Getting away tends to be an excellent idea for aging adults who are looking for an opportunity to get out and explore a new environment for the day while returning to the comfort of their own bed that same night. Day trips also provide an excellent way to get away from the norm, and experience something new.
Shopping
A fun way to get out and explore may be a day trip out to an area mall. Or better yet, taking a trip to a new shopping area you’ve never experienced before to explore some unique and new shops and locations. Shopping can be a great activity to see the latest styles and trends while remaining active at the same time. Remember though, always set a budget before you go!
Winery trips
An organized trip to a nearby winery may be just the thing for a day or weekend outing. Depending on location, there are tons of wineries within driving distance, and many provide a variety of wines to try versus just one. Further, many of these places tend to have restaurants and great cafes with home-grown foods and delicacies matched to the local wines. So these trips frequently produce big wins, especially for those who like to eat. Remember though, make sure you have a responsible driver!
Hikes and rivers
Something about water and trails often reminds people of childhood memories or camping experiences. Fortunately with a day trip, one avoids all the hassle of the tent and campsite construction, cleaning and the breakdown all over again. Additionally, walking or hiking along a river has the added benefit of being able to cool down if the day is a hot one, either for a swim or just a handkerchief soaking.
Spa time
Health spas always offer an excellent way to relax. Whether it involves the full works with a mud bath or just a simple face massage, sweet drink and a lounge chair, sometimes letting down from life’s stress for the day works the best. Even better, it offers a bit of time just to forget about the outside world and focus a bit on “me” time.
Go for a drive somewhere new
Most of us have pretty good idea of where we live, drive, commute to work, hang out, buy our food and watch the sunset. However, that doesn’t mean we know the local area completely. Sometimes a crazy, out of the way drive to a part of town or the region one has never been to can be one of the best day trips to take. Just going somewhere new often produces excitement and interest, as well as a chance to find some new places to go back on a regular basis.
Be a fake tourist
Everyone’s town contains something that draws tourists. Ironically, those who live in the same city rarely go to such places. So break the social rule and be a fake tourist for a day. Go to the local museums, parks, festival events or even the town historical sites and city hall. You might be amazed about how much local history sits buried in these locations that most people don’t know a lot about. And a fake tourist tour provides you a great way to scout out your home for when a friend or relative visits and wants to see the local sights as well.
To ensure your sunglasses provide adequate protection from the sun’s rays, consider asking your eye doctor to have a look at them. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
Sunglasses need to be more than just fashion accessories, an eye expert advises.
“Think of sunglasses as sunscreen for your eyes,” said Dr. Dianna Seldomridge, clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
“Your eyes need protection from the sun’s damaging ultraviolet rays, just like your skin,” she explained. “Make sure your eyes are protected year-round. Harmful UV rays are present even on cloudy days.”
You should choose sunglasses that block 99% to 100% of both UVA and UVB radiation from the sun. You may be confused by labels that say the sunglasses provide 100% protection from UVA/UVB radiation, while others offer 100% UV 400 protection. Both will block 100% of the sun’s harmful radiation, the academy said in a news release.
If you’re skeptical of the UV protection label on sunglasses, take them to an optical shop or an ophthalmologist’s office, Seldomridge suggested. Most have a UV light meter that can test the sunglasses’ UV-blocking ability.
Consider buying oversized or wraparound-style sunglasses. The more coverage they provide, the better they protect your eyes, she said.
An important note: Dark lenses don’t block more UV rays than lighter lenses.
And you don’t have to pay a lot to get sunglasses that provide good eye protection, Seldomridge said. Less expensive ones marked as 100% UV-blocking can be just as effective as those that cost more.
Consider polarized lenses, which reduce glare from reflective surfaces (such as water or pavement). This doesn’t provide more protection from the sun but can make activities like driving or being on the water safer or more enjoyable.
Don’t forget sunglasses for your children, Seldomridge advised. Their eyes are just as susceptible to the sun’s harmful rays as yours and it’s a good idea to get them into the habit of wearing sunglasses at an early age.
In a unique collaboration between healthcare and the arts, ProMedica Coldwater Regional Hospital, Pines Behavioral Health, and Tibbits Summer Theatre will bring the dramatic rock musical Next to Normal to the Tibbits stage for six performances September 6 to 14, 2019.
Mental Health issues affect more American families than can be accurately measured. It is a disease which is highly misunderstood and filled with stigma. Theatre has long been a means of bringing attention to issues, dispelling stigmas or at least opening up dialogues.
According to Randy DeGroot, President of ProMedica Coldwater Regional Hospital, “Bringing this play to the community is hoped to reduce the fear and stigma of mental illness — a biological disease — that requires the same level of treatment and follow up as any other health condition.”
Winner of the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for drama as well as three 2009 Tony awards including Best Musical Score, Next to Normal is a very real depiction of the effects of mental illness, both for the affected and their families. Pines and ProMedica have teamed with Tibbits to present the show as a means of opening the dialogue on the very real issues of mental health. Whereas newspaper articles and public town hall forums can convey awareness information, watching the lives unfold during this play creates a much deeper understanding of mental illness.
According to Sue Germann, Chief Executive Officer for Pines, “Through this artistic and entertaining vehicle we can bring awareness to the mental health issue and deepen the dialogue of a very serious biological disease.”
One in five Americans experience a mental health condition; for one in 25, the condition is serious mental illness, yet less than half receive the needed treatment. Among the barriers is lack of education or awareness and social stigma. Both of these barriers can be addressed through this artistic and entertaining professional show.
ProMedica is a mission-based, not-for-profit integrated healthcare organization headquartered in Toledo, Ohio. Driven by its mission to improve health and well-being, ProMedica has been nationally recognized for its advocacy programs and efforts to address social determinants of health. Pines, as the Community Mental Health Authority for Branch County, specializes in assisting those with serious mental illness such as Major Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, Severe Anxiety and other brain conditions that impair functional abilities due to the severity of symptoms.
Tibbits has been producing professional theatre for 55 years and has established its reputation for quality productions.
This collaborative activity is sponsored by ProMedica with additional support from Pines. The performance also received support from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs Minigrant Program administered by the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo.
Next to Normal will be presented September 6, 7, 13, 14 at 7:30 pm and September 8 and 12 at 2 pm. Theatre has long been a means of bringing attention to issues, dispelling stigmas or at least opening up dialogues. To encourage the open dialogue each performance will include informal discussions and Talkbacks to engage audience members in the dialogue. A Talkback is a discussion of the show with the performers and others involved. Discussions will include health care professionals available for questions, information and assistance.
The goal for ProMedica and Pines is to promote the health and well-being of the community. With the involvement of Tibbits and this shared experience of experiencing Next to Normal, the three organizations hope to build important connections with all of the people involved with or attending the show.
Help your child adjust to back-to-school sleep schedules gradually. This will help them be alert and eager to learn by the time class starts. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
Good sleep habits tend to take a vacation when school is out for the summer.
Long lazy days. Staying up late. Sleeping til noon. It’s all part of the fun.
But in the weeks leading up to the first school bell of the year, don’t forget to plan an adjustment to your child’s sleep routine. It’s never too early.
“It’s natural to be flexible with bedtimes in the summer,” said Jason Coles, MD, a pediatric sleep medicine specialist with Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. “But … you’ll want to transition to a more normal routine. The day before school begins isn’t the time to start—kids need to gradually adjust to a new sleep schedule.”
Begin adjusting bedtime and wake time now to work toward the following recommended amount of sleep each night:
Children 3 to 5 years old: 11 to 13 hours
Children 5 to 12 years old: 10 to 11 hours
Teens 13 to 18 years old: 9 to 10 hours
The best way to make bedtime earlier, Dr. Coles said, is to decrease bedtime by 15 minutes every three to four days, giving your child time to adjust.
For example, if your child is going to bed at 11:30 p.m., have him start going to bed at 11:15 p.m. for a few days, then 11 p.m. for a few days, and so on. If your bed time goal is 10 p.m., it’ll take a while to reach it.
Making sleep a priority can be challenging. Especially considering the growing body of evidence that early school start times prevent adolescents and teens from getting the sleep they need.
“Sleep is such an important element in a child’s success at school and their overall health and well-being,” Dr. Coles said. “Just like with adults, lack of sleep can negatively affect memory, concentration, mood and attitude. It’s well worth the effort to ensure that your kids get the sleep they need.”
Dr. Coles noted, however, that it’s equally important to focus on wake-up time.
“Kids will have a hard time falling asleep earlier if they’re not waking up earlier,” he said, suggesting having the alarm ring earlier and earlier leading up to the school year.
“Bright light exposure and physical activity, specifically in the morning, help this process to happen quicker and feel more natural,” Dr. Coles added.
Dr. Coles offers these 8 tips for healthy sleep habits:
Steadily adjust to earlier sleep and wake schedules well before school starts. This will adjust biological clocks to the new schedule.
Avoid physical activity before bedtime and encourage physical activity in the morning upon waking.
Establish a relaxing bedtime routine. Reading before bed is a good choice for kids of all ages.
Create a sleep environment that is cool, quiet, dimly lit and comfortable.
Keep television, video games and other electronics out of the bedroom. Avoid using them within one hour of bedtime.
Eliminate or reduce caffeine.
Eat well. Avoid big meals right before bed.
Increase activity (not near bedtime). Exercise and regular physical activity during the day improves sleep at night.
Even on weekends, keep a regular sleep schedule and avoid extremes. Having a regular bedtime every day increases the likelihood that kids, including teens, will get optimal sleep.
Keeping your child on a sleep routine will make it easier to wake them in the morning and they’ll feel better and more rested during the school day.
But don’t expect this to be easy.
“A change in sleep habits is hard, especially when kids want to make summer last and not think ahead to school,” Dr. Coles said. “Younger kids are more likely to question why they have to go to bed before the sunset. Remind them that good sleep means more energy to have fun the next day.”
Sweet plums and peaches are great on their own, a good source of potassium and a sweet low-cal snack with only 40 calories each.
But you can also use them as the foundation of dishes perfect for summer entertaining.
When it comes to picking out the best stone fruit, look for firm, unblemished skins—no scratches or bruises. If they’re firm to the touch, let them rest on a countertop or windowsill or in a basket for four to five days until ripe.
If you love fruit pies, but not their calorie overload, fruit crisps are a great swap. They’re lower in calories because they have only a streusel topping, no pie crust. This also makes them easier to prepare.
