You know that too much salt contributes to high blood pressure, but you might not realize how easily eating out could put you and your kids at risk.
Many entrees at leading restaurants and fast food places contain almost a full day’s allotment of salt, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Remember, that’s 2,300 milligrams, or about one teaspoon.
With many Americans eating out an average of five times a week, all that salt adds up. And the more salt you eat, the greater the odds for high blood pressure (hypertension), a major contributor to heart disease and stroke.
By some estimates, the average American takes in 50 percent more salt than the daily limit. This excess starts in childhood. Kids between 6 and 10 years of age take in 2,900 mg a day, while teens top out at about 3,700 mg.
Studies done around the world have looked at salt consumption and high blood pressure. A study of 500 people, aged 18 to 40, found that the more restaurant meals people ate every week, the higher their odds of pre-hypertension.
Young people with even a slightly elevated blood pressure level are at very high risk of full-blown hypertension.
About 80 percent of the salt consumed has been added by manufacturers of processed foods or at restaurants. While the salt in hundreds of processed foods has gone down slightly in recent years, a Harvard study reported that it has gone up in many fast food items.
To protect yourself and your family when dining out, ask about the salt content of meals you’re thinking of ordering. Restaurants with 20 or more locations must provide this on request. Many chains post the numbers online. Finally, resist reaching for the salt shaker.
The Mac Conway Awards are named after Site Selection Magazine and Conway, Inc. founder, McKinley “Mac” Conway, who was recognized throughout the industry as an icon in economic development throughout his career.
Birgit Klos, president and CEO of The Right Place, Inc.
The award is designed to recognize top local and regional economic development agencies throughout the U.S. for their work in developing prospering communities. The criteria for selection is based off of an index examining corporate facility investment projects for the prior year. Scores are determined based on total projects, total investment associated with those projects, and jobs associated with those projects, as well as the per capita calculation of those metrics.
“On behalf of The Right Place Board of Directors and our team, we are honored to receive this national recognition,” said Birgit Klohs, President and CEO, The Right Place, Inc. “We have always been a results-driven organization. Being recognized as a top performer nationwide is a testament to both that drive and the hard work of our team to strengthen the Grand Rapids regional economy.”
In 2018, The Right Place completed 29 economic development projects in the West Michigan region, resulting in 2,155 new and retained jobs. Its business development team also met with hundreds of local businesses in its core industries, including manufacturing, food processing, IT, life sciences, and aerospace and defense. A recap of 2018 highlights from The Right Place can be found at rightplacereport.org.
Former Wyoming lieutenant Dan Bigalow (seated with ball cap) looks over the certificate he received with family and friends. Bigalow was honored during a special 60th anniversary celebration for the city’s police department which started in 1959. (WKTV)
For Dan Bigelow it all started when he came back from the Korean War in 1953.
“My brother-in-law stopped by the house and said he had put in an application to the Wyoming Police Department,” Bigelow said. “I thought if he could do it, so could I. So I put an application as well.
“I got hired and he didn’t and I have to say, it was not a bad decision.”
Bigelow along with Bill Catlin were honored during a special program celebrating the Wyoming Department of Public Safety’s 60th Anniversary. They each received a certificate and retired officer badge.
“I think you cannot build upon the future and look forward if you don’t know you history, where the community came from, what was the culture, what changes were made,” said Chief Kim Koster about the importance of celebrating those who have served the department.
Wyoming Township became the City of Wyoming Jan. 1, 1959, with the Wyoming Township Police Department becoming the City of Wyoming Police Department. Years later, the city’s fire and police departments merged to create the Wyoming Department of Public Safety.
Retired detective Bill Catlin (seated with Veterans hat) visits with friends and family. Ctalin also was honored during the 60th anniversary celebration. (WKTV)
Bigelow joined the Wyoming Township Police Department in 1955 and Catlin joined in 1956. They were among the 17 township officers who were part of the city’s first police force. Both followed the department through its many transitions, each serving the department for 33 years. Bigelow retired as a lieutenant in 1988 and Catlin as a detective in 1989.
In attendance at the event were several retires spanning the 60 years of the department, including former Chief Edward Edwardson, who along with others shared stories about the department. Capt. Kip Snyder talked about the history of the department. The department now has 86 sworn officers. About 45 are on road patrol with another 11 serving as detectives.
The department also has a forensic science department and a canine unit that includes four dogs, who Snyder admitted were often more popular than the officers. Koster said the department will be adding four new motorcycles this year, another item that is often popular with the public.
Bruce Fogerty, with his wife Doreen, has been retired from the department for 26 years. (WKTV)
“I really enjoyed the work,” said Bruce Fogerty, who has been retired from the department for 26 years. “This was a great way for us to get together and see people we haven’t seen in awhile.”
Also as part of the 60th anniversary for the police department, Senator Peter MacGregor and Rep. Tommy Brann presented the department with a proclamation from Brann, MacGregor, and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer at the City Council regular meeting on Monday, May 6.
It’s possible that a simple conversation between parents and their children is all it would take to stop the cycle of some diseases.
If parents would discuss their own health problems with their kids, things like heart disease and diabetes might occur much less often.
Diabetes, heart disease and even breast cancer are preventable by following a healthy lifestyle. A well-timed conversation—before another generation suffers—could make all the difference.
When people say, “Everyone in my family has diabetes” or “Everyone has heart disease,” the underlying reason is usually a sensitivity to sugar.
What does this mean? Some families have a predisposition to belly fat weight gain and get diabetes earlier in life. Anyone can get diabetes if they eat enough sugar and gain enough weight, but some people get diabetes at lower weights.
Examples of this include the Freshman 15, gaining 30 pounds after having a baby, or the 15 pounds many women gain at menopause. More belly fat means more sugar cravings for foods like white bread, white potatoes, white rice and sweets.
Once ingested, the sugar then goes straight from the stomach to the belly fat. It’s a vicious and very unhealthy cycle.
Unfortunately, high blood sugars typically mean high cholesterol as well, especially if your diet is also high in fats like butter, lard, bacon and red meat. Sugar and fat together are a bad combination because high blood sugars make blood vessel walls sticky, the fat sticks to the walls, and plaque or blockages are formed. When enough blockages form in blood vessels, enough blood cannot get through to your vital organs (heart and brain), which would lead to a heart attack or stroke.
Tackle your risk factors
I have discussed the topic of risk factors in previous blogs, and I
believe the topic is important enough to mention again here. We all have
risk factors we can’t change—family history, age and timing of
menopause. But there are risk factors we can change (exercise, sleep
habits, and food choices), and it’s not as difficult as you may think.
The first step is to make a goal toward better health.
To create your goal, look at how well your mom, dad, or grandparents aged.
Hopefully, they were able to be a good example of how to lead a healthy life. Sadly, many women have not grown up in households with parents who were positive examples of how to eat right and exercise.
Many parents never talked to their kids about eating a healthy diet or maintaining an active lifestyle in order to avoid diabetes or heart disease. If you were lucky enough to have a mom or dad who talked with you about the importance of being healthy, use that positive example to create your own goals.
If not, create a clear picture of yourself and how you want your own life to be, and use that picture to set some goals for your future. How do you want to look and feel in three months, one year, or when you are 50 years old?
A patient I’ll call Leonica is an example of someone who grew up with several family members who suffered from a variety of health problems.
They had heart disease, diabetes, obesity and cancer, but they never talked about their health issues. The memories continued to haunt her, and she decided she did not want to suffer in the same way. Leonica respected that her family was strong and independent, however, she wished her family could have talked about their health problems to help her and others from her generation lead better lives.
For example, Leonica had no idea about the connection between craving sugar and eating simple carbs. She didn’t realize that eating things like white bread, white rice and potatoes would make her feel tired.
Things to know (and remember)
By educating herself, Leonica learned how eating more complex carbs
like sweet potatoes and brown rice, and having a protein and vegetable
for dinner would help her lose weight—without giving up her favorite
foods. She continued making diet changes to reverse early diabetes and
became more active in her everyday life.
As a result of her changes, Leonica became an example for her children, nieces and nephews. She also became the voice to get others talking about how to change their lives for the better. By passing on this knowledge to her extended family, Leonica hopes to stop the cycle of the diseases that have plagued her family for years.
Here are a few key points to remember:
See your doctor—If your family members have heart disease, diabetes or obesity, it doesn’t mean you will have the same fate. However, you are more likely to suffer from these issues, so see your doctor, get tested early for diabetes, and learn how you can avoid the same health problems.
Talk with your family about their health—Ask your parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents and siblings about their health. Learn from them what you should and shouldn’t do to be healthy. Women who cope best ask for help and get educated so they can develop a goal and a plan. It’s OK to talk about bad moods, depression and anxiety; sharing can help others and take away the fear associated with these issues.
Know your numbers—Find out your waist size, blood sugar (A1C) level, cholesterol levels and blood pressure. It can be scary to know you have pre-diabetes, but knowing gives you power and can be motivating to get a plan in place—before it’s too late.
Know how close you are to menopause—Being healthy gets harder after menopause, so you want to know how close you are to being there. As estrogen hormone levels fall, the body craves sugar and stores it in belly fat. And belly fat raises insulin and insulin factors, which increase the risk of breast cancer. Everything is tied together.
Cut back on the simple carbs—These are the same as sugar, and, if you want to avoid diabetes and heart disease, you need to have only one simple carb serving per day. Examples of simple carb foods include white bread, white potatoes, white rice, white flour tortillas, sweet treats and alcohol. Remember—only one per day.
Eat a good breakfast—Include a complex carbohydrate (whole wheat bread, cooked oatmeal, whole wheat bagel), a protein (eggs, low-fat cheese, turkey bacon), and a healthy fat (olive oil, avocado, nuts). Eating a healthy breakfast will keep your blood sugars stable and curb your cravings all day long.
According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, allergies incur Americans up to $18 billion in medical expenses; they take up number six as a leading cause of chronic illnesses. The risk for allergies increases as you grow old and the problem is likely to go unrecognized. Unfortunately, changes to the immune system that occur as you age mean that your body’s response to inflammation from allergies is not as strong as it once was. The resulting effect is that you are likely to experience problems with allergies as seasons’ change, which is characterized by sneezing, a running nose and watery eyes.
Fortunately, there are precautions you can take to prevent allergies as you age, such as:
Indoor plants
While you may enjoy indoor gardening as a relaxing activity, avoid having any pollen producing plants indoors. If you must have plants within the house, water them occasionally to avoid mold from growing, which then creates mold pollen. Additionally, avoid using silk and other fake plants, as they are notorious dust collectors.
Invest in sunglasses
If you are likely to experience hay fever from wind-borne pollen, invest in a pair of quality sunglasses that wrap around your eyes to prevent as much pollen as possible from getting into your eyes. If you wear optical glasses, ask your eye doctor to give you prescription sunglasses to help you outdoors. Sunglasses will prevent the amount of pollen getting into your eyes, making you feel better.
