Made In Walker

City of Walker MI

5.0 (6)
GOVERNMENT
UPDATED BIWEEKLY

The Made In Walker Podcast connects you to the people, stories, and ideas shaping our community. From local innovators to everyday change makers, we are diving deep into what makes Walker Michigan a great place to live, work, and grow. Be sure to "like" and subscribe to Made in Walker so you never miss an episode. To contact us about this podcast please send an email to Podcast@Walker.City.

2D AGO

The Grandville Walker Foundation: Neighbors Who Fund Change

Want to see how small grants make big things happen? We sit down with Teresa from the Grandville Walker Foundation to unpack a simple, powerful model for local impact in Walker and Grandville. From funding a refrigerator that expands Senior Neighbors’ capacity at the Walker Center to backing a music garden near the library and exploring support for a Johnson Park-connected bike trail, these $500–$2,500 grants deliver real results you can visit, use, and feel. We walk through exactly how the foundation works: two grant cycles per year, a clear focus on projects that directly benefit residents in Walker or Grandville, and a practical approach that helps nonprofits close funding gaps and get to “done.” Teresa shares what the board looks for—impact on a larger number of people, readiness to execute, and alignment with improving quality of life—and why early applications help the board collaborate with applicants and strengthen proposals. If you’re leading a local nonprofit or community initiative, you’ll get concrete guidance on preparing to apply and timing your request for the spring window. We also talk funding and growth: how small donations, legacy gifts, and community fundraisers like a new 50/50 raffle fuel the foundation’s work, and why no gift is too small. Teresa opens up about her motivation to serve, the board’s low time commitment, and the skills that can make a difference right now—marketing, legal, outreach, and simple willingness to show up. Along the way, we highlight the power of placemaking: trails, parks, and gathering spaces that knit neighborhoods together and make daily life better. If you care about local change, this conversation offers a roadmap. Learn where your project fits, how to give in a way that matters, and what it feels like to hand a check to neighbors doing vital work. Subscribe, share with a friend who loves community, and email us your thoughts or project ideas at podcast@walker.city. If you have comments about this podcast, or ideas for future episodes, please email us at PODCAST@WALKER.CITY

11 min
DEC 8

From Scissors To City Service: Seven and Mane Owner Cindy Ludwick’s Path

A neighborhood salon can be more than a place for great hair—it can be a quiet engine of trust, training, and local pride. We sit down with Seven in Main Salon owner and Downtown Development Authority member Cindy Ludwick to uncover how a thoughtful business model, steady mentorship, and civic service can shape both a team and a city. From the careful story behind the salon’s name to the systems that let four generations feel at home in the chair, Cindy shows how culture and consistency turn a storefront into a community anchor. We talk about building a beautiful space for talented stylists, then scaling without losing what matters: empathy, reliability, and craft. Cindy explains why the industry’s faster pace pushed her team to adopt level-based pricing, robust training, online scheduling, and shorter, high-impact services. She shares how a shoulder surgery tested—and proved—the salon’s resilience, with cross-trained colleagues stepping in so clients stayed cared for. For aspiring stylists, her take is practical and generous: join a learning culture, replace yourself over time, and build a career that’s sustainable. Cindy also opens the door to city-building. Serving on Walker’s DDA gave her a front-row seat to controlled growth in Standale, including ideas for community-friendly development behind the fire station. If you’ve wondered how to get involved without a huge time commitment, her roadmap is clear: monthly meetings, occasional subcommittees, and a real voice in what gets built. Along the way, you’ll hear why local businesses thrive when owners and residents show up—on the street, in the chair, and at the table where plans become places. If this conversation resonates, follow the show, share it with a neighbor, and leave a quick review. Your support helps more people discover the stories shaping Walker. If you have comments about this podcast, or ideas for future episodes, please email us at PODCAST@WALKER.CITY