Stone fruit crisp
4 plums or peaches, halved, pitted and thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground cinnamon
1/2 pint raspberries
(For the streusel)
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup rolled oats
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Place the stone fruit slices in a large bowl along with the lemon juice, vanilla and cinnamon. Toss well. Arrange fruit in an 8-inch baking dish, overlapping them slightly, and then sprinkle with the raspberries.
In a clean bowl, use a pastry blender or fork to mix the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, butter and rolled oats until well combined. Sprinkle over the fruit and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until top is golden and the berries are bubbling. Cool 5 minutes before serving.
Yield: 4 servings
For a twist on traditional salsa, this fruit-based variation really satisfies.
Stone Fruit Salsa
1 pound ripe peaches, plums or a mix, pitted and diced
1/2 cup minced red onion
1/2 cup chopped cilantro, leaves and stems
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
2 limes, juiced
1/2 teaspoon salt
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, toss well and refrigerate for about an hour before serving to allow the flavors to develop. Use as an accompaniment for grilled chicken or fish, or as a dip for whole-grain pita wedges or crackers.
“It always helps to have people we love beside us when we have to do difficult things in life.”
From The World According to Mister Rogers (p. 45).
WKTV file photo
Get to know your neighbor, Aug. 6
Started in 1984, National Night Out has evolved to neighborhoods hosting block parties, festival, parades, cookouts and other community events with safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personal, exhibits and much more. More here.
Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living
How about doing some daytripping?
Be a fake tourist for a day. Go to local museums, parks, festival events or even the town historical sites and city hall. You might be amazed about how much local history sits buried in these locations that most people don’t know a lot about. Go here for more day trip ideas.
Circle Aug. 8th on your calendar
Comedy-drama, Superior Donuts by Tony® Award- and Pulitzer Prize–winning author Tracy Letts, explores the challenges of embracing the past and the redemptive power of friendship. It opens Aug. 8th at Circle Theatre. Go here for the deets.
Fun fact:
Because he ‘hated it so’
That’s the reason Fred Rogers (aka Mr. Rogers) got into television. When he turned on a set, all he saw was angry people throwing pies in each others’ faces, and he vowed to use the medium to make the world a better place.
By Mike Moll, WKTV Volunteer Sports Director sports@wktv.org
Here comes the start of another academic school year opening this month, which also means the local high school sports schedules are doing the same.
Beginning on Aug. 16, fall seasons for girls golf and volleyball, along with boys and girls cross country, and boys soccer, tennis, swimming, water polo and — of course — football all get under way throughout the last two weeks of the month leading to Labor Day weekend.
WKTV will once again be featuring a weekly football game starting with the Thursday, Aug. 29, matchup between White Cloud and Wyoming Lee.
There are some changes not only to Wyoming Lee this year, but to the O-K Silver conference, where the former nicknamed Rebels and now called Legends have played.
For a variety of reasons, Lee, along with NorthPointe Christian and Calvin Christian have all made the change to play independently this season.
As a result, the four remaining Silver teams — Godwin Heights, Kelloggsville, Belding and Hopkins — will each play a home and home conference schedule to determine the league champion.
Want to be a television sports announcer?
If anyone has ever thought about trying to announce a sporting event, WKTV has a great chance for you to do exactly that! The tentative schedule for May follows and we are always looking for additional announcers, especially for the spring games. If you would like to try it or have any questions, please email Mike at sportswktv@gmail.com.
Where and when to see featured games
Featured games are broadcast the night of the contest and then at least once later in the week.
WKTV broadcasts on Wyoming and Kentwood cable channels. On Comcast cable, Channel 25 is the Community Channel, where sports events and other community events are shown; Channel 26 is the Government Channel, where local government meetings and events are shown. On AT&T cable throughout the Grand Rapids area, viewers go to Channel 99, and then are given the choice to watch Wyoming (or Kentwood) Community (Channel 25) or Government (Channel 26) channels.
All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvondemand.com.
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and feature stories on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/.
Following is this month’s schedule, starting Friday, Aug. 16:
Friday, Aug. 16 Boys Soccer Wyoming @ Wyoming Lee East Kentwood @ FH Central Girls Golf East Kentwood vs Jenison – Jenison Invite @ The Meadows Boys Tennis East Kentwood @ Ludington – Ludington Invite
Saturday, Aug. 17 Boys Soccer Whitehall @ South Christian – Mark Hasper Invite TBA @ Wyoming Lee – Copa Leyendas
Monday, Aug. 19 Girls Golf South Christian @ Traverse City Invite – Spruce Run Boys Soccer Holland Christian @ South Christian Holland @ East Kentwood Boys Tennis Wyoming @ Holland
Tuesday, Aug. 20 Girls Golf South Christian @ Traverse City Invite – Wolverine Boys Soccer Godwin Heights @ Kelloggsville Wyoming Lee @ Calvin Christian Union @ Wyoming Boys / Girls Cross Country Godwin Heights @ Kent City
Wednesday, Aug. 21 Boys Tennis TBA @ South Christian – Sailor Quad TBA @ Wyoming – Quad Boys Soccer Caledonia @ South Christian Wyoming @ Zeeland West Portage Northern @ East Kentwood Boys / Girls Cross Country Wyoming Lee @ Hesperia – Baker Woods Invitational Potter’s House @ Holland Calvary
Thursday, Aug. 22 Boys Tennis TBA @ South Christian – Sailor Quad Wyoming @ Lowell Boys Soccer Belding @ Godwin Heights Potter’s House @ Wyoming Lee Ravenna @ Zion Christian
Friday, Aug. 23 Boys Soccer Tri-Unity Christian @ Barry County Christian Potter’s House @ Wyoming East Kentwood @ West Ottawa Girls Golf South Christian vs Middleville T-K – TK Invite @ Yankee Springs Girls Volleyball Wyoming Lee @ WMAES Wyoming vs TBA – WMVOA Meet @ MSA Fieldhouse Boys Water Polo East Kentwood @ Ann Arbor Pioneer – Pioneer Invite
Saturday, Aug. 24 Girls Volleyball Tri-Unity Christian vs TBA – WMVOA Invitational @ MSA Fieldhouse Godwin Heights vs TBA – Officials for Kids Tourney @ MSA Fieldhouse Potter’s House vs TBA – Official for Kids Tourney @ MSA Fieldhouse Zion Christian vs TBA – WMVOA Invitational @ MSA Fieldhouse South Christian @ Grand Haven Boys Tennis South Christian @ East Kentwood – EK Invite TBA @ Wyoming – David Bentley Tournament Boys / Girls Cross Country South Christian @ East Kentwood Wyoming Lee @ Muskegon Catholic Central Boys Soccer TBA @ Zion Christian – Zion Soccer Invite Boys Water Polo East Kentwood @ Ann Arbor Pioneer – Pioneer Invite Girls Volleyball East Kentwood @ Grand Haven – Lakeshore Classic
Monday, Aug. 26 Boys Soccer Tri-Unity Christian @ NorthPointe Christian South Christian @ Grand Rapids Christian Wyoming @ FH Eastern Hudsonville @ East Kentwood Girls Golf South Christian @ Muskegon Mona Shores Boys Tennis Holland Christian @ South Christian Girls Volleyball Wyoming Lee @ Algoma Christian
Tuesday, Aug. 27 Boys / Girls Cross Country South Christian @ St. Joseph Girls Swimming South Christian @ Grand Rapids Christian Central @ East Kentwood Boys Soccer NorthPointe Christian @ Godwin Heights Hopkins @ Wyoming Lee Ottawa Hills @ Wyoming Zion Christian @ Saugatuck Boys Tennis Wyoming @ Zeeland East TBA @ East Kentwood – EK Quad Girls Volleyball Ottawa Hills @ Wyoming Zion Christian @ Martin – Quad TBA @ East Kentwood – EK Early Bird Tournament
Wednesday, Aug. 28 Girls Golf South Christian @ Kent Country Club – OK Jamboree Boys Tennis Unity Christian @ South Christian Girls Volleyball Caledonia @ South Christian – Sailor Invite Boys Soccer East Grand Rapids @ South Christian Wyoming @ Wayland Rockford @ East Kentwood Boys / Girls Cross Country Godwin Heights @ Saranac Wyoming Lee @ Saranac Wyoming @ Wayland
Thursday, Aug. 29 Girls Swimming South Christian @ East Kentwood Boys Football Greenville vs South Christian – @ Byron Center Godwin Heights @ Hamilton White Cloud @ Wyoming Lee – WKTV Featured Event Holland @ Wyoming Boys Soccer Wyoming Lee @ Godwin Heights Potter’s House vs West Michigan Heat – @ Hudsonville Christian Zion Christian @ Kalamazoo Christian Plainwell @ East Kentwood Girls Volleyball TBA @ East Kentwood – Lady Falcon Invite Boys / Girls Cross Country East Kentwood @ Milford – Invite
Friday, Aug. 30 Boys Football Tri-unity Christian @ Climax-Scotts East Kentwood @ Muskegon Mona Shores
Circle Theatre continues its 67th Main Stage season with a production of Superior Donuts opening on Thursday, Aug. 8 at 7:30pm inside the Performing Arts Center on the campus of Aquinas College. Superior Donuts is brought to the Circle stage by Production Sponsor Steelcase and is rated R for strong language and adult situations.
“This is a show about being stuck in life. Stuck because of past mistakes, stuck because of one’s upbringing or background, or maybe stuck because of a crippling anxiety, guilt or fear. This is a show about overcoming these paralyses in order to find freedom, even when opposed by literal violence.” — Andrew Manion, Cast Member (Kevin Magee)
Under the direction of Mike Hull, Superior Donuts tells the story of Arthur, a Polish-American, who owns a decrepit donut shop in the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago. Franco Wicks, a black teenager who is his only employee, wants to change the shop for the better.
This comedy-drama by Tony® Award- and Pulitzer Prize–winning author Tracy Letts explores the challenges of embracing the past and the redemptive power of friendship.
Circle Theatre audience members can take advantage of the Lobby Bar on select nights throughout the summer, including the Aug. 9 performance of Superior Donuts. On Aug. 9, Michigan craft beer and wine as well as donuts from Marge’s Donut Den will be available starting at 7pm; beverages can be enjoyed inside the theatre on that evening.
