Couple accused of stealing hundreds of gallons of gas

Submitted by WZZM13, News Staff

Tuesday, March 19th, 2013, 7:47am

GRAND RAPIDS (WZZM) - A Kent County couple is accused of siphoning hundreds of gallons of gas from area gas stations.

30-year old Jamie Hardie and 23-year old Rebecca Ryon allegedly hit at least four gas stations in their year-long crime spree.

According to police, the couple would back their mini-van up to the underground tanks and siphon gas into containers in their vehicle.

In one case, the couple was questioned by a manager at a BP gas station in Plainfield Township. The manager then took a picture of the couple as they were driving away.

The couple is also accused of stealing gas from an Admiral gas station in Wyoming, a Mobil station in Algoma Township, and another Mobil station in Cannon Township. Ryon told police that they would use a scanner application on Ryon's phone that monitors police radio traffic to help them avoid capture.

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2-Day Seniors Trip to SE Michigan - April 25-26

Submitted by Candice Fleszar... on Monday, March 18th, 2:24 pm

If you are interested in seeing the Southeast side of our state, the Plainfield Senior Center has a trip coming up that may itnerested you. It's called "More of Michigan!" and is 2-day trip to the SE side of the state. Highlights include Meadow Brook Hall and Theatre (lunch, guided tour and an evening performance of “Life Could be a Dream”), The Henry Ford Museum, Motown Museum and Pewabic Pottery. It is on April 25-26 for $229 per person.

This active and engaged group is open to all of Plainfield Township and meets at the Plainfield Senior Center (5255 Grand River Dr. NE just west of East Beltline). It offers a broad spectrum of programming with something for most everyone. Contact Christine Friedt (365-6150 or cfriedt@nvps.net) to make reservations, ask questions or to get on the full newsletter (five times a year) mailing list.

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Construction Update at Northview!

Submitted by Candice Fleszar... on Friday, March 15th, 2:41 pm

Construction Update at Northview!

➣The two-story, eighteen classroom NHS addition: exterior block walls are complete along with temporary enclosures. Exterior brick, interior block walls, 2nd floor topping slab, mechanical and electrical are in progress.

➣ Special education classrooms, new boiler room and electrical room: foundation for elevator pit and utility tunnel, masonry bearing walls, roofing, floor slabs, exterior block and temporary enclosures are complete or close to being complete.

➣ Athletic Phase 5a including new locker rooms, athletic lobby, site work and utility relocation will be bid in early March 2013. Construction begins in April 2013.

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Chilly March good for some, bad for others

Submitted by WZZM13, News Staff

Wednesday, March 13th, 2013, 6:01pm

(WZZM) -- What a difference a year makes. In March 2012, temperatures reached the upper 80s, but Wednesday it was below freezing. It's good and bad for area businesses.

At Jersey Junction in East Grand Rapids, Christina Ritsema says, "This year, as you can see, it's kind of empty at the moment."

Blame it on the weather. It's a chilly 28 degrees. It's a big change from March of last year. It felt more like summer and everybody wanted ice cream.

"It was incredibly busy. It was fun. It was nice and it kept going. But this year, is normal," says Ritsema.

And "normal" is good with Ed Robinette, owner of Robinette Orchards in Grand Rapids Township. Last year, the warm weather caused the apple trees to bud sooner than they should have.

"It was horrible. All the trees bloomed a month early. Everybody now knows that they froze and there was no fruit last year," says Robinette.

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Vehicle break-ins: How to protect your property

Submitted by WZZM13, News Staff

Wednesday, March 13th, 2013, 12:11am

PLAINFIELD TWP., Mich. (WZZM) - Kent County deputies are investigating a series of vehicle break-ins targeting third shift workers in Plainfield and Cascade Townships.

Based on surveillance video, sheriff's deputies say three series of crimes are connected.

"Glass was everywhere," says. Brandon Kavorik, whose car was damaged when thieves stole a .40 caliber handgun out of it.

"I was pretty upset... disgusted," he says.

Kavorik and five other employees at Trademark Die & Engineering had their cars broken into March 6; the very night they thought they stopped thieves from siphoning gas from their tanks.

"We started noticing it, so we went to Meijer and bought lock-in gas caps. The night we put them on, the next night, they couldn't get gas," says Kavorik, who believes that's why the culprits began breaking into their cars.

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Soaring Eagle Trip Planned for Plainfield Area Seniors - April 3

Submitted by Candice Fleszar... on Tuesday, March 12th, 1:54 pm

If you'd like to make an upcoming trip to Soaring Eagle Casino in Mt. Pleasant, you can join an upcoming one with the Seniors Group in April. The trip includes Soaring Eagle Casino plus High Stakes Bingo, dinner at Fireside Grille at Maple Creek Golf Club plus 15 promotional dollars to be loaded onto Players Club cards and a $5 food voucher. The trip is Wednesday, April 3. $69 per person.

The Seniors Group is an active and engaged group open to all of Plainfield Township and meets at the Plainfield Senior Center (5255 Grand River Dr. NE just west of East Beltline). It offers a broad spectrum of programming with something for most everyone. Contact Christine Friedt (365-6150 or cfriedt@nvps.net) to make reservations, ask questions or to get on the full newsletter (five times a year) mailing list.

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Northview Superintendent Letter to Community

Submitted by Candice Fleszar... on Thursday, March 7th, 3:52 pm

Letter from Northview Superintendent to Community

Dear Families, Community Members, Staff, and Students,

Last February the opening line in my letter to the community was “Think back to a time when you made a physical change to your home.” We were just beginning the major school construction projects approved by the community. Guess what? We are still in the construction process. It has been a little messy as we predicted a year ago. We moved furniture, students, and staff into temporary classrooms, demolished all but one long hall way that runs from “The Max” to the Athletic Wing, and the back of the school was torn down and hauled away in dump trucks. Our resilient student body adapted quickly and found a way to enjoy the “outside hallway,” especially on the nice
weather days – not so much now that it is cold.

However, we have also gained some brand new space.

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