All across the country, children are wrapping up their school year. Final projects are turned in, the last concert of the year is performed and awards banquets are being held. Soon the bell will ring on the end of the year and children will be home for the summer.
This is a fun time, but it is also a time of transition. Transitions, both positive and negative, can be challenging times for children and their parents. What can you do to help your family successfully get into the summer routine and limit the beginning of summer chaos? Michigan State University Extension offers the following tips for summer success.
Allow for time to settle into the routine
It’s easy to think that with school out, the pressure is off, and kids should be relaxed and happy. The truth is that it isn’t always that easy. School ending abruptly changes a child’s routine and structure to their day. They miss their friends, they worry about the upcoming school year, they’re bored with long days ahead and (seemingly) nothing to do, or suddenly they’re spending an awful lot of time with their siblings. Expect the first few weeks of summer to be bumpy for children.
Set aside time for a family meeting to plan for a successful summer. What do your children want and need in the summer months? Perhaps it’s siblings respecting the private space of their bedroom or being allowed to wait until late morning to start chores. Allow children to share their feelings and be heard.
Establish rules and guidelines together
Clear expectations and boundaries for children help them be successful. What do you expect your children to do each day in the summer? How much screen time is allowed? Can screen time come before chores or is it after chores only? When can they go play with friends? How far can they go from home when playing outside?
Maintain a routine and bedtime
Routines do not have to mean firm schedules. It’s OK to let children stay up late catching fireflies or sitting around the campfire once and a while. However, maintaining predictable routines and schedules is helpful for children. They might not tell you they enjoy the routine, but knowing what comes next is a safe and predictable feeling for children. They know what to expect and when to expect it. Stick with a reasonable bedtime and support your child getting adequate sleep every night. Blackout blinds or curtains can help children fall asleep when it is still daylight and sleep in later in the morning.
Stay busy, but not too busy
Summer is a great time to be outside playing with friends and family. Schedule fun outings, camps and other activities, but don’t forget to let your child have time to just play at home. Play allows children to use creativity, imagination, dexterity as well as physical, cognitive, social and emotional skills. Authentic play experiences are essential to healthy development. Try to make time for your child to just play.
Keep learning alive
Don’t let the summer months mean an end to educational activities. Take time this summer to read with your children and engage in other learning focused activities. Sign up for the library summer reading program, go on nature walks, explore state parks. Keeping your children learning and engaged through the summer is the key to preventing summer learning loss and ensuring your children are ready to succeed at school in the fall.
Take time to plan ahead for a successful summer with your family. Include your children in creating their summer plans. Find out what they would like to do and schedule in their desired activities. Expect your children to contribute at home. Limit technology and encourage play. Relax, and enjoy your summer!
LowellArts announces the opening of a summertime exhibition titled Livin’ Is Easy. The exhibition consists of a collection of colorful paintings and drawings by six Michigan artists that will be on display at the LowellArts Gallery, 223 W Main St, Lowell, MI 49331 from June 1 to Aug. 17. Gallery hours are Tues-Fri 10am-6pm and Sat 10am-5pm.
The subject of the pieces range from depictions of beautifully weathered objects, local Michigan waterways, animal and aquatic life forms to whimsical figurative work. Artists include:
Justin Bernhardt, from Vicksburg
Lisa Mull, from Hudsonville
Kerry Rolewicz, from Rockford
Mariel Versluis, from Grand Rapids
Olivia Timmons, from Grand Rapids
Craig Cossey, from Eaton Rapids
A meet-the-artists reception will be held on Sunday, June 2 from 2-4pm. The event is free, and open to the public.
Looking for a better way to bounce back from a sports injury or orthopedic surgery? The solution may be as close as your fork.
Experts say choosing the right foods—and avoiding the wrong ones—can help bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments repair faster, getting you off the couch and moving again.
“There are two things to keep in mind,” said Kristi Veltkamp, RD, who counsels Spectrum Health patients on eating well. “First, make sure you are managing inflammation. And second, get the nutrients needed to help you heal and repair.”
Inflammation after any injury is normal.
“There’s often heat, swelling or redness,” Veltkamp said. “To calm that inflammation, look for foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, like those found in salmon, walnuts and flax seed. Olive oil also helps. And try to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.”
If that all sounds familiar, it should. It’s the basis of the Mediterranean diet, which is shown to reduce inflammation, Veltkamp said.
Also avoid foods that are high in sugar, refined flour or trans fats. Alcohol, which slows healing, should be avoided as well.
Building blocks
Alongside managing inflammation, you should focus on getting plenty of the nutrients required for healthy rebuilding.
Start with protein.
“The majority of our tissues are made up of protein,” said Matthew Axtman, DO, a sports medicine specialist with Spectrum Health Medical Group Orthopedics. “So even though protein is part of your normal diet, look to increase healthy sources, like chicken, fish and nuts.
Dr. Axtman recommends getting plenty of vitamin C.
“It helps build collagen, which is the basis of tendons and ligaments,” he said. Look for it in citrus fruits, kiwi, peppers and tomatoes.
Calcium is also essential, especially if you’ve injured a bone. You can find it—along with Vitamin D, which aids in absorption—in dairy products and dark-green, leafy vegetables.
Avoid salt and caffeine during your recovery because they cause you to urinate more. This makes your body lose calcium, Dr. Axtman said.
Meanwhile, those deep-green vegetables are also a great source of fiber.
“If you’re sitting around more and moving less, it can affect your gut,” Dr. Axtman said. “Fiber-rich foods will help.”
Mind and body
During the rebuilding process, it may help to take supplements for
about two to four weeks. This holds true even if you typically prefer to
get all your nutrients from a balanced diet.
“While you’re healing, consider adding vitamin A, naturally found in many orange vegetables, at 10,000 IUs a day,” Veltkamp said.
Look for a multivitamin that contains 2 to 4 milligrams of copper and 15 to 30 milligrams of zinc, which is shown to help with wound healing.
Veltkamp also recommends HMB, a protein that can help prevent muscle wasting. It’s found in sports supplements such as Myoplex Muscle Armor.
Finally, give a little thought to the emotional aspects of eating. Recovery can be as tedious as watching grass grow, so it’s easy to fall into the trap of eating from boredom instead of hunger.
“Have a list of things you can do when you feel like reaching for food for the wrong reasons,” Veltkamp said. “Like knitting, taking a bath, anything soothing and distracting.”
It’s normal to have food cravings during recovery, but that’s because food can make us feel better. Don’t be afraid to treat yourself now and then.
“Just look for healthier alternatives,” Veltkamp said. “Like chocolate-banana smoothies.”
“One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain”
~Bob Marley
Tons of talent in one colorful exhibition
Dreaming, thinking ready for my happy day*
‘Livin’ Is Easy’ summertime exhibition opens June 1st at LowellArts. Feast your senses on depictions of beautifully weathered objects; local Michigan waterways; animal and aquatic life forms; and whimsical figurative work. More details here. *Lyrics from Uriah Heep’s Easy Livin’.
Ready for some summertime fun?
Don’t settle for the summertime blues
Soon the bell will ring on the end of the year and children will be home for the summer. Follow these handy-dandy tips to avoid the summertime blues. More here.
Look! It’s the International Space Station!
We are all made of stars
A gentle reminder that on Wednesday, May 29 (Hey! That’s tomorrow!), WKTV Government 26 will be featuring live coverage of the International Space Station Russian Spacewalk. Read all about it right here. Don’t miss it!
Fun fact:
3%
That’s how much more milk cows produce when they listen to relaxing music. Just ask the researchers at the University of Leicester. And then there is 2% milk, which is generally available at your local grocer’s. Has nothing to do with music, though.
(Do these look like Guernsey cows to you?)
The Ingenues, an all-girl band and vaudeville act, serenade the cows in the University of Wisconsin, Madison’s dairy barn in 1930. The show was apparently part of an experiment to see whether the soothing strains of music boosted the cows’ milk production. Go here to read the NPR story about it. Angus B. McVicar/Wisconsin Historical Society
If you want to celebrate many more birthdays, new research suggests you should speed up your weight-lifting routine.
Boosting muscle power, which is different than muscle strength, translated into longer lives, the Brazilian scientists said.
What exactly is the difference?
For example, climbing stairs requires muscle power—the faster you climb, the more power you need. But holding or pushing a heavy object only requires muscle strength.
“Rising from a chair in old age and kicking a ball depends more on muscle power than muscle strength, yet most weight-bearing exercise focuses on the latter,” said researcher Claudio Gil Araujo. He’s director of research and education at the Exercise Medicine Clinic—CLINIMEX, in Rio de Janeiro.
“Our study shows for the first time that people with more muscle power tend to live longer,” Araujo said in a European Society of Cardiology news release.
The study included nearly 3,900 adults, aged 41 to 85, with an average age of 59, whose maximum muscle power was assessed.
Over an average follow-up of 6.5 years, 10% of the men and 6% of the women died.
Participants with maximal muscle power above the median for their gender had the best survival rates. Compared to those above the median, those in the lowest and second-lowest quarters below the median had a 10 to 13, and 4 to 5 times greater risk of dying during the study period, respectively.
The study was to be presented soon at a European Society of Cardiology meeting in Lisbon, Portugal. Research presented at meetings should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
“We now show that power is strongly related to all-cause (death). But the good news is that you only need to be above the median for your sex to have the best survival, with no further benefit in becoming even more powerful,” Araujo said.
“For strength training at the gym, most people just think about the amount of weight being lifted and the number of repetitions, without paying attention to the speed of execution,” Araujo said. “But for optimal power training results, you should go beyond typical strength training and add speed to your weight lifts.”
Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.
As spring arrives, we begin to see browning of pine needles in plantations, landscapes and along roadsides. Depending on the type of pine tree, there are several common causes of needle browning in pines.
A crash course in pine ID
The most common pines in residential and commercial landscapes in Michigan are eastern white pine, Austrian pine and Scots (or Scotch) pine. Unlike many other conifers, needles on pine trees are clustered together in groups called fascicles. Determining the number of needles in a fascicle is the first step in identifying pines. White pines have five needles in each fascicle. The needles are thin and soft and often pale green. White pines have long (4” or longer), slender cones. Austrian pine and Scots pines are part of group known as hard pines along with our native jack pine and red pine. Hard pines have two or three needles in each fascicle. Scots pines have shorter (1 1/2’” or less) needles and smaller cones than Austrian pines. Older Scots pines have orange-reddish bark, whereas the bark on Austrian pines is grey.
Pine identification left to right: Scots (Scotch) pine, Austrian pine, eastern white pine. Photo by Bert Cregg, Michigan State University.
Environmental-related issues
Conifers located along the road can be damaged by road salt. Road crews apply sodium chloride and other deicing materials to keep roads clear in the winter. Many plants, especially eastern white pine, are sensitive to salt spray from roadways. Acute damage caused by direct salt exposure is easy to spot since the damage is usually greatest on the side of the trees facing the road. Sensitive trees such as white pine can usually survive one-year’s damage but repeated acute damage can ultimately disfigure or kill trees.
Another culprit is winter injury. Many conifers are subject to needle drying of winter burn during the winter. The most common symptom of winter burn is brown or red foliage on the exposed (often south) side of the tree. In some cases, trees will have a snowline below which no damage occurs since those needles were under snow when the rest of the tree was drying. Winter burn occurs frequently on dwarf Alberta spruce but can occur on other conifers as well.
