All posts by Joanne

Featured WKTV high school sports coverage includes boys basketball, hockey

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Education, Kentwood Public Schools, Sports
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

Only one more week before the boys basketball playoffs start, but WKTV’s featured high school sports contests this week include a boys basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 19, with Belding at Wyoming Lee as well as a Friday, Feb. 22, boys hockey contest with Grand Rapids Christian at East Kentwood.

Later in the month and in early March, WKTV plans to send it coverage crew to boys basket district playoff sites for games that have our schools playing in.

Starting Monday, Feb. 25 and continuing Wednesday, Feb. 27, with finals on Friday, Feb. 27, local possibilities include the Division 1 district group at East Kentwood and/or the Division 2 district group at South Christian.

Starting Monday, March 4, and continuing Wednesday, March 6, with finals Friday, March 8, local teams will be playing in the Division 1 district group at East Grand Rapids and the Division 2 district group at Grand Rapids Christian.

In addition our featured games — where our sports crew and remote coverage truck will be on hand — we also have a weekly list of all local sporting contests for local fans to get out and enjoy in person — including state-level completions in bowling, swimming and competitive cheer.

 
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.

For complete schedules of programs on WKTV channels, see our Weekly On-air Schedule.

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, Feb. 18
Boys Basketball
Godwin Heights @ Kelloggsville
Girls Basketball
Godwin Heights @ Kelloggsville
Boys/Girls Bowling
Kelloggsville @ Hopkins
Tri-Unity Christian @ Wellsprings Prep

Tuesday, Feb. 19
Boys Basketball
Grandville @ East Kentwood
Calvin Christian @ Kelloggsville
East Grand Rapids @ Wyoming – Senior Night
Belding @ Wyoming Lee – WKTV Featured Event
Fennville @ Tri-Unity Christian
Holland Black River @ Zion Christian
Holland Calvary @ West Michigan Aviation
WMAES @ West Michigan Lutheran
Fruitport Calvary Christian @ Grand River Prep
Wayland @ South Christian
Girls Basketball
East Kentwood @ Grandville
Kelloggsville @ Calvin Christian
Wyoming @ East Grand Rapids
Wyoming Lee @ West Michigan Aviation
Fennville @ Tri-Unity Christian
Holland Black River @ Zion Christian
Martin @ Potter’s House
WMAES @ West Michigan Lutheran
Fruitport Calvary Christian @ Grand River Prep
South Christian @ Wayland
Boys/Girls Bowling
Kelloggsville @ Godwin Heights
Potter’s House @ Wyoming Lee

Wednesday, Feb. 20
Boys Hockey
East Kentwood @ FH Northern
Girls Basketball
Godwin Heights @ Benton Harbor
South Christian @ Hudsonville

Thursday, Feb. 21
Boys Swimming
East Kentwood @ Hudsonville – Diving Prelims
Boys Basketball
Tri-Unity Christian @ West Michigan Aviation
West Michigan Lutheran @ Battle Creek Academy
Girls Basketball
Tri-Unity Christian @ West Michigan Aviation
Potter’s House @ NorthPointe Christian

Friday, Feb. 22
Boys/Girls Bowling
@ Jenison – Fairlanes Bowling Center – Division 1 MHSAA Team Regionals
@ Vicksburg – Continental Lanes – Division 2 MHSAA Team Regionals
@ Catholic Central – Park Center Lanes – Division 3 MHSAA Team Regionals
@ Lake Odessa Lakewood – M-66 Bowl – Division 3 MHSAA Team Regionals
@ Holton – Sherman Bowling Center – Division 4 MHSAA Team Regionals
Boys Swimming
East Kentwood @ Hudsonville – Swimming Prelims
South Christian @ Hastings
Boys Basketball
Grand Haven @ East Kentwood
Calvin Christian @ Godwin Heights
Kelloggsville @ Covenant Christian
Wyoming @ Middleville T-K
Wyoming Lee @ NorthPointe Christian
Tri-Unity Christian @ Muskegon Oakridge
Calhoun Christian @ Zion Christian
Potter’s House @ Lansing Christian
Sparta @ Grand River Prep
South Christian @ FH Eastern
Girls Basketball
Grand Haven @ East Kentwood
Calvin Christian @ Godwin Heights
Kelloggsville @ Holland Black River
Wyoming @ Middleville T-K
Calhoun Christian @ Zion Christian
Potter’s House @ Lansing Christian
Tri-Unity Christian @ West Michigan Lutheran
Grand River Prep @ Lakewood Lake Odessa
South Christian @ FH Eastern
Boys Hockey
Christian @ East Kentwood – WKTV Featured Event
Girls Gymnastics
Potter’s House @ Lowell

Saturday, Feb. 23
Boys/Girls Bowling
@ Jenison – Fairlanes Bowling Center – Division 1 MHSAA Individual Regionals
@ Vicksburg – Continental Lanes – Division 2 MHSAA Individual Regionals
@ Catholic Central – Park Center Lanes – Division 3 MHSAA Individual Regionals
@ Lake Odessa Lakewood – M-66 Bowl – Division 3 MHSAA Individual Regionals
@ Holton – Sherman Bowling Center – Division 4 MHSAA Individual Regionals
Boys Swimming
East Kentwood @ Hudsonville
South Christian @ Hastings
Boys Hockey
East Kentwood @ East Grand Rapids
Girls Cheer
@ Hartland – Division 1 MHSAA Regionals
@ Kenowa Hills – Division 2 MHSAA Regionals
@ Rockford – Division 3 MHSAA Regionals
@ Caledonia – Division 4 MHSAA Regionals
Boys Basketball
West Michigan Lutheran @ Battle Creek Academy
Girls Basketball
East Kentwood @ Union

Monday, Feb. 25
Boys Basketball
East Kentwood vs Byron Center @ Wyoming – Division 1 MHSAA Districts
Kelloggsville @ South Christian – Division 2 MHSAA Districts

Elder abuse: be a part of the solution

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, How-To's, Non-Profits, Senior Living, ,

By Regina Salmi, Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan


When we address elder abuse, the focus is often on financial exploitation and avoiding financial scams. Elder abuse includes physical, emotional, sexual abuse and neglect as well as the financial component. Only 1 in 24 experiences of abuse are reported. It is important that we all know the signs of elder abuse to help protect the vulnerable adults in our lives. By being aware of the signs, we can all play a role in preventing abuse.


Acknowledging that abuse may be taking place is difficult for us to comprehend. For most people, when we notice something awry, we are more likely to try convincing ourselves that we are wrong than take action and report suspected abuse. According to Cassie Schrock, Kent County Elder Abuse Coalition Coordinator at Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan, approximately “90% of abusers are either family members or trusted caregivers,” adding to the anxiety of reporting abuse. Yet, “elder abuse is one of the fastest growing crimes in Michigan” asserts Schrock, “90,000 seniors are victimized annually in Michigan.” It’s important we know the signs and report suspected abuse when we see it.

There are several signs of abuse and seeing just one doesn’t necessarily mean a person is being abused or neglected. We know that as we age, we’re susceptible to falls and may experience bruising from time to time. Our skin also thins as we age and so scrapes occur more easily. We can also experience emotional changes and depression as we age. Abuse is usually a collection of symptoms rather than just one thing.


Frequent and “unexplained injuries like bruises, scars, burns, welts, or broken bones” explains Schrock, should raise our suspicion.


There will also be emotional and behavioral changes in a person being physically abused such as rocking, sucking, or mumbling to themselves, seeming timid or fearful, withdrawing from typically enjoyed activities or changes in alertness. Weight loss, continuously poor hygiene, inadequate clothing and isolation by a caregiver can be associated with both abuse and neglect.


Schrock explains, “Some of these changes can be misunderstood as symptoms of dementia” which can cause one to be hesitant to report it as abuse.


If you suspect an older adult is being abused, report it. In Michigan, call Adult Protective Services at (855) 444-3911. This hotline is available 24-hours a day. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger do not hesitate to call 911 for help.


Cassie Schrock reminds us, “There is no liability if you make a report in good faith.”


For more information about reporting abuse, visit www.michigan.gov/mdhhs. To learn more about elder abuse and also stay up to date on the latest financial scams targeting seniors, visit www.protectkentseniors.org.

Forget the groundhog, Meijer Gardens announcements means spring is coming

Entertainment, Kids Activities, Upcoming Events
The Fred & Dorothy Fichter Butterflies Are Blooming exhibition, with some 7,000 tropical butterflies dancing around the Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory, will begin March 1. (Supplied/Meijer Gardens)

By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org

We know all about Punxsutawney Phil and that shadow thing on Groundhog Day earlier this month — and yes, the ranchers of that rodent do predict an early spring this year.

But in Western Michigan there are two more reliable bits of evidence of spring coming, and summer not far behind: Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park announcing the dates of its annual Butterflies Are Blooming exhibit and their annual mouth-watering taste of the summer concert series.

Meijer Gardens announced recently that Fred & Dorothy Fichter Butterflies Are Blooming exhibition, with some 7,000 or so tropical butterflies dancing around the Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory, will begin March 1 and run through late April. Also last week the Gardens teased us with the announcement of three of its 2019 Fifth Third Bank Summer Concerts at Meijer Gardens.

The Decemberists at Meijer Gardens in 2018. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

With Fifth Third Bank renewing its title sponsorship of the concert series this season, and the expansion of the outdoor amphitheater and its facilities expected to be complete, the 2019 season of alternative, indie, blues and rock music will include Nahko And Medicine For The People on June 6, Rodrigo y Gabriela on June 9, and The Gipsy Kings on July 21. The complete lineup will be announced in mid-April.

But first there will be all those butterflies.

The 2019 “exhibition explores light and shadow and how these elements influence both the activity of the butterflies and the natural environment in which they flourish,” Steve LaWarre, Director of Horticulture, said in supplied material. “This annual exhibition provides a wonderful opportunity for our guests to experience the diverse beauty of these creatures up close and in person.”

By the way, the best time to get up-close and personal with the butterflies are late in the afternoon or when the gardens and the exhibition are open in the early evening, every Tuesday. We are told that visitors will also find a new and redesigned Observation Station, with its chrysalide and cocoon emergence area.

Butterflies will be flying around Meijer Gardens’ tropical conservatory starting March 1. (Supplied)

Approximately 60 colorful species of butterflies and moths journey from butterfly-rich regions of Costa Rica, Ecuador, the Philippines and Kenya to fly freely in the five-story tall, 15,000 square-foot conservatory— oh, ya, and at 85 degrees and 70 percent humidity, the environment not only mimics the tropical regions that the butterflies call home but just feels like spring, if not summer, in the air.

