Shooting near GV

Late on Feb. 11 multiple law enforcement agencies responded to reports of a shooting near the GVSU campus.

Deputies with the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office and GVPD responded to a call of shots fired around 11:30 p.m. The call came from around the Campus View apartment complex located at 42nd Ave and Pierce Street.

Law enforcement was told someone was hurt and there was evidence of a shooting, however, no victims were found.

Anyone with information can contact Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office at 616-738-4000 or Silent Observer at 877-887-4536.

Chickenpox outbreak at GV

On Feb. 6, the GVSU Community Health Advisory Team (CHAT) alerted the GVSU community via email of a “small cluster” of chickenpox cases reported on the Allendale and Pew campuses. 

The email said the infected students were being treated and those who had been in contact with them had been notified. 

Some symptoms of chickenpox include small, clear blisters on a red surface of the skin which are itchy to the person infected.

The disease is highly contagious and is spread through respiratory droplets. The infection can spread to both adults and children.

According to CHAT, to prevent further outbreaks of the disease and illness, individuals should receive the chickenpox vaccine. Additional preventative measures include washing hands, staying home when sick and cleaning frequently touched objects. 

If individuals experience any symptoms or are in need of vaccinations they can contact the Campus Health Center and the GVSU Family Health Center.

GV to hold Syrian and Turkey solidarity event in light of recent earthquake

On Feb. 15, there will be a community moment of silence in order to honor the Syrian and Turkish people affected by a recent earthquake. 

The earthquake has affected over 200,000 people. Many people have died or are left without housing, food, shelter and other resources. 

The earthquake happened on Feb. 6, reaching a 7.8-magnitude. The earthquake caused significant damage to infrastructure and about 25,000 deaths, according to NPR. 

Temperatures in the region have stayed below freezing, leading to concerns around safety as many individuals search for shelter. A U.N. refugees agency estimates about 5.3 million people have been left without housing in Syria. 

President Philomena Mantella sent an email to the GVSU community about the event and offered other resources for people to help those impacted by the disaster. This included organizations like UNICEF, Doctors Without Borders and GVSU’s Turkish faculty members’ fundraising efforts.  

The event will take place in front of the Cook Carillon tower at the GVSU Allendale campus at 1 p.m.