Road salt damage on white pine. Photo by Bert Cregg, Michigan State University.
In addition, several possible fungal pathogens can cause these symptoms as well.
Dothistroma needle blight
Austrian pine is commonly affected by Dothistroma needle blight. The foliage of the lower half of the tree turns brown in March to April.
Dothistroma needle blight is caused by the fungus Mycosphaerella pini. This common pine pathogen kills needles of all ages and can weaken or kill Austrian pine trees. Characteristic symptoms of Dothistroma infection is the presence of needles showing browning at the tip of the needle while the base of the needle remains green.
Dead needle tips and needle base remains green. Photo: Jill O’Donnell, MSU Extension.
The black fruiting bodies of the fungus can be seen in the dead spots or bands on the needles. Dothistroma spores spread by wind and rain and can infect needles throughout the growing season. New needles are susceptible once they emerge from the needle sheaths. The black fruit bodies appear in the fall; however, the spores are released the following spring and summer. The best protection of new needles can occur when applying copper-based fungicides as the new needles emerge from the needle sheaths and as the spores are released from the fruiting bodies. This is usually June and July. Reports suggest that pruning infected branches helps reduce disease.
Brown spot needle blight
Brown spot needle blight (Mycosphaerella dearnessii, syn. Scirrhia acicola) is relatively new to Scots pine in Michigan. Needle spots can appear on needles at any time of the year, but most commonly occur during August and September when trees suddenly turn brown just before growers are ready to harvest. Short-needled Scots pine varieties such as Spanish and French-green are more susceptible to fungal attack than the long-needled varieties.
Left: Black fruiting bodies on dead needles. Photo: Jan Byrne, MSU. Right: Brown spot needle blight symptoms on Scots pine. Photo: Jill O’Donnell, MSU Extension.
Lophodermium needlecast
Lophodermium is a severe needlecast of Scots pine, which in some cases can cause the entire tree to brown in spring. Even though we see the symptoms of Lophodermium in spring, the most important time to protect trees is from the end of July through September. This is when needles are infected from spores being released by the small, shiny, football-shaped, black fruiting bodies that form on the fallen needles. To break this disease cycle, the time to manage this disease with a fungicide is particularly in late July and throughout August, but maybe even into fall if it the weather stays warm and moist.
You can help identify the disease your trees have by knowing the species of pine and the time of year you first see the symptoms. To confirm which needlecast disease you have, send a sample to MSU Diagnostic Services. The cost for a sample is $20.
Lophodermium needlecast on Scots pine. Photo: Jill O’Donnell, MSU Extension.
Pine Tree Disease Overview
Disease: Dothistroma needle blight Symptoms appear: March/April Species: Primarily Austrian but also on Red pine, Scots pine Timing of control: May – July
Disease: Lophodermium needlecast Symptoms appear: April/May Species: Primarily Scots pine but also found on Austrian and Red pine Timing of control: August – September
Disease: Brown spot needle blight Symptoms appear: August/September Species: Primarily Scots pine but also on Red pine, Austrian Timing of control: May – June
The most effective defense against hepatitis A is vaccination, but the most vulnerable populations typically remain unvaccinated. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
The number of Americans infected with hepatitis A has grown nearly 300% in just three years, health officials reported recently.
The staggering increase has come despite an effective vaccine and is seen mostly among drug abusers and the homeless, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Hepatitis A virus can linger in feces and be spread hand-to-hand, with infection occurring when a hand contaminated by the virus touches the person’s mouth.
“In the previous decade, large outbreaks of hepatitis A were rare and mostly attributed to contaminated commercial food products,” noted lead researcher Dr. Monique Foster, an epidemiologist in CDC’s Division of Viral Hepatitis.
Although 2016 saw two outbreaks of hepatitis A caused by contaminated food, the main culprit of outbreaks has been the living conditions of drug addicts and the homeless, Foster said.
The vast majority of the thousands of U.S. cases between 2016 and 2018 involved person-to-person transmission, Foster added.
“Since the hepatitis A outbreaks were first identified in 2016, more than 15,000 cases, 8,500 hospitalizations and 140 deaths have been reported,” she said.
Although hepatitis A can make you very sick, it usually goes away by itself in about six months, after which you become immune, explained Dr. Marc Siegel, a professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City.
Hepatitis A attacks the liver, he said. Those most likely to develop serious liver illness are those with other conditions like cancer or those whose immune systems are not functioning normally.
The most effective defense against this potentially deadly infection is vaccination, which is also the best way to prevent outbreaks, Foster said.
“Since the widespread availability of the hepatitis A vaccine and recommendations to vaccinate children, the overall rate of hepatitis A infections has decreased dramatically in the U.S.,” she said.
But a large population of susceptible, unvaccinated adults who were not infected during childhood remain vulnerable to infection, Foster said.
This includes people who use drugs, homeless people and gay and bisexual men, she said.
“Vaccination is the most powerful tool we have to stop these outbreaks now and prevent similar ones in the future,” Foster said.
To this end, the CDC recommends that those at the highest risk get vaccinated.
“Transience, economic instability and limited access to health care among the affected populations have made the outbreaks more difficult for states to control,” Foster said.
Siegel believes, however, that the only way to contain the epidemic and prevent future outbreaks is to solve the social problems that feed it.
“This is really not a hepatitis A problem and it’s not solvable by giving everybody a vaccine,” he said. “We have to realize it’s a public health issue and it’s a matter of cleaning up places where the virus breeds.”
Only by improving sanitation can outbreaks among the most vulnerable be prevented, Siegel said. “It’s more an issue of sanitation, public safety and cultural problems than it is one of public awareness.”
The report was published recently in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Men and women of all ages, at all fitness levels, stand to benefit from increased activity. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
No matter your fitness level, adding just a little more exercise may prolong your life, new research suggests.
“People think they have to start going to the gym and exercising hard to get fitter,” said researcher Elin Ekblom-Bak, from the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences in Stockholm.
“But it doesn’t have to be that complicated. For most people, just being more active in daily life—taking the stairs, exiting the metro station early, cycling to work—is enough to benefit health since levels are so low to start with,” she said. “The more you do, the better.”
Ekblom-Bak and her colleagues looked at more than 316,000 adults in Sweden, aged 18 to 74, whose heart-lung (cardiorespiratory) fitness was assessed between 1995 and 2015.
Participants rode a stationary cycle to determine the maximum amount of oxygen the heart and lungs can provide the muscles during exercise, a measure called VO2 max.
Overall, the risk of all-cause death and death from cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke fell 2.8% to 3.2% for each milliliter increase in VO2 max. The benefits of increased activity were seen in men and women, in all age groups, and at all fitness levels.
The study was to be presented recently at a European Society of Cardiology meeting, in Lisbon, Portugal. Such research is considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
“It is particularly important to note that an increase in fitness was beneficial, regardless of the starting point,” Ekblom-Bak said in a meeting news release. “This suggests that people with lower levels of cardiorespiratory fitness have the most to gain from boosting their fitness.”
She said the findings are “more motivational than just telling people they need to do better. People in the lower range of VO2 max will reduce their risk even more (9%) while those at the upper end of VO2 max will reduce their risk by 1%,” she said.
Improving fitness should be a public health priority and doctors should assess patients’ fitness during health screening, according to Ekblom-Bak.
“Our previous research has shown that fitness levels in the general population have dropped by 10% in the last 25 years,” she noted.
“In 2016-2017, almost every second man and woman had a low fitness level, so this is a huge problem,” Ekblom-Bak added. “Poor fitness is as detrimental as smoking, obesity and diabetes, even in otherwise healthy adults, yet unlike these other risk factors it is not routinely measured.”
Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.
Community members gather for the Wyoming Memorial Day program. (Photo by Harriet Sturim)
Remembering those who have fallen
This Monday is Memorial Day, a time when the nation stops and remembers those who “gave the ultimate sacrifice,” their lives, for their country. Ceremonies have been planned for both the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming. The Kentwood Memorial Day program is at 10 a.m. starting at the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), near the corner of 48th Street and Eastern Avenue and ending at Kentwood’s Veteran’s Memorial Park on 48th Street. The City of Wyoming’s ceremony takes place at 7 p.m. at its Veterans Memorial Park located in front of the Wyoming Department of Public Safety on DeHoop Avenue.
Deep in Space
Since many are checking out the new “Star Trek” trailer, “Star Trek: Picard,” we thought we would remind you that NASA will be featuring the Russian spacewalk on Wednesday, May 29. The walk, which will air on WKTV, starts at 11:44 a.m. The cosmonauts will continue with the upgrades to the International Space Station.
Now Open
Many people will probably be grilling out this weekend. If you are searching for a suggestion, visit one of the newly remodeled Family Fare stores. The one on Burlingame in Wyoming features the Thrill to Grill, with suggestions from leading grill masters. Or, if the weather really is rainy all weekend, as predicted, you could just pick up one of the ready-to-go meals and book a movie.
The American Flag: A ‘B’ at Best
Bob Heft, the designer of the current U.S. American flag, once told “StoryCorps” that the flag he designed was actually a school project where he needed to bring in something he made. This was in 1958 and there were only 48 states but it was likely that both Alaska and Hawaii would be accepted into the union. So Heft went home and made a 50-star flag. His teacher was not impressed and gave him a ‘B.” Heft protested and the teacher told him to get it accepted into Washington and he would consider changing the grade. Heft sent the flag to Washington and once Hawaii was accepted as the 50th state, he got a call from former President Dwight D. Eisenhower telling Heft his flag design had been accepted. The teacher changed the grade to an “A.” Source.
On Wednesday, May 29, WKTV Government 26 will be featuring live coverage of the International Space Station Russian Spacewalk.
Russian cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko, who is currently serving as commander of the station, and Alexey Ovchinin will venture outside the space station Wednesday morning for a six-and-half-hour spacewalk. The spacewalk is part of Expedition 59.
This is Kononenko’s fourth time to the International Space Station. This will be his third spacewalk. This is Ovchinin’s third trip to the International Space Station and his first spacewalk.
Coverage begins at 11:15 a.m., with the spacewalk scheduled to start at 11:44 a.m. The cosmonauts will continue with the upgrades to the International Space Station.
For more information on NASA TV or the International Space Station, log on to www.nasa.gov.
NASA TV can be seen on the WKTV 26 Government Channel on Comcast and AT&T U-verse 99 Government Channel 99.
What exactly is dogscaping? Quite simply, it is landscaping for your dog’s safety and enjoyment. Dogscaping is not only for your dog’s enjoyment, it is for yours as well. If you enjoy the outdoors, like to garden or at least maintain a nicely landscaped lawn, it can be exasperating to have a pooch who does not share your passion. Four-legged friends do not always appreciate the hours you labor to have beautiful flowerbeds and perfectly groomed landscape plants around the patio.
There are a few things to keep in mind if you love your pets and your lawn. With a little planning and training, you and your dog can enjoy a shared outdoor space. Landscape design should always begin with a list of how you want to use the space. Draw a map of your property and identify the spaces and their uses. This will help you to plan how much space you have for specific dog activities. Also, list some of your dog’s behaviors and habits. Think about their likes and dislikes.
