🌱 Patch AM: Walker teen found safe in Grand Rapids after overnight search.

Coffee in hand, Grand Rapids? We've got the latest town updates for you. Keep reading to stay in the loop. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

• Walker teen found safe in Grand Rapids after overnight search.
• How one polka duo kept Pulaski Days dancing for 54 years.
• What made this year's $100K ArtPrize winner stand out?

Also on today's calendar: Free Admission to Grand Rapids Cultural Institutions with Museums on Us® and 9 more events.

Today's riddle: Why was the scarecrow given an award? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high of 67 and low of 45 degrees.
• Monday: Mostly sunny, temps: high: 62, low: 39.
• Tuesday: Gleaming sunshine, with a high of 66 and low of 55 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

• Walker police find missing, endangered 14-year-old girl (mlive.com) — A 14-year-old Walker girl reported missing Friday evening has been safely located in Grand Rapids by an off-duty Walker police officer and will be reunited with her family. Police had considered her endangered because of cold overnight temperatures, her age, and missed medication doses, prompting an intensive search around her Walker neighborhood and nearby businesses.
   

• One couple performs their 54th polka set at Grand Rapids' Pulaski Days (woodtv.com) — Pulaski Days in Grand Rapids is closing out the weekend with a milestone performance from Ray and Julie Watkoski, who are marking their 54th year playing polka at the festival. Now in their late 80s and facing health challenges, the couple and their family reflect on a lifetime of music, tradition, and community that has shaped generations of local celebrations.
   

• 'I'm astonished': East Lansing sketch artist reflects on $100K ArtPrize win (mlive.com) — ArtPrize is wrapping up in downtown Grand Rapids today, but you still have one more day to see East Lansing artist Kristin Pennock's $100,000-winning "Sketchdiet" installation at DeVos Place and other entries across 159 local venues. Her yearlong food-sketch project, soon headed to low-Earth orbit, helped anchor a competition featuring more than 1,000 artists around the city.
   

📸 Around Grand Rapids

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Grand Rapids

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Monday October 5
• BLS Provider Course →
  Life EMS Innovation and Education Centre – Grand Rapids, MI, 1050 Fuller Ave. NE, Grand Rapids
  9:00 am

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Sunday October 4
• Free Admission to Grand Rapids Cultural Institutions with Museums on Us® →
  Grand Rapids Children's Museum, 11 Sheldon Ave NE, Grand Rapids
  12:00 pm
Monday October 5
• Instructor Renewal Course for BLS or Heart Saver →
  Life EMS Innovation and Education Centre – Grand Rapids, MI, 1050 Fuller Ave. NE, Grand Rapids
  1:30 pm
• Service Manual Study →
  Grand Rapids MI
  6:00 pm
• GriefShare →
  Family Room, 800 Scribner NW, Grand Rapids
  7:00 pm
Tuesday October 6
• Adoption & Foster | Parent Support Group →
  180 Place, 678 Front Ave NW #180, Grand Rapids
  12:00 pm
• Red Mass for those in the legal profession →
  Cathedral of Saint Andrew, 301 Sheldon Blvd SE, Grand Rapids
  5:30 pm
• Burger and Pint Night! →
  Vander Mill, 505 Ball Avenue Northeast, Grand Rapids
  6:00 pm
Saturday October 10
• Spooky Sprint - Grand Rapids →
  Caledonia High School, 9050 Kraft Ave SE, Caledonia
  8:00 am
Sunday October 18
• Sacred Sundays Breathwork - Grand Rapids Edition →
  Bamboo Grand Rapids: Coworking & Events Center, 2 Fulton St W, Grand Rapids
  10:00 am
Friday October 23
• Candlelight: A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics →
  Wealthy Theatre, 1130 Wealthy St SE, Grand Rapids
  8:45 pm
Saturday October 24
• Puppy Yoga Grand Rapids →
  2455 29th St SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49512
  9:00 am

📣 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!

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

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

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• Migration alert from Cornell Lab Birdcast shows that high-intensity bird migration will occur over our region tonight, Friday,
  October 2, 2026. Large number of birds will be flying overhead! Please turn off outdoor lights from dusk tonight until dawn tomorrow morning so they… (Nextdoor Creston)
• Fall color kicks off when the cold at night and the daylight hours signal winter days lie ahead.
  This is Friday afternoon at Huff Park, maple alive with colors. (Nextdoor Diamond)

• HireTalent posted a job opening for Ship/Rec/Stores Clerk II - Non-Exempt in Grand Rapids. Apply here.
• Corewell Health posted a job opening for Mobile Mammography Driver Patient Registration Representative in Grand Rapids. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Grand Rapids here.

🗞 Nearby News

East Grand Rapids

• Inside East Grand Rapids' 'Chicken Man' tradition (woodtv.com)
• Kindness, community, and a flute help East Grand Rapids student shine (woodtv.com)
• Two minors arrested after overnight vehicle spree; four stolen vehicles recovered (wwmt.com)

Walker

• Meijer donates $1 million to support new Walker library ahead of October opening (mlive.com)
• Where to Find Spirit Halloween Stores in West Michigan (mymagicgr.com)
• Grand Rapids police seek help finding hit-and-run driver of e-bike rider (mlive.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: "Why was the scarecrow given an award?" — Because he was outstanding in his field! (Thank you Teresa M. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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