Even before the real butterflies arrive, the fun will begin with “Who Am I?” (A Butterfly Ballet) on Saturday, Feb. 23, and Sunday, Feb. 24, choreographed by Attila Mosolygo, performed by members of the Grand Rapids Ballet Junior Company, and narrated by Errol Shewman.

For a complete list of events associated with the Butterflies Are Blooming exhibition, visit meijergardens.org . (And volunteers are “Wanted. Needed. Appreciated.” Various jobs and shifts mid-February through mid-May. Contact Amber Oudsema at aoudsema@meijergardens.org or 616-974-5221.)

Oh, can’t you just hear the music now? (Supplied/Meijer Gardens)

Can’t you just hear the music now?

What will be new and what will be the same at 2019 Fifth Third Bank Summer Concerts at Meijer Gardens concert series? The title will be the same, the concerts will be familiarly diverse, and the construction is expected to be done.

Meijer Gardens is “enormously grateful for (the Fifth Third Bank’s) support as it allows us to present a diverse group of truly world class artists,” David Hooker, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s President and CEO, said in supplied material.

The Frederik Meijer Gardens Amphitheater has undergone significant expansion and improvement over the past two seasons, all, according to supplied material, while maintaining the intimacy of the venue. Last season saw the completion of renovated seating terraces for sponsor seating, added new support areas for visiting artists, backstage and loading dock improvements, and increased-in-size general seating area.

This season, a new concessions building has been added to allow for quicker food and beverage service and increased capacity, as well as convenient new restrooms for guests waiting in line to enter the venue. An expanded plaza area within the gates will help shorten lines and wait times as well. Also, they say, an improved point-of-sale system with quick chip technology will speed up purchases at the new concessions building.

What hasn’t changed is the 1,900 general admission tickets available for each concert of the 2019 season. As far as the first three announced concerts — Nahko And Medicine For The People, Rodrigo y Gabriela and The Gipsy Kings, you can follow the links or just wait for the complete lineup in April.

Nahko and Medicine for the People. (Supplied by the artist)

The most interesting of three, on first glance, would be Nahko. Describing his latest release, “My Name is Bear”, he says on his website: “So many dear people helped me write and live these stories. The two summers I spent in Alaska, half the winter in Louisiana and the other half holed up in my van in Portland, and then the first year in Hawaii were transformational.” Sounds like someone to check out to me.

Members of Meijer Gardens a members-only presale, April 27 through May 10. (To become a member or renew a membership before April 27, visit MeijerGardens.org/Membership.) General public tickets go on sale May 11.

Community invited to explore local cuisine at Taste of Kentwood

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, Going Local, Kids Activities, Local Business, Local Entertainment, Local Food, Recreation, Upcoming Events
From a previous year, the Taste of Kentwood brings out the community and families for fun and food. (WKTV)

By City of Kentwood

 
The community is invited to explore a smorgasbord of local cuisine during the 18th annual Taste of Kentwood event on Thursday, March 14.

Held at the Kentwood Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE, a variety of local restaurants will offer food and desserts during two sessions: one from 4:30 to 6 p.m., and another from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

The event will also include live music from Just Cuz, an acoustic duo that performs an eclectic mix of cover tunes from a variety of genres.

“Taste of Kentwood is a great opportunity to experience the diversity of Kentwood while supporting local businesses,” said Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley. “Everyone is welcome to come connect with neighbors, enjoy live music, and discover what deliciousness awaits around the corner.”

Participating restaurants include: Boardwalk Subs, City Barbeque, PJ’s Pizza, Coffee & Ice Cream, Underground Cookie Club, The Candied Yam, Daddy Pete’s BBQ, Loco Taco Taqueria, Desi Spice, Peppino’s South Kentwood, Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Thai Express, Jet’s Pizza, YoChef’s Catering Company and Le Kebob.

The event is open to everyone in the community. Tickets cost $6 and can be purchased online in advance, $8 on the day of event. Kids 5 and younger are free.

A VOICES conversation with Donna Troost: Life on a farm

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Local Faces, Voices,
Donna Troost

By Victoria Mullen, WKTV


Things were different back when Donna Troost was a kid in the 1930s. She walked two miles to school everyday (yes, really), and in the 1940s, her dad had to get permission from the government to allow Donna to carry her sister, Mary to school on a bicycle. Sounds strange until you realize that there was a rubber shortage during World War II.


Troost was born at home in Wyoming, Michigan, and from little on always wanted to live on a farm. As a young girl, she relished spending a couple of weeks each summer at her grandparents’ farm in Irving Township, between Hastings and Middleville.


“When I first went there in the summer to visit, there was a hotel and a grocery store in the town of Irving, but they were all boarded up,” she recalled. “The only things left were the church and a gas station. When Middleville took over, Irving became a ghost town.”


It was a simpler time. Troost walked everywhere she needed to go with friends, or her sister, or cousins. She met her future husband at a roller rink one evening; their first date was a hayride on a farm on Kalamazoo Ave. and 60th Street.


“He gave me an engagement ring, and his father gave me two calves to raise on our farm,” said Troost. “We bought a farm on Patterson and 36th in 1949.”

They got married on a Thursday night and honeymooned in Niagara Falls that weekend but had to be back by Monday because they had to “hay”. Troost and her husband lived on that farm until 1962, when the airport bought the land around it. They then moved to a farm in Allegan County.


“Moving everything was just awful because it had to be done in one day,” Troost said. “We milked the cows in the morning, then loaded them up with all the equipment. And we milked them again that night at the new farm.”


Listen to Troost’s VOICES conversation here.


Share your story with VOICES. It’s easy — just go here to reserve a time!

GRAM features Michigan artist/activist Dylan Miner for free Artist Talk, Feb. 21

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, ,
Courtesy Dylan Miner

By Alison Clark, Clark Communications


On Thursday, Feb. 21, the Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) will feature Michigan artist, activist and scholar, Dylan Miner, for a free Artist Talk, which is open to the public. Miner will discuss his current GRAM exhibition Water is Sacred // Trees are Relatives, and his ongoing investigation into important issues surrounding the past, present, and future of the Great Lakes watershed and region. The artist talk runs from 7-8pm at the GRAM, located at 101 Monroe Center NW.


Based in East Lansing, Miner has exhibited his works internationally in solo and group exhibitions. He created Water is Sacred // Trees are Relatives for the GRAM’s Michigan Artist Series. In the exhibition, Miner investigates the important historical and current issues around three primary natural elements: wood, water, and sky, and the traditional knowledge and beliefs around them within Great Lakes Indigenous cultures. The exhibition runs through Sunday, March 3.


Based in East Lansing, Miner has exhibited his worked internationally in solo and group exhibitions. He created Water is Sacred // Trees are Relatives for the GRAM’s Michigan Artist Series. In the exhibition, Miner investigates the important historical and current issues around three primary natural elements: wood, water, and sky, and the traditional knowledge and beliefs around them within Great Lakes Indigenous cultures.


Miner is Director of American Indian and Indigenous Studies and Associate Professor in the Arts and Humanities at Michigan State University. He holds a PhD from The University of New Mexico and regularly publishes articles, book chapters, critical essays, and encyclopedia entries. In 2010, he was awarded an Artist Leadership Fellowship through the National Museum of the American Indian (Smithsonian Institution).


The exhibition runs through Sunday, March 3.

(Not so) new Kentwood commissioner, Metro Health doctor and leader on WKTV Journal In Focus

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Going Local, Local Business, WKTV Journal In Focus

K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org

The latest episode of WKTV Journal In Focus offers a discussion with Kentwood City Commissioner Maurice Groce, who has a long history serving the city his family has called home for nearly three decades, and Metro Health — UM Health’s Dr. Peter Hahn, who is one of the few leaders of a healthcare system with hands-on experience with patients.

First up, In Focus is City of Kentwood Commissioner Maurice Groce, who was appointed late last year to fill the unexpired term of at-large commissioner Richard Clanton. Groce is a 29-year resident of Kentwood and previously served the City as 2nd Ward Commissioner for two years. But his service to the city runs much deeper that. WKTV talks about his past, present and future work with the city and the community.

Then In Focus is Metro Health — University of Michigan Health President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Peter Hahn, who was selected to lead the healthcare system late last year after serving as Metro Health’s Chief Medical Officer. As a doctor, he is one of the few healthcare provider leaders who has worked directly with patients as some of the national finest hospitals, but that does not mean his business credentials are not equally impressive.

For a link to Dr. Hahn’s interview video, click here .

WKTV Journal In Focus airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel (see our Weekly On-air Schedule for dates and times).

In Focus is also available on-demand within a week of play at wktvondemand.com. All individual interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.

Snapshots: Wyoming, Kentwood news you ought to know — weekend edition

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, ,

By WKTV Staff

victoria@wktv.org

Quote of the Day

You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist.

Indira Gandhi

Dawning of a new era

During a Presidents Day weekend closure, the Michigan Department of State will replace the outdated vehicle records system Secretary of State offices have used for decades with a modern computer system to better serve customers. More info here.

They who drink beer…

There will be no shortage of beer related activities starting Friday, Feb. 15, when Beer Month GR begins its annual month-long celebration of craft beer brewing and drinking all across the greater Grand Rapids area. More info here.

Get your groove on

KDL’s vinyl collection, KDL Grooves, launches on Record Store Day (Saturday, April 13, 2019), but you can get an early taste at the launch party on Feb. 16th. Here’s the scoop.

Fun fact:

Blame it on the cows

During Prohibition, moonshiners would wear “cow shoes.” The fancy footwear left hoofprints instead of footprints, helping distillers and smugglers evade police.


Doubtful this fashion statement would catch on in today’s world.


Or would it?


Where’s Alexander McQueen when you need him?

Many talks on end-of-life wishes end in confusion

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, How-To's, Senior Living, , , , ,

By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay

 

You’ve filled out a living will, and designated a surrogate to make medical decisions if you’re incapacitated.

 

But, your end-of-life planning may not be done yet.

 

That’s because, according to a new study, your surrogate may still not have a clear idea about what you really want done in a crisis situation—even after you’ve discussed your wishes with them.

 

In the study, seven out of every 10 surrogates didn’t have an accurate understanding of their loved one’s wishes regarding potentially life-altering medical treatment, even though both believed they had adequately discussed the topic.

 

“There were a lot of surrogates in those pairs where they both said, ‘yes, we’ve had this communication,’ who didn’t have a good understanding of the patient’s goals of care,” said lead researcher Dr. Terri Fried. She is a professor of geriatrics with the Yale School of Medicine.