Here are a few things to consider when landscaping for you and your dog.
How much space do you have? Are you planning to share the entire space with your pooch?
What kind of breed is your dog? What are some of the breed’s general characteristics? Like humans, all dogs have different personalities, likes and dislikes. A dog’s breed can tell you general inherent characteristics and certain behaviors that are in their DNA. Try to work with those inherent traits instead of against them. This will be much less stressful for you and your dog.
Regardless of the breed, a good fence is highly recommended for your dog’s safety. Different dogs and different breeds prefer different types of fencing, but in general, a fence that the dog can see through is nice as they can patrol their territory. It is much less stressful for most dogs to see what’s on the other side of their enclosure. Also, when planning the landscape, you may want to leave a 3-foot “run” around your property’s perimeter (without landscape plants) so your dog has room to patrol.
Observe your dog’s behavior. Where do they like to run? Do they like to dig? Do they love to lay in the shade where you want to plant impatiens? Do they jump into your Koi pond every time they are alone in the yard? Try to find creative solutions so the gardener in you and your best friend are both happy.
Dogs love to dig! If you cannot deter your dog from digging in a particular area, work with it. Avoid planting your favorite plants in that spot. For example, my dog loved to dig right next to my deck. As soon as I decided it was OK, life became much better for me and my pooch. I simply planted some taller perennials around the selected digging hole and appreciated that she was not digging anywhere else in the landscape.
Train your dog to use a potty area.
Be vigilant when planting plants that are poisonous or toxic to your dog. This, of course, depends on your dog and how they use their environment. This does not mean you cannot have any plants toxic to your pet, you just need to be aware of your dog’s surroundings and habits. Some dogs like to chew on plants and others only chew up a few blades of grass from time to time. The best advice is to observe your pet and their interaction with landscape plants. Plan and plant accordingly.
Add a water feature your dog can enjoy, even a small kiddy pool filled with cool water is enjoyable for your pooch on hot summer days.
For more information about dogscaping or petscaping, there are many great books and interesting articles. One book I recommend is “Canine Design Dogscaping” by Tom Barthel. This book has a lot of great information about plant selection, dog ponds, walkways and fencing. The author includes a chapter on fruits and vegetables to feed your dog from your garden, including recipes for dog treats from the garden.
Warm weather activities seem custom-made for flip-flops.
But even Jimmy Buffett sings about how he blew out his flip-flop when he stepped on a pop top and cut his heel, then cruised on back home.
John Harris, DPM, FACFAS, a foot and ankle specialist with Spectrum Health Medical Group, certainly agrees with Buffett’s iconic lyrics. He would tell you not to wear the flip-flops in the first place. Then you wouldn’t have to worry about cutting your heel.
That’s not all Dr. Harris said about flip-flops, which he considers the scourge of the footwear world.
Top 3 reasons to throw out the flip-flops:
1. Ouch! Heel pain.
The lack of suitable, or any, arch support in flip-flops can cause plantar fasciitis—heel pain or pain across the bottom of the foot.
Anyone with this lingering condition will tell you to avoid it at all costs.
2. Pain in the … ball of the foot
Not having adequate cushioning and arch support can cause soreness on the bottom of the foot.
Treatment requires more supportive shoes with effective arch support.
3. Avoid ‘flip-flop heel’
This condition is caused by walking around barefoot or wearing shoes that don’t have a back.
A thick callus rim forms around the edge of the heel when wearing shoes like flip-flops that don’t have backs to act as heel counters. This creates a situation in which your heel is constantly being exfoliated while walking. That creates a callus.
Aside from being unsightly, the cracked rim of the callus is painful.
Other flip-flip concerns
Less common, Dr. Harris said, but equally concerning are injuries from activities while wearing flip-flops.
Doctors often see ankle sprains from someone playing basketball or other sports in flip-flops, skin abrasions from a child riding a bike while wearing flip-flops, or cuts on a foot when a person wears flip-flops into a river and they slip off and float, exposing the barefoot to sharp rocks and river debris.
In addition, a study by Auburn University points out that wearing flip-flops causes you to take shorter steps and changes the way you walk compared to your gait while wearing sneakers. This can cause muscle strain.
“Instead of flip-flops, wear activity-specific shoe gear,” Dr. Harris suggested.
He pointed out that the child riding a bike should wear sneakers, the basketball player should wear basketball shoes or sneakers, and the person in the river should wear something like Keen shoes for walking in a lake or river, unless it is a sandy-bottomed lake.
“For daily wear in the summer, I’ll wear a pair of shoes similar to flip-flops,” Dr. Harris conceded. “But, I choose a shoe or sandal that has a more substantial sole and significant arch support compared to the inexpensive and flimsy flip-flops you find at stores all over town.”
There are many brands that fit this category, he said, suggesting people look for something like Chaco, Keen, Teva or Vionic.
“They’re designed to protect your foot while allowing you to engage in activities,” he said.
All in all, Dr. Harris encourages everyone to look for summer sandals that have a more substantial sole compared to those that feature a couple millimeters of foam, often found in common flip-flops, and to look for sandals with arch support rather than just a flat surface for the foot bed.
“No matter what brand you select, you still should never play basketball or mow your lawn in flip-flops,” Dr. Harris warned. “It’s just too risky.”
WKTV Journal In Focus podcast on New Americans, with (from right) Emily Bridson, Milinda Ysasi, Bing Goei and In Focus host Ken Norris. (WKTV)
By K.D. Norris ken@wktv.org
On the latest episode of WKTV Journal’s In Focus series of podcasts, we discuss the the challenges and contributions made by New Americans, immigrants to West Michigan, the state and all across the country.
Visiting our studios, each with unique perspectives on the subject, are Kentwood City Commissioner and community advocate Emily Bridson; Bing Goei, a successful business person and the former Director of the Michigan Office for New Americans under then Governor Rick Snyder; and Milinda Ysasi, co-founder of the Latina Network of West Michigan and current executive director of The Source, a not-for-profit employee support organization.
For a link to the audio podcast, click here; for a link to the WKTV’s Facebook “The Whole Picture Podcasts” interview video, click here. (If you’d like to give us some feedback on our special In Focus podcast, please contact Ken Norris at ken@wktv.org.)
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).
The official start of summer comes this weekend as many have a three-day one due to Memorial Day being on Monday, May 27.
Memorial Day, usually observed on the last Monday in May, originally only honored those who were lost during the fighting of the Civil War. It has evolved over the years to include all American military personal who died in any of the wars. Communities throughout the country mark the event with parades and special ceremonies, which is what both the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood will be doing on Monday, May 27.
Wreaths are laid during the Kentwood Memorial Day ceremony. (Supplied)
Kentwood
In Kentwood, the Amvets Post and the American Legion D.W. Cassard Post 208 have shared the responsibilities of hosting the annual parade and service with one group hosting it one year and the other hosting it the next. For 2019, the Amvets Post has organized the event.
The parade is set for 10 a.m. Monday, May 27. It kicks off from the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), near the corner of 48th Street and Eastern Avenue. From there, it will head west down 48th Street to Kentwood’s Veteran’s Memorial Park located in front of the Kentwood Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE. At the park, there will be a ceremony including the laying of five wreaths, one for each of the branches of the military service: Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard. The service will last about an hour. The Kentwood Memorial Day celebration will air at 12:30 p.m. and again at 8 p.m. on WKTV Channel 25.
Wyoming
The City of Wyoming will host its annual Memorial Day Ceremony at 7 p.m. on Monday, May 27 at Veterans Memorial Garden, 2380 DeHoop SW.
The ceremony will feature guest speaker Diane Cimochowski who retired after a career of service from the United States Navy in 1996. Cimochowski is a highly decorated photographer’s mate first class who earned many awards during her career including the Navy achievement medal, national defense bronze star and overseas bronze star.
“The City of Wyoming is honored to recognize those who have served and those who continue to serve our country in the armed forces in order to protect our freedoms,” said City of Wyoming Mayor Jack Poll, who will serve as host to the event. “The Memorial Day Ceremony is a tribute to that service and protection and we are grateful to continue the tradition of this ceremony in our very own Veterans Memorial Garden.”
The ceremony will feature the Lee High School band led by Kevin Gabrielse and the Wyoming Department of Public Safety Honor Guard who will fire a rifle volley salute. WKTV will air the Wyoming Memorial Day ceremony at 8:30 p.m.
It was quite the affair at the Wyoming Family Fare grocery store at 2900 Burlingame Ave. SW this past Saturday.
SpartanNash representatives, City of Wyoming officials, and community members celebrated the grand reopening of 18 Family Fare stores in the SpartanNash chain. The stores underwent about $18.3 million of renovations all designed to meet the changing needs of the community and the Family Fare customers.
“It is no surprise to me that they decided to have this ribbon cutting ceremony in the City of Wyoming,” said Mayor Jack Poll, who recently retired from Family Fare after serving as a pharmacist for 15 years. “Where else would you have it?
“We are very pleased to have two stores that are very successful in the city of Wyoming,” Poll said. “They are beautiful stores There are a lot of new things going on and we are really excited to have them here. We look forward to much success here with SpartanNash as they lead in the industry to make this a better place to work and live.”
The redesigned featured the new branding, “keeping it real,” which is centered around creating an exceptional customer experience based. The branding focuses on five promises:
Local: A commitment to supporting local farms, produce, businesses and the community. The store features local products in every aisle along with a commitment of about 60,000 volunteering hours each year by SpartanNash employees within the community.
With value beyond price: A commitment on low prices on items and conveniences such as Thrill on the Grill and lobster mac-and-cheese grab-and-go meals, ready-made sides and starters, plus Fast Lane shopping.
With affordable wellness: A commitment to offer affordable choices that are healthier on a number of items from medications to gluten-free, plant-based proteins, or natural and organic products.
SpartanNash CEO Dave Staples talks to the crowd during the ribbon cutting ceremony on May 18. (WKTV)
Socially smart: A commitment to social and environmental consciousness that include the stores being energy efficient along with supporting a variety of programs and reducing ingredients lists on the store’s products.
Fun and indulgent: This includes the Fresh Divide, the expert Family Fare pit masters, gourmet popcorn, and an in-store taquerias featuring a full-service taco and burrito bars along with fresh-made tortillas and tamales.
“This allows us to feature popular items such as the Japanese ice cream wrapped in sticky rice (also known as Mochi),” said SpartanNash CEO Dave Staples as he talked about all the options available through the redesign to a pack crowd at the Family Fare
In fact, the Burlingame store includes many of the new features of the redesigned such as the Fresh Divide and Thrill on the Grill along wth a Starbucks cafe upon entering. The enter store has gone through an intense remodel, making the store a shopping experience.
“We want people to have an experience when they come here,” said SpartanNash Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Communication Meredith Gremel. “We want them to really enjoy coming to a Family Fare.”
With the desire to create that shopping experience, SpartanNash officials decided to focus on the Burlingame location, closing the one at Rogers Plaza, according to Gremel.
Other Family Fare stores that have been remodeled include the ones in Georgetown Township, Hudsonville, Byron Center, Grandville, Holland, Kentwood, Zeeland, and Grand Rapids.
