really excited. We can't wait to see all the fun, the friendly faces come into Jersey," Connette said.

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Siblings Jackson and Evelyn Befus are the co-founders of Go Green College Painters, an exterior/interior painting business that also provide custom pain works, deck staining, and power washing. The duo co-founded the company in 2024 while Jackson was a student at Michigan State University, and the painting business is putting the Befus siblings through college one project at a time.

Go Green College Painters serves the Greater Grand Rapids area and is owner-operated, with Jackson and Evelyn performing every job themselves. They carry full liability insurance on every job with proof available per request, offer fixed-price written quotes with no hidden fees, and bring previous experience in their own lives into the business without a "learn as you go" approach commonly found in other painting companies.

The company also offer cat sitting, plant sitting, and house sitting services through their younger sister Ella. Go Green's plants and pets service goes an extra step by providing cat owners a daily photo of their pet, ensuring their animal is taken care of.

Jackson, Evelyn, Ella, and brother Henry visited the Morning Mix to share more about the business and how you can book their services this summer!

Visit gogreenpainters.com for more information. You can also follow them on Facebook.

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As temperatures soar during a heat wave approaching the Fourth of July, outdoor workers like landscaping crews face challenging conditions while completing their daily tasks.

Kate Bruining, who has been working landscaping for Cascade Township for about two months, works a 10-hour shift, mowing and maintaining parks across the township.

"Previously from this week it's been, it's been hot, but it's been doable, and this week it's really just kicked you down," Bruining said. "Honestly, I'm sweating a lot, I'm drinking a lot of water, taking a lot of breaks, it's sweltering. I feel like I'm being cooked in a sauna."

The extreme heat making any outdoor task more challenging.

Asked about getting through Monday, the first day under the extreme heat warning, Bruining described the struggle.

"I struggled a lot. I did. I was in a truck for most of the morning, so that was helpful," she said. "But I know some of my coworkers who were mowing open fields yesterday without shade, and they're sitting on hot mowers going slow without a breeze, that was really difficult for them."

"It was more of a crawl through than a push through. It was hard, it was really hot," she added.

The heat has dramatically increased her water consumption. Bruining said she now drinks about three gallons of water per day filling up her gallon container twice before lunch and once after compared to just one gallon on typical days.

Dan Zwick, parks and facilities director with Cascade Township, said maintaining the parks is a seven-day-a-week operation.

"Even on the weekends we're doing trash, or if we have programming, or something, you know, the main blood of our work gets done during the week," Zwick said.

He said safety protocols include daily discussions about hydration and breaks, with crews encouraged to take 5-10 minute air conditioning breaks in trucks and find shade when possible. The township also brings in safety instructors every few weeks, with hydration being a key focus.

"One of the biggest things he's talking about is hydration, because actually hydration will lead to the body being safe," Zwick said.

Bruining's strategy for getting through the rest of the week includes practical adaptations to the extreme conditions.

"A lot of breaks, a lot of taking fast runs out to the truck or to the bathroom, where it's like concrete and it's cool, stretching, finding shade when you can," she said.

Zwick noted that extreme heat around the Fourth of July is typical for Michigan, though people often forget how intense it can be after the cold winter months.

The National Weather Service reminds everyone to stay hydrated, wear sunscreen and lightweight clothing, and take frequent breaks in the shade during extreme heat conditions.

For more information on how to stay safe in the heat, click here.

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Nearly 1,500 people are dead and thousands more are injured as of Monday after twin earthquakes struck Venezuela. While recovery efforts are underway, one Ada teenager is using his eight 3D printers to help from thousands of miles away.

Brady Ashcroft, 16, has turned his 3D printing business into a medical supply operation, creating lightweight splints for earthquake victims in Venezuela.

What began as a hobby with one printer has grown into eight machines that typically produce fidget toys, and custom keychains for his online store. Brady started his 3D printing business nearly two years ago. It has grown from one printer to eight over the past two years.

But after seeing the devastation from the earthquakes on Reddit and Discord groups from the 3D printing community, those printers took on a different purpose.

"They don't deserve this in Venezuela, and they should get all the help they can get. And I want to have more to do with my 3D printer, instead of just making toys," Ashcroft said. "I want it to be more helpful than just making money."

The designs for the medical splints came from a 3D printing company in Venezuela, which shared files online as hospitals faced an increasing need for orthopedic supplies. Brady is now part of a global network of volunteers using their printers to help coordinate through social media platforms.

"We made 100 now, and it depends on how much we're going to make until we feel like we need to send them out, because there's not much time left," he said, noting that splints won't be useful after a few days.

The teenager has paused customer orders to focus on the medical kits, printing, sorting and packaging each splint before shipping them to a collection center in Miami, Florida. From there, they'll reach doctors in Venezuela. Each package includes instructions and a toy from Brady's collection.