“Our show is the story of the American Dream as told by ordinary people. If you are someone who believes that America can be the best it can be for all of its people than this is a show that will hopefully inspire some questions and no small degree of hope.” — Mike Hull, Director
Superior Donuts will run Aug. 8-10, 14-17, 21-24 at 7:30pm, and Aug. 18 at 5:30pm. For more information or to purchase tickets, please call the box office at 616.456.6656 or visit Circle’s website at circletheatre.org.
Why do some folks manage to lose significant weight with casual dieting, while others will lose nary a pound with a strict plan? It often comes down to genetics, researchers say. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
While some people fight the “battle of the bulge” for a lifetime, others seem to effortlessly stay slim. And now scientists say it all boils down to genetics.
Certain DNA helps decide whether weight gain is a torment or not for people, British researchers report.
“It’s easy to rush to judgment and criticize people for their weight, but the science shows that things are far more complex,” said study leader Sadaf Farooqi.
Instead, “we have far less control over our weight than we might wish to think,” said Farooqi. She’s a professor at the Wellcome-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science at the University of Cambridge.
One U.S. expert agreed.
“We stigmatize people based on weight and subconsciously blame them for not taking care of themselves,” said Dr. Mitchell Roslin, chief of obesity surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. “We state they lack willpower, but instead, this study shows that the most thin and the heaviest have genetic dispositions that control their body weight.”
Of course, any number of factors affect weight, including eating habits and exercise levels. But some people stay thin despite unhealthy lifestyles, while others struggle with overweight and obesity despite their best efforts, the British team noted.
Prior studies on “obesity” genes have focused on people who were already overweight or obese.
But the new study also focused on thin people (those with a body mass index of 18 or below), trying to discover why they often have an easier time staying slim.
To do so, the Cambridge group analyzed the DNA of more than 1,600 thin, healthy Brits. They then compared that data with the genetics of nearly 2,000 severely obese people and more than 10,000 normal-weight people.
The investigators spotted several common gene variants already linked with obesity. They also found new genetic regions tied to severe obesity, and some others linked to “healthy thinness.”
The researchers then added up the contribution of the different genetic variants to calculate each person’s “genetic risk score.”
“As anticipated, we found that obese people had a higher genetic risk score than normal-weight people, which contributes to their risk of being overweight,” study co-author Ines Barroso, of the Wellcome Sanger Institute, said in a university news release.
“The genetic dice are loaded against them,” Barroso said.
Thin people also had fewer genetic variants known to raise the odds of being overweight, according to the study published recently in the journal PLoS Genetics.
Farooqi’s conclusion: “Healthy thin people are generally thin because they have a lower burden of genes that increase a person’s chances of being overweight and not because they are morally superior, as some people like to suggest.”
These “thin genes” appear to be passed along through generations, the study authors added. About 74 percent of the thin people in the study had a family history of people being thin and healthy.
Does all of this mean that less genetically gifted people should just shrug and give in to becoming obese? Not so, said nutritionist and weight-management expert Michelle Milgrim.
“While genetics may play a leading role in determining our ‘weight destiny,’ there is a growing body of research to suggest that how we live our lives is as important as our genetic predispositions,” said Milgrim, who manages employee wellness at Northwell Health in New Hyde Park, N.Y.
“Staying active, sitting less, cutting out processed and fast foods and focusing on eating a balanced diet of whole foods are general healthy recommendations for everyone, despite your genes,” she said.
In the meantime, the Cambridge researchers said their research might someday end up helping everyone stay thin, regardless of their personal DNA.
“We already know that people can be thin for different reasons” Farooqi said. “Some people are just not that interested in food whereas others can eat what they like, but never put on weight. If we can find the genes that prevent them from putting on weight, we may be able to target those genes to find new weight-loss strategies and help people who do not have this advantage.”
One thing Sgt. Brian Look is certain of is that Aug. 6 is going to be a busy night for the Wyoming Department of Public Safety.
It’s a good busy because that is National Night Out, when residents are encouraged to turn their porch light on and come out and meet their neighbors.
“This is one of the biggest years we have had for National Night Out,” Look said, adding that there are going to be a number of neighborhood and community events including the wrap up event for the Wyoming Concerts in the Park series at Lamar Park.
Started in 1984, National Night out is a nationwide movement created by the National Association of Town Watch to promote involvement in crime prevention activities, police-community partnerships, neighborhood camaraderie and send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back. Always the first Tuesday in August, the event has evolved to neighborhoods hosting block parties, festival, parades, cookouts and other community events with safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personal, exhibits and much more.
“National Night Out is one of my favorite nights of the year,” said Mayor Jack Poll. “I love seeing neighbors come together with our public safety personnel to promote safety and strengthen community engagement. Together we are building a stronger Wyoming.”
For the City of Wyoming, the activities start in the early morning with a kick-off celebration at Consumers Energy, 4000 Clay Ave. SW, from 5:30 – 8 a.m. Mayor Jack Poll will join other area mayors from Kentwood, Grandville, Walker and Grand Rapids for the reading of a joint mayoral proclamation at 7:15 a.m. Consumers Energy employees will be distributing energy-efficient LED light bulbs along Clay Avenue.
Area mayors and law enforcement officials gather for the Consumers Energy kick off for National Night Out. (WKTV)
The Wyoming Department of Public Safety will join several other law enforcement agencies for activities at Celebration! Cinema at RiverTown Crossings from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Look said most of the National Night Out programs take place in the evening from 5 – 9 p.m. Many of these activities in the City of Wyoming are specifically for the individual neighborhood, he said.
“We really do not have a big National Night Out party because the purpose is for people to get out of their houses and get to know their neighbors,” Look said. “You really want residents to get to know each other, because once they start to know each other, they start to care about one another and that creates that sense of community and pride which in turn helps deter crime.”
The Wyoming Concerts in the Park series will host the Shadows of the Night, music of the women of rock from 7 – 9 p.m. Other activities will be taking place along with a visit from a couple of representatives from the city’s most popular police unit, the K-9 Unit.
There are a few other community events as well. One of those is hosted by the South Godwin Neighborhood Association at Southlawn Park, 4125 Jefferson Ave. SE. Look said the South Godwin event is one of the city’s biggest National Night Out programs.
Other community National Night Out events are at Grace University, 1011 Aldon St. SW; Calvary Christian Reformed Church, 3500 Byron Center Ave. SW; and at Oriole Park, 1380 42nd St. SW. Look noted that the Oriole Park event usually features a children’s parade.
Also expect to see Mayor Jack Poll, who makes it a goal to visit as many of the National Night Out events as possible. Many of the City Council members will be visiting along with city staff and other area county and state officials.
There will be safety demonstrations, fun games and food at many of the National Night Out events. (WKTV)
Margo Price at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park outdoor amphitheater stage Wednesday, July 31. (Courtesy of Kevin Huver Photography)
By K.D. Norris ken@wktv.org
90-second Review
In early 2017, just after Margo Price released her “Midwest Farmer’s Daughter” and started receiving her long deserved Americana and County Music awards notice, it was easy to call her an “outlaw alt-country” singer — which I think I did in a previous WKTV Journal review after seeing her for the first time.
Price’s fledging career, after all, had her not only playing with Jack White (of the alt-rock White Stripes) — and signing with his Third Man Records label, in fact — but also playing with Outlaw country god Willie Nelson as well as covering the likes of Kris Kistofferson and Waylon Jennings in her solo concerts.
Margo Price and her band (with husband and musical mate Jeremy Ivey in foreground, at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park outdoor amphitheater stage Wednesday, July 31. (Courtesy of Kevin Huver Photography)
But as evidenced by her and her 5-member band’s 70-minute, 15-song set as the opening act of a double bill at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park outdoor amphitheater stage Wednesday, July 31, Price and her latest release — “All American Made” — has moved beyond labels and expectations to be a singer/songwriter of artistically diverse and emotionally powerful music.
Opening her set with three almost Allman Brothers Band-esque county-rock songs, including “Four Years of Chances” from “Midwest Farmer’s Daughter” and “Nowhere Fast” from “All American Made”, she showed off her beautiful voice with “Tennessee Song”, also from “Midwest …”, which had her almost a capella at the beginning and end.
And that was just the start of her showing off her current musical range and tastes, as evidenced by the set list.
Covers of Janis Joplin’s rock classic “Move over?” — “We were going to play this at Woodstock, but they cancelled it,” she told the Meijer Garden audience — as well as Dusty Springfield’s county classic “Son of a Preacher Man” and Bob Dylan’s forgotten classic “One More Cup of Coffee” (One of my all-time favorites!). Can you be any more diverse than that?
And diving deep into her own rapidly growing catalogue of fine songs, including several fine tunes from “All American Made”, including the album’s title track — which, when you listen close, has a socio-political bite — as well as “Don’t Say it”, “Just Like Love” and her set-closing bluesy “A Little Pain”, when she may have been giving her personal take on her life making a living in music and on the road.
“I’m breaking my back and working like a mother. Who’s to say just how it’s done? A little pain, never hurt anyone …”
One thing for sure, Margo Price — singer/songwriter, music producer, wife, mother (of two including a two-month old), and burgeoning social commentator — ain’t no farmers daughter any more.
May I have more please?
Three things: her taking care of the home fires, our political world and your entertainment finances.
To the first: Price may be all about the music, but she is a family woman as well. During the concert she sung a sweet duet with her husband, Jeremy Ivey, who wrote the tune and has an album out soon which she produced — gotta stand by her man!
And to the second: She has her own unabashed take on modern American society and politics, as the lyrics of “All American Made” attest — “1987 and I didn’t know it then. Reagan was selling weapons to the leaders of Iran … And I wonder if the president gets much sleep at night, and if folks on welfare are making it alright … It’s all American made”.
Also, finally, other remaining Meijer Gardens shows with original price tickets remaining include JJGrey and Mofro with Jonny Lang on Aug. 14, The Stray Cats on Aug. 15, Mandolin Orange — one of my early not-to-miss concerts — on Sept. 4, Dash Sultana on Sept. 8, The B-52s with ODM and Berlin on Sept. 11, and the season finale of Calexico and Iron & Wine on Sept. 18.
The “hygiene hypothesis” holds that early exposure to a variety of microorganisms may decrease the risk for chronic inflammatory diseases, like asthma.
Two Swedish studies that tracked 650,000 children found that exposure to farm animals and even dogs can have this kind of beneficial effect. Living on a farm cut kids’ asthma rate by half. Just having a dog in baby’s first year was linked to a 13 percent lower risk of asthma later on, the researchers reported.