The Land Conservancy of West Michigan has successfully completed the Phase One campaign for The Highlands. The future of the former golf course as a premier space for learning, recreation and conservation is now secure.
“We are incredibly grateful to the community and donors who have made Phase One of The Highlands project a success,” said Joe Engel, Executive Director at the Land Conservancy of West Michigan. “We are looking forward to a bright—and green—future for this vibrant natural space here in Grand Rapids.”
The Highlands is a partnership between the Land Conservancy of West Michigan and Blandford Nature Center. Both organizations share a passion for preservation, education and making natural spaces available to everyone in the Grand Rapids community. When the 121-acre Highlands Golf Club went up for sale, the two organizations saw it as an opportunity to join forces in a long-term collaboration to transform the land into an accessible urban refuge.
In January 2017, Blandford Nature Center acquired The Highlands with a loan from The Conservation Fund. The Conservation Fund is a national nonprofit organization that helps local communities achieve their conservation goals.
“Had Blandford Nature Center not been able to step in with the Land Conservancy of West Michigan and acquire this property, it would be turning into a housing development right now,” said Jason Meyer, President/CEO of Blandford Nature Center. “We are grateful to the Land Conservancy for their hard work on the Phase One campaign to secure the future of The Highlands.”
The Land Conservancy of West Michigan spearheaded the campaign to raise over $5 million to cover the purchase of the property, a long-term restoration and management fund, miscellaneous campaign costs and the master plan for Phase Two.
“We asked the community to show their support for this project that will provide Grand Rapids families opportunities to engage in healthy outdoor activities and environmental education,” said campaign co-chair David Morgenstern. “They responded resoundingly.”
The completion of the campaign opens the doors for Phase Two, which will focus on implementing the master plan for the property—including installing trails, building a pavilion, adding wetlands and wildlife habitat and opening up a stream long-buried beneath the east end of the property.
“We’re excited that the foundation has now been laid for Phase Two, where the community’s collective vision for The Highlands will come to life,” said campaign co-chair Marti O’Brien.
The Highlands is the first and only neighborhood-based natural space in northwest Grand Rapids that is completely free and open to the public. Its main entrance on Leonard Street is right on The Rapid bus line. With restoration managed by the Land Conservancy of West Michigan, The Highlands will once again become home to native plants and wildlife for all of Grand Rapids to discover.
“For years, expanding Blandford Nature Center to include the 121 acres that made up the former Highlands Golf Club was a pipe dream,” said Mary Jane Dockeray, founder of Blandford Nature Center and campaign co-chair. “To see it transform into a natural area to be appreciated and used by all Grand Rapids citizens is a gift.”
There will be a public celebration of the milestone achievement at The Highlands on the eve of the summer solstice. The event will feature guided hikes, music by AnDro, ice cream and more. It will take place on Thursday, June 20, 2019 from 6:30-8:30pm at The Highlands located at 2715 Leonard St NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504. Learn more about the event on the Land Conservancy’s website.
Phase One of The Highlands project was made possible with support from the Judy & Kenneth Betz Family, CDV5 Foundation, Consumers Energy Foundation, Peter C. and Emajean Cook Foundation, Frey Foundation Fund of the Grand Rapids Community Foundation, Grand Rapids Community Foundation, REI, The Conservation Fund, Third Coast Development, Wege Foundation, Wolverine Worldwide Foundation and many more.
For many women, cardiovascular disease is personal because they have lost their mom or sister to a heart attack or stroke.
They get how heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, and that too many women are robbed of happy years with family and friends. They have experienced firsthand a loss that could have been prevented.
Women’s heart disease is more common than thought, and especially increases after menopause if women do not take estrogen medication.
There are other risk factors, which include belly fat, pre-diabetes or diabetes, lack of exercise, sleep deprivation, and a diet high in processed foods, unhealthy carbohydrates and saturated fats.
Prevention of heart attacks and strokes is possible, but has to start with a goal and a plan.
Once a woman decides to not have heart disease, or if she survives a heart attack and wants to prevent another, she needs a team. On that team, at minimum, should be a preventive cardiologist and a certified menopause specialist. This team will put the patient in the middle, and partner with her to help her achieve her wellness goals.
An example of how such a team collaborates might be best told by a patient I’ll call Laura.
Laura came to see our menopause specialists because her hot flashes would not go away and interfered with her life.
She had been told hormones might not be safe because she was overweight, had high cholesterol and took blood pressure medication. Her family had a history of cardiovascular disease and her loved ones had suffered heart attacks.
Her biggest concern? To not have a heart attack herself. She was also desperate to get the hot flashes to stop.
As menopause specialists, the first thing we do after understanding a woman’s story and risk factors is to consider treatment options.
We always start with the SEEDS and Laura definitely had room for improvement in this area. She realized she needed to drink more water, cut the sugar, and get more restful hours of sleep each night.
These lifestyle habits alone could significantly ease her symptoms, but since she was only two years out from her last period, we also had the option of considering hormones. We know that FDA-approved hormone medications used the correct way can actually help reduce risk factors for heart disease and could definitely help her feel better.
In reviewing her history, I saw she had enough risk factors that I wanted the opinion of preventive cardiologist Thomas Boyden, MD. After an evaluation, testing and suggestions for how to prevent heart disease, Laura was cleared to proceed with our treatment plan.
The end result? Laura felt more informed, had the tools to be successful from her care team, and she could start taking hormones because they would be a safe option for her.
Laura now had hope for how she could age differently than her relatives.
Throughout southern Michigan, common milkweed is starting to emerge and adult monarch butterflies have arrived. At the start of this new monarch season, it’s helpful to review what we do and don’t know about monarch biology and conservation. Michigan is an important state for the Eastern migratory monarch, and supporting the summer breeding population is key to monarch conservation.
Recent research in our lab has focused on understanding where monarchs prefer to lay eggs and the fate of those eggs and young larvae (caterpillars). In our studies, monarchs have laid most of their eggs on common milkweed, although butterfly milkweed, swamp milkweed, and whorled milkweed are also utilized, especially later in the summer. When given a choice of laying eggs on common milkweed in different types of habitats, monarchs showed varying preferences.
In one year, monarchs laid more eggs on milkweed growing in corn fields while in another they laid more eggs on milkweed growing in grassland habitats. One of our key findings is that monarch eggs can experience very high rates of predation. In one study 90% of the eggs were consumed by predators before they hatched.
We’ve also been very interested in learning who eats monarch eggs and young larvae and what time of day these predation events occur. We collected a total of 75 insect and spider species from common milkweed and gave them access to eggs and young larvae in the lab. Of these, nearly half readily consumed one or more immature monarchs. We followed up the study by monitoring eggs in the field using video surveillance cameras, confirming that a wide diversity of arthropods consumed monarchs. Most surprising was that 74% of the predation events occurred at night! Common predators include: spiders, earwigs, tree crickets, and even the primarily plant-feeding, small milkweed bug.
Finally, we’ve been interested in what we can do to enhance monarch egg laying and survival. Longtime observers of monarchs have noted that when given the choice, females greatly prefer to lay their eggs on very young plants. Our studies have shown that by late June, common milkweed around East Lansing is becoming relatively unattractive for monarch egg laying. In addition, once it starts flowering, common milkweed attracts large numbers of ants and other predators. These observations led us to consider a new approach to managing milkweed for monarchs.
One egg on a milkweed leaf. Photo by Derrick Turner, Michigan State University Photography
As every gardener knows, cutting off milkweed stem above ground simply causes it to regenerate from the roots. We have found that by mowing approximately one-third of the common milkweed stems in a patch in mid-June and a second third in mid-July, the regenerating stems are more attractive, increasing monarch egg laying up to 10-fold and simultaneously reducing predator numbers by half or more. Our initial studies showed the monarch survival stays the same or increases, but we are repeating the study to gain more information.
To be clear, we are not suggesting indiscriminate mowing, but if your milkweed stand is starting to flower and the leaves are looking a bit tough, consider trimming back a few stems to near ground level and seeing if the new shoots that come up have more monarch eggs and caterpillars on them. If you’d like to share your observations send a report to landislab@msu.edu.
Amid a tight budget and high prices, what steps can you take to ensure you and your family eat healthy, great-tasting food?
Planning is the name of the game, Spectrum Health registered dietitian Kristi Veltkamp said.
“Lack of planning is the biggest deal-breaker,” Veltkamp said.
Does your after-school or after-work routine involve the question, “What’s for dinner?” Do you rummage through the refrigerator or pantry at the last minute, hoping to whip up something suitable for dinner?
It may be time to sit down and think carefully about how you’re spending your food money. It can help you avoid the desperate, late-evening runs to fast-food restaurants or pizza parlors—or pricey restaurants—and it’ll keep your wallet and your waistline in top shape.
Veltkamp’s 5 tips to keep your food budget under control:
1. Plan your meals
This is the No. 1 solution to save money. Planning your meals ahead of time allows you to build according to your budget. It sets you up for success each week, Veltkamp said.
It’s not just about dinner, either. “You can pack your lunch so you don’t have to go out at work,” Veltkamp said. “And you can plan to use the leftovers.”
You should also aim for more vegetarian meals—they’re cheaper and healthier. “Meat tends to be the most expensive item,” Veltkamp said.
With a creative mind, you can find new and innovative ways to use items such as beans and rice, which are cheaper and preserve longer, she said. Tacos made from rotisserie chicken and all the fixings, for example, make for a quick, cheap and easy meal.
2. Get Crocking
If you plan your meals ahead at the start of each week, the Crock-Pot can prove to be a lifesaver not only in money but in time, too.
“When you’re doing the cooking yourself, you’ll save more money,” Veltkamp said.
The tacit message here: Stay away from restaurants as much as possible—they eat up your budget. (They also increase your salt intake.)
Generally, Crock-Pot meals can be healthy. “It depends on what you’re putting into it,” Veltkamp said. Canned goods are OK, but you should rinse them first to cut down on the sodium.
“One of the ways it saves on money is when you use more ingredients that haven’t been prepared—raw products like rice, potatoes, beans or even frozen veggies,” Veltkamp said.
3. Buy in season
Items that are local, fresh and in season should be on your list each week.
“They’re higher in nutrients and they haven’t been delivered across the globe,” Veltkamp said. “And if you buy a lot at once, they’re cheap. You can can them or freeze them and save them for later.”
This includes berries, greens, tomatoes and much more. Veltkamp said some people will toss their herbs in water and freeze them into cubes, then throw them into soups once they’re needed.
One tip: Buy in-season items fresh, then buy them mostly canned or frozen when they’re out of season. Some fresh produce can get pricey when it’s out of season.
4. Buy in bulk
Bulk food stores are sometimes hard to come by without a membership—Costco, Sams Club and the like.
But if you can manage to pick up some essential items in bulk, you can truly save a bundle.
What should you buy in bulk? “Things that aren’t going to spoil fast,” Veltkamp said. “Nuts, grains, rice, beans, flour—non-perishable items.”
5. Shun the junk
This is a big one. Junk foods may sometimes appear like the cheap way to go, but in the long run you’re only setting yourself up for trouble.
“Your body doesn’t need the empty calories,” Veltkamp said. “If you eat healthy, you crave less.”
Healthy foods are simply more filling.
Think about it: A bag of chips is a few bucks, but there are many people who can sit down and make that bag disappear in one evening. A bag of apples may cost slightly more.
