All posts by Joanne

For one Wyoming resident, theater life can be murder

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, , ,
Cathy Van Lopik reprises her role as Emily Brent in the upcoming production of Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None” at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre.

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Was None” is one of Cathy Van Lopik’s favorite plays. So when she learned that both Jenison’s Shadblow Theatre and Grand Rapids Civic Theatre had included the famous murder mystery in their 2018-2019 season, it was a given that Van Lopik was going to audition.

“I knew I was going to audition for both shows in the hopes that I might get into one,” said the Wyoming resident. “There was a chance I might not get into either, but I was going to try.”

She ended up landing a part in both shows, portraying Emily Brent this past summer for Shadblow Theatre’s production and a role she will reprise for the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre’s, which opens Jan. 11 at the theater, located at 30 N. Division Ave.

“When I came in for rehearsal, they were like ‘You already know your lines, right? You’re off book already,’” Van Lopik said with a laugh.

With a different director comes the opportunity to explore the character of Emily Brent from another viewpoint.


“You see a different aspect to the character,” Van Lopik said. “(Director) Bruce Tinker has a different take and will say something like she could be responding to something this character said and it gives you a new perspective as to why why she is saying this particular line.”

Brent is one of 10 seemingly normal people who are invited to stay at the isolated Solider Island off the Devon coast of England. Once a gramophone announces the group’s sins to all the other occupants, things start to get interesting and people start to disappear.

“Basically you put 10 strangers in a room and give them a crisis and watching how each of these people deal with it is very interesting,” she said. “Each of these 10 people have an individual way of handling this situation making it a compelling look at human nature and how people react.”

Van Lopik is a familiar face to the theater scene in Grand Rapids, having worked with Master Arts Theatre for several years, currently serving as the director of the group’s traveling troupe. She also has performed and directed a number of shows, including the 2017 Van Singel Fine Arts production of “Willy Wonka The Musical.” However, this is the first time Van Lopik will perform on the Civic stage.

“It just hasn’t worked out before,” Van Lopik said. “I’ve had other things going on or it just didn’t work.

“I have auditioned before and there is so much talent in the area, that you just don’t get the role. Having been a director, I know how it feels when you have two or three people who would be great but you can only pick one.”

Van Lopik will be back in the director’s chair after “And Then There Were None” wraps. She will be directing “Sunshine Boys” at Holland Civic Theatre, Feb. 11 and 12; and “Around the World in 80 Days” for Master Arts Theatre, June 6 – 22.

That’s of course is if Emily Brent survives the island escapades in “And Then There Were None.” To find out if she does, you’ll have to catch the show, which runs Jan. 11 – 27. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Wednesday – Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $18 – $29, with student pricing $16. For more on this production or other shows at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre, visit grct.org.

Cat of the week: Grey Catsby

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Local Business, Local Faces, Non-Profits, Pets/Animals, , , ,

By Sharon Wylie, Crash’s Landing

Meet Mr. Grey Catsby

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).

We felt it best in this case to relay the story of who this fine fella is and how he came to be in his guardian angel’s own words, as Grey Catsby (born in August of 2013) came to us under different circumstances and under the assumption that he was feline leukemia-positive (he retested negative several times). Here is his story in Augusta’s words:

“Grey is a big boy, but he’s not overweight and doesn’t overeat, he is just big-boned at 16 pounds. He’d make a great companion as he is pretty chill, but he would prefer to be the only cat in the place. His brother must have harassed him quite a bit as he wouldn’t eat or have a treat for a long time until he’d made sure no other critter was around.

“He’s smart and trainable, a big fan of Greenies, catnip, chicken and Lickables, though he isn’t a huge fan of canned food. He has excellent litter box manners and likes cuddles with people he bonds with, which I think he would do fairly easy with anyone who is consistent, gives him lotsa crunchy treats for basic good behavior, and only uses a loud or stern voice when he is doing something wrong (that doesn’t happen very often). He will be quite shy at first as he has been through a lot, and I don’t believe he had ever had a treat or toy in his life before I got him; he is just starting to get what toys are and feel safe enough to play.

