First Things

Something Historic Coloring book features Black female ‘firsts’

A new interactive coloring book honors Black History Month with a local twist. Your Turn: African American Women of Kalamazoo was created by the Merze Tate Explorers, a program for girls in fourth to 12th grade that emphasizes travel, writing, and media and career exploration.

The coloring book highlights such women as Monique Grayson, Kalamazoo’s first African American female pilot, and actress, vocalist and civil rights activist Abbey Lincoln, who grew up in Cass County. Artist Jerome Washington created the cartoon images, and Merze Tate members developed profiles of 16 women who were local firsts in career fields from business to entertainment. In addition to the coloring book, the Explorers created mini-documentaries of the women that are available to view through the Public Media Network.

Your Turn: African American Women of Kalamazoo is $5.95 and available on Amazon.com. Proceeds from sales of the book will go toward scholarships for Explorers. For more information on bulk orders, contact Sonya Hollins at 359-7895.

Something Classical Castalian String Quartet to perform virtually

Despite the pandemic, Fontana Chamber Arts is making sure Kalamazoo audiences can still experience some of the world's best chamber music through performances produced specifically for Fontana and available for on-demand viewing.

This month Fontana presents the Castalian String Quartet, an awardwinning group from London that is making waves on the international chamber music scene. A performance by the quartet filmed in London will go online at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 26 and be available for viewing until March 25.

This quartet has performed widely throughout Europe and North America. It was named the 2019 Royal Philharmonic Society Young Artist of the Year and in 2018 won the Merito String Quartet Award/Valentin Erben Prize and a Borletti-Buitoni Trust Fellowship Award. The quartet’s performance will be preceded by a question-and-answer session for which audience members submit their questions to the artists in advance.

Viewing passes are $20 and available at fontanamusic.org or by calling 382-7774.

Castalian String Quartet

Isaiah J. Thompson

Something Musical The Gilmore offers two virtual concerts

You can see a livestream performance by a young Juilliard-trained jazz quartet or the premiere of a new piano composition performed by Rachel Kudo — or both — this month through the Gilmore International Keyboard Festival.

The Isaiah J. Thompson Quartet, featuring three members who trained at The Juilliard School, will perform live at 4 p.m. Feb. 7 from the Wellspring Theater. The quartet is led by pianist Thompson, with Julian Lee on saxophone, Philip Norris on bass, and Taurien Reddick on drums.

On Feb. 21, 2008 Gilmore Young Artist Rachel Kudo will perform her commission of Suite à l'ancienne (Suite in the Old Style), a new work composed by Marc-André Hamelin, at 4 p.m. The event begins with a premiere of Zsolt Bognár’s Living the Classical Life interview with Hamelin and closes with a Q&A with all three.

Tickets for both performances are on a name-your-ownprice basis. To purchase tickets, visit thegilmore.org.

Not sure how to livestream a performance? The Gilmore offers instructions at thegilmore.org/how-to-stream. Rachel Kudo

Something New 48 Hour Playfest to debut

You can watch local theater in the making during the 48 Hour Virtual Playfest Feb. 26-28, hosted on Zoom by Bare Backstage Productions.

The festival will feature Kalamazoo-based playwrights writing new pieces over 24 hours to fit the festival’s theme: Surviving 2020. Directors and actors will be given the scripts to rehearse until 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27. The plays will be livestreamed via Zoom in a 7 p.m. show that will open with music by Miranda Lee and a brief magic show by The Amazing Magic of Joe Bennett. The festival wraps up Feb. 28 with a new play by Tucker Rafferty, selected scenes from PS Lorio’s new screenplay, and a questionand-answer session with festival playwrights and directors. The second day’s events begin at 11 a.m.

The 48-hour festival is free to the public but limited to the first 100 households to join via Zoom. The Zoom meeting ID, Zoom passcode and a direct link to the event will be posted the first morning of the event at barebackstage.com. The same link will be used for each day of the festival.

Something to Drink Craft Beverage Week continues

Kalamazoo Craft Beverage week officially kicked off on Jan. 29, but you can still get in on the events and specials of this weeklong homage to Kalamazoo’s thriving craft beverage industry.

The week, running until Feb. 6, will feature “meet the brewer” sessions, in which patrons will be able to virtually meet the brewers, distillers and winemakers, learn about what it takes to develop their products, and achieve a greater sense of the area’s craft beverage industry. In addition, participating vendors are offering to-go packages and deals so that participants can try their products.

To participate, visit kalamazoocraftbeverageweek.com.

Something Intriguing K College stages The Compass

The Compass, Michael Rohd’s interactive play exploring technology’s impact on a youth’s decisionmaking, is a challenge for any theater troupe, but add a pandemic and it becomes more daunting. However, The Festival Playhouse at Kalamazoo College is up to the challenge and will perform and livestream the play Feb. 26-28. The play was written to have a different ending each time it is performed dependent on audience participation, and while details on how The Festival Playhouse will handle that given pandemic restrictions were still being worked out at press time, there is sure to be plenty of creativity involved. According to organizers, The Compass will be performed 7:30 p.m. Feb. 26, in the Nelda K. Balch Playhouse, 129 Thompson St., and recorded for online viewing. Ticket information, including cost, is available at festivalplayhouse.kzoo.edu.