Switch up your exercise routine
Avoid outdoor exercises in the morning; pollen count is highest before 10 o’clock. If you enjoy jogging or taking a walk, do it in the afternoon or later in the evening. Alternatively, choose a different exercise activity such as yoga, which allows you to work out in a controlled environment, with numerous other health benefits.
Run your air conditioner
Keep your filter clean and run your air conditioner instead of opening the windows, which lets in pollen and other allergens. The air conditioner reduces humidity within the house and serves as an alternative to fans, which end up blowing dust and pollen around the room, worsening the likelihood of you developing allergies.
While there are several precautions you can take to prevent or reduce the effects of allergies, you cannot avoid them entirely. If you notice any persistent irritation or inflammation, consult your doctor immediately. Conditions such as a congested nose can become critical fast, especially if you suffer from pre-existing cardiovascular or nasal conditions. Lastly, avoid traditional antihistamines as you can develop negative side effects or suffer from effects of mixing them with your other prescriptions.
Your health care needs change gradually as age, forcing you to take extra precautions to stay healthy. Avoid allergens as much as possible and consult your doctor if you notice any symptoms that may indicate an allergic reaction. Taking the right precautions allows you to enjoy the outdoors more regardless of the season.
Voters for both Kentwood Public Schools and Kelloggsville Public Schools passed millage renewal requests for their respected districts at yesterday’s election.
Kentwood Public Schools was seeking a renewal of its current 10-year operating millage, an assessment of 18 mills on non-homestead properties. The millage would be renewed through 2029. Voters approved the renewal 3198 to 786.
The millage provides approximately 16.9 percent, or more than $18.2 million, of the school district’s annual operating budget.
Kelloggsville voters were asked to renew the district’s operating millage, an assessment of 17 mills on non-homestead properties, and to increase that millage by .5 or 50 cents per $1,000 taxable valuation. The proposal passed 301 to 154.
The increase, according to the ballot language, is to help restore millage lost as a result of the reduction required by the “Headlee” amendment to the Michigan Constitution of 1963. The additional millage would raise about $2.6 million for the district in 2020. The Kelloggsville millage proposal is for two years.
Fountain Street Church is launching a new series, the ‘Summer Screen Club’. One night each month this summer, the church will host a panel discussion featuring regional non-profit organizations, and film and television experts to dissect, analyze, and discuss some of today’s most thought-provoking TV shows.
Participants watch the shows at their own pace, on their own schedules. It’s like a book club that you can binge watch. The first event of the series will be held on Thursday, June 20, 2019, from 6-8pm at Fountain Street Church, and will feature panelists Lydia VanHoven-Cook, of Better Body Image Conference, and Sarah Vesely, Executive Director of Wealthy Theater. All Summer Screen Club events are free and open to the public. Registration is encouraged (not required) and can be done here.
The June 20, 2019, event will be discussing the Hulu series Shrill, based on the book Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman by Lindy West. The series stars and is co-written by Aidy Bryant (Saturday Night Live), with Executive Producers Lorne Michaels (Saturday Night Live), Elizabeth Banks (Pitch Perfect), and Aidy Bryant. From the Shrill press site: “Annie [is] a fat young woman who wants to change her life — but not her body. Annie is trying to start her career while juggling bad boyfriends, a sick parent, and a perfectionist boss.”
A banner donated by Grandville High School for the 2016 event. (Supplied)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
The weather is supposed to be nice this weekend, and if you are into high school sports there will be two special Wyoming events — Wolves softball and baseball, and Rebel girls soccer — that will be both be great for viewers but also great for the community.
Wyoming High School will host Grandville High School in the Annual Christy Paganelli baseball/softball game Friday, May 10, at Pinery Park. The annual benefit games between teams from the neighboring high schools “celebrate life while bringing awareness to the importance of fighting cancer.”
The Christy Paganelli Softball Player Introduction Ceremony will begin at 5:30 p.m., with baseball introduction at 5:45 p.m.
The annual Christy’s Cause Scholarship Baseball and Softball Games honors “the person and the spirit” of Christy Paganelli, who lost a courageous 18-month battle with melanoma.
The event recognizes all cancer awareness and prevention, and is committed to making sure everyone is aware that melanoma skin cancer can happen to anyone and how to prevent it.
All funds will be directed towards cancer research and the Christy Paganelli Scholarship Fund, which funds one or two scholarships each year at Aquinas College, where Christy played softball after playing and graduating from Wyoming’s Rogers High School.
The events will begin with a junior varsity baseball game at 3:15 p.m., followed by twin varsity softball and baseball games at 6 p.m.
Pinery Park is located at 2301 De Hoop Ave, Wyoming.
Cope Rebelde soccer tournament at Lee
The Lee Rebel “Copa Rebelde Soccer Invite” will be held Saturday, May 11, at the Lee Athletic Fields.
The girls soccer tournament is a three-match event starting with West Michigan Aeronautics Academy vs. Lee at 9:30 a.m.; Wyoming Potter’s House vs. WMAA at 11 a.m. (or 15 minutes after end of game 1); Lee vs Potter’s House at 12:30 p.m. (or 15 minutes after end of game #2). Each game will be 60 minutes in length, with 30 minute halves, 10 minute halftimes, and 15 minutes between games.
There will be no overtime so tie games decided by penalty shoot-outs —which are always exciting — and the champion will be determined by record then point differential.
And while the event should feature some great tournament soccer action, it will also be a Latino community celebration of sorts.
“We are lucky to have a team and community that can embrace their cultural heritage as much as they do,” the Lee soccer coach said to WKTV last year. “Copa is ultimately just a word but that word represents more than a tournament cup. It represents our small community’s strong ties with Latin America.”
The Lee Athletic Fields are located at 1824 Godfrey Ave. SW, Wyoming.
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week visit wktvjournal.org/sports/.
It’s not only elite athletes and experienced runners who are preparing for this weekend’s 42nd River Bank Run. For the ninth year, former and current residents of Dégagé Ministries Open Door Women’s Center will participate in the Amway River Bank 5k Walk. Dégagé’s walking group, the ‘Heartside All Stars for Health’, is a group of approximately 12 women who have overcome or are working to overcome things like poverty, addiction and homelessness. With the support of Dégagé’s staff and volunteers, the organization’s walking group totals nearly 30 people.
The Heartside All Stars for Health participate in weekly training sessions lead by a volunteer community nurse at Dégagé. Of course, the walking provides physical benefits, but it also offers emotional, social and spiritual benefits, particularly for women who are facing so much difficulty in their lives and for whom exercise is not always a priority. Training for the walk gives the women an opportunity to support each other as they try to achieve big dreams, like securing safe and permanent housing. One of these women, Linda, says that participating with the walking group helps her “pick up her shoes instead of a bottle”.
On Wednesdays, it is a common sight to see the group gather outside Dégagé’s doors looking bundled up and eager to get moving. One of these eager walkers is Linda, who is a recovered alcoholic. She credits her involvement with Walking Club and Dégagé as one of the things that keeps her sober, motivated, and focused.
Linda’s journey to healing has been a long trek. For thirty years she struggled with addiction. Before finding Dégagé, Linda was homeless for four years, bouncing from shelter to shelter each night. But eight years ago, something changed. Linda made a commitment to get sober. She had heard about Dégagé through a friend and started coming for the services offered on the 1st and 2nd floor. She got an ID, earned vouchers for meals, and got help finding permanent housing.
Linda laces up to get moving with Dégagé’s Walking Club (courtesy Dégagé Ministries)
Along the way, Linda heard about Dégagé’s Walking Club. She began showing up on Wednesdays and soon found walking was one of her true passions. She discovered that lacing up her tennis shoes was a great way to keep her from being tempted to pick up the bottle. Linda loves the challenge and activity as well as the community and conversation. Finding Walking Club and Dégagé meant finally having a place to belong. It is her support and her community.
When Linda was asked what she hopes to achieve through her participation in Walking Club, she contemplated the answer for a moment before breaking into a smile, “Continue in my sobriety and helping others through their journey.”
And with that, she finished tying her shoe and raced off to walk with her friends.
From jobs in hospitality to car sales to organizational leadership, Carlos Sanchez has shown a bent for business. He joins us to tell of his own professional trajectory, including falling in love with an American along the way. Today, he uses his passion for talent development to share his vision for creating Latinx opportunities in his adopted West Michigan home.
Warmer weather has a way of getting us off the couch and into more active pastimes—biking, yard work, tennis and spring cleaning.
If you’re feeling the urge to get up and get active, take a minute to prepare yourself with these tips from Jason Lazor, DO, a specialist in sports medicine and musculoskeletal injuries with the Spectrum Health Medical Group Sports Medicine.
What you learn here may help you steer clear of tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, shoulder injuries and other forms of tendonitis, which can all result from overuse.
“In the springtime, I see a lot of overuse injuries,” Dr. Lazor said. “People have deconditioned a little bit over the winter, and they jump out expecting to go and perform their sport or activity at the level they were pre-winter.”
So before you get up and go, hit pause and read an orthopedic pro’s suggestions for easing your body into spring and summer.
Dr. Lazor’s Top 12 Tips:
1. Set realistic expectations.
“If you have been more sedentary over the winter, then slowly evolve back into your sport,” Dr. Lazor said. Pushing your muscles too hard too fast isn’t worth the risk of injury.
2. Stretch and warm up.
Do this before any physical activity, whether it’s golfing or working around the house. Stretching your joints for five minutes can do a lot to prevent acute muscle or tendon injuries.
For athletes, Dr. Lazor recommends warming up with sport-specific exercises and drills rather than just, say, jogging to get the blood flowing. But he cautions against “bouncy stretching.” Keep movements slow and controlled.
3. Take a break.
Yes, take a breather when you feel muscle tightness setting in. Then do some more light stretching to loosen up before resuming the activity.
4. Stay hydrated.
This is good advice anytime, but especially when you’re engaged in sports. Dehydrated muscles and tendons are less flexible and less resilient, Dr. Lazor said.
So if you’re a coffee drinker, reduce your risk of muscle strain by drinking more water than coffee. And avoid excessive alcohol, another cause of dehydration.
5. Avoid smoking.
In addition to its other downsides, nicotine impairs the healing process for tendons and muscles.
6. Vary your activities.
To prevent muscle imbalance, you should mix it up. The shoulder, for example, has more than 20 muscles attached to it.
If you keep repeating the same overhead motion, “certain muscles will get overworked and others will decondition,” Dr. Lazor said. That throws off the shoulder’s balance, resulting in tendon damage.
Resistance training is a good way to prevent overuse injuries because it makes the muscles and tendons more resilient. Dr. Lazor emphasizes the essential part of resistance training—the slow, controlled downward motion of a biceps curl, for example, which lengthens the muscle and protects it from injury.
7. Use proper form.
When lifting and carrying heavy items, make sure your body mechanics
are correct. Keep an upright position to help protect your back. And if
you’re doing overhead work, use a ladder or step stool to put the work
at eye level and reduce stress on the shoulders.
