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Did You Know? Interesting facts
about West Michigan
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Astronaut David Leetsma,
actor Harry Morgan and pop singer Iggy Pop all hail from Muskegon.
Newaygo County contains more than 230 natural lakes and a combined
total of all the rivers and streams is longer than 350 miles.
The Hardy Dam is the largest earthen dam east of the Mississippi.
The City of Plainwell in Allegan County is known as the "Island
City" because the downtown is entirely surrounded by water.
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If
you are interested in sharing news about the West Michigan region,
providing content or would like to suggest a topic for the WMSA
monthly newsletter, please email info@wm-alliance.org
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Diversity
in West Michigan: A Conversation with Kelley Losey
 WMSA recently had the opportunity to catch-up with
Kelley Losey, Director, Quest Sustainable Solutions (Cascade
Engineering) to discuss diversity here in West Michigan and its
effect on our businesses, schools and communities. Losey tells us
that Cascade Engineering is hosting the Jim Crow traveling museum,
which will be open to the public on Thursday, September 9,
2010. To learn more about how you can take part in this
exciting workshop and exhibit, please click here.
Click here to
read the entire interview with Kelley. WMSA applauds
the efforts being made by those organizations like Cascade
Engineering who are helping make West Michigan a more tolerant and
caring community, which everyone can call home.
Literacy
to Work Initiative Welcomes New Partner:
With an expansion of the Literacy to Work Initiative into Ottawa
County, WMSA is pleased to announce a new partnership with Zeeland
Public Schools (ZPS). ZPS will provide additional ESL (English
as a Second Language) and GED (General Equivalency Diploma) classes
at Ottawa County MI Works! Agency in Holland. The new classes will
include Literacy to Work "Plus" Components of career
coaching, National Career Readiness Certificate testing,
employability skills training, computer literacy and financial
literacy. Zeeland Public Schools has been active in the adult
education community for many years with their ESL and GED programs
and are excited to increase the number of adults they are able to
serve and the added enhancements to their current programs.
To get involved or learn more about the Literacy to Work Initiative,
please click here.
Collaborator,
Strategic Thinker, Amazing Artist - Marylu Dykstra
West Michigan is known for some pretty amazing things,
Art Prize, Van Andel Institute, Alexander Calder’s La Grande Vitesse,
Meijer Gardens and some pretty amazing artists. WMSA is proud
to display the work of local artist, Marylu Dykstra (DogStar Art
Studio) at our office in East Hills. Marylu’s work can also be
found at the Fire and Water Gallery
in Lowell, MI and can be viewed online by clicking here.
 The 'Green Space'
MSU's Land Policy Institute Releases New Regional
Atlas
The Land Policy Institute at Michigan State University (MSU)
announced the release of a new document: Michigan’s Critical Assets:
An Atlas for Regional Partnerships and Placemaking for Prosperity in
the Global New Economy. The Atlas documents the regional
distribution of Michigan’s assets in the areas of Green
Infrastructure, Quality of Life and Amenities, Renewable Energy,
Knowledge and New Economy – Readiness, as well as base maps that
explain key resources in Michigan.
To learn more about the Atlas or to obtain a copy, please visit the
LPI website by clicking here.
Regional
Spotlight: 28th Street Metro Cruise, August 27 &
28
Celebrating West Michigan's 100-year old love affair
with the automobile!
"15 Miles of COOL Cars" on famed 28th Street!
About the West Michigan Strategic Alliance
The West Michigan Strategic Alliance serves as a catalyst for
regional collaboration among the businesses, institutions and
governmental units serving more than 1.4 million people living in an
eight-county region including: Allegan, Barry, Ionia, Kent, Montcalm,
Muskegon, Newaygo and Ottawa. WMSA works to encourage a regional
mindset, which will foster collaboration on critical issues that
impact how we live, learn, work and play. Additional information is
available at www.wm-alliance.org
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