 

The surrogates couldn’t accurately say whether their loved one would want treatment even if afterward they would have to live in extreme chronic pain or with severe mental or physical impairments, Fried said.

 

“Those are the kinds of things that make people say, ‘Oh, maybe I don’t want to get life-sustaining treatment if that’s the way it’s going to leave me,’” she explained.

 

These results show health-care professionals need to take a more active role in helping patients make end-of-life preparations, and that includes facilitating in-depth conversations between them and their chosen surrogates about their preferences, Fried said.

 

“It’s becoming more a part of the responsibility of primary care to make sure this happens as part of health maintenance, the same as flu shots or cancer screening,” Fried said. “We need to do a more thorough assessment of what patients have done and haven’t done, so we know what they still need to do.”

 

For their study, Fried and her colleagues interviewed 350 veterans, all aged 55 or older. The researchers also separately interviewed their end-of-life surrogates.

 

Just over half of the surrogates were spouses. Another 27 percent were children. The rest had other relationships with the veterans, according to the study.

 

About two of every five veterans hadn’t bothered to complete a living will or officially designate someone as their surrogate (health care proxy), or talked about the quality of life they’d like to maintain near the end, the findings showed.

 

And often, surrogates remained in the dark about the loved one’s wishes even if both agreed that they had discussed the matter.

 

Only 30 percent of surrogates who thought they’d talked it over could display an accurate knowledge of their loved one’s desires regarding quality versus quantity of life, the researchers found.

 

That’s better than the performance of surrogates who hadn’t had the conversation (21 percent) or pairs that disagreed whether they’d discussed the matter (15 percent), Fried noted.

 

But that still leaves a majority of people in a position of thinking that their surrogate knows their wishes when the person really doesn’t, the study authors pointed out.

 

“Part of it is that patients and surrogates don’t really know what the things are that they ought to be talking about,” Fried said.

 

In joint interviews conducted after the main study, many of the pairs said that “after you asked us those questions, we realized these are the things we need to sit down and talk about,” she added.

 

Dr. Timothy Farrell is an associate professor of geriatrics with the University of Utah School of Medicine in Salt Lake City. He said that “a visit with a physician is often the first time that such a discrepancy may become apparent.”

 

Doctors who treat the elderly should consider end-of-life conversations as “anticipatory guidance,” similar to the guidance provided parents during well-child visits, Farrell said.

 

Either a doctor, a physician assistant, a social worker or some other health-care professional can help lead a facilitated discussion that ensures someone’s wishes have all been communicated to the surrogate, he suggested.

 

“Being proactive is the key, (as is) regularly coming back to this topic before the crisis occurs,” Farrell concluded.

 

The study was published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

 

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Secretary of State upgrading computer system during Presidents Day weekend closure

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Tech Trends, , ,

By State of Michigan


During a Presidents Day weekend closure, the Michigan Department of State will replace the outdated vehicle records system Secretary of State offices have used for decades with a modern computer system to better serve customers.


The Customer and Automotive Records System (CARS) will add new online options, improve existing online and kiosk services, and give staff a more efficient tool to process transactions.


New online options will include ordering license plates, renewing snowmobile registrations and ordering a Recreation Passport and replacement tab for a plate. Many transactions for auto dealers, repair facilities, mechanics and driver education instructors and providers also will be possible online.


During the upgrade, Secretary of State branch offices, online services and auto business transactions will be offline and unavailable from 5pm Friday, Feb. 15, until 9am Tuesday, Feb. 19. Self-service kiosks will be taken offline in phases beginning Friday, Feb. 8. The seven Super Centers usually open Saturday will be closed Saturday, Feb. 16. All branches will be closed on Presidents Day (Monday, Feb. 18).


For a few weeks, as staff gets accustomed to the new computer system, service in offices may take longer. Customers are encouraged to use CARS e-Services at ExpressSOS.com or to complete their transactions outside this timeframe.


Late fees will be waived for transactions with expiration dates between Feb. 11 and March 2.


“This is a vital project for our department and its millions of customers and the first step in implementing our 30-minute guarantee,” Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said. “When fully implemented, the new system will transform our technology, making our work more efficient and our service to customers better than before.”


After the vehicle records phase, the driver records system will be replaced over the next two years.


For more information, visit Michigan.gov/SOS.

Wyoming police searching for suspect in Lake Michigan Credit Union robbery

3-bottom, City of Wyoming
Police are looking a male, approximately 5-4″-5’5″.

At approximately 9:40 am on February 14, 2019, a robbery occurred at the Lake Michigan Credit Union, 2636 44th St SW.

The suspect entered the bank and announced it was being robbed. After obtaining an undisclosed amount of cash, the suspect fled out of the bank and was last seen running northbound across 44th St. SW. There were no injuries during this robbery and no weapons were seen.

The suspect is described as being an unknown race male, approximately 5’4” – 5’5” tall, wearing a black ski mask, yellow ski sunglasses, and all black clothing. Witnesses described the suspect as having a deep voice.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Wyoming Department of Public Safety at 616-530-7300 or Silent Observer at 866-774-2345.

Weather your perfect storm

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, How-To's, Senior Living, ,

Are you ready for menopause? Or even perimenopause? The storm is coming, so now is the time to act to make it less of a tempest. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Diana Bitner, MD, Spectrum HealthBeat

 

So many women come to see me when they are experiencing what I call the Perfect Storm.

 

Their bodies are changing and they are faced with night sweats, increased belly fat, irritability, depression, lack of energy, irregular or heavy periods and decreased sex drive. That’s quite a list!

 

The Perfect Storm occurs when two fronts collide and cause havoc with your body.

 

The first front is caused by changing hormones, which then leads to an array of symptoms: night sweats, hot flashes, disturbed sleep, anxiety, irritability, decreased motivation and sex drive, and cravings of sweets and simple carbs. The second front is the change in your body chemistry, including changes in hormone levels.

 

The result? Good cholesterol levels go down, bad cholesterol goes up, insulin resistance increases, belly fat builds up and brain chemicals drop.

 

To more fully understand the Perfect Storm, it helps to know the three phases every woman goes through in adult life: reproductive phase, perimenopause and menopause.

Here’s a brief summary of each phase:

  • Reproductive phase—Many women in this phase feel normal and experience regular periods. This is the time we really don’t have to think about our hormones, and our body just makes sense. Toward the end of this phase, symptoms such as menstrual migraines, night sweats, mood changes and sugar cravings sometimes start. These symptoms are predictable and occur the three days before your period starts.
  • Perimenopause—This stage is sometimes referred to as midlife, and it’s also where the Perfect Storm occurs. Your periods start to become irregular, closer together and heavier, and symptoms like night sweats, sleep difficulties, mood changes and belly fat weight gain can become worse. You may even skip some periods and then begin having regular periods again.
  • Menopause—This phase means you haven’t had a period in 12 months—yeah! However, it’s important to note that if you go three months without a period and then you get one, the clock starts all over again. Approximately 80 percent of women experience symptoms during menopause, which typically last between two and five years after the start of menopause. The good news is that women who seem to handle the symptoms the best are the ones who continue to kept their weight in the healthy range, remain active, drink plenty of water and get plenty of sleep each night.

After menopause, it is very difficult to alter the course you are on, so if you want to weather your Perfect Storm and keep your symptoms in check, you need to make sure you are on a healthy path right now. What happens during the storm will determine the course of the rest of your life, so ask for the help you may need to sail through your Perfect Storm.

 

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum HealthBeat.

How to effectively manage the talkative and silent members of a group

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, How-To's, ,

By Bethany Prykucki, Michigan State University Extension

Recognizing and understanding typical team member behaviors – both positive and negative – is helpful to understand as a facilitator. These behaviors can affect team development and performance. Members of the team may exhibit these behaviors at varying times throughout the development cycle of the team. It is crucial that the facilitator model constructive behaviors to help the team reach its goals.

Groups that work well together develop a sense of trust, camaraderie and even synergy. In such groups, communication is open and honest, everyone contributes and people are excited about what they are accomplishing. Sometimes people with “challenging behaviors” can derail the work of a group and make synergy impossible. What are “challenging behaviors?” In groups or teams that have a shared purpose and some goals to accomplish, ‘challenging behaviors’ are those that make accomplishing goals difficult. They may distract, disrupt or get the group off track in some way, or contribute to difficult behaviors by either not participating or dominating the conversation.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison offers a Facilitator toolkit called “A Guide for helping groups get results.” The kit offers a comprehensive guide to tools, methods and techniques for assisting groups. The guide explains that sometimes it will be necessary to intervene with a particular individual or an entire team because of behavior or actions during team meetings. An intervention will include any statement, question or nonverbal behavior made by a facilitator that is designed to help the group.

The goal of any type of intervention is to maintain the group’s autonomy and to develop its long-term effectiveness. Eventually, the interventions used by a facilitator should decrease the group’s dependence on the facilitator.

An intervention is never an easy task, so it is important to recognize when to intervene and whether to intervene with an individual or the entire team. There is no set time or tried and true method for when or how to intervene, but the following are methods to deal with two of the most common issues that arise in groups; those that are silent and those that overly talkative.

Silence

Most groups include some people who are timid about sharing their opinions. They may feel unvalued, unsure of themselves or unfamiliar with the topic or process. Alternatively, they may just need time to listen, think, and formulate their thoughts. This may be a problem if they never feel comfortable sharing ideas.

Strategies:

  • Use an icebreaker that involves a lot of interaction.
  • Go round-robin in the group whenever appropriate, asking each person in turn to share a comment.
  • Ask the quiet person specific questions related to his or her expertise.
  • Distribute cards in advance for written anonymous input.
  • Give the group a few minutes to think silently before asking for responses to some questions or tasks.

Talkativeness

Some people talk a lot in groups, which may be a problem if they dominate discussions and don’t let others share their opinions freely. This can sometimes cause others to drop out, thus weakening the group and diminishing its chances of success. Getting through an agenda and making decisions can also be difficult.

Strategies:

  • Establish and enforce ground rules. Some helpful rules are: keep comments brief; balance participation; listen more than you talk; or, you can speak a second time after everyone has spoken once.
  • Interrupt the talker and offer to talk to him or her more after the meeting.
  • Put a time limit on each person’s comments for each topic, and enforce it. It may help to ask someone else to be the timekeeper.
  • Ask people to raise their hands to speak.
  • Talk to the person privately and explain that you would like to get more people participating.