8. Eat well.
If you play endurance sports such as tennis, eat well so your muscles
have the nutrients needed to stay healthy and heal if they become
strained.
Plus, eating well makes you feel better. “If you eat junk, you are going to feel like junk,” Dr. Lazor said.
9. Use proper sports equipment and footwear.
Avoid injury by wearing shoes meant to support your particular foot anatomy.
Also, make sure to have the equipment that fits your body and experience level. For example, tennis players should use a racquet that matches your size and skill level.
10. Practice cross-training.
Keep your muscles in balance with variety. Don’t spend all of your time on one sport, Dr. Lazor said.
“You want to incorporate other sports—swimming, biking, running—because that works the muscles differently. It gives some of those muscles that are getting overused a break and works them in different ways.”
11. Build your core.
This means focusing on your abdomen, back, glutes and pelvis—because
many sports injuries are related to deficits in core strength.
“I like planks for core work,” said Dr. Lazor. “When you do planks, whether it’s prone planks or side planks, you have to focus on utilizing your core—squeezing your butt cheeks together and, for both males and females, using the Kegel muscles.”
12. Stretch again at the end.
“I’m a big fan of doing your deep stretching after your activity,” Dr. Lazor said.
Again, using tennis as an example, this means stretching the shoulder, pectoral and back muscles, as well as the hamstrings and quads. Stretching after a workout, whether around the house or on the courts, will help your muscles rebound faster.
Preventing spring and summertime strains and muscle pains isn’t hard. It just takes a little patience, insight and common sense.
Dan VanderHeide, Michigan Society of Professional Engineers’s “Young Engineer of the Year”, with Cassandra Daller, MSPE’s “Engineer of the Year”. (Supplied/City of Kentwood)
By City of Kentwood
City of Kentwood engineer Dan VanderHeide was recently named “Young Engineer of the Year” by the Michigan Society of Professional Engineers. The honor was presented on Friday, May 3, during the MSPE Annual Conference in Lansing.
VanderHeide has been actively involved with the Western Michigan Chapter as chair of the Engineers in Government committee since 2017. Prior to earning the state title, he was also awarded “Young Engineer of the Year” by the local chapter.
“Dan’s leadership at the local and state level has been outstanding,” said Scott Conners, president of the Michigan Society of Professional Engineers. “His contribution to the Western Michigan Professional Engineers in Government committee has been valuable to many of our peers.
“Dan’s work with this committee has created a governmental collaboration that is being talked about in engineering circles all across the state.”
VanderHeide first joined the City of Kentwood in 2014 as the assistant city engineer. He was promoted to city engineer in October 2018. In his current role, he provides essential community services related to all development occurring in Kentwood, managing many of the City’s largest infrastructure projects. VanderHeide is also responsible for recommending policies related to roads, water, sewer and storm water to the City Commission.
“Dan has made impressive achievements since joining the Engineering Department, including successfully managing numerous road projects, amounting to more than $10 million in construction value over the last three years,” said Tim Bradshaw, director of Engineering and Inspections. “The City of Kentwood has the best rated municipal road network in West Michigan, and I believe that’s largely due to Dan’s expertise at prescribing the right fix at the right time.”
VanderHeide also currently serves on the Barrier Free Design Board for the State of Michigan and coaches the Tri-Cities Youth Soccer Organization. In the past, he has served as president of the American Society of Civil Engineers – West Michigan Branch and as a member of the Lower Grand River Organization of Watersheds Storm Water Ordinance Committee.
Prior to becoming employed by the City of Kentwood, VanderHeide gained nine years of experience in engineering consulting. He earned his bachelor’s degree in engineering from Calvin College in 2005.
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).
In June of 2015, friend to ferals (and our volunteer) Sandi D. was helping a co-worker TNR (trap-neuter-return) some stray cats living in her southeast side neighborhood when she came across this smashing, dashing boy, whom she initially thought was a girl. CSNIP (Community Spay/Neuter Initiative Program) ‘snipped’ him and sent him back to Sandi with a recommendation to treat an eye infection he had.
Unable to turn him back outside with medical issues, and fully thinking he was a wild child, she asked Gina from Focus on Ferals to help. So Gina took him in and housed him, treating his eye and socializing him; a month later she tested him and he turned up FIV+. Sweet and social, there wasn’t a mean bone in this guy’s big body (over 14#); he was probably just overwhelmed and not feeling too well when he and Sandi first met.
Sandi is in contact with Gina often as they work closely together doing TNR, and when fall turned to winter and her boy was still waiting for a place to call his own, she asked if we would consider taking him into our program. We have a pretty good adoption rate at Big Sid’s, especially for super-handsome, stunners like Harold, and wanted to give Gina a bit more room at her place.
We took this fine fella (born in late 2010) into our sanctuary on Nov. 16, 2018, after a bit of dental work was done at the clinic. Initially Sandi had named her black beauty ‘Mario’, but since we already had a Sid’s Kid with that name and coloring, Dr. Jen asked if she could name him something else; they just happened to be at our annual Whiskers and Wine fundraiser when they chatted, and since Sandi was accompanied by her long-time beau Harold, it seemed like a no-brainer.
From the second Harold stepped foot on the premises, he was comfortable and at ease, eager to meet and greet all newcomers and current residents. Our cat care director immediately fell in love with his gentle ways, his calm demeanor and his mellow vibe. He loves just hanging out with the gang, patiently awaiting the arrival of the volunteers who shower him with love and attention, which he soaks up like a super-silky, raven-haired sponge.
Harold couldn’t be nicer or more well-adjusted, and we honestly couldn’t be happier that he is ours. We hope that Big Sid’s is simply a stepping stone for Harold, who will hop, skip and jump his way to bigger and better things (though our place is paw-some), as a cat this marvelous deserves to be doted upon in a home of his own.
More about Harold:
Domestic Short Hair
Adult
Male
Extra large
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
FIV-positive
Neutered
Not declawed
Want to adopt Harold? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga, with Wyoming High School students, at a recent Youth Leadership Summit. (Supplied/Rep. Bill Huizenga’s office)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
A group of Wyoming High School students were among about 200 high school juniors from more than 30 schools across the state in attendance at a recent Youth Leadership Summit hosted by U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga.
This is the second year Rep. Huizenga (Republican-Michigan’s 2nd Congressional District), who represents Kentwood and Wyoming, has hosted the event at Grand Valley State University’s Allendale campus.
The half-day event, held May 3, was designed to provide students with the opportunity to hear from and talk with the congressman and other West Michigan leaders “while exploring what characteristics and qualities will help future leaders succeed in both their personal lives as well as their post high school endeavors,” according to supplied material.
The Wyoming High students were Bria’nna Hoffman, MiKayla Carrasco, Dale Cross, Zachary Fry, Kathryn Johnson and Aleighya Beach.
“It was great to have students from Wyoming High School attend the event, engage with other students, and ask thoughtful questions,” Rep. Huizenga said in an email provided to WKTV. “I hope the speakers provided valuable insight about leadership, overcoming adversity, and capitalizing on opportunities.”
In addition to the congressman, the other featured speakers were Dr. Dale Nesbary, president of Muskegon Community College; Leslie Brown, chairman of Holland’s Metal Flow; and Dakota Crow, CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of the Muskegon Lakeshore.
Older Michigangians Day, on May 15th, is an opportunity for Michigan seniors to speak with a united voice about the issues that directly affect them. It is also an opportunity to meet new people and enjoy a beautiful day in our State’s capitol. Call Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan to register at (616) 222-7042. Go here for more info.
So good, you can’t read just one
“You just really can’t replace putting a book in a kid’s hands,” said district Superintendent Kevin Polston at a recent celebration of literacy” at the Early Childhood Center in Wyoming. “There is something special about touching, feeling, seeing the pictures, and engaging with the book. We know there is value to that.” Read all about it here.
Life’s too short, so go on … have some fun
Experience Grand Rapids (EXGR) invites locals to explore the Grand Rapids area during National Travel and Tourism Week through May 11th using EXGR resources such as Culture Pass GR and Vamonde. Check it out here.
Fun fact:
Details, details
There is actually a difference between coffins and caskets — coffins are typically tapered and six-sided, while caskets are rectangular.
If your travel plans include heading down 54th Street between Clyde Park and Division Avenue you might want to consider an alternate route for the next week or so.
According to Wyoming City officials, the work currently taking place along 54th Street is a gas line reconstruction. It is not a city project.
“Unfortunately, it is located under the eastbound lanes which will require them to take out both lanes of eastbound traffic,” said Russ Henckel, the city’s assistant director of public works/engineer.
The work is expected to take about a week, Henckel said.
This fall, the city will begin its work on 54th Street with plans to widen and add a lane to the westbound lane from about the Home Depot to U.S. 131 interchange. That work is expected to go through the July MDOT biding process and start in August.
The 54th Street bridge over U.S. 131 also will be widen as well along the north side to accommodate the additional lane, Henckel said. When that phase of the project will be started depends on the fabrication of the pillars and other requirements.
In 2020, the city will widen the eastbound lanes which is slated to include a direct expressway entrance into Meijer. Henckel said the city is working on the approvals necessary for that entrance.
For a list of upcoming road construction, projects, visit Public Works page on the City of Wyoming’s website, wyomingmi.gov.
On the latest episode of WKTV Journal In Focus is the art of business — and the business of art — specifically in Kentwood but also in the region as a whole. First we catch up with the new Kentwood Arts Commission — what it does and does not do. Then, talking about new things, we catch up with Woodland Mall, where there has been a massive rejuvenation during the last couple of years and where exciting change continues.
First In Focus is the City of Kentwood Arts Commission, which was established in late 2017 and became fully active early last year. The Arts Commission is tasked with reviewing proposals for the outside display of art on private property visible from the public right of way and within the guidelines of the City of Kentwood Zoning Ordinance. With us is Terry Schweitzer, City of Kentwood’s Planning and Community Development Director.
Woodland Mall Marketing Director Cecily McCabe on the In Focus set with host Ken Norris. (WKTV)
Then In Focus is the Kentwood’s Woodland Mall, which is the midst of a major rejuvenation with additions large and small — the most high-profile being Von Maur’s first-in-the-region location; in fact there is a whole new wing nearing completion focused on the Von Maur addition. But that is just one aspect of what has been a busy couple of years for the local mall. With us is Woodland Mall Marketing Director Cecily McCabe, and we will talk with her about all the changes at Woodland and local retail climate as a whole. To see the video, (recorded in the middle of April) follow this link.
WKTV Journal In Focus airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel (see our Weekly On-air Schedule for dates and times). All individual interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.
Fines for overdue items will become a thing of the past for Kent District Library patrons beginning June 1. This change removes a barrier for people who cannot afford their fines and wish to use the library.
The elimination of late fines is expected to spark an increase in circulation of library materials and encourage inactive patrons to return to the library.