“But who sits down and eats a bag of apples?” Veltkamp said. One or two apples will satisfy hunger cravings and also deliver much-needed nutrition.
“Healthier foods tend to fill you up more and make you more satisfied,” Veltkamp said. “You don’t have the cravings you get with those processed foods.”
Bottom line: You’re eating less food and getting more nutrition.
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).
Dr. Jen had waited an awfully long time to find the perfect cat to name Pepe LePew, so when Sandi D. (volunteer and friend to all ferals and homeless cats) brought this spectacular specimen to Dr. Jen in early March, 2019, she knew she had found the cat she had been patiently pining for!
Not only was this 3-year-old (born in March of 2016) a stunning tuxedo, but he was extremely stinky, since he was all boy. We didn’t have an opening yet at Crash’s, but Sandi is well prepared to accommodate the wayward souls she picks up off the streets, so she fostered him in her home until we were able to take him into our program on April 11th.
And there was no question on anyone’s mind as to exactly why Dr. Jen bestowed such a moniker on him, as he was still quite malodorous—though totally adorable—upon arrival into our program.
Once at Crash’s, Pepe made himself at home, quickly winning over the volunteers with his stunning looks and spunky attitude. Here is what two of our cat care team members had to say about our beautiful black-and-white, sharp-dressed man:
“ Pepe—he’s adorable and it’s always tempting to scoop him up but he’s a little on the sassy side, and will squirm/swat until he’s put down. He’s young, playful, and maybe a bit of a stinker, but I think as he gets older he would learn to settle down and actually enjoy human affection. He’s a very handsome guy, and I have a feeling he won’t be with us long. A home with older kids, and maybe a dog to buddy up with would be perfect.”
Courtesy Crash’s Landing
“Pepe is a very social guy. He always has to be the center of attention. He does tend to bite a little when he gets overstimulated or when you are doing something he doesn’t like, such as being combed, so it would be best if he goes to a home without young children—older children though would be great for him. He also probably needs a buddy to play with.”
We find it funny that he has been described as a stinker, inside and out, which makes him all the more endearing in our opinion. As you can clearly see, he can also be inquisitive, laid-back and super social, a fantastic combination of traits to possess!
More about Pepe:
Domestic Medium Hair
Black & White/Tuxedo
Adult
Male
Medium
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Neutered
Good in a home with other cats, older children
Want to adopt Pepe? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Growing up in southwest Grand Rapids, young Israel Ledesma knew both good times and bad. Using his personal experiences from the hard times – including brushes with the law — this local Latino leader fashioned his own view on kids, community, and the importance of mentoring.
Repeat exposure to harmful cleaning agents can cause serious health problems later in life. To reduce risk, wear protective clothing and properly ventilate your work area. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
While it’s a regular ritual, spring cleaning can become a dangerous chore for your health, experts warn.
Some cleaning supplies—air fresheners, rug cleaners, bleach, oven cleaners and floor polish—have dangerous chemicals such as volatile organic compounds.
These chemicals become vapors that can irritate the nose, throat, eyes and lungs, said Dr. Timothy Craig, an allergist and immunologist at Penn State Health.
“The nose provides a helpful warning signal,” he added in a health system news release. “If someone’s nose becomes irritated while cleaning, it’s safe to assume his or her lungs will be irritated, too.”
“For most people, using chemical cleaners occasionally would not create clinically significant reductions in lung function,” Craig said.
“But repeated exposure to harmful chemicals over a lifetime could lead to significant disability later in life, especially for people with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or Alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency, a genetic disorder that may cause lung or liver disease,” he warned.
“We all clean with bleach and other chemicals from time to time,” said Dr. Ann Bogdan, a family health physician from Penn State Health Medical Group-Mechanicsburg. “But I encourage my patients to be careful when doing so.”
The doctors offer these six safety precautions while spring cleaning.
Don’t combine chemical cleaners. “In particular, never mix ammonia and bleach,” Bogdan said. This can result in dangerously toxic vapors.
While cleaning, be sure to have proper ventilation by opening a window or running a fan.
Wear rubber gloves. “Without them, you run the risk of developing redness or rashes on your hands,” Craig said.
Try using old-fashioned cleaners. “Diluted vinegar works well to clean windows and baking soda gives you scrubbing power,” Bogdan said.
Read labels and look for volatile organic compounds and other potential irritants, even in products labeled as “green” or “healthy.”
Look for products with the “Safer Choice” logo, which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency deems as “safer for human health and the environment.”
And their final advice: If you develop coughing, wheezing, throat soreness or eye watering while using chemical cleaners, step into another room or walk outside. If the symptoms persist even after leaving the room, call a doctor.
The ACLU’s annual Grand Rapids luncheon Wednesday, May 16, at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. (Supplied/Courtesy John Corriveau)
By K.D. Norris ken@wktv.org
The Smart Justice Campaign, led by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), has the stated goal to “eliminate racism in the criminal legal system and reduce the U.S. jail and prison population by 50 percent” across the nation.
(Federal Bureau of Prisions)
The need for the effort is clear: America has an “addiction” for incarceration, ACLU leaders like to say — despite having about five percent of the global population, the United States has nearly 25 percent of the world’s prison population, with about 2.3 million people in our nation’s jails and prisons currently, according to the ACLU. Our prison system costs taxpayers $80 billion per year nationwide.
And racial issues are a huge part in the problem: Persons who identify as “Black or African-American” make up about 13 percent of America’s population, but according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, as of May 2019, almost 38 parent of those incarcerated are black. One out of every three black males born today can expect to go to prison in his lifetime, as can one of every six Latino males, compared to one of every 17 white males, according to the ACLU.
But, as was part of the discussion at the ACLU’s annual Grand Rapids luncheon Wednesday, May 16, at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, the problems with America’s legal system are not entirely a racial issue and very much a West Michigan issue.
Brandon Buskey, ACLU national deputy director of the Smart Justice Litigation and Criminal Law Reform Project. (Supplied/Courtesy John Corriveau)
“There are a host of people who are trapped in this system, who cannot get out, who are not black or brown,” Brandon Buskey, ACLU national deputy director of the Smart Justice Litigation and Criminal Law Reform Project, said to WKTV prior to his keynote talk at the local luncheon. “But this is all still tied to our nation’s addiction to punishment. And we really don’t think about these kinds of systems because they are impacting people with the least amount of power.”
And those people without power, mostly people of color, are the focal point of the new ACLU Smart Justice Campaign.
Smart Justice Campaign elements
The campaign, according to ACLU information, focuses on five general areas: reforming sentencing laws and policies that lead to “extraordinary long” prison sentences; overhauling “harmful, unjust, and for-profit” bail systems that discriminate against the poor; challenging prosecutorial “abuse” in the courts and legislatures — and through voter education; addressing a “broken” parole and release system; and, finally, helping prisoner re-entry into society when they are confronted with “federal, state and local legal restrictions that make it difficult to reintegrate.”
“In a nutshell, the campaign for Smart Justice is a multi-year, multi-state effort,” Buskey said. “At the national level, we are developing blueprints for all 50 states, all of our affiliates, that sets forth a real set of options as to how we can realistically get to this goal of 50 percent decarceration. That is where it goes local. That is where states like Michigan have picked up the baton.”
That picking up of the Smart Justice baton, in Michigan and in the Grand Rapids area, has recently taken the form of both a ACLU lawsuit in the Detroit area to challenge bail procedures for low income persons and a local kick-off of a community organizing effort led by Richard Griffin, ACLU field organizer and a survivor of America’s penal system himself.
Local ACLU action focuses on community action
The ACLU’s West Michigan Smart Justice effort, led by Griffin, recently held its campaign launch event which highlighted the local, multi-organizational “community-based” program. Griffin is one of four community organizers recently set up across Michigan.
Richard Griffin, ACLU field organizer in Grand Rapids area. (Supplied/Courtesy John Corriveau)
“Here in Grand Rapids, we partnered with the NAACP, Linc Up (community development organization), as well as the Kent County probate division,” specifically the Probate Court’s Delta youthful offender program, “and other grassroots groups,” Griffin said to WKTV prior to the luncheon. “We wanted educate the Grand Rapids community and make sure the Grand Rapidians were informed as to what Smart Justice is … what the goals are to correct what is wrong with our criminal justice system.”
And what is next for the local Smart Justice effort?
“We want to galvanize this community, to mobilize individuals, whether that be through legislative advocacy to try to move the needle legislatively,” Griffin said, or “our canvasing efforts, to make sure we are getting the word out.”
Griffin has been on the job in Grand Rapids since last year. But his passion for the work runs deep — he was incarcerated at the age of 16 for a drug-related homicide and spent 23 years behind bars. For a WKTV In Focus interview with him from just after he took the ACLU position, visit here.
Over the time Griffin has been on the job locally, he said there has been some lessons learned.
“The biggest lesson is recognizing the social dynamic in Kent County between different demographics and ethnicities,” he said. “The black and the brown communities are dispersed, somewhat, and disconnected. … That was a stark reality for me to accept. I had not been around in this community for some time. Getting familiar with that. … That social and community disconnect is important in rolling out a campaign like this (Smart Justice). … Many people are disconnected from the issues while suffering from the issues.”
ACLU lawsuit against Detroit court system
The lawsuit in the Detroit area — led by the ACLU of Michigan, the national ACLU, and the law firm Covington & Burling LLP — is a federal class action lawsuit against the 36th District Court in Detroit for “violating the constitutional rights of people who are presumed innocent but are confined to jail because they cannot afford to pay bail following their arrest,” so states an ACLU statement echoed by Buskey.
“The lawsuit seeks an overhaul of an unconstitutional cash bail system that discriminates against poor people, locking them up because they cannot afford to pay while allowing those who have money to go free,” he said.
And, Buskey said to WKTV, the current system in the Detroit court system — and mirrored in varying ways across the nation, including in West Michigan — amounts to a modern debtor prison system and can discriminate against all poor persons not just poor persons of color.
“It may be a simple way of putting it, but (calling it debtor’s prison) is entirely accurate,” Buskey said. “In places like Detroit, the going assumption is that a person will have to pay some amount of money prior to their trial if they want to go home to their family. If they can’t pay that money, they are going to go back to jail, potentially for the rest of their case. These are people who have not been convicted of anything, they are presumed innocent and yet … we are essentially running a debtor’s prison.”
In the Detroit court system, Buskey pointed out, 85 percent of the people coming before the courts are having some kind of financial conditions set and they are often held because they cannot come up with the bail money — “and there are other options to make sure people come back to court, which is the whole reason for our current (bail) system.”
It is not just persons of color who are caught up in a legal system that discriminates against the poor, but in Detroit it is impossible to avoid the racial aspect.
“There are a number of reasons why we have allow these types of systems to persist,” Buskey said. “But in our county it is really had to separate the two issues (race and economic status). It is hard to separate the fact that people of color — black people, brown people — have traditionally been those with the least economic means in our country.”
Griffin added that the legal system problems faced by poor persons of color can and do impact all the community in West Michigan, but locally the numbers point to a racial problem as well.
