Good morning, Grand Rapids. I’m Jenny and this is Calder News.

We’re living the longest days of the year right now. How do you like to spend all the extra sunlight? Sunbathing on the beach? Eating dinner on the patio?

I like taking a stroll around our beautiful city. And what a well-managed city it is, according to WalletHub. Read about that and more in today’s newsletter.

~Jenny F.

Our city has earned many accolades, like Best City to Start a Career and #1 City on the Rise, not to mention our long-held title of Beer City. And this year, we added another distinction to the list: Best Managed City in Michigan.

WalletHub compared 148 cities in America, evaluating public services and financial budgets.

Commitment to housing, safety, and financial planning are just some of the categories Grand Rapids excels at. In comparison with the rest of the country, Grand Rapids is ranked 34th in Quality of City Services and 37th in Total Budget per Capita.

Read more here

A briefing of local news that matters

Travel

Summer is a popular time for travel, but rising fuel costs might derail some of your plans. Allegiant Air announced it’s cancelling some of its direct flights out of Grand Rapids to destinations in Florida, California, and Georgia. See more details.

Development

The city is certainly making use of its unused space. Townhouse complexes are set to be erected in three different lots around the city, and the construction of an industrial facility near Alpine Avenue could bring 55 new jobs to the area. Read more here.

Lakeshore

When city-goers need a beach day, a lot of us flock to Grand Haven, and no visit would be complete without a walk down the pier to its iconic red lighthouse. Starting today, visitors can now go inside the lighthouse and see the newly refurbished space. See more details.

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Help Kids Have Safer Commutes

GRPS and the Traffic Safety Division want to hear from you. A School Transportation Survey is now available to help city officials innovate new ways to keep kids safe as they travel to and from school. Fill out the survey by July 2nd.

City Needs Election Volunteers

In the words of JFK, ask what you can do for your city by helping out on election day. Volunteers are needed for a variety of tasks, including early and absentee voting. Learn more here.

New Police Chief Selected

Joe Trigg, GRPD’s Interim Chief, has been officially awarded the position of Chief of Police. The announcement will come this morning at 11 am, and he will be formally sworn in on June 29th. You can watch both events on the city’s Facebook page.

🎅 Christmas Market Needs Vendors

If you’re an artisan who likes to think ahead, Studio Park is already looking for vendors for their inaugural holiday market, held at Arts Marketplace starting November 18th.

🩰 Deos Ballet Announces Lineup

Calling all ballet lovers! Deos Ballet announced its new season of four shows, starting in July. Season tickets are on sale now.

⛳ Yamashita wins LPGA

Did you catch any of the golf action this past weekend at the Meijer LPGA Classic? Sounds like it was pretty exciting, with Miyu Yamashita sneaking past Lottie Woad for the win.

🎨 GR Earns New Guinness World Record

On Sunday, people gathered on the Blue Bridge to create the world’s largest Cyanotype Print. Lying objects or themselves on a piece of sun-sensitive fabric, they created an art piece 420 feet long.

Mark your calendars: another microchip and vaccine-free clinic, held by Pleasant Hearts, is coming up on July 19th from 11-1.

*Shows are subject to change, but that’s show biz.

Made for Grand Rapids locals by locals. 📍