Intersection Grand Rapids

Photo: SUV rollover crash slows traffic on Lake Michigan Drive

The driver was actually slowing down and in the middle lane headed to turn into speedway, when a large pick up truck came out of the Family Fare parking lot and hit him in the back passenger side. The driver swerved to try to avoid the oncoming pick up truck. Due to the impact and trying to avoid the truck, the SUV flipped. The SUV driver was not speeding, he was slowing down to turn into the gas station and attempted to avoid the pick up truck that came across two lanes of traffic.

I travel this area on a regular basis. I see very large numbers of cars/trucks/SUVs with Grand Valley decals and or driven by college age people driving way over the speed limit, changing lanes, following too closely and engaging in other risky behavior. Once past downtown and the exits for GVSU going east, this kind of behavior drops off dramatically. Generalizations, in Mark Twain's words "are no damn good, including this one" but it seems like there is a correlation. The PD hasn't been in the area working radar or watching the lights much lately nor does the area see much patrol time.

I travel the same area and I see just as many vehicles sans GVSU stickers pulling the same risky behavior. I also see plenty of it downtown (also sans GVSU stickers).

The area sees a lot of patrol time; the GRPD is regularly camped out on Lake Michigan by Covell and the Walker police are up and down Lake Michigan all day (to say nothing of the Ottawa County Sheriffs Deputies that camp out at the area by Allendale.

Jimmy Eat World @ The Intersection, Grand Rapids

I thought I arrived in plenty of time, but alas, no… I just missed the South African based band, Civil Twilight.  They played promptly at 8:30, which will teach me to not wait so long after doors at the Intersection on a weeknight.  After the disappointment had settled and 9 PM was firmly on the clock, the activity began to quickly clear the stage for the headliner to take his place.  Soon we were to see: Jimmy Eat World.

Now you may have formed your opinions of this band long ago, back when “The Sweetness” and “The Middle” were popular, but this band here this night, celebrating their 10th anniversary of the release of Bleed American , were so much more than anything assumed by the casual listener. As I watched and listened to the entirety of their set I realized I knew them far better than I had previously thought.  So many familiar and enticing songs blanketed the venue as the crowd grew ever more grateful.