14 min
NOV 24

Finding a Walker Home That Fits Your Life - A Conversation with Scott Zokoe

If you’re confused by headlines but serious about finding a home that fits your life, this conversation brings the noise down to human scale. We sit with Scott Zokoe of the Zokoe Team to unpack how Walker’s market evolved from pandemic bidding wars to a steadier, still seller-leaning landscape—and what that actually means for timing, price, and sanity. The goal isn’t hype; it’s clarity you can act on. We trace the arc from near-zero interest rates to today’s cooler, more rational footing: days-on-market rising from seven to around nineteen, months of supply still under two, and why list strategy matters again. Scott explains how “golden handcuffs” kept owners locked into 3% mortgages, and how a glide toward the mid to low fives could finally free up inventory in 2026. That shift could open doors for move-up buyers, downsizers, and first-time buyers hungry for options, while putting negotiation and prep back at center stage. Practical advice anchors the conversation. Start with curb appeal and clean interiors to remove buyer friction before features get judged. If you renovate, keep kitchens and baths simple and aligned to the neighborhood for better ROI—save luxury for forever homes. We also explore why renting longer is a smart bridge for newcomers and younger buyers, how local employers fuel demand, and where condos and zero-entry designs give residents low-maintenance, right-sized choices near Standale and beyond. Walker’s growth story is about options: single-family, rentals, and well-built communities that help more people live well here. We close with an honest rule of thumb: the best time to buy was ten years ago; the next best time is when it works for your family and budget. If you’re weighing your move, subscribe for more grounded market insight, share this with a neighbor who’s curious about Walker, and leave a review with your biggest question—we’ll tackle it next. If you have comments about this podcast, or ideas for future episodes, please email us at PODCAST@WALKER.CITY

16 min
NOV 10

Fruit Ridge Bridge Open, Watch Walker Go.

A bottleneck that lasted decades is finally gone, and you can feel the difference the first time you cross it. We bring together MDOT’s John Richard and Walker City Engineer Scott Connors to unpack how the new Fruit Ridge Bridge and interchange deliver safer travel, smoother access to jobs, and real options for people walking and biking. From two skinny lanes to a five-lane span with a 14-foot path and smarter ramp alignments, this is the rare project that makes commutes calmer, business access easier, and neighborhood connections stronger. We dig into the choices that matter: why modernizing a 1960s-era “hourglass” bridge removes a dangerous pinch point, how aligned ramps and mast-arm signals cut crash risk, and what a center turn lane means for freight-heavy businesses north of the railroad. You’ll also hear how funding unlocked more than a basic rehab; a $25 million state investment and a TAP grant made it possible to rebuild the bridge, reconfigure the interchange, and extend improvements along the corridor. It’s not just infrastructure—it’s a strategy for safety, efficiency, and growth in West Michigan. Behind the scenes, coordination turned disruption into progress. Transparent updates through social media, email lists, and door-to-door business outreach kept detours manageable and expectations clear. The community showed patience, the contractors delivered ahead of schedule, and local schools even helped celebrate the ribbon cutting. And for anyone who rides or walks, that wide path means your route now continues across the bridge without a white-knuckle squeeze—linking neighborhoods to employers and connecting into trail systems that reach the lakeshore and beyond. If this conversation resonates, follow the show, share it with a neighbor who uses the corridor, and leave a quick review so others can find it. Your feedback helps us keep telling the stories that move Walker forward. If you have comments about this podcast, or ideas for future episodes, please email us at PODCAST@WALKER.CITY

13 min
OCT 27

Skilled Trades, Real Futures: A conversation with Preferred Flooring owners.

Skip the tired script about success requiring a four-year degree. We sit down with Daniel and Jose Gonzalez of Preferred Flooring to explore how a hands-on trade can become a vehicle for purpose, community, and a resilient career. From weekend gigs as kids to leading complex healthcare installations, their path shows how craftsmanship, discipline, and training turn “just a job” into a calling. We dig into what makes hospital flooring unforgiving and why that pressure builds better habits everywhere else: surface prep, adhesive science, infection control, and close coordination under strict timelines. The brothers explain how sports shaped their approach to leadership—earning your role, taking coaching, and competing with urgency—then connect that mindset to recruiting teens at career fairs. When students snap a plank together and feel the work, they see new possibilities. We also unpack the industry’s labor landscape: the pull of 1099 work, the challenge of offering benefits as a small contractor, and the long game of retention through respect, training, and clear growth paths. Education runs through everything. Products change, specs evolve, and shortcuts fail under real-world conditions. As certifiers and instructors, Daniel and Jose champion ongoing training to prevent callbacks, protect margins, and elevate the craft. They share why they call subcontractors “partners,” how relationships drive repeat work, and where their own platform—The Huddle podcast—helps new tradespeople set up businesses, manage books, and avoid common pitfalls. If you care about skilled trades, small business realities, or the art of building something that lasts, this conversation delivers practical insights and a shot of motivation. Listen now, then subscribe, share with a friend who needs a nudge toward the trades, and leave a review to help more people find the show. Want to connect with our guests? Check out pfmi.team for projects or careers, and find The Huddle at thehuddle.team. If you have comments about this podcast, or ideas for future episodes, please email us at PODCAST@WALKER.CITY

15 min
OCT 13

A Legacy of Kindness: Remembering Officer Trevor Slot Through Community, Family, and Service