“Each year, hundreds of patrons stop using library services entirely because they are deterred by late fines,” explains Michelle Boisvenue-Fox, Director of Programming, Outreach and Collection Services for KDL. “There’s a ‘shame’ element to late fines that does more harm than good. Eliminating the shame and late fines will make library resources more accessible and create a more encouraging experience for more people.”
Years ago, revenue from late fines was fairly significant, but the advent of automatic renewals for checked-out materials has reduced it significantly. Currently, revenue from late fines is almost completely offset by the cost of administrating and collecting the fines.
“The time that staff typically devotes to managing late fines will now be spent on library services, which is a better service and value for tax payers,” said Boisvenue-Fox.
Last year, KDL eliminated late fines for patrons who are active military or veterans. Around the same time, KDL leadership considered eliminating late fines for students. Upon discussing the idea with front-line staff in the branches, it was decided that becoming a fine-free library system for all patrons would be simpler and provide a greater benefit for everyone involved. The proposal was presented to the Board of Trustees at the March 21 meeting and was unanimously approved.
Other libraries around the country, such as the Salt Lake City Public Library, have eliminated late fines and shared positive results.
As of June 1, all unpaid fines for overdue materials will be forgiven. Card-holders who were prohibited from checking out materials due to unpaid late fines will once again be able to check out materials. Patrons will continue to receive notifications of due dates and past-due items. Items that are more than 35 days past due will be considered ‘lost’ and charged to the patron. The library will also continue to charge patrons for damaged items.
The elimination of late fines coincides with the kick off of KDL’s Summer Reading program, which fosters reading and event participation for all ages.
More U.S. veterans are at increased risk for heart disease, a looming public health problem, researchers say.
They analyzed data from more than 153,000 people who took part in the National Health Interview Survey, conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.
Vets between the ages of 35 and 70 reported significantly more heart conditions than non-veterans, the data showed.
After age 70, non-veterans reported more, but the study’s author suspects that might be because fewer vets survived into old age due to heart disease.
“I think it’s sort of the first indication of a coming public health crisis for veterans,” said study author Ramon Hinojosa, assistant professor of sociology at the University of Central Florida.
“Because of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, we have a relatively large, new younger generation of veterans who are going to survive for 30 or 40 years after their war experience,” he said in a university news release.
The study suggests that what’s known as the “healthy soldier effect” is no longer guaranteed. That’s the tendency for members of the military to be more fit and less overweight than same-age civilians.
Hinojosa said the change could be due the nature of modern warfare, changes in diet, leisure and exercise, more obesity among younger vets and higher rates of drinking, smoking and mental illness.
“It’s concerning to know that the physical benefits of military service seem to be not holding as well for the younger veterans,” he said.
“This suggests the health protective benefits of military service are not what they used to be,” Hinojosa said. “I think that should cause us to really look at what’s going on among the veterans after they leave military service.”
Being aware of this emerging problem can help health care providers offset the likelihood of early onset heart disease, Hinojosa noted.
The study was recently published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine.
Spring has finally arrived and warm weather is soon to follow. Now that the change in seasons has made its way to Michigan, many of us are ready to go outside and enjoy the sun. If you are a senior, you may think that your days of outdoor adventures are over, but that is far from true. From heading out on the water to birdwatching to parties, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the outdoors during a Michigan spring.
1. Go fish
Fishing is a great way to get outdoors and into nature, and it’s a great activity to do with family, especially grandkids. You don’t need a lot of expensive equipment or experience to go fishing, just a few rods and some worms.
With so many lakes and rivers in Michigan, finding a nice spot should be no trouble at all. But if you are struggling to get the fish biting, local guidebooks and websites can help lead you to the best places.
2. Test out the waters
You don’t have to own a boat to enjoy the water all around Michigan. Head out with friends and charter a boat to explore the open waters. You can also go on ferry rides to get out on the water and see all the beautiful scenery of spring.
If boating isn’t your thing, a day at the beach might be in order. It’s still too cold in spring to do much swimming, but walking the shoreline or just sitting back and watching the waves can be a peaceful way to enjoy the water without having to get out on it.
3. Start a spring garden
What better way to welcome spring than with flowers! Gardening is a wonderful activity that was made for springtime. You can start a small outdoor garden, or revitalize your flower beds. If you struggle with bending down and getting up, then tall planters can bring the flowers to your level.
Even if gardening isn’t your thing, you can still enjoy some of the floral benefits of spring. You can go flower picking and enjoy some of the wildflowers that are beginning to bloom, or browse around local flower shops to see the spring selections.
4. Explore local walking trails
One of the best ways to get into nature is to go for a trail walk, and there are plenty of options for that in Michigan. There are paved paths so you don’t need to worry as much about falling, or there are more natural paths if you feel daring. Even walking on the sidewalks near you can be a great way to breathe in the fresh air of spring.
5. Take a day trip
Getting out doesn’t just have to mean going out in nature. Sometimes taking a day trip to a different town can be a great way to spend a spring day. Carpool with friends or family and find local amusements, outdoor shopping centers, festivals, crafts and art shows, or other local Michigan attractions and spend the day exploring a new area.
6. Head out for a picnic
A classic warm weather activity for a reason, picnics are a great way to spend a day enjoying the outdoors and having a delicious meal as well. Sandwiches, fruits, vegetables, salads, cheeses, and pastries are all great picnic foods. And all that food is best enjoyed with your family and friends, so invite them along as you find a nice park or meadow to picnic in.
7. Grab binoculars and go birdwatching
As the warm weather returns, so do the birds that had flown away from Michigan for the winter. Birdwatching allows you to get outside, but you don’t need to do a lot of physical activity, which is great for seniors who struggle with mobility. Many areas have local birdwatching groups or clubs for you to join and make new friends.
8. Try your hand at photography
If you want an outdoor activity that doesn’t require a lot of physical movement, but have decided that birdwatching isn’t your thing, then maybe photography is for you. You don’t need the newest camera on the market to start this hobby— even your phone camera is a good start for beginners. Spring is a perfect time to try and capture all the small changes happening outside as the days get warmer.
9. Host a get-together
Is there a better way to spend spring than with your family and friends? Hosting a get-together doesn’t have to be a huge event, but a small party where you and your loved ones spend time together and enjoy the spring weather can help everyone embrace the change in seasons. A garden party theme can get everyone in the mood for spring.
There are so many fun activities to welcome spring back to Michigan, and being elderly doesn’t have to slow you down. With all of these activities and more, there is no stop to the amazing ways you can get outdoors and enjoy the warm weather for a Michigan spring.
Affordable housing. Connectability. Site 36. Sustainability. Green Space. Speed limits. West 28th Street. Division Avenue. Rogers Plaza.
These were just some of the many topics that Wyoming residents discussed during the first public workshop for the City of Wyoming’s master plan process, called Wyoming [re]Imagined. The workshop took place May 2 at the community room of the KDL Wyoming branch.
“I am really pleased with the turnout,” said Nicole Hofert, principal planner for the City of Wyoming. “I am really pleased that we pulled residents from all over the city.”
Share your thoughts about what areas in the City of Wyoming you would like to see preserved or improved at wyomingreimaged.com.
The purpose of the workshop, according to Brandon Nolin, of Houseal Lavigne Associates, the consulting firm that is working with the city on the master plan, was to gather information about how residents see their community. What are the things residents want to preserve and what are the items they would like to see change?, Nolin said.
The full room included residents, business owners, and community leaders. Those who attended the workshop were asked four questions.
Wyoming Mayor Pro Tem Sam Bolt talks to City Planner Nicole Hofert during the May 2 master plan workshop.
What do you like about Wyoming?
Residents indicated they enjoyed a number of city amenities such as the senior center, library, and parks. They liked that the city is close to everything such as Grand Rapids and offers convenient transportation options. They also liked that businesses were friendly and that the government offices were approachable and did a good job, and that overall, the city was open to diversity. Also top on the list was affordable housing.
Wyoming would be better if….
As to what Wyoming could improve on was affordable housing, connecting neighbors and neighborhoods with bike paths and wider sidewalks. It could have a viable downtown area, more public spaces and needs engaging activities that are not necessarily retail-related but are more social. Also trails and bike routes that allow for alternative transportation to stores and other businesses.
The single biggest issue facing Wyoming is…
Affordable housing also topped this list along with employment and lack of good paying jobs. Site 36, a friendly downtown area, sustainable/green space, speed limits/traffic congestion, walkable communities, bike trails, and the increase in crime were discussed as well.
If I could do one thing to improve Wyoming, I would …
As to the one thing to improve many residents agreed it was Site 36. The former GM site has left a void in the city, according to several residents, with the 92-acre parcel having been vacant since 2009 when the plant was closed. The void is the lost of job opportunities for residents, said Nolin who summed up the residents feelings. Residents also felt city officials needed to think outside of the box when it comes to the site, considering such possibilities as a convention center.
Other areas that residents felt needed improvement were Rogers Plaza, Division Avenue, and affordable housing.
Get interactive by visiting wyomingreimaged.com and creating your own map of the city. There you can highlight areas you feel need to be featured in the city’s new master plan.
Hofert said the comments that residents made at the May 2 workshop reflected what many have said at various events and one-on-ones the planners and city staff have hosted. Planners and staff will continue to engage and collect input from residents for the next summer months, Hofert said. adding that she has ” a pretty packed schedule for the summer.” City staff plans to be at a number of city events such as the summer concerts series at Lamar Park, Miranda’s Park Party, and Metro Cruise to collect input from residents, she said.
Nolin said the Wyoming [re]Imagined is just in the beginning process where staff and planners are collecting information. This process takes about three months. In the fall, the team will comeback to the city with a snapshot of the community. From there, the team will then begin to draft a master plan that the city and residents will have a chance to vet before any master plan is voted on and approved, Nolin said.
Along with the community meetings, residents, business owners, and community leaders can also share their thoughts and ideas on a website dedicated to the master plan project, wyomingreimagined.com. Click on the “Get Involved” tab for the questionnaires and an interactive map that allows you to mark what you feel is important in the city and areas you would like to see improved.
Experience Grand Rapids (EXGR) invites locals to explore the Grand Rapids area during National Travel and Tourism Week from now through the 11th using EXGR resources such as Culture Pass GR and Vamonde. National Travel and Tourism Week is an annual event in the travel community put on by the U.S. Travel Association.
“National Travel and Tourism Week is when travel and tourism professionals across the country celebrate the value travel holds for the economy, businesses and personal well-being,” said Doug Small, CEO and President at Experience Grand Rapids. “During this week, we want to encourage locals to invite their family and friends to come and explore all the fun things Grand Rapids and Kent County has to offer. We also want to better educate people about the resources we have available.”
Destination marketing organizations (DMO) like EXGR have a few roles, one of them is to assist visitors, whether they are in town for leisure, convention or business travel, by providing helpful information about the area. EXGR does this through a variety of channels such as their website, social media and blogs.