MSU Extension offers a three-day facilitation workshop that can help further introduce strategies of facilitation.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://expert.msue.msu.edu, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

On Tap: drink a beer, plant a tree; happy hour at ball park — yep, it’s Beer Month

3-bottom, Beer

By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org

 
There will be no shortage of beer related activities starting Friday, Feb. 15, when Beer Month GR begins its annual month-long celebration of craft beer brewing and drinking all across the greater Grand Rapids area.

But there will be one, the Beer City Brewer’s Guild’s Brewers Grove fundraiser for the Friends of Grand Rapids Parks, that will allow beer lovers to show a little love to Mother Nature at the same time.

Tom Payne, shown at back talking with customers, at Two Guys Brewing. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

There will be nearly two dozen West Michigan brew pubs and restaurants, including Wyoming’s own Two Guys Brewing and Kentwood’s adopted Dutton-based Railton Brewing Co., will not only be raising funds to plant trees but many will also have created “tree-themed beers.”

See WKTV stories on Two Guys Brewing and Railtown Brewing Co. by clicking through.

The Brewers Grove started in 2013 with an idea to create tree-themed beers that would be offered in conjunction with Experience GR’s Beer Month GR. Each participating brewery, distillery and cider house makes a donation to Friends of Grand Rapids Parks to fund tree plantings to “further our vision of thriving parks and sustainable urban forest.”

Now, each fall, funds raised are used to “plant trees and increase the tree canopy,” according to the Friends of Grand Rapids Parks. “The trees planted will improve tree diversity, provide a source of food to wildlife and park users, and replace removed ash trees lost due to the Emerald Ash Borer epidemic.”

The Brewers Grove fundraiser goes through March 15. For more information on the Brewers Grove, or visit friendsofgrparks.com .

… and thats just the beginning of Beer Month

Beer Month GR, running Feb. 15 to March 15, is an annual celebration of Grand Rapids’ craft beer scene, with special events and offerings at many West Michigan establishments highlighted by the 14th Annual Winter Beer Festival, running Saturday, Feb. 22, and Sunday, Feb. 23 (alas, Saturday tickets are sold out).

Beer and cold weather do go together — really. (Supplied/West Michigan Beer Festival)

The 2019 Winter Beer Festival will feature more than 140 Michigan breweries and brewpubs. Each guest ticket comes with 15 tasting tokens which can be exchanged for 3 oz. samples from over 1,000 different craft beers (note that some specialty beers will require 2 tokens per 3 oz. sample). There will also be live music from local bands, other entertainment, ice sculpture demonstrations, and fire pits to warm up by. A selection of tasty food will be available for purchase at the festival.

The Beer Festival runs Friday 5-9 p.m. and Saturday 1-6 p.m., at the Fifth Third Ballpark, 4500 West River Dr. NE, Comstock Park.

For a link to the venues, and special events and offerings, during Beer Month GR visit Cool Brews. Hot Eats. For more information on the beer festival, visit Winter Beer Festival.

Oh, ya, and if you don’t already know about the Beer City Brewsader program, shame on you.

New brews on tap, on sale

In late January, New Holland Brewing Company announced the launch of Dragon’s Milk White, a bourbon barrel-aged white stout, that is the first Dragon’s Milk product to be available in cans.

“The white stout is an entirely new Dragon’s Milk experience, pulling many of the same awesome flavor notes that our fans have come to love in our original bourbon barrel-aged stout, but presenting them in a way that is completely unique,” Dominic Bergquist, brand manager for Dragon’s Milk, said in supplied material. “It’s not simply a visual play. The hazy golden color is really just the first cue that this beer is going to be unique, with the aromas and flavors that follow making it something we feel is truly special to behold.”

At six percent ABV, Dragon’s Milk White brings a much lighter brew but “it promises to appeal to traditional stout drinkers as well as those who simply are looking for a well crafted, full-flavored and accessible drinking experience,” they say.

I’ll be the judge of that.

Dragon’s Milk White is now available in New Holland’s pubs in Grand Rapids and Holland; a nationwide release will follow.

For more information on the Grand Rapids Knickerbocker location and the Dragon’s Milk White, visit newhollandbrew.com .

Climate change could change the sneezin’ season

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, , , ,

The increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere also causes ragweed to produce more pollen, so these plants are becoming more potent. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Serena Gordon, HealthDay

 

If you live in the north and you’ve never experienced hay fever, new research predicts that climate change has an unwelcome surprise in store for you.

 

Warmer temperatures in the northern United States will allow ragweed—the plant that triggers hay fever—to flourish in areas it’s never been before. About 35 years from now, the study predicts, ragweed will be found in New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont and upstate New York.

 

But the news isn’t all bad. Folks sneezing due to ragweed in the southern United States should get some relief as the temperatures get too warm for ragweed to grow well.

 

Ragweed will decline substantially in central Florida, northeastern Virginia and the southern Appalachian Mountains, according to the researchers.

 

“Ragweed is a major cause of allergies and asthma. Climate change will make some areas worse for ragweed, and some areas may get better,” said Michael Case, of The Nature Conservancy. He co-authored the study when he was a postdoctoral researcher at the school of environmental and forest sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle.

 

Ragweed is a native North American plant. It produces a lot of fine, powdery pollen from August to November. This pollen causes symptoms in people who are allergic to ragweed, including sneezing, watery eyes, itchy throat, runny nose and headaches, the researchers said.

 

Case and his co-author, Kristina Stinson, an assistant professor of plant ecology at UMass Amherst, created a model that included data on hundreds of areas with ragweed today, along with the conditions that allow ragweed to thrive.

 

The researchers then added information from 13 global climate-prediction models. These models were developed using two different pathways of potential greenhouse gas emissions.

 

When all of this information was combined, the new model predicted the northward creep of ragweed.

 

After that—from the 2050s to the 2070s—areas with ragweed may see a slight contraction. The researchers said this is because temperatures and precipitation may become more variable.

 

The study authors pointed out that their model was not designed to know if ragweed could become a problem as far north as Canada or further west in the United States because their model didn’t have information on those areas.

 

Marian Glenn, an emeritus professor in the department of biological sciences at Seton Hall University in South Orange, N.J., reviewed the findings.

 

“This is another example of plants that are migrating north as the climate warms. This is happening with viruses and diseases that are considered tropical, now that the agents that cause those diseases can survive through winter,” she said.

 

“The increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere also causes ragweed to produce more pollen, so these plants are becoming more potent,” Glenn explained.

 

And that means climate change will make ragweed season longer and more aggravating for allergy sufferers, she added.

 

Case agreed that ragweed season will probably last longer. And ragweed isn’t the only plant affected.

 

“Climate change is extending the growing season for everything,” he said. However, because ragweed is abundant, it made it possible to study that one particular plant.

 

Case said the study has practical implications. For example, weed control boards should now be aware that they might have to start monitoring for ragweed. And allergy sufferers and their doctors also need to be aware that ragweed may start becoming a problem in areas that haven’t seen it before.

 

The findings were published online recently in the journal PLOS One.

Cat of the week: Chococat

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Non-Profits, Pets/Animals,

By Sharon Wylie, Crash’s Landing

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).

When Dr. Jen first laid eyes on Chococat back in mid-November of 2018, she immediately noticed that the kitty was in desperate need of medical care. A volunteer had come across him a few weeks prior and made work of catching and getting him in to safety, but it was clear that this middle-aged man (best guess is that he was born sometime in 2012) had survived an extremely troubling existence prior to the kindness we were finally able to show him. Not only was he profoundly underweight and intact, he was suffering from significant dental disease involving his three remaining teeth (he now has none left) that caused a fistula to form in between his oral and nasal cavity; the smell was horrendous and we can’t even fathom the discomfort he had been in.


He was also beyond filthy, had ingrown/abscessed thumbnails and a nasty bilateral ear infection; to top things off he tested a very strong positive for FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus). And, due to the lack of care and compassion he was shown on the streets, poor Chococat was terrified of human contact. In fact, he was so painfully shy that as Dr. Jen treated his laundry list of ailments and tried to interact with him (while he recovered at the clinic), she decided it was in his best interest to be fostered by his rescuer until he could settle in a bit more. Clearly indoor life was completely foreign to him.

So the rescuer took the poor guy home and set him up in his own room, where she spent as much time as possible trying to get him used to the fact that the hands that were feeding him were gentle and generous. After almost two months, it was time to introduce him to the other cats and volunteers at Big Sid’s, as the only way he was going to come out of his cocoon is if we forced him ever so tenderly to do so.


Currently, Chococat still prefers to keep to himself. He is oftentimes found in the shadows, hunkered down where no one can see him, BUT recently we have caught glimpses of him out napping on one of our toddler beds during broad daylight!

Dr. Jen asked her cat care team to offer up their observations of his progress thus far and what they feel would be ideal for him:

“Chococat is still terribly shy and fearful of humans. Honestly, I’m not sure he will ever be a cat that enjoys interaction with people. However, he is getting more and more comfortable in the shelter every day and I think he is enjoying being inside. He is slowly learning not to be afraid of the other cats, but he still doesn’t like it when they get too close. Chococat’s ideal home will give him plenty of space for as long as he needs and his owners need to be okay with the possibility of him never willingly interacting with them. I would love to see him with at least a couple other cats that can teach him not to be so fearful of humans.”

“Chococat — I hope so badly that the right person comes along and sees his potential and that all he needs is lots of patience, understanding, and his own space. I honestly think he’d eventually see that being inside, having endless bowls of wet food, and having his very own trusted human is not so bad after all. Seeing him going from room to room is unbelievable compared to hiding backwards in a teepee scared of his own shadow. He’s finding out that we aren’t so bad, and in time I just know he will be hanging out with his friends more. He’s a very handsome guy with the softest Angora-like fur.

“I noticed just tonight that if you approach him and speak very quietly without touching him he will allow you to put his food down without hissing or swatting. It’s progress. I would love to see him on a home with one or two other cats. No dogs! The perfect human would be one that looks past his current disposition and is willing to be there daily with him to build up his trust.”

So there you have it: Chococat’s sordid history as we know it and the baby steps he is making towards a better life for himself. With our help, we are praying we can assist him in making slow and steady strides over time, because if anyone deserves all the best life has to offer, it is this toothless, timid soul. And since he has no choppers, there is absolutely no risk of him transmitting FIV to another cat, so we can hook him up with a buddy or two hopefully, as we firmly believe there is power and strength in numbers.

More about Chococat:

  • Medium
  • Domestic Medium Hair — Black & White/Tuxedo
  • Adult
  • Male
  • House-trained
  • FIV-positive
  • Vaccinations up to date
  • Neutered
  • Not declawed
  • Very timid; prefers a home without dogs or children

Want to adopt Chocacat? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.