Some names turn into anchors for a whole community. Trevor Slot is one of those names. We open the door to his life through vivid memories, honest grief, and the living legacy he left inside the Walker Police Department and within the hearts of his daughters. What you’ll hear isn’t a eulogy—it’s a map for how kindness, humor, and everyday presence can shape an entire city. Captain Brandyn Heugel and Sergeant Robin Malley paint a grounded portrait of the man behind the badge: an officer who insisted on first names, who knew business owners and neighbors, and who believed in second chances even for the “frequent flyers.” A single story says it all—a resident once written off offers key information that cracks a serious case; years later, he flags down a cruiser to say Trevor never treated him like a criminal, only as a human being. That’s community policing done right: trust built one conversation at a time, where empathy is both principled and practical. Katelyn joins us to share snapshots of “dad”—loud music, goofy jokes, and the two-drive-thru ritual that made kids feel seen. She talks about growing up with a department that kept showing up: graduations, milestones, and quiet check-ins that stitched a safety net beneath her and her sister. We also reflect on grief that arrives in waves and the perspective Kim, Trevor’s late wife, offered so powerfully: you can’t change what happened, but you can live fully in the moments you’re given. Inside the department, Trevor’s presence remains tangible—memorials in the hallway, a slogan on a patrol car, letters from across the country carefully preserved, and a field training module ensuring new officers learn not just policies but values. If you care about public safety, civic trust, and what true service looks like, this story will stay with you. Subscribe, share with a friend who believes relationships still matter, and leave a review to help others find conversations that keep legacies alive. If you have comments about this podcast, or ideas for future episodes, please email us at PODCAST@WALKER.CITY

18 min
SEP 29

Working on Walker's Wheels: The Hidden World of City Vehicle Maintenance

Every time a police officer responds to an emergency call, a firefighter races to a blaze, or a snowplow clears your street after a winter storm, there's an unsung team of experts making it all possible. In this fascinating conversation with Ben Willcome, Walker's Fleet Services Supervisor, we pull back the curtain on the critical but often invisible work that keeps our city vehicles running. Ben and his three-person team maintain over 300 pieces of city equipment—"anything from a chainsaw to a platform fire truck." With remarkable versatility and technical expertise, they handle everything from routine maintenance to complex rebuilds, saving taxpayers substantial money compared to outsourced repairs. A fire truck repair that might cost $200 per hour at a specialty shop gets handled in-house by certified Emergency Vehicle Technicians. Their preventative maintenance program includes innovative approaches like applying specialized rust prevention coatings and completely rebuilding aging vehicles to extend their service life. The conversation reveals fascinating insights about vehicle lifecycles (police cars typically serve 3 years while fire trucks may run for 30), winter preparation procedures for snowplows, and a particularly rewarding project where the team transformed an underperforming fire tanker into a high-capacity emergency response vehicle. Beyond the technical aspects, Ben shares how his childhood passion for working on vehicles with his father evolved into a fulfilling career serving the public. "We keep the city rolling," he explains, taking pride in supporting every department and participating in community events that showcase their essential role. As Walker grows and vehicle technology evolves toward autonomy and alternative fuels, Ben and his team stand ready to adapt and continue their vital mission. Ready to discover more about the people and services that make Walker work? Subscribe to Made in Walker for more behind-the-scenes conversations with the dedicated professionals serving our community. If you have comments about this podcast, or ideas for future episodes, please email us at PODCAST@WALKER.CITY

16 min
SEP 15

State of Walker: 2025 Acceleration

Mayor Gary Carey delivers his State of the City Address for 2025, highlighting "acceleration" as this year's theme to reflect the increased velocity of growth and development in Walker. Public safety remains a top priority with exceptional community engagement from police and fire departments resulting in a 22% decrease in major crimes over two years despite the city's rapid growth. • The Fruit Ridge Bridge project will have the biggest impact on residents in 2025, serving 16,000 jobs within a two-mile radius and including a non-motorized trail for enhanced safety • Walker's strategic financial approach relies on income tax for 65% of revenue, allowing services to improve without raising property taxes • The city maintains minimal long-term debt, positioning it well for future investments in public safety infrastructure • Youth engagement initiatives include a Youth Academy for high school students and a Next Gen program for young adults interested in civic leadership • Widening Wilson M-11 remains a critical long-term goal to address safety concerns and traffic flow If you have comments about this podcast, or ideas for future episodes, please email us at PODCAST@WALKER.CITY

21 min

5

out of 5

6 Ratings

The Made In Walker Podcast connects you to the people, stories, and ideas shaping our community. From local innovators to everyday change makers, we are diving deep into what makes Walker Michigan a great place to live, work, and grow. Be sure to "like" and subscribe to Made in Walker so you never miss an episode. To contact us about this podcast please send an email to Podcast@Walker.City.

Creator

City of Walker MI
Years Active

2024 - 2025
Episodes

26
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© 2025 Made In Walker
Show Website

Made In Walker