🌱 Patch AM: Which 2026 road projects will most disrupt your Grand Rapids commute?

What's up Grand Rapids! Let's start this morning right by getting caught up on what's going on around town. Keep reading to stay in the loop. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

• Which 2026 road projects will most disrupt your Grand Rapids commute?
• Why Ottawa County deputies tracked a Grand Rapids man across city lines
• How ICE arrests at Grand Rapids’ office are reshaping Michigan families

Also on today's calendar: Candlelight: Tribute to Queen and The Beatles and 1 more event.

Today's riddle: What did one elevator say to the other? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Monday: Breezy with clouds and sun, with a high of 39 and low of 32 degrees.
• Tuesday: Breezy with showers around, temps: high: 43, low: 33.
• Wednesday: Snow and rain, 1-3", with a high of 39 and low of 14 degrees. ⛄️ Brr!

📰 News we're reading

• These are the biggest road projects to watch in West Michigan in 2026 (mlive.com) — Drivers in and around Grand Rapids face a busy 2026 construction season, led by a full replacement of the century-old Martin Luther King Jr. Street bridge over U.S. 131 on the city’s south side. Major widening on M-37, multiple new roundabouts, and several bridge projects in Kent and Ottawa counties will bring closures, detours, and smoother roads once work wraps up.
   

• Man arrested in connection to Ottawa County home invasion and assault, sheriff says (wwmt.com) — A 32-year-old Grand Rapids man was arrested in the city after deputies say he broke into a former partner’s Georgetown Township apartment with a handgun and assaulted her while three children were inside. Ottawa County investigators report the woman suffered minor injuries, the children were unharmed, and they’re asking anyone with information to contact the sheriff’s office or Silent Observer.
   

• In a year, ICE arrested over 2,300 in Michigan – from teens at home to a dad getting coffee (mlive.com) — Immigration enforcement actions in Michigan now include arrests at the Grand Rapids ICE office and local vigils protesting detention conditions. The story follows families separated by surprise detentions, the rapid expansion of the Baldwin North Lake detention center, and advocates’ push for sanctuary-style protections in cities like Grand Rapids as arrests and deaths in ICE custody climb statewide.
   

📸 Around Grand Rapids

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in Grand Rapids

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

Friday January 16

• Candlelight: Tribute to Queen and The Beatles
  Wealthy Theatre , 1130 Wealthy St SE , Grand Rapids
  6:30 pm
• Candlelight: Rock Favorites on Strings
  Wealthy Theatre , 1130 Wealthy St SE , Grand Rapids
  8:45 pm

Friday January 23

• Union Redhawks Boys Basketball Youth Night
  Union High School , 1800 Tremont Blvd NW , Grand Rapids
  4:00 pm

Sunday January 25

• Make Epic Gnocchi With Chef Jerry - Cooking Class by Classpop!
  Bier Distillery & Brewery , 5295 W River Dr NE , Comstock Park
  4:00 pm

📣 Grand Rapids Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

Monday January 12

• Government Matters
  Kentwood City Hall , 4900 Breton Rd SE , Kentwood
  7:45 am
• Storytime at Walker Library - KDL
  Kent District Library - Walker Temporary Location , 445 Standale Plaza NW , Walker
  10:00 am
• Storytime at Comstock Park Library - KDL
  Kent District Library - Comstock Park Branch , 3943 W River Dr NE , Comstock Park
  10:00 am
• Level Up Basketball Training
  Greenridge Elementary - GR Gym
  5:00 pm
• More Than A Game
  Brookwood Gymnasium Brookwood ES -
  5:45 pm
• WPS Board of Education Meeting
  Wyoming Public Schools , 3575 Gladiola Ave SW , Wyoming
  6:00 pm
• City Commission Meeting
  Walker, MI Calendar , City Hall 4243 Remembrance RD NW , Walker
  6:30 pm
• Township Board Meeting
  Georgetown, MI Calendar Jenison, MI 49429
  7:00 pm

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Grand Rapids PatchAM possible:

• Mindsee.it — (646) 663-8317
  Teach your kids they can achieve the impossible!

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• I want to thank everyone for all their help I think I can hold out a couple of weeks with my kitty cats now I sure do appreciate it.
  If anybody needs something altered in sewing or some home decor made I'll be more than happy to sew for you, God Bless you all. (Nextdoor Breton Village)
• WHITE CHIHUAHUA IN CUTLER ESTATES LOOSE!
  If you're missing your white chihuahua at home well probably he's the one hidding by the very right end of the community. I saw him coming down North… (Nextdoor Cutler Estates)

• Schreiber Foods, Inc. posted a job opening for Forklift Operator (Night Shift, $24.00 Starting Hourly Pay (Shift Premium Included)) in Grand Rapids. Apply here.
• Corewell Health posted a job opening for Activity Aide in Grand Rapids. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Grand Rapids here.

🗞 Nearby News

East Grand Rapids

• Your votes: Who is the top forward in Division 1 Michigan high school boys basketball? (mlive.com)
• 'No one's going to be getting out of here': Flooding leaves neighbors cut off from busy street (fox17online.com)
• Randy Sanders (therepublic.com)

Walker

• Northview wrestling coach inducted into new hall of fame (fox17online.com)
• Hall of Honor to be dedicated at Comstock Park High School (fox17online.com)

Ok Grand Rapids! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I think I’m coming down with something!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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