For 2019, EXGR is promoting two newer initiatives to get locals out and about with their out-of-town friends and family:
Vamonde:
Vamonde is a national adventure app built for city and cultural discovery that guides visitors to the sights and stories that make travel memorable. EXGR has contributed several adventures such as Art Around the Corner, Grand Rapids Brunch Spots, Mountain Biking in GR, and more. The app is available in the Apple Store, Google Play and on desktop.
Culture Pass GR:
Culture Pass GR is a three-day pass to seven downtown cultural attractions that costs $24. The seven attractions include: Grand Rapids African American Museum & Archives, Grand Rapids Art Museum, Grand Rapids Children’s Museum, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, Grand Rapids Public Museum, John Ball Zoo and Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts. The pass also includes additional offers and discounts to several arts and culture organizations such as Broadway Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids Treetop Adventure Park, and Opera Grand Rapids.
Courtesy Opera Grand Rapids
EXGR will also be promoting different city highlights throughout the week on social media. Follow the channels for information on activities in outdoor recreation, arts and culture, music, food, craft beverages and more.
“This week also allows us to highlight the importance of travel and tourism to our local economy,” explained Small. “According to the findings from Longwoods International, visitor spending in Kent County generates over $1.3 billion. These dollars help build the tax base and go back into the businesses and resources, such as our hotels, restaurants, parks and trails, cultural attractions and more. Spending by visitors also supports local businesses, provides jobs for over 30,000 people and contributes to making life better for our community.”
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 in high gear; now Mother Nature just has to cooperate. Our coverage crew will be on the road twice this week starting with Wednesday, May 8, as Godwin Heights plays at Wyoming Lee in a conference baseball game.
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 8, boys baseball, Godwin Heights at Wyoming Lee Thursday, May 9, boys baseball, West Michigan Aviation vs Tri-Unity Christian at Pinery Park #3 Tuesday, May 14, boys baseball, Grandville at East Kentwood Wednesday, May 15, girls softball, Godwin Heights at Kelloggsville Wednesday, May 22, boys baseball, South Christian at Wyoming Friday, May 24, boys baseball, Zion Christian at Kelloggsville
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 6 Boys Golf South Christian @ East Grand Rapids – Kent Country Club East Kentwood @ Hudsonville Kelloggsville @ Wellsprings Prep – The Mines Wyoming @ East Grand Rapids – Kent Country Club Girls Softball Unity Christian @ South Christian – DH Wyoming Lee @ Godwin Heights – DH Hopkins @ Kelloggsville – DH Wyoming @ Covenant Christian – DH Boys Baseball Unity Christian @ South Christian – DH Wyoming Lee @ Godwin Heights Hopkins @ Kelloggsville Grattan Academic @ Zion Christian – DH Boys Lacrosse South Christian @ Jenison Girls Soccer South Christian @ Grand Rapids Christian Grand Haven @ East Kentwood Kelloggsville @ Godwin Heights Wyoming Lee @ Calvin Christian Wyoming @ FH Eastern Zion Christian @ Wellsprings Prep Boys / Girls Track Rockford @ East Kentwood Girls Tennis West Ottawa @ East Kentwood Kelloggsville @ Catholic Central Middleville T-K @ Wyoming
Tuesday, May 7 Girls Tennis Grant @ South Christian East Kentwood @ Grandville Holland @ Wyoming Boys Lacrosse East Kentwood @ Lowell Girls Soccer Tri-Unity Christian vs West Michigan Aviation – @ East Kentwood Freshman Campus Potter’s House @ Zion Christian Boys Baseball Zion Christian vs Tri-Unity Christian – DH @ Zion Christian Wyoming @ Christian – DH West Michigan Aviation @ Potter’s House – DH Boys Golf Zeeland West @ Wyoming – Gleneagle Boys / Girls Track Wyoming @ Wayland West Michigan Aviation – Alliance League Invitational Girls Softball Wyoming @ Christian – DH
Wednesday, May 8 Boys Golf Wyoming @ South Christian – Railside Golf Course Tri-Unity Christian @ Grand River Prep Boys / Girls Track South Christian @ Wayland Boys Baseball South Christian @ Catholic Central Loy Norrix @ East Kentwood – DH Godwin Heights @ Wyoming Lee – WKTV Featured Event Kelloggsville @ Hopkins Girls Soccer East Grand Rapids @ South Christian Caledonia @ East Kentwood Godwin Heights @ Belding Kelloggsville @ NorthPointe Christian Wyoming Lee @ Hope Academy of WM Wyoming @ Wayland Girls Softball Godwin Heights @ Wyoming Lee Kelloggsville @ Hopkins Wyoming @ West Catholic Girls Tennis Kelloggsville @ Coopersville
Thursday, May 9 Girls Tennis South Christian @ NorthPointe Christian Sparta @ Kelloggsville Wyoming @ Lowell Girls Softball Zeeland West @ South Christian – DH East Kentwood @ Rockford – DH Boys Lacrosse Lowell @ South Christian Jenison @ East Kentwood Boys Baseball West Michigan Aviation vs Tri-Unity Christian – @ Pinery Park #3 – DH – WKTV Featured Event Christian @ Wyoming Potter’s House @ Muskegon Western Michigan Christian – DH Boys / Girls Track Wyoming @ FH Eastern West Michigan Aviation @ Ravenna Girls Soccer Wellsprings Prep @ Grand River Prep
Friday, May 10 Boys / Girls Track South Christian – OK Gold Conference Meet @ Houseman Field Wyoming – OK Gold Conference Meet @ Houseman Field @ East Kentwood – OK Red Conference Meet Godwin Heights @ NorthPointe Christian – OK Silver Conference Meet Kelloggsville @ NorthPointe Christian – OK Silver Conference Meet Wyoming Lee @ Belding Girls Water Polo East Kentwood @ TBA – Districts Girls Softball East Kentwood @ Catholic Central – DH Godwin Heights vs Western Michigan Christian – @ Muskegon Catholic Central – DH Grandville @ Wyoming Girls Soccer Rockford @ East Kentwood NorthPointe Christian @ Godwin Heights Kelloggsville @ Grand River Prep Wyoming Lee @ Hopkins Fruitport Calvary Christian @ Tri-Unity Christian West Michigan Aviation @ West Catholic Boys Golf Kelloggsville – OK Silver Jamboree @ Broadmoor Country Club Boys Baseball Tri-Unity Christian @ Covenant Christian Grandville @ Wyoming
Saturday, May 11 Girls Tennis Wyoming @ South Christian – OK Gold Conference Meet @ East Kentwood – OK Red Conference Meet Kelloggsville @ Calvin Christian – OK Silver Conference Meet Boys Baseball South Christian @ Zeeland East – Zeeland East Invite East Kentwood @ Grand Ledge – DH Kelloggsville – @ Kellogg Woods – Liz Jensen Memorial Tournament Potter’s House @ Wyoming Lee – Rebel Invite West Michigan Aviation @ Zion Christian – DH Girls Softball South Christian @ Hudsonville – Milan Invite Kelloggsville – @ Kellogg Woods – Liz Jensen Memorial Tournament Catholic Central @ Wyoming Lee – Rebel Invite Girls Soccer South Christian @ Catholic Central Hopkins @ Kelloggsville Potter’s House @ Wyoming Lee – Copa Rebelde West Michigan Aviation @ Wyoming Lee – Copa Rebelde Girls Water Polo East Kentwood @ TBA – Districts Boys / Girls Track Godwin Heights – @ Lamar Park – Team 21 Fun Run Boys Golf Kelloggsville @ Hamilton – Diamond Springs
Monday, May 13 Boys Golf Holland Christian @ South Christian – Railside Golf Course Caledonia @ East Kentwood – Stonewater Golf Course Hopkins @ Wyoming – Gleneagle Girls Tennis North Muskegon @ South Christian Girls Softball FH Central @ South Christian – DH Kelloggsville @ Godwin Heights – DH Wyoming Lee @ Hopkins – DH Girls Soccer South Christian @ Middleville T-K Wyoming Lee @ Godwin Heights Hopkins @ Kelloggsville Hudsonville Hornets @ Tri-Unity Christian Boys Lacrosse South Christian @ Byron Center Boys Baseball Kelloggsville @ Godwin Heights Wyoming Lee @ Hopkins Tri-Unity Christian @ Holland Calvary – DH Covenant Christian @ Wyoming Holland Black River @ Zion Christian
Tuesday, May 14 Girls Softball South Christian @ FH Eastern – DH Grandville @ East Kentwood – DH Wyoming Lee @ East Grand Rapids Middleville T-K @ Wyoming – DH Boys Baseball South Christian @ FH Eastern – DH Grandville @ East Kentwood – DH Middleville T-K @ Wyoming – DH Potter’s House @ Kalamazoo Heritage Christian Girls Soccer FH Central @ South Christian Kenowa Hills @ East Kentwood Kelloggsville @ Wyoming West Michigan Aviation @ Grand River Prep Boys Lacrosse East Kentwood @ Jenison Girls Tennis Kelloggsville @ Muskegon Catholic Central Boys Golf Tri-Unity Christian @ Covenant Christian
Kentwood Parks and Recreation’s adaptive recreation programs — one of which is the annual Lost Limb 5K, shown here with program director Katelyn Bush talking — will benefit from the annual Vibe Gala coming later this month. (WKTV)
By City of Kentwood
All are invited to attend The Vibe, a gala benefiting Kentwood Parks and Recreation’s adaptive recreation programs, on Friday, May 17. The Vibe will highlight the City’s adaptive water sports programs, which include kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding, wake boarding and water skiing for all ages and abilities.
The celebration will take place from 6 to 10 p.m. at Stonewater Country Club, located at 7177 Kalamazoo Ave. SE in Caledonia, and include a keynote speaker, dinner, dancing and a silent auction.
“Kentwood’s adaptive recreation programs exist to provide people of all abilities a chance to recreate in a positive and safe environment,” said Katelyn Bush, recreation program coordinator. “We take pride in planning and implementing quality recreation and enrichment programs that empower all members in our community and encourage health, wellness, positive socialization and overall an excellent quality of life.”
The evening will feature keynote speaker Josh George, a six-time Paralympic world champion and world record holder. At the age of four, George traded in walking for rolling after falling from a twelve-story window onto concrete. For more information on George, visit here.
The Vibe keynote speaker Josh George, a six-time Paralympic world champion and world record holder. (Courtesy/Josh George’s website)
George’s enthusiasm and beliefs possess a contagious energy that has helped people build confidence and have made him a highly sought-after motivational speaker.
George has explored the realm of adapted athletics, participating in everything from basketball to track and field, archery, table tennis and swimming. Basketball and racing quickly became his stand-out sports and, along the way, he has become a sought-after motivational speaker, as well as an entrepreneur. In his journey, George spreads the message of inclusivity, maximizing your potential and, above all else, the idea that we must keep moving fast.
“We are so honored to have Josh George provide the keynote at this year’s event,” said Val Romeo, Kentwood Parks and Recreation director. “We welcome the community to join us to hear his remarkable story and learn how inclusive recreational opportunities can really make a difference in people’s lives.”