His mother, Lori Ashcroft, said she's not surprised by her son's willingness to help. Brady has previously donated items to Toys for Tots, printing octopuses from approved files, and has given a percentage of his sales to the Humane Society.

"I'm not really surprised at all that he's interested in helping out for this cause too," she said.

The family has turned the effort into a team operation, with Brady's parents helping with printing overnight and his sister managing social media for their business.

Each splint takes about an hour and a half to print. The material softens in warm water, allowing the splint to mold to a patient's arm before firming back up.

"It doesn't cost us much to do it. It's printing time on the printers, which we've got the capacity, he's got the capacity," Lori Ashcroft said.

"Makes me feel really good that could play a part in this, and the 3D printing community has come together to help the people in Venezuela," Brady Ashcroft said.

The teenager said this won't be the last time he uses his 3D printers to help others. He plans to monitor social media groups for future disasters where his equipment could make a difference.

"Whatever comes up, anything that comes up, if I find any more subreddits and Discords that need help, I'll definitely start printing more stuff, because I have eight 3D printers, and I can print anything," he said.

To visit Brady's shop, click here.

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Cascade Township voters will decide this August whether to approve new zoning regulations that could reshape how the community grows and develops.

The township approved the updated zoning rules in February. However, opponents gathered enough signatures to put the new rules before voters, temporarily halting the changes. The ordinance is currently not in effect, with the 1989 zoning rules remaining in place during the referendum process.

"The sole purpose of this zoning is to update the existing zoning from 1989, to ensure that we have smart growth that protects cascades' unique character and also quality of lives and property values for residents that live here, in light of the immense development pressures," said Cascade Township Supervisor Grace Lesperance.

The new zoning rules would make changes to Cascade's village core, including:

The township says high-density development could still happen in other parts of Cascade where roads, utilities and other infrastructure already exist.

For more information on the zoning, click here.

Lesperance emphasized that the new zoning "only applies to future developments and future redevelopments" and that no current property owner would need to make changes to existing structures.

Tim Noordhoek, one of three township trustees who voted against the zoning changes, expressed particular concern about the reduced setbacks along Cascade Road.

"Cascade Road is a busy stretch where kids walk and bike every day, and pushing buildings that far forward takes away the safety buffer," Noordhoek said. "None of us are against smart growth. But residents deserve a say before livestock, beehives, and buildings on the curb become the new normal on their street."

The zoning changes passed the township board by a 4-3 vote.

The township had planned open houses to provide neighbors with information about the zoning changes before voting but canceled them due to concerns about potential disruptions.

"There was pushback from some on the referendum that there could be picketing, or they could be picketing that would disrupt the normal course of business during business hours, and kind of put township staff in an uncomfortable and unfair position," Lesperance said.

Instead, the township is directing neighbors to their website for detailed information and encouraging them to contact staff directly with questions.

The zoning debate has created a clear divide in the community, with both sides forming organized groups to advocate their positions.

Supporters say the changes balance development with preserving Cascade's character. Scot VanSolkema, a longtime Cascade neighbor and Parks and Pathways Committee member, formed a group called Trust (Township Residents United Against Special Interest Tactics) to support the new zoning.

"I believe they made good, valiant efforts to protect Cascades' rural areas, as well as also foster development in areas that can withstand development," VanSolkema said.

VanSolkema said the process included adequate community involvement through master plan surveys and strategic vision sessions.

"I like the various aspects that we do have in Cascade. You've got rural farmland areas, you also have, obviously, the 28th street corridor, which is very busy, and also the village here," VanSolkema said.

Critics argue the rules add too many restrictions on property owners and question whether adequate research was conducted on the potential impacts.

Jordan Painter, a Cascade neighbor and realtor who owns commercial property on Orange Avenue, initially learned about the proposed changes through a notice.

"If the township or local government is telling me how I can or can't dispose or split or change how I'm using my property, that has a potential to impact negatively the value of it," Painter said.

"We don't really know what the changes are going to for sure cost us as residents of Cascade, because no one has done any research," Painter said.

Lesperance said the zoning update process has been ongoing for nearly two years and was based on "multiple community surveys, public meetings" and "three or four years before that of community input."

If voters reject the new zoning, Lesperance said the township board would likely pursue similar changes. "Starting from square one, knowing where neighbors want with their goals to preserve Cascades' character and also to preserve residents' quality of life and property values, it's a no-brainer. You go right back to what the new zoning does."

A "yes" vote would put the new zoning rules back into effect. A "no" vote would reject the changes, keeping the current zoning rules from 1989.

Neither version of the zoning rules mentions data centers. The township has put a temporary pause on any data center proposals while the zoning board considers how to define them in the rules.

Absentee ballots for the August primary are available now. Polls will be open Aug. 4.

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