“Until he has bonded with you, he won’t like you messing with the top of his head; he is OK with petting. but toys that are catapulted over his head or sudden, unexpected movements can freak him out. Honestly, I’ve worked with a ton of cats and this dude is really sweet. In the morning, he will wait for me to get my coffee and when I sit down with it, he will come over, look me in the eye and gently tap my arm with his right paw to ask for some cuddles; it is as if he has missed me while I was sleeping (even though he slept with me on the bed all night).

“I believe that feeling safe and secure is something he hadn’t much of, and that is probably as much to do with his nature as a nurturer. He becomes much more worried when there is a man and a woman in the house, though two woman are fine; add a man to the mix and he gets a bit skittish. He witnessed a great deal of verbal and some physical abuse in his former home, so he will just need consistency and kindness to allow him to start shining again.

“I can say with certainty that he now has the basic, but perhaps fragile, trust in believing in humans, and is learning that they can do right by him. In spite of his upbringing, he is not a lot of work, he’s cuddly without being clingy, and he’s getting happier by the day.”

Once you know his background, you can understand his demeanor with us since his arrival, and you are instantly SO PROUD of how far he has come in such a short period of time: Grey Catsby had a hard time adjusting to the hustle and bustle of shelter life but is doing much better. He still spends most of his time observing the action from the top of the catwalk, but if you call him, he will come down for pets. He will make an excellent cat for a family once he warms up to his new home. He could live with or without other cats. He is the perfect gentleman, and also very handsome.   

Grey Catsby likes people but isn’t crazy about being the center of attention. Once he comes down from the catwalk, though, he enjoys being near you — although he’s a bit shy at first. Anyone looking for a cat that has his quiet mannerisms will be very lucky. He may need a little extra time adjusting to new surroundings but would do just fine in no time. 

When Grey was sick with calicivirus, he got extra one-on-one attention, and we think that helped him be more comfortable with us (strange as that may sound). He would be perfect for any home with older kids, another cat, or a small dog.

Well, there ya have it folks, Grey Catsby in a nutshell. We are thoroughly enjoying watching him become brave and more self-assured every single day that he is with us. Augusta did a fantastic job laying the groundwork and Grey is coming in to his own with purpose and grace.

More about Grey Catsby:

  • Extra-large
  • Domestic Short-hair, Gray & White
  • Adult
  • Male
  • House-trained
  • Vaccinations up to date
  • Neutered
  • Not declawed
  • Prefers a home without dogs

Want to adopt Grey Catsby? 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.

Five home hacks to reduce your food waste footprint

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

By Christi Demitz, Jenna Kaufman-Ross, Michigan State University Extension

 

In our modern culture of endless choices, food waste has become a hot topic among food policy advocates and environmental officials. According to the Food Waste Alliance, about 80 billion pounds of food are tossed in American landfills each year, which contributes to increased greenhouse gas emissions and billions of dollars wasted. If aggregated into one giant heap, this amount of wasted food would fill the Rose Bowl Stadium, which would make for a pretty pungent football game!

 

Fortunately, the USDA and EPA have teamed up in an effort to cut U.S. food waste in half by the year 2030. While this goal addresses over half of the food waste in landfills, it fails to address the nearly 50 percent of food waste generated by residential and consumer sectors. Therefore, it is important to recognize the steps we can take to reduce food waste. Below are five easy strategies for repurposing and revitalizing food right in your home kitchen. Such creative, simple solutions can help reduce personal food waste while consequently stretching your food budget!