“It is much more than a racially focused issue, but race is still a part of that conversation,” Griffin said. “While African American, Latinx as well as our Caucasian counterparts currently fill our Kent County jail, the African American community only represents 14 percent of this city’s population but we make up over 50 percent of Kent County jail’s population.”
But “more than it being an issue of race, it is an issue of treating people fairly,” he said. “The instruments used to facilitate a prosecution should be used to facilitate it equally and with the intent of reform are rehabilitation in mind, we are not geared to a punitive approach.”
For more information about the Smart Justice Campaign, visit aclumich.org .
“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.“
~Winnie the Pooh
Lee High School graduation is tonight.
Pomp and Circumstance
Many members of the Class of 2019 will make that final walk across the stage this week marking the end of their K-12 school years. Kelloggsville High School beat everyone to the punch and hosted its graduation ceremony last week. Godfrey’s Lee High School’s commencement is Tuesday, May 21, at 7 p.m. at Resurrection Life Church and Wyoming High School also has graduation tonight at 7 p.m. at Grand Rapids First. Godwin Heights will have its commencement Wednesday, May 22, at 7 p.m. at its school auditorium. East Kentwood High School has commencement on Thursday, May 23, at 7 p.m. at the school stadium and South Christian’s Class of 2019 graduates on Thursday as well. Next week, Grand River Prep hosts its graduation ceremony at Calvin College’s VanNoord Arena on Thursday, May 30, at 6:30 p.m. WKTV would like to say congrats to all the 2019 graduates.
Avery Robinson III accepts the Alpha Wolf 11 Champion of Character award from Principal Nate Robrahan. (WKTV)
Pack Leaders
Last week, Wyoming High School recognized six more students as Alpha Wolf 11 Champions of Character. There were two each from the sophomore, junior and senior classes. All the students demonstrate the school’s motto of being “kind, compassionate, and gracious.” We wanted to give these students one last around of applause for being so awesome: sophomores Rohim Mohammod and Cameron Simon; juniors Thomas Bushman and Dale Cross III; and seniors Rayne Vieau-Parfait and Avery Robinson III. This year’s Alpha Wolf 11 teacher is math teacher and wrestling coach Steve Zajac.
Grow some food to donate to a local food pantry.
Grow A Row
Michigan State University Extension is encouraging home gardeners to consider “growing a row” of produce for donation to their local food pantry this season. Many northern Michigan pantries are seeking donations of fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs. Pantries ask that donated produce is clean, fresh, ripe, whole, uncut, undamaged and in separate packaging for different produce types. If using pesticides, make sure to follow the pesticide instructions. Please don’t donate produce that you wouldn’t buy for your own family.
Fun fact:
6 years for a 4-year degree
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about 60 percent of the students who attended a four-year program in 2010 took six years to graduate from the program. It was 59 percent for those who attended public institutions, 66 percent for those who attended private non-profit institutions and 26 percent for those who attended private for-profit institutions.
The family friendly Tuesday Evening Music Club is always an excuse to dance a little. (Supplied/Meijer Gardens)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park recently announced its 10-show lineup for the Tuesday Evening Music Club, which brings local and regional musicians to the Amphitheater stage starting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday evenings throughout July and August, with a special “dress rehearsal” concert set for June 4 with the amphitheater plaza gates open at 5 p.m. and the show beginning at 7 p.m.
May Erlewine and The Motivations, June 4 at 7 p.m. (Supplied)
Concert goers who are not members of the Gardens will need a regular admission ticket but they can purchase that at the new box office at the amphitheater. But for that one night only, the venue will feature 50 percent off all food at the new concessions building as the Gardens unveils the amphitheater expansion and upgrades.
The Tuesday-night concerts — free to Meijer Gardens members and included with gardens admission for other guests — feature with a diverse schedule of live bands and programming ranging from jazz to indie, rock to folk, and even ballet. And there will be more to like off the stage as well.
The amphitheater has undergone significant expansion and improvement over the past two seasons, while maintaining the intimacy of the 1,900-seat venue.
A new concessions building has been added this season, with increased capacity for quicker food and beverage service, an improved point-of-sale system with quick chip technology to speed up purchases. and new restrooms outside of the entry gates for guests waiting in line. An expanded plaza area with additional entry gates will help shorten lines and wait times.
Meijer Gardens also announced two new series sponsors for the Tuesday Evening Music Club: Meyer Music and Michigan Radio 104.1 FM join WYCE and Corporate Live as partners for the series. Meyer Music will be bringing various instruments each week for guests to enjoy in a hands-on, “instrument petting zoo” at each concert.
The 2019 Tuesday Evening Music Club lineup includes:
May Erlewine and The Motivations, June 4 at 7 p.m.
Roosevelt Diggs and Jesse Ray and the Carolina Catfish, July 2 at 7 p.m.
Big Sherb and Paddlebots, July 9 at 7 p.m.
Matt Gabriel and Kari Lynch Band, July 16 at 7 p.m.
Boy From School and Manhattan, July 23 at 7 p.m.
Franklin Park and 6-Pak, July 30 at 7 p.m.
The Hip Pocket and Soul Syndicate, Aug. 6 at 7 p.m.
The River Rogues Jazz Band and Sam’s Swing Band, Aug. 13 at 7 p.m.
Grand Rapids Ballet, Aug. 20 at 7 p.m. This program will employ a full company of dancers performing works by some of today’s most in-demand choreographers. A mix of classical and contemporary ballets, including Trey McIntyre’s Wild Sweet Love, featuring the music of Queen, Lou Reed, Felix Mendelssohn and many more.
Local favorite Ralston Bowles likes to share the stage. (Supplied)
Ralston & Friends, Aug. 27 at 7 p.m. Local favorite Ralston Bowles shares the stage with friends and collaborators from the community and beyond.
For more information on concerts at Meijer Gardens, visit meijergardens.org.
WKTV offers on-demand viewing of the Wyoming and Kentwood high school sports, community events, and government meetings. (WKTV)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
WKTV’s spring baseball and softball schedule is nearing its end but this week as our coverage crew will be on the road twice this week, with baseball games featuring Wyoming high and Kelloggsville.
But there is high school sports action all over the Wyoming and Kentwood area, so check out something live if you can.
The tentative schedule of WKTV featured game’s remaining this month are as follows:
Wednesday, May 22, boys baseball, South Christian at Wyoming, at Lamar Park Friday, May 24, boys baseball, Zion Christian at Kelloggsville, at Kellogg Woods Park
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.
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 week’s schedule:
Monday, May 20 Boys Golf South Christian @ Middleville T-K Fruitport Calvary Christian @ Tri-Unity Christian – Maple Hill Wyoming @ Christian – Thornapple Pointe Boys Baseball Wyoming @ South Christian – DH East Kentwood @ West Ottawa – DH Godwin Heights @ NorthPointe Christian Kelloggsville @ Belding – DH Calvin Christian @ Wyoming Lee Girls Softball Wyoming @ South Christian – DH East Kentwood @ West Ottawa – DH Godwin Heights @ NorthPointe Christian – DH Kelloggsville @ Belding – DH Calvin Christian @ Wyoming Lee – DH Girls Soccer FH Eastern @ South Christian Hudsonville@ East Kentwood Godwin Heights @ Hopkins Kelloggsville @ Wyoming Lee Tri-Unity Christian @ Covenant Christian Wyoming @ Middleville T-K Zion Christian @ Calhoun Christian West Michigan Aviation @ Heritage Christian
Tuesday, May 21 Boys Golf East Kentwood – OK Red Post Season Tournament @ Thornapple Pointe Girls Softball Belding @ Kelloggsville Boys Baseball Zion Christian @ Ottawa Hills – DH Holland Black River vs West Michigan Aviation – DH @ Zion Christian Girls Soccer West Michigan Aviation @ Calvin Christian
Wednesday, May 22 Boys Baseball South Christian @ Wyoming – Lamar Park – WKTV Featured Event West Ottawa @ East Kentwood NorthPointe Christian @ Godwin Heights Wyoming Lee @ Calvin Christian Girls Softball South Christian @ Covenant Christian – DH East Kentwood @ Byron Center – DH NorthPointe Christian @ Godwin Heights Wyoming Lee @ Calvin Christian Boys Golf Tri-Unity Christian @ Wellsprings Prep – The Mines Girls Soccer Wyoming – MHSAA Districts @ Hamilton
Thursday May 23, 2019 Girls Soccer Godwin Heights – MHSAA Districts @ Godwin Heights Wyoming Lee – MHSAA Districts @ Wellsprings Prep Boys Baseball Grand Rapids Crusaders @ Wyoming Lee Potter’s House @ Holland Black River – DH
Friday, May 24 Boys Baseball Godwin Heights vs Saugatuck – @ Hope College Zion Christian @ Kelloggsville – DH Wyoming @ Zeeland East West Michigan Aviation @ Belding – DH Girls Soccer TBA – @ Godwin Heights – MHSAA Districts West Michigan Aviation @ Grand River Prep – MHSAA Districts Girls Softball Wyoming @ Zeeland East – DH
Saturday, May 25 Boys /Girls Track MITCA State Meet Boys Baseball Wyoming @ West Ottawa – DH
Monday, May 27 Memorial Day
Tuesday, May 28 Boys Baseball @ East Kentwood – MHSAA Districts Godwin Heights @ Christian – MHSAA Districts Kelloggsville @ Holland Christian – MHSAA Districts Wyoming Lee @ Christian – MHSAA Districts Zion Christian @ Holton Girls Softball @ East Kentwood – MHSAA Districts Kelloggsville @ Christian – MHSAA Districts Wyoming Lee @ Christian – MHSAA Districts Wyoming @ Ottawa Hills – MHSAA Districts Girls Soccer Tri-Unity Christian vs Zion Christian – MHSAA Districts @ NorthPointe Christian
Wednesday, May 29 Boys Golf East Kentwood — MHSAA Regionals Kelloggsville — MHSAA Regionals @ Diamond Springs Wyoming – MHSAA Regionals Girls Soccer TBA @ South Christian — MHSAA Districts
Thursday, May 30 Girls Soccer East Kentwood @ TBA — MHSAA Districts Boys Golf East Kentwood @ TBA — MHSAA Regionals
Vulnerability Discovery & Analysis Labs. LLC will be adding 25 jobs through an expansion in Plainfield Township. (Supplied)
By WKTV Staff
Earlier this month, The Right Place, Inc., in collaboration with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) announced that Grand Rapids-based full-scope cyber security company Vulnerability Discovery & Analysis Labs, LLC (VDA Labs) has expanded to a new location at 5234 Plainfield Ave. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49525. This expansion will result in the creation of 25 jobs and a capital investment of $300,000. VDA employees will move into the existing 3,000 square foot location that will house lab and office space, as well as room for product design and security review.
VDA Labs was founded in 2007 to make the world safer by providing world class cyber security services, products and training. VDA helps customers here in Michigan, nationally and even internationally. Example projects include securing new tech in automobiles, conducting ethical hacking for companies to help them proactively fix bugs, monitoring alerts and conducting incident response in emergency situations, and even high-end security research for companies like Microsoft.
“We’re investing in the future of our people, processes and technology,” said Dr. Jared DeMott, founder & CEO, VDA Labs. “We continue to expand our efforts to make our customers and the world safer. Cybercrime is quickly becoming the number one threat to businesses and people everywhere, and we’re proud to serve on the front lines of combating the threat.”