Most Americans don’t live on farms, but these findings show that raising a baby in a household with a dog might have benefits beyond love and companionship. Early exposure to cats as well as dogs may offer some protection from developing allergies and asthma, health experts suggest.
Other steps can also help prevent childhood asthma.
First, don’t smoke or allow anyone else in your household to smoke. Smoking when pregnant increases the chances of your baby wheezing during infancy. And continued exposure to secondhand smoke has a direct tie to asthma and other respiratory illnesses in kids.
Also, try to breastfeed baby for at least four to six months to strengthen his or her immune system and help avoid infections that start in the lungs, common asthma triggers.
Other suggestions:
Reduce exposure to dust mites, a common allergen
Use zippered covers on pillows and mattresses, wash all bedding in
hot water once a week and keep the humidity in your home below 50
percent
If you can, keep baby’s room free of carpeting and upholstered furniture, places where mites hide
“Don’t make me pull this car over!” Siblings will often bicker, fight and disagree, but wait a few minutes and they will be best friends and don’t remember why they were fighting. Or if they are like my boys, they will say, “We are just having a conversation,” yet it sounds like bickering to me and it is stressful to the outside listener!
Families heading out for a summer vacation or even staying at home know all too well sibling “conversations” are inevitable. Fighting can be frustrating for everyone involved. Kids can have conflict for many reasons including jealousy, different temperaments and even the developmental needs of the child. For example, a child that is in elementary school has a strong sense of fairness and will be upset if they are treated differently.
Try not to get involved unless the argument becomes physical.
Effective negotiating and problem solving are skills they will need for
life. When we constantly rescue, they will learn to expect that from us
and the opportunity to learn how to resolve a conflict is missed. In
addition, kids that are always rescued may feel they can get away with
more.
If necessary, resolve conflicts with your child.
Discuss with your kids that equal and fair is not always possible.
Someone may sometimes get more. That is true in a family scenario as
well as real life.
Sometimes it can be as simple as offering, or setting up, space for
time apart. We don’t always get along with friends and coworkers, so it
is unrealistic to think siblings will be non-confrontational.
According to a Mayo Clinic article, “Sibling rivalry: Helping your children get along,” parents can also respect each child’s unique needs, avoid comparisons, set ground rules and stick to them, anticipate problems, listen, encourage good behavior and show your love.
The silver lining is when children disagree, they are showing healthy signs that they are able to express their needs and wants. Sibling rivalry is normal. All children will disagree. Treating them as individuals is key to helping the family through those stressful times.
Lee Middle and High School will have a new principal when it greets students later this month as Godfrey-Lee Public Schools announced this week that Candida VanBuskirk would fill the position following Kathryn Curry’s retirement after 7 years as principal.
Candida VanBuskirk. (Facebook)
According to the district, VanBuskirk, who often goes by the name “Candy”, comes to Godfrey-Lee from Michigan City (In.) High School, where she served as the principal for two years. Prior to that, she was the associate principal at the same school, and before that assistant principal at New Prairie (In.) High School and teacher at New Buffalo High School.
VanBuskirk “is a strong instructional leader that will bring expertise in a culture of collaboration, excellence for our staff and students, and build the type of relationships that will sustain success,” Kevin Polston, Superintendent, Godfrey-Lee Public Schools, said in supplied material. “In addition, she has a background in athletics as a 2-time All American at Roberts Wesleyan College and team co-captain at Bowling Green (State University). She has (also) coached basketball at the high school and collegiate levels.”
VanBuskirk has a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Bowling Green, a masters degree in Educational Leadership from Western Michigan University, a masters degree in Science Education from the University of Dayton, and is currently pursuing a Doctorates Degree from Indiana State University.
A school ad shows a student larger than life because of all the new school supplies and clothes she got. But for some local residents, just purchasing the basic school supplies can be a momental task.
“In one of the places I recently volunteered, I talked to families who stated ‘My next paycheck would have to go toward school supplies,’” said WKTV Journal host Donna Kidner Smith.
It is the reason that Denise Kooiker created the School Supply Santa more than 10 yeas ago.
“I am hairdresser and I was at work one day and one of my clients was telling me about the need for school supplies and how much teachers spend on their classrooms and to help their students,” Kooiker said. “I was totally unaware of the need for school supplies.”
Kooiker discovered that more than 94 percent of teachers spend an average of $500 of their money on classroom supplies, she said. She created School Supply Santa to help teachers help those students who need it, Kooiker said.
Through Aug. 7, various locations throughout the Wyoming, Kentwood, Byron Center ,and Grand Rapids area are serving as collection sites. Some of the Wyoming locations are Amethyst Beauty Bar, Beltline Bar, Edward Jones, For the Kids Gymnastics, Maple Hill Golf, Peach Wave, Shape Your Life, and the YMCA – Spartan on Gezon Avenue. In Kentwood, some of the drop off sites are Breton Garden Family Dentistry, DJ’s Landscape Management, Grand Coney Diner, Fast Signs, and the Omelette Shop. For a complete list of locations, visit schoolsupplysanta.com.
Area residents are encouraged to bring donations to those locations. Items needed are backpacks, crayons, colored pencils, dry erase expo markers, ear buds, erasers, solid color folders, glue sticks, Post-it notes, Kleenex, pencils, markers notebooks, three-ring binders, composition notebooks, and headphones.
Kooiker said some of the school supplies, such as backpacks, do take a beating over the course or a year, so buying the cheapest item is not always the best option.
“Some of the less quality backpacks will rip fairly quickly,” Kooiker said.
Staff and teachers from Kentwood Public Schools, Wyoming Public Schools, Godwin Heights Public Schools, Godfrey-Lee Pubic Schools, Kelloggsville Public Schools, and Byron Center Public Schools will attend a special event in August to pick up the school supplies. The staff from the schools then distribute it to students who have a need, Kooiker said.
Last year, School Supply Santa collected 1,219 backpacks, more than 38,000 school supplies, which supported 34 local schools, grades K-12, and more than 2,500 students.
And while the 2019 season for collections is coming to a close, the School Supply Santa does collect year around, Kooiker said. If you are interested in donating or volunteering for School Supply Santa, visit schoolsupplysanta.com or the Facebook page, School Supply Santa.
Some of the volunteers for the School Supply Santa. (Supplied)
A big part of your checklist as you prepare for a trip overseas: Make sure you’re up to date on your measles vaccination. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
Due to waning vaccination levels in some areas, measles outbreaks are back with a vengeance.
But many globe-trotting Americans may not realize the problem is worldwide. Therefore, making sure your measles vaccination is up to date is paramount before jetting off.
In fact, U.S. outbreaks of measles “are usually started by foreign travelers importing the virus to the U.S.,” according to Dr. Len Horovitz. He’s a specialist in pulmonary illnesses at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.
“This is exacerbated by lack of vaccination in many foreign countries,” Horovitz said. And according to a regularly updated list of measles “hotspots” from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “this is clearly a global epidemic,” he said.
“Asia, Africa and the Middle East lead the list, but in Europe the Ukraine and Romania have had reports of outbreaks,” Horovitz noted. “Also included on the outbreak list are Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, France, Bulgaria and Lithuania.”
Besides ruining a dream vacation, measles is very contagious and can be spread quickly to others, experts warn. And even if you think you got the shot in childhood, it’s smart to check and see if your immunity has waned, Horovitz said.
That’s especially true for some of the baby boomer generation.
“It’s well-known that vaccines between 1963 and 1967 were less effective and immunity can fade over the age of 50, even if you’ve had the disease,” Horovitz explained. “So one cannot assume immunity to measles, mumps or rubella in any adult.”
A simple blood test can gauge your immunity.
Horovitz said he’s been “testing patients for immunity in the last 10 weeks. All are adults and I’ve uncovered two or more patients each week who need booster vaccination. That’s 23 non-immune adults so far in a solo practice.”
According to Horovitz, one large commercial lab that tests for immunity to measles, mumps and rubella found that as many as 9%-13% of specimens lacked immunity to one or more of the three viruses.
So while getting kids vaccinated is crucial, “there’s also clear evidence that there is a significant number of non-immune adults in the U.S.,” Horovitz said.
Meanwhile, the measles situation in the United States continues to be dire.
“The 2018-2019 measles epidemic has been documented as one of the worst on record since 2000,” Horovitz said. “In April 2019, the CDC reported 695 cases in 22 states. The largest outbreaks were in Washington state and New York State.” He pointed out that 2018 saw a 300% increase in cases.
Some patients should not receive measles vaccination (including those with multiple sclerosis), so it’s better to assess a patient’s need for re-vaccination rather than just giving a booster to any patient requesting it or traveling to a country where measles is common, Horovitz said.
“A simple blood test with 24-hour turnaround time will reveal the immune status and need for vaccination. Patients who don’t require a booster should not be vaccinated, but a surprising number will require it,” he said.
The annual Metro Cruise is always a popular event, and now getting there will be easier thanks to a shuttle service provided by The Rapid. (WKTV)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
The annual Metro Cruise is always popular, with visitor parking often at a premium, and the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce’s 2019 28th Street Metro Cruise on Aug. 23-24 will be no different.
But thanks to a partnership with The Rapid, there will be two shuttle buses running from nearby but off 28th Street parking locations — Wyoming High School and the Wyoming’s Kent District Library — where visitors can park easily and take a free shuttle to and from all the action.
“The Wyoming-Kentwood Chamber of Commerce is excited with our partnership with The Rapid to operate two shuttle buses for the 28th Street Metro Cruise,” Bob O’Callaghan, President/CEO of the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce, said to WKTV. “We thank The Rapid for their continued support of the chamber and the 28th Street Metro Cruise.”
The Rapid often provides shuttle service for community events. (Supplied)
The free buses supplied by The Rapid will shuttle Cruise attendees from Wyoming High School, 1350 Prairie Parkway, and the Wyoming library, 3350 Michael to Rogers Plaza every 20 to 30 minutes during the peak times on Friday, Aug. 23 and Saturday, Aug. 24. Exact times of the shuttle service is as-yet to be determined.
WKTV Community Media will produce a 1-hour special live broadcast scheduled to air at 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 23.
For more information on the shuttle service, visit the chamber’s website at southkent.org the week of Metro Cruise, or keep up on the latest Metro Cruise news at WKTVjournal.org .