  1. Look for inner beauty. When shopping for fruits and veggies, do not judge a book by its cover! Just because produce might look odd or unconventional, it is still as delicious and nutritious as its more traditionally shaped peers. Oftentimes these ugly veggies are deemed inedible by shoppers and left to rot in the store and eventually thrown away. Save the ugly produce! Reserve bizarre fruits for smoothies and jams. Chop up peculiar veggies for soups, stews, sauces and salads. You can oven roast them, or feature them whole in a crudité.  More and more companies, such as Imperfect Produce on the West Coast and Hungry Harvest on the East Coast, are hopping on the ugly produce bandwagon. Additionally, super markets such as Walmart have started discounting misshapen produce to lessen their food waste footprint. While such systematic initiatives have not yet sprouted in Michigan, take it upon yourself to be an ugly produce hero and rescue these poor edible outcasts. For more ugly inspiration, follow @UglyFruitandVeg on social media.
  2. Create a broth bag. This genius idea from The Kitchn.com gives purpose back to all those vegetable “odds and ends” and redirects them into flavor-boosters for soups, stews, stocks and sauces. When cutting up your vegetables, save those nubs, cobs, ends and tops and freeze them in a container or freezer bag for a later use. Otherwise demoted to the garbage heap, these odds and ends are filled with optimal flavor potential. For a decadent, next-level soup, add your leftover hard cheese rinds to the broth bag and freeze.
  3. Preserve your herbs. Chop your leftover herbs and freeze in ice cube trays topped with a bit of olive oil. Once frozen, pop them out and store in freezer bags for a later use. Drop cubes into sauces, soups, stews or any other time you are in the market for an herb-infused olive oil.
  4. When in doubt, make pesto. Pesto is traditionally a sauce made with basil, parmesan cheese, olive oil, pine nuts (or walnuts), garlic and lemon. Get creative by using kale, carrot tops or beet greens along with or instead of the basil.
  5. For all other food scraps, compost. You have heard of composting. You know, that cyclic concept of conserving all of your food scraps, coffee grounds, egg shells, peels and skins and turning them back into fertile soil for future growth. Though it sounds idyllic, it is oftentimes associated with smelly, rotting food, which can be a major barrier for those considering composting. Services such as Organicycle and other similar programs aim to eliminate that barrier and make composting about as hassle and smell-free as it gets with curbside pick-up for a low cost, and for those ambitious gardening folk out there, Michigan State University Extension offers programs and resources to manage your own compost pile!

We can all do our part to reduce food waste. Just employing a few of these tricks can cut back on your residential waste and might even save you a buck or two! For additional resources on food waste reduction, head to MSU Extension.

 

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).

 

 

School News Network: For a Wyoming resident GRCC Job Training may give him the life he’s dreamed of

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, , ,
Gybran Vazquez smiles with loved ones after graduation

By Erin Albanese
School News Network

It wasn’t long ago that Gybran Vazquez decided he needed a change. He was applying stripes to parking lots for an asphalt company, but dreamed of what else he could be doing with his career.

“I thought this ain’t the life I want,” said Vazquez.

GRCC Job Training ProgramsAutomotive TechnicianConstruction ElectricalComputer Support TechnicianIntroduction to ConstructionMachinist / CNC TechnicianWelding / Fabrication TechnicianResidential Construction


He’s closer to the life he wants, now that he has graduated from Grand Rapids Community College Job Training after devoting 34 hours a week for 18 weeks to learning about residential construction.

The Wyoming resident is now ready to continue working toward his goal of getting his associate degree from GRCC and eventually start his own property management company.

“I always had the vision where I want to be my own boss someday,” he said. “I am taking the steps to get there.”

After more than 600 hours spent learning to build houses, fix cars, take blood pressure and complete other skills needed for jobs available in West Michigan, 52 students graduated in December from the GRCC Job Training programs.

Nick Paddock graduates from the GRCC Job Training automotive technician program

A Path Toward Success

They will land jobs as automotive technicians, computer support technicians, machinists, medical assistants, electricians and in other occupations that require certifications and specialized training. Each year, more than 300 people graduate from the fast-paced, full-time programs, which aim to produce highly skilled new employees with  appropriate credentials for jobs.

“We often get students in the program that haven’t had great success in traditional education,” said Julie Parks, GRCC executive director of workforce training. “Eighty percent of classes are hands-on; they earn national certifications and they see what they can do.”

That’s true for Vazquez, who dropped out of Lee High School as a freshman in 2010. Several years later he returned to adult education courses in Grand Rapids to earn his GED. From there, he was connected to GRCC’s Job Training Residential Construction Program.

He helped build houses, learning about blueprint reading, site layout, concrete, carpentry, door and window installation, roofing, siding, and interior finishing. He is now working full-time in carpentry, earning more than $20 an hour, compared to the $14.50 per hour he earned before.

Vazquez said he feels more confident about pursuing opportunities. “I feel way better now. I can actually speak up and say something now that I have my education.”

While working is most students’ goal, they earn 12 to 16 articulated credits through Job Training programs toward an associate degree, which many come back for after working a while. Many students are motivated to continue with skills training in some way to improve their income potential. They also build a network of people in their industries.