Tickets for the semi-formal event are $100 per person and can be purchased online at kentwoodvibe.com or by calling 616-656-5270. Tickets must be purchased in advance by Friday, May 10.
Modern computers in the Godfrey-Lee Public School’s Early Childhood Center, but quality, modern books are just as important. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
By K.D. Norris ken@wktv.org
While there are rows of modern computers in the Godfrey-Lee Public School’s Early Childhood Center, a recent event celebrated an older means of early childhood education that is always of great value — putting quality, modern books in the hands of young readers, both in school and to take home.
Godfrey-Lee Public School Board of Education member Dave Blok reads with a student at the event. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
At what was billed as “a celebration of literacy” April 24, at the Early Childhood Center in Wyoming, district Superintendent Kevin Polston detailed how the district gained $30,000 in grant funds to purchase books as he addressed a group of invited guests and staff, a discussion followed the group joining some of the young users of the new books for a little reading time.
“Literacy is important across the board, whether we are talking about it in the traditional sense — writing, speaking, listening — or technology literacy,” Polsten said to WKTV. “In the media center, this is hub of our school. It serves as ways to access information, whether is it via a computer or via a traditional, tangible book.
“You just really can’t replace putting a book in a kid’s hands,” Polston continued. “There is something special about touching, feeling, seeing the pictures, and engaging with the book. We know there is value to that.”
Dorothy VanderJagt, High Impact Leadership (H.I.L.) Grant program coordinator, reads with a student. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
Last year Godfrey-Lee was accepted into the High Impact Leadership (H.I.L.) Grant program facilitated by Western Michigan University in partnership with the Reading Now Network, according to supplied information. One of the recommendations for improving literacy was to increase the amount of books students have access to in classrooms and media centers.
Upon learning of this recommendation, The Guido A. and Elizabeth H. Binda Foundation issued a $30,000 challenge grant to Godfrey-Lee to assist in making progress on the recommendation.
“Generous individual donors matched the $15,000 Binda gift to meet the $30,000 goal in just a few short months,” Polston said.
At the recent event, it was explained that the books purchase were mostly non-fiction, because it is important to keep up-to-date information in the students hands, and that they were high quality books which would last longer than the 1-to–2 year lifespan of more “mass-market” books — the district actually made the conscience decision to buy fewer books of higher quality than they could have bought of lesser quality books.
And that decision was wholeheartedly supported by one visitor, longtime local educator Dr. Vern Boss, who with his wife, Norma, and family were honored guests at the event.
Dr. Vern Boss, who with his wife, Norma, and family were honored guests at the event, reads with a student. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
Boss, who was a former superintendent at Grandville Public Schools and Kent ISD, said to WKTV that the educational value of books has not changed over the years and “it is so much better if you can maintain a quality book.”
The Binda gift was actually given in honor of Boss, Polston said. The matching funds were from an anonymous donor or donors.
The books will be shelved not only in the Early Childhood Center but also in the district’s Godfrey elementary school — reaching not only a large community of low income and minority children not only in need of the tools of learning but deserving the tools.
“Our kids deserve the best,” Polston said to the audience at one point. “… it is about investing in our kids.”
For a video of the event produced by Lee High School students, visit here.
How can a student arrive in the U.S. speaking no English, with little formal education, and graduate from high school in just a few short years?
“Magic,” said Roufai Tagba, a refugee from Togo, who started attending East Kentwood High School in 2016 after a six-month journey from his native country.
Tagba left behind violence and famine in Africa, where he lost his parents, to start anew in the U.S. He spoke no English and was overwhelmed with uncertainty, to say the least. He didn’t believe he could learn in English. “I don’t know how to start,” he said about beginning high school at East Kentwood.
Staff and students in the English-language learner program embraced Tagba, as they do the many other immigrants and refugee students who attend East Kentwood. It wasn’t long before he was learning English – and passing math, social studies and science.
“EK is like magic,” Tagba said again, shaking his head and smiling. “I started loving to learn, I started being happy when I’m learning and I started to be able to say something and make sense in English.”
Tagba, 19, is finishing up credits required under the Michigan Merit Curriculum while attending school during the day and working second shift at Steelcase. He is graduating May 23 and hopes to become trained as a flight attendant, a profession in which he could use the six languages he speaks.
“I cannot wait to have my diploma,” he said. “It’s like I’m dreaming, to see myself graduate.”
He gives advice to others who face situations like his own: “If you want a great life, a special life, if you want to speak English fast, come to EK. They have everything to help you.”
Roufai Tagba talks about starting school at East Kentwood speaking no English and with little formal education. He graduates this month
For Some, It Takes Longer
East Kentwood administrators see many students like Tagba cross the stage at graduation, students who have overcome huge odds to earn a high school diploma. Sometimes it takes them a bit longer and they’re a couple years older than their peers.
Many English-language learner students, who make up 23 percent of EK’s enrollment, arrived with spotty or nonexistent formal educational. Often they need a fifth and even sixth year in high school to earn their diplomas. (For most situations, students cannot enroll in a traditional high school if they turned 20 years old before Sept. 1 of a school year.)
Districts including Kentwood, Grand Rapids and Wyoming face distinct challenges in their four-year grad rates, partly because of their large immigrant/ELL populations. But they are making progress under the radar.
“Our goal isn’t to hurry up and get them through.” said East Kentwood Principal Omar Bakri.
“Our goal is to make sure they have what’s necessary to make it to the next level. Sometimes it takes five or six years and that’s OK.”
Evan Hordyk, Kentwood Public Schools executive director for secondary education, said students working for five or six years rather than dropping out shows they understand the importance of a high school diploma.
“It also shows that they value what they have here at EK and what we are providing for them,” he said.
Roufai Tagba chats with East Kentwood Principal Omar Bakri
No One-Size-Fits All Deadline
The district has seen improvements in graduation rates overall, with the four-year rate for all East Kentwood students increasing from 83 percent in 2014 to 88 percent in 2018, according to MI School Data. But after factoring in fifth- and sixth-year graduates, that rate increases to 92.15 and 92.7 percent, respectively.
Looking closer at data, improvements by demographic groups are also clear:
The four-year graduation rate for African-American students and white students is 92 and 91 percent, respectively. Both of those groups have seen increases over the past five years, with the African-American four-year rate increasing by seven percent.
In that same five-year period, the four-year graduation rate for Hispanic students has increased from 59 to 79 percent, while the Hispanic dropout rate has dropped by two-thirds from 18 to 6 percent.
The four-year rate for economically disadvantaged students has increased from 76 to 85 percent.
The most dramatic improvement is among ELL students, like Tagba. The four-year rate for ELL students at East Kentwood has risen from 69 to 74 percent over the past five years, with even greater increases in the five- and six-year graduation rates (see chart).
Bakri said many of the students are refugees, have faced war, extreme poverty, food insecurity and unstable living conditions. But, at EK, they feel comfortable quickly and are with students who have similar circumstances.
“One of the great benefits of having the most diverse high school in Michigan is they don’t stand out in a negative way,” Bakri said. “They look like everyone else; they blend in, which is a good thing.”
The Newcomers program at Union High School teaches English and other basics to newly arrived immigrant and refugee students
Trend Seen Elsewhere
The trend of ELL students graduating at higher rates, especially as fifth-year students, is also evident at Grand Rapids and Wyoming Public Schools.
In GRPS, where 25 percent of students are English-language learners, the four-year graduation rate for ELL students has increased dramatically, from 37.8 percent in 2014 to 63.8 percent in 2018, and the five-year rate is 77 percent. African-American, Latino and low-income students have also made sharp gains. Overall, four-year graduation rates have increased from 49.6 percent in 2014 to 71.15 percent in 2018, including 98.85 percent at City High/Middle, 90.71 percent at Innovation Central, 70.49 percent at Ottawa Hills and 81.87 percent at Union.
The district has done many things to boost those numbers, from more closely tracking students’ academic progress to emphasizing the importance of graduating in four years, said Ron Gorman, assistant superintendent of pre-K-12 instructional support. But when it comes to English-language learners, for many, graduating in four years isn’t realistic, he said.
For more stories on local schools, visit the School News Network website, schoolnewsnetwork.org.
Most parents don’t want to think that their own parenting practices are contributing to issues of bullying in the lives of their kids. In her book Bullied: What Every Parent, Teacher and Kid Needs to Know About Ending the Cycle of Fear, author Carrie Goldman draws from the work of several scholars and shares information on parenting practices that can help prevent bullying – as well as those that can actually foster bullying behaviors.
Goldman cautions parents to be mindful of the ways that they may inadvertently put pressure on their children to be “popular” or to be liked by other kids, which can put kids at risk for being involved with bullying.
For example, if we have a habit of judging others (or ourselves) based on appearance (saying for example, “She has put on so much weight and is getting really fat!”), we model for children that being disrespectful and judging others based on their appearance is okay. One of the reasons this is so critical is that children in one comprehensive study said that physical appearance is the number one reason kids get bullied or called names.
Children take in verbal and non-verbal messages (for good or for ill) from their parents and other adults around them. These messages too often make young people feel pressured to “fit in” in ways that are not healthy to their overall identities around physical appearance, gender, skin color, sexuality and other aspects of themselves. Feeling pressured to fit in at all costs can lead youth (and adults) to participate in unhealthy relationships – or go along with the crowd in the face of hurtful, mean-spirited behaviors.
When kids are the target of bullying behaviors, they may feel shame, assume it’s their fault, blame themselves or internalize the damaging messages. Parents, families and adults in kids’ lives have important roles to play in helping kids develop resiliency by understanding the difference between fitting in and belonging.
Another way parents can foster resilient kids in the face of bullying is to practice what researcher and educator, Brené Brown calls “wholehearted parenting.” Dr. Brown’s research on shame, vulnerability and courage illuminates several ways that parents can engage in wholehearted parenting with a focus on raising children who move through the world with courage and resiliency in the face of bullying and other challenging situations.
Goldman encourages parents to take issues of bullying seriously and resist the urge to label or dismiss their kid’s concerns as childhood “drama.” She urges parents to be present with their children by asking them open-ended questions, allowing them to talk, listening deeply and encouraging discussion about mutually acceptable solutions.
Michigan State University Extension provides opportunities for parents, youth workers and other adults to learn more about issues of bullying and ways to create safe, affirming and fair environments with and on behalf of young people. For more information, check out a new initiative called Be SAFE: Safe, Affirming and Fair Environments.
This year’s Older Michiganians Day will be held on May 15, 2019. Michigan’s senior advocates and allies will rally on the lawn of the Capital in Lansing to let legislators know their positions on issues that affect older adults in Michigan.
This is the 11th year of Older Michiganians Day and all seniors interested are encouraged to attend. If you’ve never been involved in advocacy before, Older Michiganians Day is a great way to begin. This year’s platform focuses on four areas to improve services for older adults in the state of Michigan: Rebalancing Medicaid Long Term Care, Support AAASA In-home Services, Support the Direct Care Workforce, and Promote a Dementia Capable Michigan.