School starts in just a few weeks and soon after, many of those students will be spending their after school hours building a robot for the annual FIRST Robotics competition.
Saturday, Aug. 3, WKTV will feature a special presentation of the 2019 FIRST Robotics competition that took place at East Kentwood High School in April. The show features highlights of the day’s events along with interviews with local teams, such as East Kentwood’s Red Storm Robotics, and patrons and parents.
The program airs at 2 p.m. on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 and WKTV AT&T Channel 99.
Research suggests antibiotic use be kept to as short a period as possible, given the potentially adverse effects of prolonged use. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
Antibiotics can be lifesaving, but using them over a long period might raise the odds of heart disease and stroke in older women, a new study suggests.
Researchers tracked the health of nearly 36,500 U.S. women over an average follow-up of nearly eight years. During that time, more than a thousand developed heart disease.
The study found that women aged 60 and older who used antibiotics for two months or longer were 32% percent more likely to develop heart disease than those who did not use antibiotics.
Women aged 40 to 59 who took antibiotics for longer than two months had a 28% higher risk than those who did not take the drugs, said a team led by Lu Qi. He directs the Tulane University Obesity Research Center in New Orleans.
Said another way, the results mean that for older women who take antibiotics for two months or more, 6 per 1,000 would go on to develop heart disease, compared with 3 in 1,000 among those who did not take the drugs.
There was no increased risk of heart disease among women aged 20 to 39 who took antibiotics, according to the study published recently in the European Heart Journal.
“This is an observational study and so it cannot show that antibiotics cause heart disease and stroke, only that there is a link between them,” Qi said in a journal news release. “It’s possible that women who reported more antibiotic use might be sicker in other ways that we were unable to measure, or there may be other factors that could affect the results that we have not been able take account of.”
However, the researchers did take into account other factors, including age, race, sex, diet and lifestyle, reasons for antibiotic use, overweight or obesity, other diseases and medication use.
The most common reasons for antibiotic use among women in the study were respiratory infections, urinary tract infections and dental problems.
So what could be the link between antibiotics and heart risk?
One possible reason could lie in the fact that antibiotics do alter the balance of gut microbes, destroying good bacteria and increasing the proportion of viruses, bacteria or other microbes that can cause disease, Qi suggested.
“Antibiotic use is the most critical factor in altering the balance of microorganisms in the gut,” he said, and “previous studies have shown a link between alterations in the microbiotic environment of the gut and inflammation and narrowing of the blood vessels, stroke and heart disease.”
Study first author Yoriko Heianza is a research fellow at Tulane University. She noted that, as the women in the study aged, “they were more likely to need more antibiotics, and sometimes for longer periods of time, which suggests a cumulative effect may be the reason for the stronger link in older age between antibiotic use and cardiovascular disease.”
According to Qi, the take-home message from the new study is that “antibiotics should be used only when they are absolutely needed. Considering the potentially cumulative adverse effects, the shorter time of antibiotic use, the better.”
Dr. Eugenia Gianos directs Women’s Heart Health at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. She wasn’t involved in the new research but said the findings are “interesting and warrant further analysis.”
Gianos agreed that the study couldn’t prove cause and effect.
“It is very possible that patients who require antibiotics for an infection have a worse underlying infectious or inflammatory process and that the systemic effects of these diseases are what cause cardiovascular disease,” she reasoned.
But the interplay between antibiotics, the gut’s “microbiome” and the cardiovascular system could be important as well, Gianos said.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
These two boys had it really rough prior to their rescue, and both had significant health issues that needed prompt medical attention. But probably most important of all, they are absolutely enamored by one another. In fact, their bond was almost immediate and has since grown to the point that we will strive to adopt them out as a duo because, honestly, one is rarely seen without the other close by.
We’ll begin with Caboose, a one-year-old fella (born in early 2018) from Lansing who found himself in dire straits when his rectum prolapsed (due to chronic diarrhea secondary to internal parasites). Thankfully, his rescuer took him to emergency immediately, and surgery corrected his issue. Unfortunately, he tested FIV+ (and upon retest, a faint FELV+), and although his rescuer was smitten with this darling boy, she had a houseful to think of for the long haul, so she contacted us for help.
All was going quite well after his arrival, but just three days into his stay at our sanctuary, Caboose prolapsed again — and this time had to have a portion of that pooching rectal tissue amputated. The second time around proved to be successful, and now (a month after his arrival) he is off all meds and pooping like a trooper.
Four days after Caboose came into our program, we opened our doors to a bedraggled but beautiful brown tabby — Snickerz — who hailed from the east side of the state. His rescuer came across him a month earlier, living outside of a local business, begging for dinner from food trucks on the property; he supposedly had caretakers but it was painfully obvious that this five-or-so-year-old fella (we think he was born in early 2014) was suffering, not only from a nasty respiratory infection, but heavy internal parasites, a nasty ear infection, and a horribly rotten mouth that attributed to his malnutrition and poor body weight. He also tested positive for both viruses.
Since his immune system was so run-down, Snickerz also came down with calici virus, an infectious, transmissible feline illness that causes painful oral ulcers, fever and lethargy. However, through it all, nothing dragged him down, and we all truly believe that the comfort he found in cuddling up next to his caring comrade Caboose expedited the healing process.
The two perfect peas-in-a pod have similar personalities as well as being bosom buddies, and it has been delightful watching them interact. Here is what our volunteers had to say:
Heeeere’s Snickerz
“Caboose — I just love this cat! He’s really doing well slowly starting to socialize, and likes to hang out now in different rooms. I love how he perks up when he sees me, almost like he’s proud of himself for being so much more brave and outgoing. He will eat bowl after bowl of wet food, and piles of Temptations. He’s doing great after his surgery and I think it’s obvious he feels good — look at the weight he’s gained! He doesn’t mind being picked up, LOVES belly rubs, and has sat on my lap a few times. Caboose is really starting to come out of his shell. He was so shy for a while, but he has settled in just great. He loves attention and has a great purr almost like Scherzer (our resident pigeon).”
“Snickerz is a bit on the shy side but is starting to show his personality. He prefers to be lying in his big puffy bed (with the stuffed lion his rescuer brought in with him) next to his other lounging friends. To me, he’s very kitten-like because he’s a little on the small size. He’s not real crazy about being picked up, but will curl up in your arms if you sit down with him. He enjoys treats and wet food, along with chin scratches. Being that he’s so shy he’s going to take some patience. Snickerz is a quiet boy who is really enjoying the comforts of indoor life. He’s such a happy and content guy that he has been caught purring in his sleep on numerous occasions.”
Both boys need to go into a quieter home, no small kids or boisterous dogs, and most definitely with one another; how could you separate these soulmates? We would love for nothing more than to give them the storybook ending they so deserve, a happily ever after that includes the both of them not necessarily riding off into the sunset, but rather napping side by side, contentedly, in complete bliss for countless days to come!
More about Caboose:
Domestic Short Hair
Tabby (Tiger-striped)
Adult
Male
Medium
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Neutered
FIV+ and FELV+
Good in a home with other cats, no children or dogs
More about Snickerz:
Domestic Short Hair
Tabby (Brown/Chocolate)
Adult
Male
Small
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Neutered
FIV+ and FELV+
Good in a home with other cats, no children or dogs
Want to adopt these great guys? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Krasl Art Center (KAC) welcomes LaPorte, IN artists Jon Hook and Andrea Peterson to the galleries for their immersive installation: Inhaling the Universe. On view Aug. 9-Sept. 29, this exhibition marks an experimental new adventure by the artists and nature alike, played out in KAC’s galleries.
The artists have created specific pieces for the exhibit, including sculpture, cyanotype, and custom prints in an awe-inspiring installation that is stimulated by and made in collaboration with nature. Their work reflects on the passage of time and life cycles; it leads viewers on a thoughtful and conscientious walk through a wonder-filled landscape.
Hook and Peterson have been living in northwest Indiana since 1997. In both work and study, they attempt to live harmoniously with the surrounding environment. They apply regenerative and sustainable methods on their small farm that entwines their work and life. Hook Pottery Paper consists of a clay studio; a combined book, paper, and print studio; and a gallery shop.
Hook’s wood-fired ceramics use an intense and industrious process that emphasizes the use of local materials for firing as well as glaze-making. He reduces local plants such as hay, cattails, and thistle, as well as clay to their molecular essence, which is then used to create unique glazes. He is a forerunner and expert in his field, specifically concerning sustainable and regenerative firing and ceramic studio processes. Hook has received two consecutive Indiana State grants that aided his research of an oil drip burner system to assist the wood-fired kiln on their farm. Hook’s dedication to mutualism in the environment has evolved to center on regional identity.
Peterson’s work explores all types of paper fibers and processes including paper works, prints, artist books, and environmental installation pieces. She combines paper arts, printmaking and book arts to make works that address the human relationship to the environment.
Courtesy Krasl Art Center
Peterson received her BFA at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and her MFA in printmaking from University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. She has lectured and taught extensively, including at Ox-Bow; School of the Art Institute of Chicago; Sciola de Graphica, Venice, Italy; Paper Museum Steyermeuhl, Austria; Syracuse University and Indiana University. She currently teaches in the Fiber and Material Studies Department at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Krasl Art Center invites the community to welcome the artists and this impressive undertaking on Friday, Aug. 9, from 6-8pm with a cash bar, live music, and small bites provided by Bistro on the Boulevard. Guests will meet not only Hook and Peterson but also artlab artist Casey Roberts and sculptor Peter Krsko, who created the wooden interactive sculpture Ground Wave in KAC’s East Garden.
Hook and Peterson will give a presentation about their farm and regenerative practices before the opening party at 5:30pm.
“Animals are such agreeable friends — they ask no questions; they pass no criticisms.”
George Eliot
On a roll
Only recently, Margo Price “was a country underdog just trying to keep enough gas in the tank to get to the next gig,” but by the end of 2016, she was one of the genre’s most celebrated new artists with gigs on late night television and at major festivals around the world. Don’t miss her performance at Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park this Thursday, Aug. 1st. The Dawes with Margo Price concert will start at 6:30pm (5:15pm gates open), with a $50 general admission ticket price. For more information and tickets visit meijergardens.org. Go here for the story.
Precious cargo
National Heat Stroke Prevention day is July 31, 2019, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is reminding everyone to “look before you lock.” It takes just 10 minutes for a vehicle in the sun to heat up by 20 degrees and become potentially deadly for a child left locked in a car. Go here for the story.