Nick Paddock shares the moment with his children

Hands-On Experience 

Nick Paddock graduated from the automotive technician program, which focuses on diagnosing and repairing vehicles, from brakes to steering. He enrolled in GRCC Job Training after losing his job in January from a car dealership.

“I decided, ‘I’m off. I need to do this to better myself,’” said Paddock, who has two children, ages 8 and 10, with his wife, Lynne.

He is now working for DeNooyer Ford, in Kalamazoo, as an auto technician, a job he was hired to before even graduating from the GRCC program. He is making $17 per hour, compared to the $10 per hour he made at his former job.

‘I CAN ACTUALLY SPEAK UP AND SAY SOMETHING NOW THAT I HAVE MY EDUCATION.’ — GYBRAN VAZQUEZ, GRADUATE OF GRCC JOB TRAINING PROGRAM


His family is more financially comfortable, he said. His wife works as a patient care assistant at Bronson Hospital.

“I have been recommending the program quite a bit to people,” he said. “You get the hands-on experience. … I personally learn better by getting my hands on things.”

Programs cost between $5,000 and $7,000, but most students receive scholarships, financial aid or support through the U.S. Department of Labor Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. Many are able to complete the program without going into debt.

Going to GRCC was a great choice,  Vazquez said.

“I definitely recommend it for anyone who wants to pursue their goals. Once you’re in the groove it goes by quick. … It’s fun to learn different stuff you don’t know.”

For more local school news, visit the School News Network website.

Gybran Vazquez officially graduates from the GRCC Job Training residential construction program

Local players make AP All-State 2018 football teams, gain honorable mention

3-bottom, Sports,

A scene from East Kentwood High School’s playoff win over Brighton on Oct. 27. (WKTV/Micah Cho)

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

This past football season lead to four local high school players earning the title of first team AP All-State in the state of Michigan. East Kentwood, somewhat unsurprisingly, lead the way with three of those All-Staters coming from their team after a tremendous season from the Division 1-2 Falcons finishing the season 9-2.

These players include senior running back Kionte Blakely, senior offensive tackle Logan Brown, and senior defensive tackle Mazi Smith.

The fourth local first team AP All-State comes from Division 3-4 South Christian: senior offensive tackle Spencer Holstege.

Of the four players named, three have earned scholarships to play for Big Ten teams.

Brown, the 6-foot-5, 285-pound offensive tackle from East Kentwood has committed to play football at the University of Wisconsin next season. Brown started to impress recruiters his Junior season with his size and athleticism as he is rated as a four star recruit and the top overall recruit in the state of Michigan according to ESPN’s recruiting database and is number 28 overall in the nation. ESPN also has him listed as the 7th best player at his position in the country. According to ESPN, Brown is listed as the top-overall recruit for the University of Wisconsin. Brown was featured in the 2019 All-American Bowl on Jan. 6, which gathered some of the top high school talent around the nation to compete in an exhibition.

Another top recruit ranked in ESPN’s Top 300 is the 6-foot-3, 320-pound defensive tackle Mazi Smith from East Kentwood. Smith was a key part of East Kentwood’s success this season. According to ESPN Smith is ranked as the 38th best recruit in the country and number three overall in the state. Smith will be staying in state and has committed to University of Michigan. ESPN has Smith ranked as number two at his position in the nation and is U of M’s second highest recruit. Smith was also featured in the 2019 Under Armor All-American football game on Jan. 3, which is similar to the All-American Bowl, and which gathers some of the best high school players in the country for an exhibition.

The third All-State from East Kentwood is their work-horse, 5-foot-6, running back Kionte Blakely. Blakely was the Falcons main weapon on offense as he rushed for 1,698 yards and 28 touchdowns. He finished first place in M-Live’s online poll for Grand Rapids Press Player of the Year (local area’s best player), garnering over 63,000 votes out of 145,516 total votes.

Last but not least is the senior offensive tackle from South Christian, Spencer Holstege.

Holstege has committed to play football at Purdue University next season. According to ESPN, Holstege is rated as the number 25 recruit in the state of Michigan. Holstege was the key player for the South Christian team as he played both the offensive and defensive lines as needed.