Interested in volunteering at one of the cat shelters? Email volunteer@crashslanding.org.

Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!

Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming, no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be found.



Why Retire in the Midwest?

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, Senior Living, , ,
Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living


By Vista Springs Assisted Living

Move over, Florida! The American Midwest may be the next hot retirement destination. With beautiful scenery, affordable costs of living, and great quality of life, this underappreciated region is a great place to spend your retirement.

The Midwest is officially made up of twelve states, though Midwestern opinions vary on which states make the cut. According to the US Census Bureau, however, the region consists of both Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio.

Cost of Living

The Midwest far and away dominated other regions of the US in the category of financial stability and cost of living in LPL Research’s 2017 Retirement Environment Index. Michigan, in particular, experienced a huge improvement in its rank as a retirement destination, jumping from 19th to 2nd best state for soon-to-be retirees. This is due in large part to median income rising well above the national average and a lower tax burden in the face of rising taxes across the country.

In addition, the cost of housing in the Midwest is, perhaps not surprisingly, lower on average than any other region. The monthly cost of assisted living in Michigan is well below the national average, with other states in the area coming in at or below that average.

Access to Healthcare

The accessibility and affordability of healthcare is an incredibly important consideration as people age, and cities in the Midwest are quickly establishing themselves as centers for medical innovation. From Cleveland, Ohio, which has been ranked first in the nation for access to healthcare, to the centers for medical research in Ann Arbor, to the “Medical Mile” of Grand Rapids, Michigan, the Great Lakes region is becoming a hub of great healthcare.

Climate and Landscape

In the wider imagination of the country, the Midwest doesn’t have the best reputation for breathtaking scenery and beautiful weather. While there’s some truth to the stereotypical image of farmland stretching to the horizon and frozen winters, these states have so much more to offer. In the space of a few states, you can experience vast mixed forests, miles of beaches, golden plains, mountain foothills, river basins, and waterfalls. Long traditions of outdoorsmanship make Midwestern states popular vacation destinations for any number of outdoor sports, and actually living there makes it so much easier to get active.

While it’s true that Midwestern winters can be arduous, residents relish in the ability to experience four distinct seasons, each beautiful in their own way. Spring thaws bring fresh air and wildflowers, summers are hot but never sweltering, and falls are defined by bright, warm colors and perfect sweater weather. And for winter sportspeople, waking up to a sunlight on a fresh layer of powder is always a beautiful sight.

Overall Quality of Life

Aside from all the financial and logistical considerations, the Midwest is just a great place to live. A psychological study on personality variation in different regions of the United States found that the Midwest was just plain friendlier than other areas. The researchers who conducted this study of over 1.6 million Americans defined “friendliness” as displaying traits of sociability, consideration, and a sense of duty. Though the South gets more lip service, this report could not be better for a region prides itself on its hospitality.

All of this bodes well for soon-to-be retirees who already have roots in the Midwest, as spending more time with family is a popular aspiration for retirement. For people who are deeply connected with their family members, moving away for retirement means less time with children and grandchildren. The overall quality of the Midwest as a retirement location means that the decision doesn’t need to be difficult.

Where to retire is a big decision, so it’s normal to still have questions. If you’re asking yourself, should I stay in my state? Home care or an assisted living community? What is assisted living? We can help: Download our eBook here to learn more.

Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Living.

Living with Asperger’s: A VOICES conversation with Jimmy King

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Local Faces

By Victoria Mullen, WKTV


Before Jimmy King was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome (a developmental disorder on the Autism spectrum), his parents knew only that he was different from other kids.

“I was a bit shy and didn’t interact with others much,” said King. “I always had my head in a book and didn’t pick up on social or nonverbal cues.”

If King’s parents wanted him to go to his room, they would point, and he’d think, “Yeah, that’s my room,” but didn’t realize that he was actually supposed to go there.


Idioms were beyond his comprehension.


“Someone would say, ‘It’s raining cats and dogs,’ and I’d sit by the window and watch for the cats and dogs.”


When the animals failed to appear, King became very disappointed and depressed. Embarrassed, too. A small embarrassment may mean very little to most people, but it can cause someone with Asperger’s to cry uncontrollably and turn inward.


Before King was diagnosed, his parents didn’t treat him any differently than his two brothers. And that would frustrate them because of his lack of social cues.


“Looking people in the eye was always a struggle for me,” said King. “It was nerve-wracking. Talking in public was difficult; I would talk in hushed tones.”

It took a lot of work with para-educators as well as speech therapy and IEPs (Individualized Education Programs) to get him to where he is today — a confident young man who works as a dietary aide at a nursing home and who is pursuing a second career in acting.


“Once in a while, I’ll go back to being unsociable,” said King. “Mostly I’ve overcome those obstacles. I look people in the eye now, talk to people calmly. I’m a happier person. I feel like I’m just a regular person.


“But no matter how normal I might feel, Asperger’s will always be a part of me.”


Listen to King’s VOICES conversation here.


Share your story with VOICES. It’s easy — just go here to reserve a time!

Snapshots: Wyoming, Kentwood news you ought to know

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, , , , ,

By WKTV Staff

victoria@wktv.org

Quote of the Day

“Friendship … is born at the moment when one man says to another “What! You too? I thought that no one but myself . . .” 

~ C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves


The bet that really paid off

Grand Rapids Symphony

As children, neither musician was interested in studying stringed instruments, much less classical music. Baptiste, who wanted to study the saxophone, told NPR he ended up in the string section due to a bet between two teachers. The duo, who are Black Violin, are set to perform at the Grand Rapids Symphony’s Symphony with Soul Feb. 18 concert. Read more here.


Waiting by the window for the cats
and dogs to come raining down

Before Jimmy King was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome (a developmental disorder on the Autism spectrum), his parents knew only that he was different from other kids. Read King’s story here.


And all that jazz…

Xavier Davis

Pianist Xavier Davis will be the featured artist during a concert Sunday, Feb. 10, at 3 p.m., at Fountain Street Church, 24 Fountain St. NE. Tickets are $15 general admission and $5 for students with ID, on-line or at the door. More info here.


Fun fact:

No kneecaps = no jumping.

Elephants are the only land mammals that cannot jump. Unlike all other mammals on earth (well, except for maybe whales and dolphins), elephants do not have kneecaps. Therefore, they are unable to bend their legs and acquire the needed propulsion to leave the ground.

Kent County, seeking landfill waste reduction, expands its community outreach staff

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Hard News, Recycling
Kent County Department Of Public Works resource recovery specialist Lauren Westerman, in black, leads a tour of the county’s current waste recovery process. (Supplied/Kent County)

By WKTV Staff
ken@wktv.org

A major component of the Kent County Department of Public Works’s plan to reduce county landfall waste by 20 percent by 2020 — and 90 percent by 2030 — is to gain community buy-in for the plan.

And a big part of that component is having Resource Recovery Specialists provide tours and presentations and “work collaboratively with community organizations to help them realize the impacts of waste on our community and how they can take action to help reduce our reliance on landfills,” according to supplied information.

As part of that effort, the county Department of Public Works (DPW) announced last week a major addition to department’s educational programs with the hire of Katelyn Nettler as a new resource recovery specialist.

In addition, the DWP announced that Lauren Westerman, also a resource recovery specialist, recently earned her environmental educator certification from the Michigan Alliance for Environmental and Outdoor Education.

“We are always looking for ways to enhance our educational programs, and our resource recovery specialists play a vital role in our commitment to community outreach and education,” said Dar Baas, director of the Kent County Department of Public Works, said in supplied material. “Both Lauren and Katelyn bring fresh perspectives to our program and will help us develop new strategies for educating our community about the importance of protecting our environment through reducing, reusing, recycling and reimagining how we manage discards.”

Nettler comes to the DPW from the Blandford Nature Center where she was a volunteer and outreach manager. She will support Westerman with outreach and education through developing audio and visual content for the DPW’s website, social media and other platforms. Nettler’s role will focus on giving the community a look at the county’s trash and recycling process and teaching people how to safely dispose of chemicals and other hazardous materials.

“I am looking forward to working with community partners to ensure access and awareness of programs that help reduce waste designed for the landfill,” Nettler said. “There are many opportunities to reduce landfill waste in our community and I’m excited to hit the ground running in this new role.”

Westerman completed her environmental certification in November. The Michigan Alliance for Environmental and Outdoor Education offers an Environmental Educator Certification that is recognized by the North American Association for Environmental Education, a leading professional organization in environmental education.

According to MAEOE, environmental literacy can be defined as understanding how to make decisions that minimize environmental impact. Westerman will use her certification to grow Kent County DPW’s recycling and waste management education programs.

“I pursued this certification to expand my communication skills and gain experience as an environmental educator that I can apply to the Kent County DPW’s programs,” Westerman said. “This program challenged me to define objectives and goals for each program and to incorporate evaluation tools throughout the process. I am excited to continue using these new skills as I teach more recycling and waste programs in the coming years.”

Westerman has been with the Kent DPW for three years. In her role, she leads tours through the Recycling Center and Land ll, visits schools for various education programs, and interacts with the public throughout the year. She earned her Master of Environmental Science from Taylor University in Indiana.

For more information on Kent County’s 2020/2030 plans visit reimaginetrash.org .

5 telltale kid coughs

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, How-To's, ,

Is it a common cold, or something more? Listening closely to your child’s cough can help you decide if it’s time to seek a doctor. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Jessica VanSolkema, Spectrum HealthBeat

 

There it goes again. And again. And again.

 

It’s the sound that grates your nerves, although not as much as it simply tears at your heartstrings.

 

It’s your child’s coughing—and it may be trying to tell you something.

 

But only if you listen carefully.

 

Daniel McGee, MD, pediatric hospitalist at Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, shares five telltale cough sounds that offer clues to what may be ailing your child.

The telltale sounds:

Barking

It may be croup, a viral illness that causes swelling and inflammation of the vocal cords. The cough sounds like a bark and it may also be accompanied by stridor—a harsh, high-pitched wheeze—when your child breathes in.

Whooping

It may be pertussis. Commonly known as whooping cough, pertussis is a contagious respiratory illness that can cause coughing fits in which children are forced to inhale with a loud “whooping” sound as they gasp for breath.

Staccato

A repetitive cough with short, staccato sounds is a characteristic sign of the lung infection chlamydial pneumonia, especially in infants.

Dry

A persistent, dry cough may be a symptom of asthma, a disease affecting the lungs.