Dr. Jared DeMott, founder & CEO, VDA Labs (Supplied)
The Right Place worked in collaboration with VDA Labs and the MEDC to ensure the company continued its growth in the region. The MEDC is supporting the expansion effort with the approval of a $75,000 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant.
“We’re seeing West Michigan’s technology sector continue to grow as more companies choose to invest in our region,” said Jen Wangler, senior business development manager at The Right Place, Inc. and project lead on the VDA Labs project. “VDA Labs’ decision to establish its first campus in Plainfield Township speaks to the quality of our talent and ability to provide a strong foundation for growing tech companies.”
“Plainfield Township is thrilled to welcome VDA Labs to our community,” said Plainfield Charter Township Superintendent Cameron VanWyngarden. “In an ever-changing economy, we are excited to see growth in our local technology industry, especially from companies that are home-grown in West Michigan.”
Take a trip down memory lane in the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s “TOYS!” exhibit.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) just announced that this summer it will be participating in Blue Star Museums, a program which provides free admission to our nation’s active-duty military personnel and their families. The 2019 program will begin on Saturday, May 25, 2019, Memorial weekend, and end on Sunday, September 1, 2019, Labor Day weekend.
Blue Star Museums is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in collaboration with Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and more than 2,000 museums nationwide. First Lady of the United States Melania Trump and Second Lady of the United States Karen Pence are honorary co-chairs of Blue Star Museums 2019.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum is one of four museums in Grand Rapids participating in 2019. Other participants include the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, the Grand Rapids Art Museum and the Urban Institute of Contemporary Arts. Military can find the full list of participating museums nationwide at arts.gov/bluestarmuseums.
The Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium is located at the Grand Rapids Public Museum. (Supplied)
“The Grand Rapids Public Museum is thrilled to take part in Blue Star Museums for the fourth year in a row,” said Kate Kocienski, Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations at the GRPM. “The Museum is looking forward to giving back to those in active-duty and their families who give so much for our country.”
“The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to celebrate the tenth summer of collaborating with Blue Star Families, Department of Defense, and especially the more than 2,000 museums across our nation that make this program possible,” said Mary Anne Carter, acting chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. “Organizations such as the Grand Rapids Public Museum are providing wonderful opportunities for military families to share a memorable experience together this summer.”
This year’s participating organizations include fine art, science, history and children’s museums, as well as zoos, aquariums, gardens and more.
“We’ve seen the tremendous impact the Blue Star Museums program brings to our military families, and we’re thrilled to be celebrating a decade of support,” said Kathy Roth-Douquet, chief executive officer of Blue Star Families. “Not only are museums fun to explore but are also great for making memories and strengthening military families as a whole.”
“The Defense Department congratulates Blue Star Families and the National Endowment for the Arts on reaching an incredible milestone: ten years of service to the military community though Blue Star Museums,” said A.T. Johnston, deputy assistant secretary of defense for Military Community and Family Policy. “We offer our sincere gratitude to the more than 2,000 museums across the country who open their doors through this wonderful program. Your patriotism and generosity have enriched the lives and experiences of our military families.”
The free admission program is available for those currently serving in the United States Military – Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard as well as members of the Reserves, National Guard, U.S. Public Health Commissioned Corps, NOAA Commissioned Corps – and up to five family members. Qualified members must show a Geneva Convention common access card (CAC), DD Form 1173 ID card (dependent ID), or a DD Form 1173-1 ID card for entrance into a participating Blue Star Museum.
Mustafa Santiago Ali enjoys chatting with WMCAT advanced videography students (from left) Micah Garmon of C.A. Frost Environmental Science Academy; Arieal Jackson of Grand Rapids University Prep Academy; Erion Adams of Grand Rapids Montessori; and Marc Ramirez of Grand Rapids UPrep
Kalil Adams loves hip-hop, but he never really connected it to global warming until he met Mustafa Santiago Ali.
The East Kentwood senior performed a hip-hop track about environmental justice for Ali, a former top official with the Environmental Protection Agency and climate-change activist with the Hip Hop Caucus. In recent performances at City High/Middle School and Aquinas College, Kalil and fellow members of All of the Above Hip Hop Academy rapped and danced an urgent message titled “There Needs to be Change.”
Precisely, Kalil said later.
“It’s something that should be paid attention to a lot more than what people believe it is,” Kalil said of global pollution and climate change. “It may not seem that big an issue, but there are people who literally are not able to breathe clean air.”
That’s the kind of passion about environmental concerns Ali says he is seeing in young people all across the country, as he brings his global-warning message to students through the lens of hip-hop culture.
“This is not a moment,” Ali said during a two-day string of appearances in Grand Rapids. “This is literally a movement,” similar to the civil rights and women’s suffrage movements. “There’s a reawakening.”
Students like Kalil are a leading force in that movement, seeing the perils that await their generation if they do not act to reverse climate change now, Ali added.
“I’m super-proud of all the young leaders. They’re changing the game. They’ve got folks on Capitol Hill shook.”1 of 2
Mustafa Santiago Ali on a tour of WMCAT classrooms with videography student Erion Adams, who helped film a documentary of his Grand Rapids visit.
Mustafa Santiago Ali talks with WMCAT videography instructor Mike Saunders before addressing students
Leaves EPA over Trump Agenda
He took a break to discuss his work during a visit to the West Michigan Center for Arts + Technology, where videography students filmed a documentary about his talks there, at City High/Middle and at the Aquinas College Performing Arts Center as part of Aquinas’ Wege Speaker Series.
Ali recently joined the National Wildlife Federation as vice president for environmental justice, climate and community revitalization. He worked for 24 years at the EPA, heading its Office of Environmental Justice before stepping down in 2017, two months after President Trump took office. His high-profile resignation came as the EPA under Scott Pruitt proposed slashing Ali’s office budget and plans to eliminate it entirely.
The Trump administration’s agenda of gutting environmental protections, including Ali’s work around the effects of pollution on poor and minority communities, compelled him to resign, Ali said.
“The reason I had to leave was if they were going to go forward with the things they said they were going to do, I knew more people were going to get sick, I knew more people were going to die, and I knew who those people were,” Ali said. “I said I can’t be a part of hurting my people.”
His work with young people aims to enlighten them on how pollution and climate change hit poor communities especially hard. Diesel trucks roar by urban schools, smog settles over poor neighborhoods, and hotter weather exacerbates asthma that disproportionately afflicts African Americans and Latinos, he noted.
“Those are policy choices people made, and they determine who’s going to win and who’s going to lose,” he said.
Hip Hop Motivates and Educates
He sees young people increasingly alarmed by these trends – and motivated to turn them around. While some are resigned to “game over,” he said, “a whole lot of others are saying, ‘We’ve still got some time if we act now.’”
Events like the March 15 worldwide Climate Strike reflect students’ commitment to act, much like the March for Our Lives has for gun violence, he said. “Young people are going to have to run for office, and fill those positions where people don’t want to do the right thing.”
Hip-hop culture is a powerful motivator and educational tool to reach those future voters, he added. As vice president of Hip Hop Caucus, he championed environmental justice and registered more than 600,000 people to vote. He co-hosts the podcast Hip Hop Caucus Think 100%, a reference to achieving 100 percent clean energy.
In Grand Rapids he connected with All of the Above, a hip-hop program that began at Ottawa Hills High School and is now based at Covenant House Academy. Under the leadership of Matthew Duncan, aka Monk Matthaeus, students wrote and performed a track about pollution’s effect on disadvantaged communities.
Kalil said he learned much about environmental injustice from creating the piece, and was honored to perform it for Ali.
“I never thought I’d actually be able to do something on that scale with someone that big. To be able to even have an opportunity to perform in front of Mr. Santiago Ali, it meant a lot.”
For more stories on area schools, visit the School News Network website, schoolnewsnetwork.org.
Opera Grand Rapids presents tenor Zach Borichevsky in the role of Alfredo in the June 14 & 15 production of Italian composer, Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata, at St. Cecilia Music Center. The heartbreaking true story of Parisian courtesan Marie Duplessis, La Traviata is one of the greatest operas of all time. The classic novella inspired the films, Camille, Pretty Woman and Moulin Rouge. Buy tickets here.
Below, Mr. Borichevsky shares some more details about himself and his life on and off the stage.
Where are you originally from?
Suburban Philadelphia, PA
Who has inspired you/been your greatest influence professionally? Why?
Pavarotti is a cliché answer, but he’s the finest vocal technician I’ve ever heard, while also being deeply, yet simply expressive.
Who/what brought you into the world of Opera?
Actually, Andrea Bocelli was my gateway singer—I sang his hit “Con te partirò” in a church basement at age 12 or so.
Where do you live now?
Near Tarrytown, NY, just north of NYC
What are your hobbies when not performing?
I’ve always been a bit of a political junkie (double majored in music and political science), but when I’m not reading or listening to every last piece of wonky policy journalism, I’m keeping up with the Philadelphia Phillies, who are looking formidable in 2019.
What is your favorite Role/Opera/Piece?
Has to be Rodolfo in La bohème.
What are your favorite things about being a professional musician?
Endless variety, yet comforting rituals remain between gigs. Working with new and old brilliant pianist friends, working with an orchestra for the first time, meeting new singer colleagues and seeing old friends after a long absence.
Least favorite?
Long absences from home (will be home a total of 100 days this year)
Where is your favorite place to travel/perform? Why?
Santa Fe is a beautiful place to spend a summer—both my summers there have been restorative (and I got engaged there!).
What performances/plans do you have in the next year?
I’ll be singing with Washington National Opera in the fall and very excited to sing in Rigoletto with my wife in both Nashville and Colorado in the spring/summer.
Holistic care seeks to address some of the aspects of your health that traditional care options can sometimes overlook. The holistic approach works to heal more than the body by taking the mental and spiritual needs of a patient into consideration. Things like aromatherapy using essential oils and color therapy help promote wellness that, when used with the direction of a healthcare professional in conjunction with regular care options, can lead to a happier and healthier you.
Music therapy is a type of holistic care that involves listening to, creating, or moving to music. A certified music therapist can assess the needs of an individual and create a plan that can improve physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs. Seniors in particular, whether in assisted living communities or other senior living communities, can greatly benefit from music therapy as it is low-effort and provides a number of holistic benefits.
Benefits of music therapy
Stress reduction
Music therapy can help seniors relax and focus not on their surroundings—which can often be stressful or frightening—but rather to what they are listening to. The right music and lyrics can slow an anxious heart rate and help seniors relax.
Pain alleviation
As with stress reduction, using music therapy can help seniors by focus their attention on the music rather than any physical pain that they may be suffering from. The treatment can help seniors by creating a sensory stimulation that relaxes muscles and calms the mind.
Bringing seniors together
Music therapy is often a social activity. Seniors can listen and do activities in groups while connecting to each other through the music. Being in a group during therapy helps seniors feel less isolated and alone. And an improved social life is important to your loved one’s overall well-being.
Physical movement and exercise
We all know songs that immediately get our feet tapping, and music
therapists know how to take advantage of this. Music encourages
movement. Swaying, tapping, dancing, and clapping are all forms of
physical movement that can improve a senior’s well being without being
straining and taxing on the body.
