West Michigan Weekend (A Public Affairs Program from iHeartradio)

On this episode, host Phil Tower welcomes Paula Veneklase, the Executive Director of HELP Pregnancy Aid in Grand Rapids   HELP’s goal is to promote the healthy development of babies from conception through age three – the most crucial years of life. Additionally, it strives to ensure that every client will leave HELP feeling more empowered to make informed decisions. Under Paula's leadership, HELP...

On this episode, host Phil Tower welcomes Melissa Kaelin, Author, Aurora Chaser, and founder of the Michigan Aurora Chasers (*MichiganAuroraChasers.com) Melissa's book is Beyond the 45th Parallel: The Beginner's Guide to Chasing Aurora. Melissa's also the co-founder of the Aurora Summit.  In this full episode, Melissa gave us an update on the latest in Aurora, chasing here in the state of Michigan...

On this week's program, host Phil Tower welcomes  Kevin Matthews . In Chicago and throughout West Michigan, Kevin needs no introduction. For those who don't know Kevin as well, he is a radio icon, and a three-time Radio Hall of Fame Nominee, and author of: Broken Mary: A Journey of Hope(2017) . This was Kevin's first book, and it tells the story of his battle with multiple sclerosis and his discov...

In this episode, host Phil Tower welcomes Whitney Waara, Chief Operating Officer, Traverse City Tourism. Whitney joined us in this segment for a preview of the all-new Traverse City Food & Wine (TCF&W), a five-day farm-to-table celebration that takes place August 20 – 24. The event sponsors "A Grand Tasting" on Saturday afternoon, August 23, which will offer guests a chance to sample many...

In this segment, host Phil Tower welcomes Dr. David Doud, a primary care physician with Trinity Health Medical Group in Grand Rapids.  Dr. Doud joined us to help debunk some common skin safety myths, such as the notion that a "base tan" is protective or that sunscreen is unnecessary on cloudy days. Some of the questions we discussed included: Do I need to apply sunscreen on Cloudy Days? If I have...

On this week's program, host Phil Tower welcomes  LT Kegan "SMURF" Gill. Kegan, who currently resides in Michigan,  is a decorated U.S. Navy fighter pilot, an ultra-endurance athlete, motivational speaker, and author of the compelling new book released earlier this year, “ Phoenix Revival: The Aftermath of Naval Aviation's Fastest Ejection”  ( Paperback). It's his powerful story.  Kegan recently h...

In this episode, iHeartradio host Phil Tower welcomes  Michael Grunwald, New York Times-bestselling author. Michael's new book is W e Are Eating the Earth: The Race to Fix Our Food System and Save Our Climate , from  Simon & Schuster Publishing   Michael told us that humanity has cleared a land mass the size of Asia plus Europe to grow food, and our food system generates a third of our carbon...

In this episode, host Phil Tower chats with  Glenn Merry, the CEO of Move United. From July 11-17, 2025, Grand Rapids is hosting, for the first time,  The Hartford Nationals. This competition is hosted by  Move United , the largest and longest-running national sports championship event for athletes with a physical disability, visual impairment, and/or intellectual disability.  This is a major firs...

In this segment, host Phil Tower welcomes Monique Stanton, president and CEO of the Michigan League for Public Policy. Monique joined the program to discuss how Medicaid cuts are expected to affect not only the hundreds of thousands of Michiganders at risk of losing health insurance, but also the broader health care system. State and health industry leaders recently said in a press conference on T...

In this episode, host Phil Tower speaks with Alicia Sledge, the director of the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning. Alicia, you're joining us to talk about the state's ever to crack down on speeding during the busy summer driving season. The good news: In Michigan, speeding-related crashes and fatalities have been decreasing. There was a 20% drop in speed-involved crashes in 2023 compared...

In this episode, host Phil Tower speaks with Danielle Beard, the Michigan Green Communities (MGC)Program Coordinator.   In mid-June of this year(2025), a record high 68 local governments across Michigan were recognized for their sustainability efforts and environmental leadership through their participation in the Michigan Green Communities (MGC) Challenge.  Communities were awarded bronze, silver...

In this segment, host Phil Tower welcomes Dr. Andrew Jameson, the Specialty Medical Director at Trinity Health Medical Group in West Michigan and Section Chief of Infectious Diseases at Trinity Health Grand Rapids hospital.  Michigan currently has 15 confirmed measles cases, with 7 cases considered part of an ongoing outbreak, according to the State of Michigan. This outbreak is the first in Michi...