Wet

The common cold often produces a wet, productive-sounding cough with mucus or phlegm behind it.

 

Although it may go against your parental instincts, Dr. McGee advises caregivers to resist the temptation to medicate children with a cough suppressant. Doing so, he warns, may do more harm than good in most cases.

 

But parents should also know when enough is enough.

 

“If your child has had a persistent cough for a week or more, don’t just write it off as the common cold,” Dr. McGee said. “Make an appointment with a pediatrician to determine if something else is going on.”

 

Seek immediate medical help if your child appears ill and is working hard to breathe, he said.

 

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum HealthBeat.

Review: Joey DeFrancesco’s ‘People’ play it hard, sweet on St. Cecilia stage

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Reviews
Joey DeFrancesco having fun in a previous concert. (JoeyDefracesco.com)

By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org  

60-second Review


Joey DeFrancesco and The People at St. Cecilia Music Center, Thursday, Feb. 7.

 
Joey DeFrancesco is known for his masterful play on the Hammond B3 organ, whether it is playing jazz or one of his pop/soul side projects, as when he recently aided Van Morrison on a project. But in a 90-minute, seven-tune set with his jazz quartet, The People, on Thursday, he showed he loves to play around and play with the audience too.

The result was, mimicking a recent pop song whose name I mercifully forget: a little bit of jazz in my life, a little bit of funk by my side, a little bit of blues is all I need, a little bit of fun is what I see.

Bottom line: Joey D and the boys — saxophonist Troy Roberts, guitarist Dan Wilson and drummer Michael Ode — had the audience feeling warm, cozy and playing along on a cold, icy winter night in West Michigan. Who could ask for anything more?

The set began with three tunes off of The People’s Grammy-nominated 2017 release “Project Freedom”, warming up the crowd and their instruments with “Better than Yesterday”, getting the audience fully into it with the funky sounding “The Unifer” and then flowing softly into the almost melancholy “Project Freedom” — a tune on which both Wilson and Roberts gave great improv solos that almost matched Joey’s.

Joey then took a short diversion off the keyboards, to his vocal and trumpet talents, when he said the band was going to “cool it down a bit” with Neil Sedaka’s “I Found my World in You” before returning to Project Freedom and getting the crowd back bouncing with “Stand Up”.

My favorite tune of the show, ending the initial set, was the rousing blues number — “Down in the Alley” (I think …) — on which everybody had a chance to jam, but Wilson really went off on the guitar.

The final tune, in encore, was “Trip Mode” off Joey’s 2015 release of the same name.

And then everybody went back to real life and the cold, but with a smile on their face.

May I have more, please?
 
 
After Joey DeFrancesco the final Jazz Series concert will be Benny Green Trio & Veronica Swift on March 7. Tickets for jazz series concerts range from $35-$45.

St. Cecilia Music Center is located at 24 Ransom NE, Grand Rapids. For tickets or more information call 616-459-2224 or visit scmc-online.org.

Featured WKTV high school sports coverage returns to South Christian Friday

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Education, Kentwood Public Schools, Sports


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

With the playoffs looming, WKTV’s featured high school game this week will be a Friday, Feb. 15, boys and girls basketball games with Middleville Thronapple-Kellogg at South Christian.

The rest of the tentative monthly featured game coverage schedule is:

Tuesday, Feb. 19: Boys basketball, Belding at Wyoming Lee
Friday, Feb. 22: Boys Hockey, Grand Rapids Christian at East Kentwood
Week of February 25–29: Boys basketball, TBD

In addition our featured games — where our sports crew and remote coverage truck will be on hand — we also have a weekly list of all local sporting contests for local fans to get out and enjoy in person.

 
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.

For complete schedules of programs on WKTV channels, see our Weekly On-air Schedule.

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, Feb. 11
Boys/Girls Bowling
Rockford @ East Kentwood
Godwin Heights @ Wyoming Lee
Hopkins @ Kelloggsville
Wyoming @ East Grand Rapids
Girls Cheer
Wyoming @ FH Eastern
Girls Basketball
Zion Christian @ Saugatuck
Girls Gymnastics
Potter’s House @ Rockford
Boys Basketball
Muskegon Catholic Central @ Grand River Prep

Tuesday, Feb. 12
Boys/Girls Bowling
East Kentwood @ Hudsonville
Wyoming @ Middleville T-K
Crossroads Charter Academy @ Potter’s House
South Christian @ East Grand Rapids
Boys Basketball
East Kentwood @ Hudsonville
Wyoming Lee @ Godwin Heights
Kelloggsville @ Hopkins
Christian @ Wyoming – Teacher Appreciation Night
Holland Black River @ Tri-Unity Christian
Western Michigan Christian @ Zion Christian
Kalamazoo Hackett @ Potter’s House
West Michigan Aviation @ Martin
West Michigan Lutheran @ Algoma Christian
South Christian @ Covenant Christian
Girls Basketball
Hudsonville @ East Kentwood
Hopkins @ Kelloggsville
Wyoming @ Christian
Holland Black River @ Tri-Unity Christian
Zion Christian @ Muskegon Catholic Central
West Michigan Aviation @ Martin
West Michigan Lutheran @ Algoma Christian
Covenant Christian @ South Christian
Boys Swimming
South Christian @ Ottawa Hills

Wednesday, Feb. 13
Boys Wrestling
Wyoming Lee @ MHSAA Team Regionals
Boys/Girls Bowling
Hudsonville @ East Kentwood
Calvin Christian @ Godwin Heights
Wyoming Lee @ NorthPointe Christian
Girls Cheer
East Kentwood @ Comstock Park
Wyoming @ Comstock Park
Godwin Heights @ Hopkins
Kelloggsville @ Hopkins

Thursday, Feb. 14
Boys/Girls Bowling
Grand Haven @ East Kentwood
Calvin Christian @ Kelloggsville
Tri-Unity Christian @ Potter’s House – Boys only
FH Eastern @ South Christian

Friday, Feb. 15
Boys Basketball
East Kentwood @ Rockford
Godwin Heights @ NorthPointe Christian
Belding @ Kelloggsville
Hudsonville @ Wyoming – Hall of Fame Night
Wyoming Lee @ Hopkins
Covenant Christian @ Tri-Unity Christian
Zion Christian @ Calvary Christian
Potter’s House @ West Michigan Aviation
West Michigan Lutheran @ Barry County Christian
Grand River Prep @ Holland Calvary
Middleville T-K @ South Christian – WKTV Featured Event
Girls Basketball
East Kentwood @ Rockford
Godwin Heights @ NorthPointe Christian
Belding @ Kelloggsville
Hudsonville @ Wyoming – Hall of Fame Night
Covenant Christian @ Tri-Unity Christian
Zion Christian @ Calvary Christian
Potter’s House @ West Michigan Aviation
West Michigan Lutheran @ Barry County Christian
Hopkins @ Grand River Prep
Middleville T-K @ South Christian – WKTV Featured Event
Boys Hockey
East Kentwood @ Muskegon Reeths-Puffer
Girls Cheer
Wyoming @ Muskegon Mona Shores – Division 2 MHSAA Districts
Godwin Heights @ Comstock Park – MHSAA Districts
Kelloggsville @ Comstock Park – MHSAA Districts
Wyoming Lee @ Comstock Park – MHSAA Districts
Girls Gymnastics
@ Potter’s House

Saturday, Feb. 16
Boys/Girls Bowling
East Kentwood @ Grandville
Godwin Heights @ Calvin Christian
Kelloggsville @ Calvin Christian
Wyoming Lee @ Calvin Christian
Wyoming @ Christian
Boys Wrestling
@ Grand Haven – MHSAA Individual Regionals
Girls Dance
East Kentwood @ Davenport University Invite
Girls Cheer
East Kentwood @ Rockford – Division 1 MHSAA Districts
Godwin Heights @ Comstock Park – Division 3 MHSAA Districts
Kelloggsville @ Comstock Park – Division 3 MHSAA Districts
Wyoming Lee @ Comstock Park – Division 3 MHSAA Districts
Boys Hockey
East Kentwood @ West Ottawa

Monday, Feb. 18
Boys Basketball
Godwin Heights @ Kelloggsville
Girls Basketball
Godwin Heights @ Kelloggsville
Boys/Girls Bowling
Kelloggsville @ Hopkins
Tri-Unity Christian @ Wellsprings Prep

Breaking barriers with a violin and a viola, meet Black Violin

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Black Violin features Kevin Sylvester and Winer Baptiste. The duo performs with the Grand Rapids Symphony at the Feb. 16 Symphony with Soul concert. (Supplied)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

NOTE: WKTV has been notified that the Feb. 16 concert has been sold out. For other Grand Rapids Symphony concerts, visit grsymphony.org

Kevin Sylvester and Wilner Baptiste do not fit the usual stereotype of classical musicians, and they are not. The Florida-natives have become one of the hottest crossover groups because of their wide-ranging repertorie that includes classical to hip-hop.

The duo, who are Black Violin, are set to perform at the Grand Rapids Symphony’s Symphony with Soul Feb. 16 concert.

As children, neither musician was interested in studying stringed instruments, much less classical music. Sylvester was nudged into music classes by his mother and focused on the violin despite initially dismissing it as uncool, according to a 2015 article from NPR.

Baptiste, who wanted to study the saxophone, told NPR he ended up in the string section due to a bet between two teachers. 

“I didn’t find this out until 2012, that the reason why I got put in his class was because he and the band teacher had a bet,” Baptiste told NPR. “They basically said to themselves, ‘Listen, let’s play golf, and whoever wins get this kid in their class.’”

The joke was on the teachers as Baptiste would pick up the viola and more than 20 years later, has made it a profession becoming half of one of the most sought after crossover groups in the nation.

After going to college to study classical music and learn their craft, Sylvester, a.k.a. Kev Marcus, and Baptiste, a.k.a. Wil B, retuned home to Ft. Lauderdale and began covering hip-hop songs on their instruments as Black Violin.

Soon they were invited to perform “Karma” with Alicia Keys on the 2004 Billboard Music Awards. Two years later, the duo would send an audition tape to “Showtime at the Apollo,” where they competed and won the competition. 

Fast-forward, and the group known for a “hard-hitting beat with lush string sounds” has toured with Kanye West, Jay-Z and Linkin Park and has collaborated with Aereosmith,Wynton Marsalis, and Elvis Costello. In January 2013, they performed for President Barack Obama at his second inauguration.

Also performing at Symphony with Soul will be musicians from the Grand Rapids Symphony’s Mosaic Scholarship Program for talented African-American and Latino students. The program provides teenage students with one-on-one lessons with a Grand Rapids Symphony musician plus the use of a musical instrument, music supplies, and tickets to Grand Rapids Symphony concerts at no cost to the student.