ASK THE BUSINESS AND ESTATE PLANNING LAWYER

Ask THE BUSINESS AND ESTATE PLANNING LAWYER

Please send your questions to: Michael J. Willis, J.D., C.P.A. Willis Law 491 West South Street Kalamazoo, MI 49007 269.492.1040 www.willis.law Michael J. Willis is the Managing Partner of Willis Law, Attorneys and Counselors at Law, is licensed to practice law in Florida and Michigan, and is registered as a certified public accountant in the state of Illinois. Attorney Willis is rated as an A V -Preeminent Attorney by Martindale-Hubbell. This rating, according to Martindale, which has been rating lawyers for over a century, signifies that an attorney has reached the heights of professional excellence and is recognized for the highest levels of skill and integrity. He is listed in the Best Lawyers in America. Please send your questions to: Michael J. Willis, J.D., C.P.A. Willis Law 491 West South Street Kalamazoo, MI 49007 269.492.1040 www.willis.law MICHAEL J. WILLIS, J.D., C.P.A., WILLIS LAW Q. My husband is going into a nursing home. I’ve been told it is possible for me to create a trust and protect my assets from the spend down at the nursing home. Is that true? A. Yes. Most often when folks talk on trust planning, they are referencing a revocable trust. In fact, that is the case probably more than 99% of the time. A revocable trust under Michigan law generally is set up only to avoid probate--that’s its only benefit. However, there is an irrevocable trust for persons in your circumstances that can be established with your assets to the extent they exceed the protected amount (which under Michigan law will cap at a little over $125,000). If the trust is irrevocable and the assets are effectively established in an annuity income stream back to you per the terms of the trust, then in such a circumstance the trust will no longer be considered a countable asset, but instead an income stream and thereby exempt for Medicaid purposes. This is a sophisticated planning technique, and I highly encourage you to seek counsel before implementing this technique or any other Medicaid planning. 9471992-01 Please send your questions to: Michael J. Willis, J.D., C.P.A. Willis Law 491 West South Street Kalamazoo, MI 49007 269.492.1040 www.willis.law ASK LAWYER THE BUSINESS AND ESTATE PLANNING MICHAEL J. WILLIS, J.D., C.P.A., WILLIS LAW Q. My husband is going into a nursing home. I’ve been told it is possible for me to create a trust and protect my assets from the spend down at the nursing home. Is that true? A. Yes. Most often when folks talk on trust planning, they are referencing a revocable trust. In fact, that is the case probably more than 99% of the time. A revocable trust under Michigan law generally is set up only to avoid probate--that’s its only benefit. However, there is an irrevocable trust for persons in your circumstances that can be established with your assets to the extent they exceed the protected amount (which under Michigan law will cap at a little over $125,000). If the trust is irrevocable and the assets are effectively established in an annuity income stream back to you per the terms of the trust, then in such a circumstance the trust will no longer be considered a countable asset, but instead an income stream and thereby exempt for Medicaid purposes. This is a sophisticated planning technique, and I highly Please send your questions to: Michael J. Willis, J.D., C.P.A. Willis Law 491 West South Street Kalamazoo, MI 49007 269.492.1040 www.willis.law ASK LAWYER THE BUSINESS AND ESTATE PLANNING MICHAEL J. WILLIS, J.D., C.P.A., WILLIS LAW Q. My husband is going into a nursing home. I’ve been told it is possible for me to create a trust and protect my assets from the spend down at the nursing home. Is that true? A. Yes. Most often when folks talk on trust planning, they are referencing a revocable trust. In fact, that is the case probably more than 99% of the time. A revocable trust under Michigan law generally is set up only to avoid probate--that’s its only benefit. However, there is an irrevocable trust for persons in your circumstances that can be Q. I am buying assets from a company with significant liabilities. I want to ensure I don’t take subject to those liabilities – what is encourage you to seek counsel before implementing this technique or established with your assets to the extent they exceed the protected Michael J. Willis is the Managing Partner of Willis Law, Attorneys and Counselors at Law, is licensed to practice law in Florida and Michigan, and is registered as a certified public accountant in the state of Illinois. Attorney Willis is rated as an A V -Preeminent Attorney by Martindale-Hubbell. This rating, according to Martindale, which has been rating lawyers for over a century, signifies that an attorney has reached the heights of professional excellence and is recognized for the highest levels of skill and integrity. He is listed in the Best Lawyers in America. any other Medicaid planning. 9471992-01 amount (which under Michigan law will cap at a little over $125,000). If the trust is irrevocable and the assets are effectively established in an annuity income stream back to you per the terms of the trust, then in my best path? such a circumstance the trust will no longer be considered a countable A. Buying assets is an important first step, along with clearly indicating in your purchase agreement that you are not taking subject to any existing liabilities. On the other hand, a stock/membership interest purchase presumes you take all existing liabilities. It will also be important to receive an Unemployment Form UIA 1027 to verify unemployment taxes are current because you may take subject to outstanding unemployment liabilities. Ensure the seller will have adequate assets to pay its liabilities after close, and make the seller warrant to you as much. Finally, if this is of severe concern, consider asking the seller to reconstitute under Texas or Delaware law, and make the purchase agreement subject to the law of Texas or Delaware. Both of those states have laws very friendly to an asset purchaser avoiding the liability of the seller.

asset, but instead an income stream and thereby exempt for Medicaid Michael J. Willis is the Managing Partner of Willis Law, Attorneys and Counselors at Law, is licensed to practice law in Florida and Michigan, and is registered as a certified public accountant in the state of Illinois. Attorney Willis is rated as an A V -Preeminent purposes. This is a sophisticated planning technique, and I highly Attorney by Martindale-Hubbell. This rating, according to Martindale, which has been rating lawyers for over a century, signifies that an attorney has reached the heights of professional excellence and is recognized for the highest levels of skill and integrity. encourage you to seek counsel before implementing this technique or He is listed in the Best Lawyers in America. any other Medicaid planning.