Tick tock
If despite your best prevention efforts, a tick still attaches to you, there’s a right and a wrong way to remove ticks. Don’t use matches or the tip of a cigarette to burn off ticks. This could cause them to transmit bacteria more quickly. The correct way to remove a tick is to lift it gently with thin forceps or tweezers. Here are more tips.
Fun fact:
A raisin dropped in a glass of fresh champagne will bounce up and down continuously from the bottom of the glass to the top. You’re welcome.
How the Grand Rapids Public Museum acquired its latest exhibit, “Changing America,” is perhaps just as fascinating as the story the exhibit presents.
It was an article in the Washington Post that lead to the Grand Rapids Public Museum President and CEO Dale Robertson to consider the exhibit. The articled was about a city in Alabama, called Demopolis. The city had had a Confederate statute that was accidentally knocked down with the citizens divided over where the statute should be put back up.
“Are we going to put it up? Are we not going to put it up. What does this mean to me? Well this is what it means to me,” was the discussion according to Robertson the town was having. The town leaders recognized that the town needed to go through a reconciliation and in that process discovered the exhibit “Changing America.”
“It was being traveled by the National Library Association but it was created by the Smithsonian Institute, so you know there is a level of quality and accuracy and factualness that is just part of it,” Robertson said.
Because the show juxtapositions two huge events in American history, the Emancipation Proclamation, which happened in 1863, and the March on Washington in 1963, Robertson talked to the museum staff about bringing the traveling exhibit to Grand Rapids. GRPM Vice President of Marketing and PR Kate Kocienski checked on the exhibit.
“She learned that the exhibit was no longer traveling but if we were interested in paying for the shipping of it, the museum could just have it,” Robertson said.
So the Museum covered the cost of the shipping and brought the panel show to Grand Rapids, augmenting it with items from the Museum’s own collection and borrowing items from the Grand Rapids African American Museum and Archives, located at 87 Monroe Center NW. GRAAMA is hosting a complimentary exhibit “American Freedom 1863-1963 Exhibit.”
“Changing America” will be at the museum through Oct. 13. The exhibit, which opened earlier this summer, has been augmented throughout the months with staff adding elements, including newspaper articles and photos from the Grand Rapids Press archives to the exhibit throughout the months.
“Changing America” and “TOYS” are part of the regular admission to the museum, which is $5 for Kent County residents and $3 for Kent County seniors. Kent County children 17 and under are free and there is free museum parking for Kent County residents when they purchase a ticket. For more information, visit grpm.org.
The Grand Rapids African American Museum and Archives is open noon – 5 p.m. Tuesday – Saturday. The museum is free. For more information, visit graama.org
On the latest episode of WKTV Journal In Focus is an update on the June partial building collapse at Lee Middle and High School. District Superintendent Kevin Polston separates the facts from the fictions of the incident and the aftermath. Also, Kent County recently adopted an extensive Strategic Plan that not only sets out its mission and vision but also a set of values that will drive its priorities and goals. With us is both the county’s lead administrator and Wyoming’s own representative on the County Commission.
First In Focus is Godfrey Lee Public Schools Superintendent Kevin Polston, who’s summer took a hard turn in June with the collapse of a portion of the Lee Middle and High School complex of buildings. Recently, he has held a series of meetings to inform parents, the general public and the school district community about the collapse as well as where the district goes from here, both in the short and long term. We invited him into our studios to reach out to our WKTV audience with the information. See the In Focus Video here.
County Administrator Wayman Britt and County Commissioner Harold Voorhees on the set of WKTV Journal In Focus. (WKTV)
Then In Focus is Kent County’s new Strategic Plan, set to cover the years 2019 to 2023 and designed to establish and detail the county government’s, “mission, vision, values, and strategic priorities and goals.” With us is County Administrator Wayman Britt, who after serving as county controller was promoted to the dual role of administrator and controller in early 2018, also joining us is County Commissioner Harold Voorhees, whose District 8 is — as he likes to say “entirely within the City of Wyoming”. See the In Focus video here.
WKTV Journal In Focus airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel (see our Weekly On-air Schedule for dates and times). All individual interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.
A video produced by the City of Kentwood and WKTV Community Media.
By City of Kentwood
The City of Kentwood will be bustling with block parties, neighborhood events and other activities on Tuesday, Aug. 6, as part of the community’s celebration of National Night Out.
Kentwood police officers, firefighters and City leaders will join residents at more than 20 gatherings planned for the annual community-building event, most of which will take place from 6 to 8 p.m.
National Night Out began in the 1980s with a goal to promote safer, better neighborhoods by uniting community members and police against neighborhood crimes. Every year, events are held nationwide on the first Tuesday in August to encourage citizens to turn their porch lights on and come out outside to meet their neighbors.
“National Night Out provides an opportunity to demonstrate how the City of Kentwood really is a community effort,” Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley said. “The City’s entire leadership team is looking forward to celebrating the strong sense of community that exists in Kentwood and helping to promote the practice of neighbors caring for neighbors.”
The Kentwood Police Department has partnered with Woodland Mall to offer community members an up-close look at emergency vehicles both outside and throughout the mall from 3 to 5 p.m. Large emergency vehicles will be on display outside by Celebration! Cinema, while other vehicles will be placed throughout the mall for shoppers to learn about and explore. A table featuring Kentwood Police Department giveaways will be located in the Barnes and Nobles wing.
In addition, several public community-based events will be hosted from 6 to 8 p.m. and feature a variety of activities, including appearances from McGruff the Crime Dog. Locations of those events include:
Pentecostals Church, 2627 44th St. SE, will host a party featuring a bounce house, free meal, face painting, music, carnival games and other kids’ activities.
South United Methodist Church, 4500 S. Division Ave., will have free ice cream and hot dogs, a live band, door prizes and a small water slide for young children.
Faith Church, 1412 44th St. SE, will have food trucks and a live band.
“A strong alliance with law enforcement is necessary for fostering safer neighborhoods,” Police Chief Thomas Hillen said. “Members of our department enjoy any opportunity to connect with residents, but National Night Out in particular offers a great opportunity to build positive relationships and create open lines of communication.”
More information about National Night Out events in Kentwood is available at kentwood.us/NNO.
Most people think about going to their primary care provider’s office when they are sick, but did you know it’s also recommended to visit your health center, on average, once per year when you are healthy? This is commonly called a “yearly physical” or “annual preventive visit.” The goal of this visit is to promote health and prevent disease. There are several diseases we can either prevent or catch early before they cause you problems — and most of these don’t have any symptoms, meaning that you feel fine and might not know that something is wrong.
This includes:
High blood pressure
Diabetes or Pre-diabetes
High cholesterol
Certain cancers, such as cervical, breast, or colon cancer
Certain sexually transmitted infections
Coming in for a yearly physical is also a great chance to make sure you are up-to-date on the recommended vaccines (such as your yearly flu shot, tetanus booster, or pneumonia vaccine), and talk to your primary care provider about any other recommended screenings based on your age and risk factors. For example, did you know all baby boomers are advised to be screened for Hepatitis C? This is a virus that can be silent for years but ultimately cause liver damage or even cancer. The good news is we have a cure, and all it takes is a simple blood test to detect it.
At your annual physical, you and your primary care provider will together come up with a plan to ensure you stay healthy and work on any areas that might be holding you back or hurting your health.
Over time, the more you get to know your primary care provider, the more comfortable you will feel seeking help if something does go wrong. And believe it or not, the better your primary care provider knows you, the better care they will be able to give you.
Summer is a great time to schedule an appointment for your yearly physical. Call your health center today!
I once had a patient I’ll call Laura who taught me the power of goal-setting and running.
I always knew goal-setting could be an effective motivator and used this in my personal life to get through school, medical training, fitness goals, to help my kids, and so forth, but had not explored how to utilize the power of a goal for healthy aging for others.
I remember seeing Laura for her annual physical, and she told me she had been through a rough time in her marriage, did not like her job, had stopped working out, gained weight, ate without planning or thinking, and did not feel attractive or energetic.
When asked what goal she had for herself at a date in the future, she said she wanted to be hot. She defined ‘hot’ as fit, back in her old clothes, and able to run and exercise like when she was 40.
My next question was, “How badly do you want this?” She told me she knew she wanted this.
In the past she had been a runner, and knew the River Bank Run was coming up. She told me to expect great things and left with her shoulders back and a smile.
More than a year later, while rushing through a busy day, I went around the corner fast in the hallway. I almost ran into a woman I did not recognize, and excused myself. It was Laura, and she laughed when she realized I did not recognize her. I looked closer and my chin dropped.
Laura had achieved her goal. She looked fit, had lost a significant amount of weight, and had a big smile on her face. She said, “I did it, I am hot!”
In the intervening year, she had gone online to the River Bank Run website, and used its planning tool to train for the race.
She had not run in years, and took the first several months slow, working on her endurance, and being careful to not get too impatient. She took note of warming up, stretching and improving her core strength to avoid injury, and even visited a local trainer to make sure she was being smart.
Once she built her base, she started working harder, and at the same time did research on a healthy diet for her workouts and made sure she had plenty of complex carbs like brown rice, Ezekiel bread, sweet potatoes and oatmeal.
Running most days helped her sleep improve, and on busy days she would even run indoors at 8 or 9 at night. Her mood improved, she made better choices in her personal and professional life, and began to fit into her old clothes again. The image of being hot at 50 kept her going, even on days she did not feel like running. She always felt better after a run.
Race day came and she finished in a respectable time. She lost 55 pounds, regained her self-respect and liked herself again. She was ready to enjoy her 50th.
I loved her story as it shows what a goal can do to motivate someone. Not only did she achieve her goal, but felt better and better each day. And not only did she change her outside, but her inside as well.
With exercise and weight loss come a healthier blood vessel system with smooth walls and a lower chance of building up plaque. This lowers the chance of dementia, stroke and heart attack.
Her bones increased in density, lowering the risk of osteoporosis and fracture. The weight loss also lowered her risk of many cancers, namely breast and uterine cancer.
Most of all, Laura took care of herself.
Even if running is not your thing, we encourage all people to set a life goal. Think of a key event in your life — a birthday, a child’s wedding (or your own), retirement, or a dream vacation. Write it down, talk about it, make a plan on how to achieve that goal, and get busy.
