A longtime downtown Grand Rapids deli has expanded.

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One of the best things about movies is their ability to take you out of the real world for a short while. On the other hand, cinema also gives us the opportunity to delve head first into our global community’s most pressing issues in the form of investigative, informative documentaries. 

The Grand Rapids-based West Michigan Environmental Action Council is a huge proponent of the latter, and has been teaming up with the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts (UICA) for more than five years to bring eye-opening documentaries to its theater as part of the WMEAC Film Series. 

If there’s one thing longtime stand-up comedian Alonzo Bodden knows, it’s the healing power of humor. From donating a kidney to his brother to confronting institutionalized racism onstage, Bodden is a big believer in laughter as medicine for those who are hurting in mind, body or soul.

Many will remember him best from his two seasons on NBC’s reality competition series Last Comic Standing, where he won the grand prize during season three back in 2004. 

A native of New York, Ricki Levine made her way to West Michigan via Los Angeles first. She fell in love with the area after friends in California moved to Saugatuck and invited her to visit. 

A Michigan native, Ella Swift earned a masters in Irish literature with a specialty in dramatic literature, studying how folklore was used in early Irish theater. 

The Grand Rapids Public Library is offering its patrons access to Kanopy, a streaming video collection with more than 26,000 films available online.

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The St. Cecilia Music Center has added four shows to its Acoustic Cafe series for next year.

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There’s nothing quite like the charming atmosphere of an old bookstore. It’s difficult to walk in and not immediately feel a wave of comfort wash over you. 

A modern bookshop can’t replicate the vibes and many people say picking up an e-reader just doesn’t compare to the pages of a dusty, well-loved book. Here’s a small guide to get you started.

Madcap Coffee Company Inc. plans to expand its downtown presence.

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Downtown Grand Rapids’ newest music venue, 20 Monroe Live, has released the lineup for its first 19 shows.

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