Opening the program is the anthem “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing.” First performed in 1900 by a group of 500 school children for President Lincoln’s birthday celebration, the cherished song of the Civil Rights Movement is the traditional opener for the community celebration in DeVos Hall.

One of the honorees at the Celebration of the Soul is Grand Rapids Symphony Associate Conduction John Varineau. (Calvin College)

Each year, Symphony with Soul is preceded by Celebration of Soul, a gala dinner honoring the accomplishments of individuals and organizations in the community that emphasize and celebrate the importance of cultural awareness and inclusion in West Michigan.

This year’s recipients of the Dr. MaLinda P. Sapp Legacy Award are architect, business owner and jazz musician Isaac V. Norris; Grand Rapids Symphony Associate Conductor John Varineau; and retired educator, photographer and musician Noel Webley, Jr.

Tickets

Tickets for Symphony with Soul start at $18 and are available at the Grand Rapids Symphony box office, weekdays 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. at 300 Ottawa Ave. NW, Suite 100, (located across the street from Calder Plaza). Call (616) 454-9451 x 4 to order by phone. (Phone orders will be charged a $2 per ticket service fee, with a $12 maximum).

Tickets are available at the DeVos Place ticket office, weekdays 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. or on the day of the concert beginning two hours before the performance. Tickets also may be purchased online at GRSymphony.org.

Full-time students of any age are able to purchase tickets for only $5 on the day of the concert by enrolling in the GRS Student Ticket program.

To bathe, or not to bathe?

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, How-To's, ,

It depends on their activity level, but most kids may only need to bathe a few times a week. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Randy Dotinga, HealthDay

 

Here’s welcome news for parents tired of forcing their kids to take a daily bath: Children may not need to bathe every day after all.

 

That’s the word from Dr. Robert Sidbury, an associate professor with the department of pediatrics and division chief of dermatology at the University of Washington School of Medicine in St. Louis.

 

“Depending on their age and activity level, most children only need a bath a few times a week,” Sidbury said in a news release from the American Academy of Dermatology. “For children, a few germs here and there are healthy, as this is how their bodies learn to fight off bacteria and build stronger immune systems.”

 

Sidbury provides these recommendations about bathing for kids:

  • If a child is aged 6 to 11, only two or three baths a week may be needed, and shampooing is necessary just once or twice a week. Black children or kids of any age with dry or curly hair only need to shampoo once every seven to 10 days.
  • Special circumstances require more bathing: Kids should take a bath and wash their hair when they get dirty, after they’ve been in an ocean or lake, or when they get sweaty or show signs of body odor.
  • When kids hit puberty, they should start taking a shower every day. It’s a good idea for them to shampoo their hair every day or every other day, and to wash their faces twice a day to get rid of dirt and oil. Black children and those with dry or curly hair can continue to shampoo their hair every seven to 10 days after the age of 12.
  • Kids don’t usually need to use conditioners since they’re designed to help dry and damaged hair. But conditioner—applied to the body and ends of hair, not the scalp—can help prevent tangles in kids with long, wavy or curly hair.

“While these guidelines work well for most children, every child is different,” Sidbury said. “If your child continues to have body odor, or if your child’s hair or scalp seem too oily or dry after following these guidelines, see a board-certified dermatologist.”

 

He also cautioned that kids with skin conditions such as eczema should follow the bathing recommendations of their dermatologist.

 

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum HealthBeat.

Kent County Emergency Management activates its emergency operations center

3-bottom, Community Health, Health


Kent County Emergency Management activated its Emergency Operations Center on Thursday, Feb. 7. (Supplied/Kent County)

By Kent County

As a result of the winter storm and its ongoing impact on the county, Kent County Emergency Management activated its Emergency Operations Center on Thursday, Feb. 7, to provide updated information on the current state of affairs because of the significant weather event.

Power Outages

Kent County residents are continuing to experience unprecedented power outages primarily in the north and east areas of the county. Consumers Energy has reported 112,000 people are still without power and they have 366 crews addressing the current outages. Kent County Emergency Management staff remain in contact with the National Weather Service, Consumers Energy, the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, as well as several private sector partners.

Emergency Shelter Operations

Arrangements have been made with the American Red Cross and Salvation Army to address the staffing and operation concerns at four emergency shelters — Ottawa Hills High School, Union High School, Walker Fire Department, and North Rockford Middle School.

These four locations also offer free pet boarding services by the Kent County Animal Shelter for those with pets. Residents are encouraged to seek other boarding options first, as space at these emergency animal shelters is limited. Please visit accesskent.com for complete details on the boarding process.

Dispatch Center

Call volumes at the Kent County Sheriff’s Office dispatch center are currently stable. Please do not call 911 to report that your power is out or to see when it is coming back on. Visit consumersenergy.com for a complete outage map.

Kent County Road Commission

According to the Kent County Road Commission, most roadways are clear, however many remain snow and ice covered with challenging conditions. Repeat applications of sand/salt deicing mix has been applied to state and primary roads, but the ongoing snowfall and low temps minimize effectiveness. Motorists should call 911 if they encounter an obstruction or emergency while driving. Please do not report travel emergencies via social media as they may not receive an expedited response.

Safety Tips

Members of the community are encouraged to check on their neighbors, the elderly, vulnerable adults, and persons with mobility issues and assist them if possible or call 911 if conditions dictate.

The following are a few safety tips to be considered when navigating a severe weather event:

Be aware of carbon monoxide hazards associated with operating a generator or alternate heat source. Generators should always be placed outside the home at least 20 feet away from any structure.

In an emergency, always call 911 before calling a utility company.

Always assume down power lines are dangerous. Call 911 and stay at least 25 feet away.

Be sure your food is safe after an outage. Visit foodsafety.gov for complete guidelines.

Solitude enhances your social-emotional health and well-being

3-bottom, Community Health, Health, Senior Living, ,

By Patricia Roth, Michigan State University Extension


In a world that tends to be connected at all times, many of us find ourselves too often over-worked, over-extended and over-committed. As an example, think about walking across a college campus. It can be difficult to make eye contact with anyone because many people’s eyes are diverted to devices. We may feel we are connected, however this constant contact can lead to a deep disconnection within ourselves.


How do we get back in touch with our true self? What is the value in reconnecting with our self? Though spending time alone may often have a bad reputation, there is another perspective that says scheduling solitude into your routine can help you reap many benefits and rewards for yourself and those around you.


According to the Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour, the article “Solitude: An Exploration of Benefits of Being Alone,” defines solitude as “disengagement from the immediate demands of other people—a state of reduced social inhibition and increased freedom to select one’s mental or physical activities.” In studying solitude, research shows there can be numerous positive outcomes to this practice, such as:

  • Freedom increases with the ability to engage in desired activities.
  • Creativity strengthens through using the imagination, discovering self-transformation and developing new thought patterns.
  • Intimacy increases by becoming more self-sufficient, pursuing passions and maintaining an awareness of strong relationships with others.
  • Spirituality can grow when given the space and freedom to question one’s place in the universe, personal thoughts and/or desires.

While for many of us it is not common practice to schedule time for solitude, it is crucial that in the midst of our busy lives we allow ourselves the gift of spending time alone.


Michigan State University Extension defines social-emotional health and wellbeing as the social, mental, psychological and spiritual aspects of an individual’s life across the lifespan. By spending time in solitude, we gain the chance to reconnect with our thoughts, desires and emotions. In turn, the strength of our relationship with ourselves, determines in large part our ability to connect with others in healthy ways.


Visit MSU Extension for more information or community support on improving your social-emotional health and well-being.


This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://expert.msue.msu.edu, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

Tulip Time announces 2019 poster

Entertainment
Carolyn Stich’s “Enduring Delft” was the winner of the 2019 Tulip Time Festival Poster Competition. (Supplied)

By Susan Zainis
Tulip Time

Tulip TimeFestival (www.tuliptime.com) together with the Holland Area Arts Council, is pleased to announce Carolyn Stich and her painting, “Enduring Delft” as the winner of the 2019 Tulip Time Festival Poster Competition.

The announcement was made Thursday evening at the First Bloom event held at Evergreen Commons. Hundreds of festival sponsors, community partners, and art enthusiasts attended the event where the evening began with a reception honoring the Top 20 artists and their artwork.

Artist Carolyn Stich (supplied)

Each year a work of art is selected for the official Tulip Time Festival poster. This year, 44 artists from the region submitted a total of 75 works for this juried competition. This year’s submissions were reviewed by Kristin Jass Armstrong, Executive Director of the Saugatuck Center for the Arts, who designated the Top 20 from which the winning piece was selected.

This year’s winning artist, Carolyn Stich, is an artist and photographer in Holland, Michigan. Carolyn has illustrated 10 children’s books as well as filling a portfolio full of commissioned work for various businesses throughout West Michigan over the past 20+ years. Her artwork and photographs appear in many publications promoting the beauty of the Holland area.


Carolyn is originally from St. Louis, Missouri. She studied commercial art and graphic design at Meremac Community College in St. Louis and continued her studies at the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga. In 1993, she and her husband moved to Holland, Michigan. Carolyn has owned a gallery/studio in downtown Holland for 12 years. Carolyn is a previous Art In Bloom winner, when in 2015 her piece “Joy of Spring” was selected as the winning poster artwork.

 “I created “Enduring Delft” as a celebration of Holland, Michigan,” stated Carolyn.  “The elegant simplicity of Delftware is a beautiful staple of Dutch heritage. The combination of vivid colors and classic patterns is an expression of the rich tradition and lively spirit found here.”

“Enduring Delft,” and the other Top 20 original works, will be on display at the Holland Area Arts Council from May 4 through May 12, 2019. The 19 remaining works will compete for the Viewers’ Choice Awards. The top three pieces with the most votes will win cash prizes. The community and all visitors are invited to participate by casting their vote for their favorite artwork. The winners of the Viewers’ Choice Awards will be announced on Saturday, May 11, 2019 at 10a via Facebook Live. 

Paying for Assisted Living: 5 Financial Assistance & Funding Options

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, How-To's, Senior Living

Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living

 

In 2014, only about 11% of adults aged 65 and older were covered by a long-term care insurance policy. Compared to the 52.3% of seniors who will require long-term care at some point during their retirement, retirees are underprepared for covering costs. But as people age, long-term care (LTC) coverage becomes cost prohibitive, which leaves seniors and their families wondering: “Where do we find the money to cover assisted living?” Here are five financial assistance and funding options to consider.