The MI Choice Medicaid Waiver Program helps Michigan’s older adults by providing the services necessary to live in their own homes and communities. Costing less than half of what a Medicaid-funded nursing facility costs, MI Choice saves taxpayers’ money, yet only 40% of the state’s Medicaid long-term supports and services (LTSS) budget goes to funding MI Choice and other Home and Community Based Services (HCBS). The national average for funding HCBS programs is 57%. Senior advocates are requesting an increase in the percentage of Medicaid LTSS funds allocated to MI Choice, as well as the ongoing preservation and protection of this important program.
Advocates support the Silver Key Coalition’s request for a $6,000,000 in the Aging and Adult Services budget for 2020. There are currently 6,247 seniors waiting for in-home services, like homemaker services, home delivered meals, care management services, and personal care. Research shows that seniors who receive these services are five times less likely to have been in a nursing home than those who stayed on a wait list. Reducing the wait list times by increasing funding for services will help more seniors remain independent.
Every day, there are professional caregivers going into the homes of older adults to perform all of the tasks that keep them safe, healthy and in their own homes. The wages earned for providing these vital services averages about $9.50/hour, while wages in other service industries like retail and restaurants are increasing to $13.00/hour, making it difficult for agencies to hire and keep enough workers to provide care. Advocates support policies that recruit, train and provide adequate wages, raise the Medicaid cap, include direct care services in Medicaid contracts and call for the inclusion of direct care workers in MI talent development initiatives.
Approximately a half million families in Michigan are caring for a loved one with dementia. Advocates at Older Michiganians Day will be letting legislators know they support a Dementia Capable Michigan in which dementia education, services and policies are enacted that recognize dementia as a public health priority.
Older Michigangians Day is an opportunity for Michigan seniors to speak with a united voice about the issues that directly affect them. It is also an opportunity to meet new people and enjoy a beautiful day in our State’s capitol. Call Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan to register at (616) 222-7042. While the event is free, your ticket provides you with a complimentary lunch. If you live in the Grand Rapids area, you can also ask about transportation to Older Michiganians Day. Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan is chartering buses to Lansing. Seats are limited and will be available on a first come-first served basis.
It’s the first weekend in May which means the 6th annual Metro Cruise Dust-Off is finally here! The annual start to the summer car shows, the event takes place Saturday, May 4, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Moose Lodge, 2630 Burlingame Ave. SW. Contestants for the annual Miss Metro Cruise will be on hand as well. Those interested in participating in Miss Metro Cruise have until noon Saturday, May 4. For more information on the Dust-Off or the Miss Metro Cruise contest, visit 28thstreetmetrocruise.com.
City of Kentwood will have its Community Clean-Up Saturday, May 4. (WKTV)
Kentwood’s Time to Purge
Kentwood residents wanting to “spring clean” their homes and yards may bring general debris, gently used items for donation, household hazardous materials and electronic devices to the Kentwood Recycling Center, located at 5068 Breton Ave. SE. The hours are 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Salvation Army will be on hand to accept gently used items for donations and the Kent County Department of Public Works will accept household hazardous waste items. Comprenew will also be present to recycle electronic waste, such as mobile telephones, computers and fax machines. For more information, visit kentwood.us.
Kentwood and Kelloggsville voters head to the polls on Tuesday.
Your Vote Counts
On Tuesday, May 7, both the Kentwood Public Schools and the Kelloggsville Public Schools will be seeking renewals for operating millages. Kentwood Public School voters are being asked to renew the current 10-year operating millage, an assessment of 18 mills on non-homestead properties. The millage would be renewed through 2029. Kelloggsville voters are being asked to renew its current operating millage, an assessment of 17 mills on non-homestead properties and to increase that millage by .5 or 50 cents per $1,000 taxable valuation. The millage proposal is for two years. With the change in election laws, residents can not request an absentee ballot with no reason. See you local clerk’s office for more information.
Fun fact:
83,700,000 cubic feet
That is how much snow on average that the Gerald R. Ford International Airport removes during the winter. That is enough to fill 20,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools! The Ford Airport was recently recognized for outstanding efforts in battling the elements by the International Aviation Snow Symposium. (Source.)
Although spring may seem like it’s been a long time coming, it is finally here. One of the things that comes along with spring is the feeling we have to declutter, clean our homes and clear out the garage. That’s right—spring cleaning.
Spring cleaning gives us a chance to start the year with a fresh mindset. Seniors are no exception, but as they age it gets harder and harder to manage a full house cleaning on their own. Here are five ways in which you can help your senior loved one with their spring cleaning while still encouraging their independence.
Plan for a Full Day
Cleaning always takes a little bit longer than you think it should. You probably notice this working on your own chores, and helping someone who moves a bit slower is going to add a few more hours to a cleaning process. Picking a day well in advance gives everyone who will be involved the chance to prepare and get ready ahead of time.
Planning ahead also gives you plenty of time to gather supplies. Things like boxes for packing things in as you declutter and extra cleaning products for deep cleaning may take a bit more time to buy and gather. You want to make sure you don’t need to halt cleaning and run to the store on the big day.
Ask Others to Help You
Don’t take on an entire project by yourself! Enlist the help of some other family and friends to help you and your aging family member. You can break down tasks so everyone has something to do that fits their skill set and ability. The whole day can go by much faster with extra hands. Even having someone stop by for a few hours can make a big difference.
While many people are going to be happy to help out, you can always consider offering snacks and dinner as incentives. Sometimes people are much more agreeable when there is a promise of a meal to follow.
Make a Checklist
Planning ahead by making a list can help you as you prepare for the big cleaning day. You won’t have to worry about forgetting certain chores or leaving something out that you meant to do when you have a solid plan of attack.
Take your loved one and go through the entire home and write down exactly what you want to get done and how you want to do it. Writing it all down will help you remember exactly what you want to tackle and it allows you to organize your day more efficiently. We’ll get you started with some of the big ones in the next section.
Go Room to Room
As you go around, plan out your cleaning room-by-room to ensure you stay organized and see everything that you want to accomplish. In each room take note of what needs to be done, such as:
In the Kitchen
Empty out the fridge
Clean surfaces
Clean the oven and range
Clean appliances like the dishwasher and microwave.
Reorganize drawers and pantry
Sanitize cutting boards and knives
Eliminate unnecessary dishes and small appliances
In the Bathroom
Scrub out shower
Empty cabinets
Disinfect countertops
Deep clean the toilet
Clean exhaust fan
Clean the floors
Go through medicines and make sure all prescriptions are up to date
In the Bedrooms
Flip the mattress
Dust thoroughly
Polish wood furniture
Organize clothes and switch out seasonal clothing
Clean under the bed
Sort out closets and drawers
Wash all linens
In the Living Room and Family Areas
Clean dust off of ceilings
Vacuum or wash furniture
Air out rugs
Dust fans, lamps, bookshelves, and pictures
Disinfect door knobs and light switches
Shampoo carpets
Declutter knick-knacks and decorations
Keep Your Loved One Involved
Don’t have your loved one just sit on the sidelines while you do all the work. Find tasks they can do to help out and allow them to be a part of the cleaning process with you. Simply informing them of what you do as you go along is a major way to keep them invested.
Ask your family member before making big changes, like moving furniture and reorganizing closets. If you plan on donating or selling some things to help declutter, make sure to check in with them before you make decisions. Including your loved one lets them know that you respect their wishes and appreciate their help.
Spring cleaning is a yearly tradition that allows people to start the year feeling refreshed and clean. You can help your elderly family member by lending a hand and helping them out as we all begin to enjoy the spring weather.
What comes to mind for you when you hear the word self-compassion? For many, words like self-pity, self-centered and self-indulgent are quickly associated. People often think that self-compassion is about letting ourselves off the hook or making excuses for our mistakes and shortcomings. These are common misconceptions according to Kristin Neff, Ph.D., associate professor at the University of Texas and pioneering researcher in the area of self-compassion.
According to Neff, self-compassion is about asking ourselves what we need and offering comfort and care during times of stress, pain and difficulties. She states that self-compassion is actually a motivator that helps people move toward overall health and well-being for themselves. For example, an increasing body of research suggests that self-compassion reduces anxiety and depression—and enables people to suffer less while also helping them to thrive.
Too often we get in our own way when it comes to self-compassion. Many of us have learned inaccurate information through a steady stream of dominant culture and societal messages, and we have come to believe that self-compassion is not a quality we should practice. Neff shares five common myths about self-compassion:
“Self-compassion is a form of self-pity.” While this is a common misperception of self-compassion, research shows quite the contrary. People who get stuck in “isn’t it awful” thinking, self-pity and feeling sorry for themselves are actually less likely to be self-compassionate. People who are more self-compassionate are better able to take life’s difficulties as they come, move through them with more ease and grace and keep things in perspective.
“Self-compassion means weakness.” When we come face-to-face with our mistakes, faults and failings, it’s very common for our shame to get triggered which makes us feel exposed and vulnerable. And when we’re unaware that our shame has been triggered, we may try to protect ourselves from painful feelings by shutting down, acting tough or acting aggressively toward ourselves and others. Far from being a weakness, researchers are finding that self-compassion is one of the most important aspects of coping, resilience and mental health as we move through the inevitable complexities and messiness of life.
“Self-compassion will make me complacent.” Many believe that judgement and harsh criticism for self and others is the best way to motivate people and that self-compassion will make us lazy, unmotivated and indifferent. What research actually shows is that fear-based self-criticism leads to a fear of failure, lack of confidence and depression. While self-criticism kills motivation, self-compassion motivates us to be more proactive, take risks and achieve emotional well-being and contentment in our lives.
“Self-compassion is narcissistic.” This myth stems largely from confusion about the difference between self-esteem and self-compassion. Many of us have heard about the importance of helping youth and adults develop self-esteem. And while there is general consensus that self-esteem is positive, research shows that the focus on helping people “feel good about themselves” sometimes comes at a high cost. For example, the emphasis on developing self-esteem is linked to self-criticism, self-judging, self-evaluating, perfectionism and comparing oneself to others. For some, having high self-esteem means feeling superior, above average and better than others and is linked to bullying behaviors such as putting others down as a way of trying to feel better about oneself. Self-compassion is different. Self-compassion honors the fact that we all have strengths and weaknesses and recognizes that our successes and failures do not define who we are. Self-compassion also encourages us to see ourselves as interconnected to a common web of shared humanity while extending to ourselves the same respect, understanding, kindness and care that we would to a beloved friend or loved one.
“Self-compassion is selfish.” For many people, especially women, our concept of self is closely tied to taking responsibility for everyone else’s physical and emotional needs. When we have been taught that we are supposed to take care of others at all costs, we may feel that being self-compassionate is the same as being selfish. According to Neff, a growing body of research shows that being self-compassionate and taking good care of ourselves helps us to sustain our capacity for generosity and service to others while not becoming burned out, angry or resentful.