Improved mental health
Listening to music changes our moods. We notice this as we listen to our favorite songs and playlists. Some music can brighten us up, while other music can have a sobering effect. Music is incredibly powerful when it comes to affecting our moods, and a trained music therapist can harness that to improve the mental health of seniors.
Cognitive benefits
One of the most unique benefits of music therapy compared to other
holistic care options is the improvement it has been shown to have on
cognitive functions in seniors. The rhythmic sounds and vibrations in
music increases blood flow to the brain, which can help with a senior’s
ability to speak and think clearly.
Music therapy, dementia, and Alzheimer’s
A major reason behind the use of music therapy as a holistic care treatment for seniors is the relation between music and memory—namely, memory loss diseases like Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Music therapy has been shown to help seniors who are suffering from these ailments.
Music can trigger intense memories, even in patients who struggle with memory loss. There have been cases of unresponsive seniors in late stage dementia moving and interacting with music, and cases of nonverbal seniors humming or making noises during music therapy appointments.
Music therapy can also help pacify some of the aggressive and agitated behaviors associated with memory loss disease. As with stress and pain management through music therapy, the relaxing sounds and rhythms can help soothe seniors and encourage calmness.
Paying for music therapy
A big question that you may have is whether music therapy is a reimbursable service through a healthcare plan. Under Medicare, music therapy is a fully reimbursable service so long as they are included in part of a treatment plan rather than as a recreational activity. With Medicaid, music therapy can sometimes qualify under existing treatment categories. Each state is different, so make sure you know beforehand.
Private insurance usually goes through a case-by-case study, but nearly all major health care plans have reimbursed for music therapy at some point. Make sure that you have the backing of a health professional and a treatment plan to show how music therapy will help to reach treatment goals.
Final thoughts
Music therapy provides great benefits for seniors, but as with other
holistic care options it shouldn’t be taken as a magic cure for all
ailments, or as a replacement for traditional medical care. Music
therapy works best when combined with other care therapies.
Another thing to keep in mind is the lack of verified scientific research and scientific studies done on music therapy. While it is an established health profession there are some claims of what music therapy can do that ought to be carefully considered before they are believed.
You can find a music therapist near your loved one, or a sometimes a nearby open class specifically tailored for seniors. The benefits of music therapy when administered by a certified music therapist are incredible, and your senior family member can enjoy all the benefits of this holistic care treatment.
April passenger numbers are up 13-percent and total traffic at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GFIA) has soared to over a million passengers served this year.
Through April 2019, 1,164,409 passengers have traveled through the airport, and overall passenger traffic is up 11-percent from 2018 – the busiest year in GFIA history.
April 2019 saw 292,699 passengers compared to 259,106 in 2018. April 2019 also beats out April 2018 as the busiest April in airport history.
The Ford Airport has seen passenger increases in 69 of the last 76 months and 19 straight.
“People ask us repeatedly what is our key to success, and we credit our team’s tremendous efforts in safety, customer service, innovation and maintenance, mixed in with an outpouring of community support,” said GFIA Interim President & CEO Brian Picardat. “We know passengers have choices when they fly, but more and more we are seeing our West Michigan community choose the Ford Airport. Our airline partners keep adding routes, frequencies, and capacity because they know our community is supporting the service.”
The Airport is underway on Phase Two of its Gateway Transformation Project which includes updates to the baggage claim area, airline ticket counters, flooring and lighting; along with new restrooms and concessions. Updates on construction at the airport can be found here:https://www.grr.org/construction.php
As passenger numbers continue to grow at GFIA, those traveling are advised to arrive at the airport at least two hours before their flight. Updated security screening information, tips on what to pack/not pack, and more information to make security screening smoother are available atwww.tsa.gov.
The growth is expected to continue further into 2019 with more air service coming to the Ford Airport. Airline partner Allegiant has announced three new nonstop destinations in 2019 as well as the addition of a maintenance base. Nonstop service to Sarasota-Bradenton (SRQ) began on April 5. Nonstop service to Nashville (BNA), and Savannah-Hilton Head (SAV) will begin in June.
Michigan Agritourism has released the 2019 Discover Michigan Farm Fun Directory, a handy guide for finding authentic, local farm experiences in every region of the state. The directory showcases the unique agricultural destinations of the state’s seven regions, a seasonal produce guide, and colorful photos from featured farms.
The new directory includes quotes from notable Michganders who share their memories about a favorite farm experience. The list includes Tom Daldin of the PBS television program “Under the Radar”, Dorothy Zehnder of Frankenmuth’s Bavarian Inn Restaurant, and Jason Hall of RiDetroit, among others.
“These quotes bring the publication to life through personal stories about great times on Michigan farms,” said Janice Benson, executive director of Michigan Agritourism. “If we look back, many of us have fond memories of a school field trip or family visit to a local farm, and we hope to encourage people to seek out new memories this year.”
In addition to the fun experiences, supporting local farmers is good for the state’s economy, said Benson. “A visit to a local farm is a great way to say thank you to your Michigan farmers.”
The 2019 directory is produced with support from Farm Bureau Insurance and the Michigan Apple Committee. “We’re excited about the release of this year’s directory,” said Farm Bureau Insurance CEO Don Simon. “The guide promotes hundreds of farm destinations across Michigan where visitors can enjoy our state’s bountiful harvest, including farmers’ markets, orchards, cider mills, and many more popular agritourism spots. We’re proud to support Michigan farmers and the agritourism industry.”
Copies of the brand new directory can be picked up at local Farm Bureau Insurance offices, and at Michigan Welcome Centers and many tourist offices across Michigan.
Michigan Agritourism is a non-profit association that supports the agritourism industry through promotion, education, advocacy, problem resolution and networking. Its goal is to keep family farms sustainable, support local economic growth and provide rich and unique experiences for visitors to make lasting memories.
Calvin College is honored with 2018 Tree Campus USA® recognition by the Arbor Day Foundation for its commitment to effective urban forest management. Calvin is one of five Michigan institutions to receive the distinction. (Michigan State University, University of Michigan, Washtenaw Community College, and Western Michigan University were also included.)
“Tree Campuses and their students set examples for not only their student bodies but the surrounding communities showcasing how trees create a healthier environment,” said Dan Lambe, president of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Because of your school’s participation air will be purer, water cleaner and your students and faculty will be surrounded by the shade and beauty the trees provide.”
Tree Campus USA, an Arbor Day Foundation program created in 2008, honors colleges and universities for effective campus forest management and for engaging staff and students in conservation goals. Calvin College achieved the title for the seventh straight year by meeting Tree Campus USA’s five standards, which include maintaining a tree advisory committee, a campus tree-care plan, dedicated annual expenditures for its campus tree program, an Arbor Day observance, and student service-learning project. Currently there are 364 campuses across the United States with this recognition.
“Calvin’s Tree Campus USA designation shows the importance we place on not only the care and management of our existing trees, but also on campus involvement in planting new ones,” said Bob Speelman, Calvin’s landscape operations supervisor and a certified arborist. “Campus trees play a key role in making this an attractive, sustainable, and enjoyable place to live, work, and visit. I am pleased that our role as stewards of the campus urban forest has been recognized once again.”
The Arbor Day Foundation is a million-member nonprofit conservation and education organization with the mission to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. The organization has helped campuses throughout the country plant thousands of trees, and Tree Campus USA colleges and universities invested more than $51 million in campus forest management last year.
Jose Medel-Reyes reads a letter from his Kelloggsville High School pen pal. The letters shared about a time when the writer used courage or grit. (School News Network)
Martellis Forest concentrated intently on the paper before him. The North Godwin Elementary third-grader had just received a handwritten letter from a friend to the south: a Kelloggsville High School 10th-grader named Roman.
Mike Hernandez and Marc Icizanye react to gifts from their pen pals before reading their letters. (School News Network)
“He is an athlete and played lots of sports, but now he only plays basketball,” said Martellis of Roman. “We tell each other what we do and what kind of sports we play. I play basketball exactly like him!”
The two students are pen pals, thanks to a connection between their teachers, Amy Raczynski and Angela Winer. A few months ago, Raczynski, who teaches sophomore English at Kelloggsville High School, reached out to Winer, a former student of Raczynski’s, who now teaches at North Godwin. The two decided to put their students in touch and, so far, the letters have generated a lot of excitement — and a chance to practice the art of written communication.
“They really look forward to receiving those letters,” said Raczynski of her high school students.
Emy Orozco and Camila Vasquez Garcia craft responses to their most recent letter from 10th-grade pen pals. (School News Network)
Special Delivery
Recently, Raczynski’s students sent special gifts for their younger friends: bags filled with stuffed animals, stickers and small toys. The delivery was met with squeals of delight throughout Winer’s classroom.
“The funny thing is, they were just as excited when they got their first letter,” said Winer. “They are so excited to have a friend who is older.”
Aleannah Rohrbough was all smiles as she pulled a plush toy from her bag.
“It’s amazing. I thank her so much! She did not have to do this,” said Aleannah of her pen pal, Holly, who is becoming somewhat of a mentor through her letters.
“I learned that her favorite color is green and I actually learned some good advice: ‘Do not let others put you down,’” said Aleannah. “That was actually really good advice for me, because that actually happens to me a lot in school. And I learned that she loves science and she loves hanging out with her friends.”
Allison Moore and Camilla Casado, 10th-graders in Raczynski’s class, both said they remember thinking it was pretty cool to talk to teenagers or have a pen pal in their younger years. They enjoy reading letters from their younger friends, and are glad to be that older connection for them.
“They may not remember who you were particularly, but they’ll remember they had that older friend as a pen pal,” said Allison.
Nataly Garcia-Jimenez concentrates on the letter she received from her 10th-grade pen pal. (School News Network)
A Lesson in a Letter
Besides the fun aspect of making a friend, there have been some good lessons for both classrooms.
Winer’s students had been discussing the importance of “grit” and “courage”, so she asked the 10th-graders to share an example of a time when they used these traits in their letters.
“So when we respond back,” Winer told her class, “I want you to also share an example of when you used grit or courage. You’re also going to answer any questions that they asked you.”
They repeated after her as she instructed them in formatting their responses: Two paragraphs. Two paragraphs. Two chunks. Two chunks. Answer questions. Answer questions. Share a story. Share a story.
Raczynski said pen pal letters go hand-in-hand with teaching both English and empathy. “They’re writing and having to make sure they’re writing correctly and using proper spelling and grammar for the other kids,” she said. “I think it’s also important to try to be kind to other people.”
Composing letters to younger friends has been a welcome challenge, said 10th-grader Evren Hodge.
“It’s different when you talk to little kids,” said Evren. You have to think of new ways to explain things and use words on a level that they can grasp and relate to. It’s teaching you new ways to communicate with other people.”
For more local school stories, visit School News Network website, schoolnewsnetwork.org.
Asantae Coleman and Aleannah Rohrbough pull goodies from presents sent by their 10th-grade pen pals.
Aniyah Rosemond opens a special delivery from her Kelloggsville High School pen pal.
Isaac Fox checks out the stickers sent along with a letter from his high school pen pal.
Ethan Thompson reads a letter from his pen pal. The letter shared about a time when the writer used courage or grit.
A pen pal letter from Kelloggsville High School 10th-grader to Ethan Thompson