In 1969, the Grand Rapids area was the recipient of the first piece of Art in Public Places funded by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Fifty years later, SideCar Studios and ArtPeers came together to explore the impact that Alexander Calder’s “La Grande Vitesse” has had on the West Michigan community. The film premiered at the 2019 Festival of the Arts, a three-day celebration of the arts that takes place in downtown Grand Rapids. Festival can credit its foundation to the big red sculpture among other elements.
For those who might have missed the premier, or just want to see the film again, “The Great Swiftness” (which is what”La Grande Vitesse” translates to) will air on WKTV Tuesday, Aug. 6, at 2:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. WKTV is available in the communities of Wyoming, Kentwood and Gaines Township on Comcast Channel 25 and on AT&T U-verse Channel 99.
“You see it everywhere on street signs, city signs and on stationary,” John VanderHaagen, director of communications at Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park.
The 17-minute film features an array of people from the Greater Grand Rapids community, from artists to familiar faces such as Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss. The guests talk about Calder’s sculpture and the importance of art in general to a community like Grand Rapids. The interviews are mixed with old footage of when “La Grande Vitesse” was installed and dedicated, sprinkled with comments from Nancy Mulnix Tweddale, the leading organizer who helped to bring Calder’s piece to Grand Rapids.
To check out more programming at WKTV, visit the wktvjournal.org and click the schedule tab at the top or read through the many stories about our community.
Shamar Green brings a ladder into the hallway at school. Students passing by know what to do: Climb the Ladder of Success.
“I never thought it would be as big as it is around here,” said Shamar about his news segment of that name, which airs regularly on the high school news channel, Falcon News Network. He stands on the ladder with his microphone and interviews students and teachers, man-on-the-street style. He has many eager participants.
“I just get up there and ask questions about, ‘What are the keys to success?”
(Courtesy photo) Shamar Green participates in a cupcake competition for Falcon News Network
He’s covered topics such as how to be successful at the SAT, how to have an enjoyable Christmas and how to pull off a great Valentine’s Day.
At East Kentwood High School, Shamar is known as a jokester, a fun-loving, energetic student. He graduates May 21 with dreams of becoming a professional actor. But it wasn’t until a few years ago that Shamar decided to channel his energy for the positive. He spent several years constantly in trouble and struggling to find his way.
“In elementary school, it was rough because I don’t think I went to school 10 days straight,” he said. “I couldn’t stop getting suspended.”
Easily triggered and quick to lash out, he was put into a special education program for students with emotional impairments. In sixth grade, he was removed from the traditional educational setting to attend a center-based program for emotionally impaired students.
“My responses were terrible, and it would lead to small things becoming bigger things that would lead to suspensions. … I struggled with low self-esteem at times, and a lack of coping skills and strategies.”
Shamar’s mother, Jaquise Brazil, was constantly trying to help.
“My mother was always looking for me to get help,” he said. “She really made an effort to make sure my mental health was strong and good. She always stuck with it. I never felt like she would quit on me.”
(Courtesy photo) Shamar Green performs in ‘The Music Man’
Considering the ‘Grand Scheme of Things’
Shamar remembers the incident in ninth grade that led to his turning point. After being kicked out of class for fighting verbally with other students, he tried to get back into class to get his backpack. “I was kicking the door to get back in,” he said. “There was glass on the door. I kicked the glass and I broke it.”
The resulting two-week suspension extended into winter break. “That whole month I was in my room, in a funk. I was trying to figure everything out,” he said. “I was like, ‘OK. What do I want out of life? What do I want to be? Are the things that are making me act out really worth it in the grand scheme of things?’”
Once he returned to school in January, “things started to go in the right direction.”
His reflections coincided with getting to know two ninth-grade teachers, Alan Freudigmann and Beth Thompson, who spoke words that resonate with Shamar to this day. They took time after school to talk to him.
HIS NATURAL CHARM CAN BE DISARMING, BUT THE SERIOUSNESS WITH WHICH HE TAKES HIS PERSONAL GROWTH IS IMPRESSIVE. I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT GREAT THINGS HE WILL DO IN THE FUTURE; I CAN ASSURE YOU IT WON’T BE BORING.” — TEACHER BETH THOMPSON ON SENIOR SHAMAR GREEN
“If it wasn’t for those two, I don’t know how I would view myself today,” he said. Thompson told him, “Find something you are passionate about,” Shamar remembers. “That stuck with me.”
Freudigmann taught him to be gentle when reacting to others. Shamar recalled a moment when he asked Freudigmann if he was going to yell at another student who had not completed an assigned task. The teacher said, “When you yell at someone, that makes them want to help you less.”
“Something so small like that has gone a long way for me,” Shamar said. “I try not to yell at people. That helped me with patience.”
Thompson, who had Shamar in her ninth-grade English class, said she noticed him take responsibility. “There are many things I love about Shamar, but one of his marked characteristics has been his willingness to listen and learn about himself. He has always been honest about making mistakes and asking questions about why he was getting a certain reaction or push-back from some people,” she said. “In my opinion, he has chosen a path to improve himself, which is unusual for such a young person.”
Shamar Green is ‘Climbing the Ladder of Success’
Discovering his Passion
Shamar, who lived outside Kentwood Public Schools’ boundaries, attended a different high school his sophomore year.
He wanted badly to return, which he did his junior year. “It was perfect. It still feels good. I’m so happy to be here. I’m blessed to be here. It’s truly a privilege to be here. There is no other place I would want to graduate high school from. This place fits me like a glove.”
With a better attitude and behavior, Shamar got involved in school. He learned about broadcasting through Falcon News Network and created the “Climbing the Ladder of Success” segment. He performed in the plays, “Don’t Drink the Water” and “Wiley and the Hairy Man,” and the musical, “The Music Man.”
Principal Omar Bakri noticed the transformation.
“Shamar quickly snapped into focus, and began making changes that were evident to all who knew him,” Bakri said. “He was willing to be reflective, and seek alternative patterns and behaviors and responses. Shamar has emerged as an engaged member of the student body. … He is well-connected, and a positively contributing member of the school community.”
Added Thompson: “His involvement at East Kentwood High School with the Falcon News Network and the theater program shows he is willing to take risks. His natural charm can be disarming, but the seriousness with which he takes his personal growth is impressive. I look forward to seeing what great things he will do in the future; I can assure you it won’t be boring.”
When Shamar was suspended he watched TV, he said. “I would just sit down and watch shows like ‘Good Times,’ ‘Martin,’ the ‘Jamie Foxx Show.’
“I fell in love with acting and it became a passion and a dream.”
After graduation, Shamar plans to move to Las Vegas to live with his uncle and audition for acting gigs. His dream job: act in a remake of the 1999 movie “Blue Streak” and a sequel to that movie.
Shamar Green interviews senior Michelle Pham for his news segment
Falcon News Network teacher Geoffrey Westman said he’s seen Shamar mature a lot as he’s taken on challenges. “When he finds something he wants to achieve, he will work relentlessly to achieve those goals.”
Plus, he lights up when he’s on air. “He is very comfortable in front of the camera,” Westman said.
Looking back, Shamar said he is astounded by how far he’s come. “It’s actually unfathomable — that’s the word that comes to mind a lot lately. … I’m 17, but I feel like I’ve lived a thousand lives. I’ve been through many phases and iterations of myself, but it’s for the good.”
Shamar said he wants people to know his story so they can also start fresh.
“A lot of people don’t know these things about me. I want to show people you don’t have to be ashamed of your background.”
He continued: “For anyone who is in a rut or feels hopeless— just stay the course, when I was going through everything. … I always held onto my dream — latch on to some hope and have faith in something. If you have a goal and end game it will be fine.”
For more stories on area schools, visit School News Network website, schoolnewsnetwork.org.
As a dangerous heat wave descends upon the Midwest, and in advance of National Heat Stroke Prevention day on July 31, 2019, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is reminding everyone to “look before you lock.” This national campaign urges drivers to develop a routine habit of checking their backseat before locking their car and walking away. Outside of crashes, heatstroke is the number one vehicle-related killer of children in the United States. Vehicle heat stroke occurs when a child is left in a hot vehicle, allowing their body temperature to rise rapidly and often fatally. In the 20 years from 1998 to 2018, 772 children died of heatstroke in hot cars. Already in 2019, 21 children have died in hot cars.
As temperatures outside climb, the interior of vehicles rapidly reach dangerous temperatures. It takes just 10 minutes for a vehicle in the sun to heat up by 20 degrees and become potentially deadly. This means in the forecasted 95-degree heat, the interior of a vehicle can reach a lethal 115 degrees in the time it takes to run into the bank or gas station.
Children are significantly more sensitive to heat stroke than adults. Infant and children’s body temperatures rise three to five times faster than that of adults experiencing the same temperatures. When a child is trapped in a hot vehicle, their body temperature will rise rapidly. Heat stroke begins when the core body temperature reaches 104. A core body temperature of 107 is fatal.
Make it a habit to look in the back seat EVERY time you exit the car.
ALWAYS lock the car and put the keys out of reach.
Courtesy Michigan State University Extension
If you are a bystander and see a child in a hot vehicle:
Make sure the child is OK and responsive. If not, call 911 immediately.
If the child appears to be OK, attempt to locate the parents or have the facility’s security or management page the car owner over the PA system.
If there is someone with you, one person should actively search for the parent while the other waits at the car.
If the child is not responsive or appears to be in distress, attempt to get into the car to assist the child—even if that means breaking a window. Many states have “Good Samaritan” laws that protect people from lawsuits for getting involved to help a person in an emergency.
Know the warning signs of heatstroke, which include red, hot and moist or dry skin; no sweating; a strong rapid pulse or a slow weak pulse; nausea; confusion; or acting strangely. If a child exhibits any of these signs after being in a hot vehicle, quickly spray the child with cool water or with a garden hose—NEVER put a child in an ice bath. Call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.
More than half (54%) of all vehicle-related heatstroke deaths in children are caused by a child accidentally being left in the car, and 26% are from a child getting into a hot car unsupervised. It only takes a few minutes for a vehicle to reach dangerous temperatures. Take time to develop a vehicle safety routine for your family and prevent tragedy.
While only a few tick species infect people with diseases, the rising popularity of many outdoor activities and the spread of residential developments has upped the odds that one of those creepy parasites might latch on to you.