Practicing self-compassion helps us to accept our own humanness and imperfections with kindness and increases people’s motivation to learn, to change for the better and to avoid repeating past mistakes. It also helps people feel less isolated and helps them keep their problems in perspective. Self-compassion has been shown to reduce anxiety and depression and lead to greater emotional balance and resilience in the face of struggles and challenges. If you’re interested in finding out how self-compassionate you are, you can use Kristen Neff’s self-compassion scale.
Grand Rapids Ballet—Michigan’s only professional ballet company—presents the highly anticipated return of its 2017 sold-out smash hit, Alice in Wonderland, May 3-5 and 10-11 at Peter Martin Wege Theatre.
Revue Magazine called it “a modern masterpiece!”
This exciting family-friendly show features the choreography of Grand Rapids Ballet favorite, Brian Enos, the artistic director of The Big Muddy Dance Company in St. Louis, Missouri. While known locally as a contemporary choreographer, Brian is just as talented at choreographing classical ballet. As Hedy Weiss of Chicago Sun-Times said, Brian’s work is “alternately sexy, playful, absurd, and quirkily exotic.”
The magical world and colorful characters are imagined by Argentinian visual artist, Luis Grané, best known for his award-winning illustration work on such major motion pictures as The Box Trolls, The Matrix, Hotel Transylvania, and Ratatouille. The ballet story will stay true to the beloved novel Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll originally published in 1865.
Evening and matinee performances will take place over two weekends:
Friday, May 3 at 7:30pm
Saturday, May 4 at 7:30 pm
Sunday, May 5 at 2pm
Friday, May 10 at 7:30pm
Saturday, May 11 at 7:30pm
Tickets are available on Ticketmaster, grballet.com, 616.454.4771 x 10, or at the box office at 341 Ellsworth Avenue SW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503.
Celebrating its 47th anniversary this season, Grand Rapids Ballet—Michigan’s only professional ballet company—is committed to lifting the human spirit through the art of dance under the current leadership of James Sofranko as artistic director, Glenn Del Vecchio as executive director, and Attila Mosolygo as director of Grand Rapids Ballet School and its Junior Company.
A proud recipient of the ArtServe Michigan Governor’s Arts Award for Outstanding Cultural Organization, Grand Rapids Ballet has a rich history marked by steady growth, a commitment to excellence, and strong community support.
Keep up with us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, and visit grballet.com today.
Kellye Howard (photo by Mike Jue, Mike Jue Photography)
By Sandi Weindling, Journeyman Distillery
Journeyman Distillery’s Maxwell Tidey is looking to build on December’s sold-out Comedy on the Rocks premier with a May lineup that’s sure to slay.
Tidey has pursued his passion for comedy, producing local shows and working at the Drop Comedy Club in South Bend. A part-time server at Journeyman’s Staymaker Restaurant, he brought the idea of a comedy show to owners, Johanna and Bill Welter.
“We were open to giving it a try, but no question, Max’s enthusiasm is what made it a success,” the Welters agreed. “His energy is contagious… and persuasive,” said Johanna.
Tidey will reprise his role as host and producer of Comedy on the Rocks, importing top Chicago talent to Journeyman’s Still Room.
Comedy on the Rocks featured performer, Adam Gilbert of Fort Wayne, IN, has opened for the likes of writer/comedian Brian Posehn and said that he is, “pretty great on road trips.”
Gilbert opens for headliner Kellye Howard. Named Chicago’s “boldest” comedian by the Chicago Sun-Times, Howard takes inspiration from her experiences as a mother, daughter, wife, and woman. She was recently featured at the Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal and has been seen on Comedy Central, Last Comic Standing, FOX Laughs, and more. In her “spare” time she hosts the weekly podcast series Be Less Petty. Standup returns to Journeyman Distillery at 8:00pm ET on May 10th.
Admission is $20 per person and includes one complimentary beverage. Space is limited. Tickets are available online at journeymandistillery.com/calendar and on Eventbrite. For more information phone 269-820-2050.
Founded in 2010, Journeyman Distillery crafts, bottles, and serves organic and kosher-certified spirits at the historic Featherbone Factory in Three Oaks, Michigan. The distillery prides itself on using the highest quality grains sourced from Midwestern organic farmers in its award-winning spirits as well as at its Staymaker restaurant. Journeyman spirits are distributed in eleven states across the country and available for purchase direct from the distillery. Learn more and find your spirit at journeymandistillery.com.
WKTV offers on-demand viewing of the Wyoming and Kentwood high school sports, community events, and government meetings. (WKTV)
Mike Moll, WKTV Volunteer Sports Director sports@wktv.org
May is the last full month of high school sports schedules as the spring seasons along with the academic year are quickly ending.
Many high school graduations will be this month and we wish all students the very best as they take that next step in life, and for the student athletes that we have had the opportunity to cover and watch over the course of your high school careers, thank you.
There are many state tournaments beginning near the end of the month including state championships in girls tennis on the final day.
Take advantage of these last opportunities to watch in person, but then also catch the games that WKTV will be rebroadcasting on cable television as well as on-demand. The tentative schedule of WKTV featured game are as follows:
Wednesday, May 8, boys baseball, Godwin Heights at Wyoming Lee Thursday, May 9, boys baseball, West Michigan Aviation vs Tri-Unity Christian at Pinery Park #3 Tuesday, May 14, boys baseball, Grandville at East Kentwood Wednesday, May 15, girls softball, Godwin Heights at Kelloggsville Wednesday, May 22, boys baseball, South Christian at Wyoming Friday, May 24, boys baseball, Zion Christian at Kelloggsville
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:
Thursday, May 2 Boys / Girls Track South Christian vs FH Eastern @ West Catholic Girls Tennis South Christian @ Holland Christian West Catholic @ Kelloggsville Sparta @ Wyoming Girls Softball South Christian @ Zeeland East – DH East Kentwood @ Grandville East Grand Rapids @ Godwin Heights – DH Wyoming @ Kelloggsville Union @ Wyoming Lee – DH Boys Baseball South Christian @ Middleville T-K Hudsonville @ East Kentwood Tri-Unity Christian @ Barry County Christian West Michigan Aviation @ Covenant Christian – DH Boys Lacrosse Kenowa Hills @ South Christian East Kentwood @ Northview Boys Golf East Kentwood @ FH Central – Ranger Invite – The Meadows Wyoming @ Kenowa Hills – Graewil Girls Soccer East Kentwood @ Grandville Tri-Unity Christian @ Wellsprings Prep West Michigan Aviation @ Holland Black River
Friday, May 3 Boys / Girls Track East Kentwood @ Traverse City – Ken Bell Meet Godwin Heights @ Kalamazoo Central Girls Water Polo East Kentwood @ Rockford Girls Softball West Ottawa @ East Kentwood Boys Lacrosse Comstock Park @ East Kentwood Girls Tennis Kelloggsville @ Cedar Springs Girls Soccer Belding @ Wyoming Lee Wayland @ Wyoming West Michigan Aviation @ Fruitport Calvary
Saturday, May 4 Boys / Girls Track South Christian @ East Grand Rapids – EGR Classic Wyoming @ East Grand Rapids – EGR Classic Kelloggsville @ Hopkins – Vikings Invitational Wyoming Lee @ Hopkins – Vikings Invitational West Michigan Aviation @ Hopkins – Vikings Invitational Girls Water Polo East Kentwood @ Rockford Girls Softball East Kentwood @ Northview – Northview Invite Kelloggsville @ East Grand Rapids Girls Tennis East Kentwood @ Jenison Boys Baseball Kelloggsvillle @ Wayland Grand Rapids Crusaders @ Wyoming Lee – DH Wyoming @ Union – DH Heritage Christian Academy @ Zion Christian Girls Soccer Kelloggsville @ Comstock Park – Kristen Stowie Memorial Invite Tri-Unity Christian @ Comstock Park – Kristen Sowie Memorial Invite Zion Christian @ Barry County Christian Boys Golf Tri-Unity Christian – Christian Schools Invitational @ Chase Hammond Country Club
Monday, May 6 Boys Golf South Christian @ East Grand Rapids – Kent Country Club East Kentwood @ Hudsonville Kelloggsville @ Wellsprings Prep – The Mines Wyoming @ East Grand Rapids – Kent Country Club Girls Softball Unity Christian @ South Christian – DH Wyoming Lee @ Godwin Heights – DH Hopkins @ Kelloggsville – DH Wyoming @ Covenant Christian – DH Boys Baseball Unity Christian @ South Christian – DH Wyoming Lee @ Godwin Heights Hopkins @ Kelloggsville Grattan Academic @ Zion Christian – DH Boys Lacrosse South Christian @ Jenison Girls Soccer South Christian @ Grand Rapids Christian Grand Haven @ East Kentwood Kelloggsville @ Godwin Heights Wyoming Lee @ Calvin Christian Wyoming @ FH Eastern Zion Christian @ Wellsprings Prep Boys / Girls Track Rockford @ East Kentwood Girls Tennis West Ottawa @ East Kentwood Kelloggsville @ Catholic Central Middleville T-K @ Wyoming
Saturday’s weather is predicted to be a nice 67 degrees, a perfect day to bring those classic cars out of storage.
The Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce will be hosting its 6th Annual 28th Street Metro Cruise Dust Off Saturday, May 4, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Moose Lodge, 2630 Burlingame Ave. SW. It is the first official event of the 15th annual Metro Cruise, which this year will take place on Aug. 23 and 24.
The annual Dust-Off has become a tradition and a kick-off to the summer car shows with car owners finally being able to show off what has been stored under those tarps.
The event, according to Bob O’Callaghan, president/CEO of the Chamber, usually brings in a 100 to 150 cars, depending on the weather. The first 50 collector car owners to the Dust-Off will receive a free Dust-Off shirt, which has become a collector’s item.
This year’s Dust-Off also will featured contestants for the Miss Metro Cruise contest (formerly the Pin Up Girl contest.) The annual contest features women dressing in eras from the 1920s, 1960s, to modern-day in full hair, makeup, and costume to present their best rockability look. Miss Metro Cruise has become a popular facet to the Metro Cruise program, according O’Callgahan.
“We are always pleased to see how the women take their time to showcase their professional and classy self-expressions,” he said. “It is a true artistry they present and has become a staple in the event.”
Deadline to submit for the Miss Metro Cruise contest is Saturday, May 4, at noon. Contestants must submit a headshot along with a full body shot at the time of entry. Entrants must be 18 years of age or older. To enter, visit 28thstreetmetrocruise.com/2019MissMetroCruise.
Currently there is about 30 participants all ready registered for the contest. Participants will attend the preliminary contest set for July 13 at 110:30 a.m. at the Wyoming Moose Lodge #736 located at 2630 Burlingame Ave. SW. They will be competing for an opportunity to win a spot within the top 10 finalists. Each finalist will receive a personalized trading cards and appear on the 28th Street Metro Cruise Contest main stage on Saturday, Aug. 24, for a change to be named Miss Metro Cruise 2019. The top three finalists will receive a cash prize.