1. Life Insurance Conversions

Many people don’t realize that their life insurance is a financial asset that may benefit them today. If your loved one owns life insurance they no longer need, or premiums have become too expensive to justify the benefit, converting their life insurance policies into long-term care funds can help you cover assisted living costs.

 

This can be done in several ways. First, you can check with your insurance agent about the possibility of cashing in your policy, or receiving accelerated or “living” benefits. These are all different terms for the same process: the insurance provider will buy back the policy for a portion of its value (usually around 50-75%) so that the policyholder can apply those funds to long-term care or medical expenses. Some providers only cash in policies for policyholders who are terminally ill, while others are more flexible.

 

Another option is converting a life insurance policy to a “life assurance” benefit. This allows you to switch a life insurance benefit into regular long-term care payments, which can go towards all forms of LTC and senior housing.

2. VA Aid & Attendance Benefit

If your loved one is a veteran, they may be eligible for benefits that help to pay for long-term care and housing.

 

The Veterans’ Administration offers a special pension with Aid and Attendance (A&A) benefit that is largely unknown and often overlooked by wartime veterans and their families. Paid on top of a wartime veteran’s monthly pension, the A&A benefit allows for Veterans and surviving spouses who require assisted living additional monetary benefits. Most Veterans who are in need of assistance qualify for this pension. Aid and Attendance can help pay for care in the home, in a nursing home, or in an assisted living facility. While the amount you can expect from the benefit varies, the average is a maximum benefit is $1,949 a month for married veterans, $1,644 for single veterans and $1,056 for a surviving spouse.

 

Visit the US Department of Veterans’ Affairs for more information about eligibility and applying for the benefit.

3. Tax Benefits

Costs related to senior living at an assisted living community may be tax deductible for both the community member and their family caregiver if they meet the Internal Revenue Service requirements. This article from the AARP has more information.

 

You may also visit www.irs.gov, and particularly http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p502.pdf for more information on this potential deduction.

4. Your Home

There are several ways for your loved one to leverage their home to help pay for assisted living. While it may not be the preferred method, selling the home outright can help to cover a significant portion of the cost of assisted living. Another way for seniors to access their home equity is through a reverse mortgage. While this does require the homeowner to live in their home as a permanent residence, it can make sense in certain cases. For instance, if one spouse is able to live independently but the other requires memory care, a reverse mortgage can help the borrowing spouse pay for their partner’s long-term care.

 

If home equity accounts for a large portion of their net worth, however, seniors and their families should consider opting for a less immediate strategy. Converting the home to a long-term rental property, for example, gives you and your loved one access to steady income that can be put towards long-term care. However, managing a rental property does take quite a bit of work, and will affect your property taxes, so it’s not a decision to be taken lightly.

5. PACE

PACE, or Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, is a Medicare and Medicaid program that helps seniors get the care they need. To be eligible for the PACE program, you must:

  • Be age 55 or older
  • Live in the service area of a PACE program
  • Require a high level of care (varies by state)

PACE is only available in certain areas, such as PACE of Southwest Michigan, and eligibility may vary by area. You can check here to see there’s a PACE program near you.

 

Cost shouldn’t hold your loved one back from receiving the care they need and the life they want. Check with your financial and tax advisors to see what strategies make sense for you, or contact a Vista Springs community today.

 

Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.

Do you know what frostbite looks like?

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Children don’t realize they can get in trouble quickly when they are out in temperatures close to or below zero. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Bruce Rossman, Spectrum Health Beat

Extreme cold has come to West Michigan and will be a regular visitor this winter.

Parents should take extra precautions when sending young children outdoors for any length of time, and that means learning the warning signs of hypothermia and frostbite.

Parents need to know how to prevent extreme cold weather exposure and be ready to respond appropriately to problems, said Jennifer Hoekstra, an injury prevention program coordinator with Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.

“Children don’t realize they can get in trouble quickly when they are out in temperatures close to or below zero,” she said.

Clothing

Problems arise when infants and children are not dressed properly, Hoekstra said. Make sure they’re dressed in several thin layers to stay warm and dry. Adequate outdoor clothing includes thermal long johns, turtlenecks, at least one shirt, pants, sweater, coat, warm socks, boots, gloves or mittens and a hat.

Hypothermia

Hypothermia develops when a child’s temperature falls below normal due to exposure. It often happens when children are outdoors in extremely cold weather without proper clothing or when their clothes get wet. If your child shivers and becomes lethargic and clumsy, hypothermia may be setting in. Your child’s speech also may become slurred.

Call 911 immediately if you suspect your child is hypothermic. Until help arrives, take children indoors, remove any wet clothing and wrap them in blankets or warm clothes.

Frostbite

Frostbite happens when the skin and outer tissues become frozen. This condition tends to happen on extremities like the fingers, toes, ears and nose. Watch for extremities that may become pale, gray and blistered. Children may complain that their skin burns or has become numb.

Here’s what to do if your children show signs of frostbite:

  • Bring children indoors and place the frostbitten parts of their bodies in warm water.
  • Apply warm washcloths to frostbitten noses, ears and lips.
  • Do not rub the frozen areas or use a heating pad.
  • After a few minutes, dry and cover children with clothing or blankets.
  • Give them something warm to drink.
  • If the numbness continues for more than a few minutes, call your doctor.

When the temperatures drop low, “the best advice is to keep your children inside and busy with indoor activities,” Hoekstra said. Same goes for your furbabies, too.

 

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

WKTV features NASA launch of cargo craft

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The Northrup Grumman Cygnus CRS-10 Cargo Craft will depart for the International Space Station Feb. 8. (NASA)

By Kelly Taylor
WKTV

Tune in to WKTV Government 26 for the upcoming special programming events from NASA TV. On Friday, Feb. 8, WKTV will be featuring the departure of the Northrup Grumman Cygnus CRS-10 Cargo Craft from the International Space Station.

Live coverage will begin at 10:45 a.m., with the departure scheduled for 11:10 a.m.

After it’s release from the ISS, the Cygnus Cargo Craft will stay in space for two weeks, deploying various satellites at various altitudes to provide increased commercial access to space and demonstrate technology advancements.

Cygnus is scheduled to deorbit on Monday, Feb. 25, and enter the Earth’s atmosphere, where it will burn up harmlessly over the Pacific Ocean.

To learn more about the International Space Station, it’s crews and it’s research, visit www.nasa.gov/station. NASA TV can be seen on the WKTV 26 Government Channel on Comcast and AT&T U-verse 99 Government Channel 99.

WKTV explores what makes local competitive cheer athletes compete

Kentwood Public Schools, Local Faces, Sports

By Drew Dargavell, WKTV Sports Intern
ken@wktv.org

Competitive Cheer, a growing sport in the state of Michigan, requires great stamina, physical strength, and athletic ability. And unlike some other states, the Michigan High School Athletic Association recognizes the female participants in Girls Competitive Cheer as athletes.

For those unfamiliar with competitive cheer, it consists of three rounds of competition.  Each team is scored for each particular round and it’s requirements. The different rounds serve to highlight the strengths of a team in different aspects of cheer.
 

To get a more inside look into West Michigan cheer, WKTV caught up with cheer coaches from two local teams with different goals and outlooks. Chris Hudson coaches Division 1 East Kentwood, which not only won their conference last year, but also districts, regionals, and went to the state championships. Viktoria Lissner, from Division 3 Godwin Heights, coaches a team that finished last in their division last year but still has plenty of heart.
 

The common theme for both of these teams, however, is that cheer is more than just a sport to these athletes.

“Cheer for us is about the team bonding and being a part of something here at Godwin,” Lissner said to WKTV.

At Kentwood, they are in it to win it.

“For a lot of these girls, it’s the only sport that they do, they’ve been doing it since they were little kids and it means everything (to them),” Hudson said to WKTV.

This video story and all sports news segments are available on the WKTV YouTube channel. All featured games covered by WKTV’s sports coverage crew, as well as other community events covered, are available on-demand 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 . 

Horrocks tap takeover features book-themed beers

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism
Kentwood’s Horrocks hosts the Third Annual KDaLe Tap Takeover set for Friday, Feb. 8.

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

For some it is curling up with a good book. For others, its having a pint of beer. Both are excellent ways to power through the winter days and thanks to the Kent District Library, you can enjoy both at its Third Annual KDaLe Tap Takeover set for Friday, Feb. 8, at Horrocks Market, 4455 Breton Rd. SE. The event is from 5 – 8 p.m.

KDL teamed up with several local breweries that each have designed a “book themed” beer. The purpose of the event is to help create awareness about KDL and the local branches which include the one in Wyoming and in Kentwood. Brewers and brewery owners will be at the event to swap stories with patrons.

The local breweries and their book-themed beer are:

 
Railtown Brewing Company The Great Stoutsby – Breakfast Oatmeal Stout with Coffee, Cocoa, & Maple
Thornapple Brewing Company Tequila Mockingbird – Tequila Barrel Aged Cucumber Sumac Gose
Hudsonville Pike 51 Brewing Co. The Lion, The Witch, & the Wee Heavy – Wee Heavy Ale
Gravel Bottom Craft Brewery Amigara – Brut IPA
Rockford Brewing Company Farenheit 49341 – Amber Ale
Creston Brewery Bokonon – N.E. IPA
New Union Brewery A Clockwork Cherry – Tart Cherry Ale
TwoGuys Brewing Green Cottage & Ham – American Dry Pale Ale
The Mitten Brewing Co. Puncheon You in the Eye – Puncheon Aged Brett Saison w/ Gooseberries & Black Currant

For more on this program, you can visit the Facebook page or visit kdl.org.

Kentwood’s brush drop-off site reopened to help with storm damage

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, Recycling
Kentwood Public Works Department oversees the city’s brush and tree recycling. (Supplied/City of Kentwood)


By City of Kentwood

The City of Kentwood has reopened its brush drop-off site for residents to dispose of debris resulting from recent storms.


Residents may drop off brush, sticks, tree limbs and logs from storm damage at the Kentwood Department of Public Works, located at 5068 Breton Ave. SE, during daylight hours now through Sunday, Feb. 17. 


“Our crews are working hard to help clean up any storm damage,” said Jim Wolford, Department of Public Works supervisor. “We’ve reopened our brush drop-off site as residents have expressed a need for drop-off services as they address the trees, branches and brush that have fallen on their properties.”


The service is available to Kentwood residents only. Materials that cannot be accepted include: leaves, grass clippings, trash, dirt, concrete, asphalt, tires, rocks, stones, construction materials, glass or metal.