“Luckily, ticks don’t fly, jump or fall from the sky,” vector-borne disease expert Stephen Wikel said. He’s a professor emeritus of medical sciences at Quinnipiac University’s Frank H. Netter M.D. School of Medicine, in North Haven, Conn.
“They generally move from grass to a living host, and crawl upwards, looking for a warm, moist area to feed. Ticks also have incredible anti-detection defenses. For example, their saliva is loaded with antihistamines, anticoagulants and other inhibitors that prevent wound healing, and dampen pain and itch responses; unfed nymphs are so small, they can be mistaken for freckles,” he said.
So, how can you avoid becoming a tick’s next meal? Wikel recommends the following preventive steps:
Protect your ankles. Wear long pants tucked into high socks when doing yard work. Wrap duct tape—sticky-side out—around where the pants and socks meet so that crawling ticks get stuck on the tape.
Dress properly. Use clothing, tents and other gear treated with repellent, such as permethrin. This repellent kills ticks, mosquitoes, chiggers and mites. These products are available online or at sporting goods stores.
Wear repellent. Apply topical insect repellent that contains less than 40 percent DEET. Children should use repellent that contains no more than 30 percent DEET, Wikel said.
Conduct tick checks. “Tick bites are painless, so if you are in an area with ticks, perform a thorough tick check and remove ticks immediately,” he advised.
Don’t forget pets.”The neurotransmitter blockers in anti-tick treatments and flea collars are very effective in keeping ticks from biting pets,” said Wikel. “When pets come indoors, check for crawling ticks to prevent them from getting off your pet and on to you.”
Create a tick-free zone. You can make your yard less attractive to rodent, deer and other tick-carriers. Keeping lawns trimmed and creating barriers between your yard and the woods with wood chips, mulch or gravel can eliminate tall grasses where ticks crawl. Remove wood piles and stones where mice, chipmunks and squirrels may hide. These little critters keep tick larva and nymphs circulating in nature.
Hike carefully. Stay in the center of hiking trails to avoid contact with vegetation.
If despite your best prevention efforts, a tick still attaches to you, there’s a right and a wrong way to remove ticks, Wikel cautioned.
Don’t use matches or the tip of a cigarette to burn off ticks. This could cause them to transmit bacteria more quickly.
The correct way to remove a tick is to lift it gently with thin forceps or tweezers. It’s also a good idea to use a magnifying glass while removing a tick, Wikel advised.
If you can remove the tick intact, you can bring it to your doctor’s office or local health department for identification.
If you develop symptoms within a few weeks after a tick bite, make an appointment with your doctor, advises the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Warning signs of tick-borne diseases may vary from person to person, said Wikel. Symptoms, which can range from mild to severe, may include: fever and chills, headaches, fatigue and muscle aches.
People with Lyme disease may also develop joint pain, he said.
“Many people think a sign of Lyme disease is a bull’s-eye rash, but rashes don’t always occur,” said Wikel.
If left untreated, Lyme disease can affect the joints, the heart or the nervous system. When diagnosed early, on the other hand, Lyme disease can be cured with antibiotics. This is the case for most tick-borne disease, Wikel said.
Joanne Bailey-Boorsma, the host of Locally Entertaining, sits down with members of the Motherland House Concerts. From the right, Netty BM, Ruben Ndjerareou, Beatrice Muriithi, and Mirbel Umenei. (WKTV)
Grand Rapids Civic Theatre wraps up its 2018-2019 season with “Alice in Wonderland” and “All Shook Up.” (GRCT)
Shake the routine up by watching two local high school students perform the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre productions of “All Shook Up” and “Alice in Wonderland.” Both shows run July 26 – Aug. 4 at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre, 30 N. Division Ave. The shows alternative dates and times, so make sure to check ahead if you are look for a specific show. Kentwood’s Micah Hamstra plays Humpty Dumpty and Tweedledum in “Alice in Wonderland.” Wyoming’s Xavier Turner portrays Dennis in “All Shook Up.” Tickets are $10 – $16 with the shows only being about an hour. For more information, visit grct.org.
One ‘Queen’ of a show
The last dual feature of the Queen and Pink Floyd light shows is Aug. 1. (Longway Planetarium)
Buckle up, the Grand Rapids Public Museum will be offering the final Planetarium Double Feature showing of The Queen Light Show and Dark Side: The Light Show in the Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium on Thursday, Aug. 1. Tickets are are $8 for non-members, $4 for members. Tickets may be purchased at grpm.org or by calling 616.929.1700.
Take a stand
No matter where you stand in the state of Michigan you are never more than 85 miles away from one of the Great Lakes. So in just under two hours, you could be at beach. This is why we love Michigan!
Whenever you visit WKTV Community Media, all hours day and all days of the week, there are almost always volunteers working in the building on their own unique projects or working out in the community with our various community coverage projects.
WKTV appreciates its volunteers all year around, but once a year they are honored with at a special event. This year, in late June, WKTV held its Volunteer Recognition Picnic at Douglas Walker Park in Byron Center.
“For nearly 50 years, the community volunteers at WKTV Community Media have been the heart and soul of this organization, and that continues today,” said Tom Norton, executive director of WKTV Community Media. “We have volunteers working on their own unique projects to be shared on WKTV, volunteers who work with sports coverage and the newsroom programs, we have volunteers whose work helps keep this organization running. We are grateful to them all.”
At the event, top honors were given to Becci Schumaker and Bill Rinderknecht with Volunteer of the Year Awards, with Schumaker able to accept in person. The award for Community Service Programming was given to Gary Vande Velde.
Recognition was given to volunteers for both years of volunteer service as well as hours of service in 2018. Following is a list of those recognized as well as their programs or volunteer areas for those honored for years of service.
25 Years: Rose Hammond – Idlewild Documentary; Kim Johnson – Dynamic Praise Program/ Memorial Tributes/ Princess Diana.
20 Years: Judy Bergsma – The Reading Train; Pat Williams – Reading Train/ Community Awareness/ Anything!
15 Years: Jeff Steere – Rescue 1 FireSafety; Patty Williams – Bluegrass On Stage & Sounds Of Summer.
10 Years: Carrie Bradstreet – You’ve Got To be Kidding Me America/Plus.
5 Years: Kara Boorsma – News/ Plus; Randy Galaszewski – You’ve Got To be Kidding Me America/ Plus; Shahied “DJ” Word – Michigan’s Finest Talent.
100 Hour Club included Garion Adams, Tom Sibley, Gary Vande Velde, Tyler Darland, Marisol Martinez, Joiman Davis, Becci Schumaker, Bill Rinderkencht, Kriss Boom Boom, Matt Zuby, Rose Hammond, Mike Moll, Val Fisher, Ben Aki, Doug Remtema, Kyle Cortez, Stephanie Norton, Kathy Norton, Mike Bacon, Michael McCallum, Scott Baisden.
Those with 51–99 hours included Mark Bergsma, Shahied “DJ” Word, Randy Galaszewski.
With 26-50 hours were Patty Williams, Pat Williams, Rene Karadsheh, Larry Swanson, Carrie Bradstreet, Scott Wiseman.
With 1-25 hours Mike Boorsma, Kara Boorsma, Jim Dohm, Monique Keels, Phyllis Koslow, Pat Moll, Hung Nguyen, Les Raebel, Charlotte Rinderknecht, Mike Van Druemel, Gina Wiseman, Meochia Thompson, Judy Bergsma, Kim Johnson, Dan Kuipers, Dick Visser, Darious Young, Mike Endres, Travis Mandenburg, Edward Jay Nelson, Mark Tangen, Sophia Maslowski, Don Schumaker, Mark Lange.
Say what you want about the alt/retro country music sounds of Margo Price, who will be opening for Dawes on the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park outdoor amphitheater stage Wednesday, July 31. But there is no doubt she is “All American Made”, both her music and her just delivered child.
Price comes to town with music from her outstanding 2016 release “Midwest Farmer’s Daughter” and her even better 2017 release “All American Made”. She also comes to the stage after giving birth to a daughter, Ramona Lynn Ivey, on June 4 — of this year.
That’s what I would call “American Made” tough.
Price and her husband, Jeremy Ivey, who plays guitar in Price’s band, have one other child, a boy born in 2010.
Margo Price. (Supplied by the artist)
Price was on the road both during and, as evidenced by her current tour schedule, soon after her latest pregnancy — last November she announced the pending addition to the family at a concert in Nashville: “I’ve been hiding something behind my guitar. We’re expecting a baby,” she says on her website.
What the singer/songwriter hasn’t been hiding is her great songs, including during her 2017 stop at St. Cecilia Music Center. (For a review of the concert, visit here.)
All American Made album cover
Her list of musical honors includes winning Americana Music Emerging Artist of the Year in 2016, the UK Americana International Song of the Year in 2017 for “Hands of Time” (from “Midwest Farmer’s Daughter”), 2018 Americana Music nominations for Artist of the Year and Album of the Year as well as a win for for Song of the Year for “A Little Pain” (from “All American Made”), and just this year, a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist.
And with a story like her’s, and a growing musical catalogue, I’d bet she is not done with that Grammy thing.
According to her official bio, in 2015, she “was a country underdog just trying to keep enough gas in the tank to get to the next gig,” but by the end of 2016, she was one of the genre’s most celebrated new artists with gigs on late night television and at major festivals around the world. And things are not slowing down, even if her music is growing.
Margo Price. (Supplied by the artist)
“People have started asking me, ‘Now that you’re having success, what are you going to write about?’” Price says in her bio. “A lot of what I wrote on my debut came out of my struggles in the music business, but we don’t have any shortage of material now. I’m just excited to finally have an audience and know that people are going to listen to our songs.”
With all due respect to Dawes, many people will be at Meijer Gardens to listen to her “American Made” songs — and maybe get a baby story or two.
Other remaining Meijer Gardens shows with original price tickets remaining include An Evening with the Beach Boys on Aug. 1, JJGrey and Mofro with Jonny Lang on Aug. 14, The Stray Cats on Aug. 15, Mandolin Orange — one of my early not-to-miss concerts — on Sept. 4, Dash Sultana on Sept. 8, The B-52s with ODM and Berlin on Sept. 11, and the season finale of Calexico and Iron & Wine on Sept. 18.
The Dawes with Margo Price concert will start at 6:30 p.m. (5:15 p.m. gates open), with a $50 general admission ticket price. For more information and tickets visit meijergardens.org .
