On Friday, February 19th, the Wayland Area Chamber of Commerce kicked off the new year at their annual spring kick-off luncheon at the Grand Hall within the Wayland Union School’s Fine Arts Center. The event’s speaker was Rick Albin, Political Reporter for WOOD TV-8 and radio host for WOOD Radio. Albin has over forty years of experience in television, radio, and politics. Albin’s history includes interviewing President Gerald R. Ford in 1976 and has met and interviewed every president to hold the office since as well as the vast majority of people who have run for the office. Albin has also spent time as a Congressional Senior Policy Advisor in Washington D.C. During the presentation, Albin spoke on the state of our state including how the Flint water crises affects the entire state. The event, which was sponsored by United Bank, was attended by over seventy chamber members, local law enforcement, and governmental officials.