On this episode, host Phil Tower welcomes  Kimberly M. Large, an estate and family law attorney with Mika Meyers.   Kim joined us to talk about a growing type of divorce.  A collaborative divorce is a process designed as an alternative to traditional litigation to end a marriage.  It is sometimes referred to as “divorce with dignity,” “peaceful divorce,” or the “gentler divorce.  It is intended to...

In this segment, host Phil Tower welcomes Mike McFall, co-CEO of Biggby Coffee. Mike and business partner Bob Fish helped create one of the great specialty coffee brands in America. Today, Mike is co-CEO with Bob, and BIGGBY has over 250 stores open throughout the Midwest. Mike is the author of Grind, a book that focuses on early-stage businesses, and we spoke with him about his newest book,   Gro...

In this segment, host Phil Tower speaks with Ryan VerWys, the President & CEO, ICCF Community Homes   ICCF Community Homes is the oldest nonprofit affordable housing provider in Michigan.  They’ve been active in the Grand Rapids area since 1974 and engage 2,000+ households each year with housing-related services.  Ryan and his leadership team at ICCF Community Homes manage over 600 units of af...

In this episode, host Phil Tower welcomes A ngela Hollinshead, Director of the Kent County Animal Shelter. Angela joined us to talk about the reopening of the Kent County Animal Shelter in its primary location after three months of renovations.  The shelter’s animals were moved to a temporary facility nearly a mile away from the current home on Fuller Avenue Northeast in January and then moved bac...

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Kevin Foley, Medical Director of Trinity Health’s Hauenstein Neuroscience Center, Alzheimer’s Disease and Memory Disorders Program, and Associate Professor and Director of Geriatrics, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine.   Dr. Foley told us he had a good reason for opening an Alzheimer’s Disease and Memory Disorders Program at the Trinity Health Haue...

On this week's episode, host Phil Tower devotes the full program to a conversation with Greg Elzinga, President of Calvin University. Greg Ezinga was officially named the 13th president of Calvin University in October 2024. He joined us to talk about his path to this significant and esteemed leadership position at one of the nation's most respected and successful Christian universities. Elzinga is...

In this episode of West Michigan Weekend, Phil Tower welcomes D r. Jo Lattimore, Ph. D. , director of the Michigan Clean Water Corps (MiCorps).   Dr. Latimore spoke about the opportunity for Michigan residents to sign up for volunteer lake monitor training through the Michigan Clean Water Corps (MiCorps).  MiCorps is a statewide network focused on water quality, has been running its Cooperative La...

In this episode, host Phil Tower speaks with Steven Hodas, executive director of GV NextEd Co-Lab.  The GV NextEd Co-Lab furthers GVSU's commitment to creating new paths to and through the University for all learners in all communities.  The Co-Lab works with traditional and non-traditional partners inside and outside GVSU, and harnesses universities’ powerful credentialing fulcrum to improve outc...

In this episode, host Phil Tower speaks with Matt McPherson, Communications Manager, Kent County Department of Public Works. Matt joined us to talk about the new foam polystyrene drop-off recently announced by the Kent County Department of Public Works. New at the North Kent Transfer Station and in West Michigan, the Kent County Department now has a way to recycle a notoriously stubborn form of pl...

In this episode, Phil Tower welcomes  Dr. Jerry Avorn, MD, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and a senior internist in the Mass General Brigham health-care system. Dr. Avorn joined us to discuss his excellent new book,  RETHINKING MEDICATIONS. Groundbreaking research has given us many decades of remarkable new medicines, but America’s drug evaluation process, once the envy of the w...

On this episode, host Phil Tower welcomes three individuals to talk about Michigan's newly updated law regarding surrogate parenting.  Phil spoke with Tammy Myers, a Michigan mother who was forced to adopt her biological twins in 2021 due to Michigan’s outdated surrogacy laws; Melissa Neckers, an attorney at Miller Johnson,  and an expert in assisted reproduction and surrogacy law; and Jarret Zafr...

In this episode, we speak with Alicia Mathieu, president and founder of Down to Defend.     Alicia is the mother of three children, one of those children is living with Down syndrome. When Alicia received her son Levi’s diagnosis, she said she was empowered to change the gut-wrenching statistics that she unveiled during her research. We spoke with her about her journey to this role as president an...

In this segment, host Phil Tower, welcomes Katie Tucker, a personal injury attorney with Sinas Dramis Law Firm.  Katie specializes in advocating for the rights of people who have been seriously injured or killed in Michigan auto accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian-motor vehicle accidents, etc. She's also an expert on child safety seat laws in Michigan. Katie joined us to breakdown Michigan...