Other local players who gained honorable mention on the AP All-State teams were senior linebacker Rusheon Bash, for Division 1-2 Wyoming; senior receiver Peyton Vis, for Grand Rapids South Christian; and senior lineman Marshawn Kneeland, for Division 3-4 Wyoming Godwin Heights.

From the 8-man football division, Wyoming Tri-unity placed two senior players, Benson Heath and Brayden Ophoff, on the All-State team. Heath rushed for 993 yards and 12 touchdowns during the regular season and added 710 yards and five scores as a receiver. He had 31 tackles for loss and three interceptions on defense. Ophoff played in the defensive secondary and totaled 82 tackles and three interceptions during the regular season. At quarterback, he was 51 of 72 passing for 1,666 yards and 22 TDs and added 1,070 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns.

For a complete list of AP All-State Players see apnews.com .

Did we miss anybody? Contact WKTV at ken@wktv.org .

School News Network: Area students can enter Gerald R. Ford Essay Challenge

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, ,

Budding student writers are invited to consider the traits of the 38th president of the United States and enter the President Gerald R. Ford Student Essay Challenge.

Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library & Museum is a proud sponsor of SNN
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library & Museum is a proud sponsor of SNN

Each year, the  Gerald R. Ford Foundationchallenges students to reflect on an important part of Ford’s character. High school students nationwide are invited to participate in the contest. Finalists are chosen and recognized at a special awards program at the Gerald R. Ford Museum.

The writing prompt for the 2019 Essay Challenge is:

“I have always believed that most people are mostly good, most of the time. I have never mistaken moderation for weakness, nor civility for surrender. As far as I’m concerned, there are no enemies in politics — just temporary opponents who might vote with you on the next Roll Call.” ~President Gerald R. Ford

Essays should be 500-750 words, sharing thoughts about civility.  Some ideas include: What does civility mean to you? How might we create a sense of civility in both our social circles and our government? Have you had an experience where, through civility, people were able to find common ground? Is there someone you admire for their sense of civility?

Students from Michigan are eligible to receive the following awards:

  • First Place: $1,000 (plus a $500 gift card for student’s teacher)
  • Second Place: $750 (plus a $250 gift card for student’s teacher)
  • Third Place: $500 (plus a $100  gift card for student’s teacher)
  • Up to seven Honorable Mentions: $250 each


One $500 award will be given to a submitting student living outside of Michigan.

Last year’s first-place winner was Aneeqa Hasan of Forest Hills Central.

Students can submit essays via an online submission form, or send them to Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation, c/o Clare Shubert, 303 Pearl St. NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504. Entries must be received by March 11, 2019.

For more information, contact: Clare Shubert at csshubert@38foundation.org or (616) 254-0409.

For more local school news, visit the School News Network website.

Pine Rest is chosen as one of five organizations to participate in National Institute on Aging Study

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, ,
Pine Rest is one of five ordinations to participate in at the National Institute on Aging Study

Colleen Cullison
Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services

It is a 5-year study to investigate the use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) to treat severe agitation and aggression in people with Alzheimer’s disease. The study was made possible by a 5-year award which is expected to total $11.8 million from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) under award number R01AG06110001.

Researchers at McLean Hospital, a Harvard Medical School Affiliate, will lead the study. Pine Rest will receive a $1.3 million sub-award for the study from McLean. The NIA, part of the National Institutes of Health, leads scientific efforts to study aging and Alzheimer’s disease.

The principal investigator is Brent P. Forester, M.D., M.Sc, and heads McLean’s Division of Geriatric Psychiatry and Geriatric Psychiatry Research Program. McLean Hospital researchers will collaborate with investigators at Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services, Emory University, Mayo Clinic, and Northwell Health. The Medical University of South Carolina will serve as the study’s data coordinating site.

The study will be the first randomized, double-blind, controlled study of ECT for agitation and aggression in Alzheimer’s dementia. It will compare how ECT treatment plus standard treatments, such as antipsychotic medications and behavioral therapies, compares with standard therapies alone for individuals with Alzheimer’s dementia with severe aggression and anxiety.

“It is wonderful to have this grant from the National Institute on Aging. We have been interested in the use of ECT for the treatment of advanced dementia for many years and have been offering this treatment to patients and families for a long time,” says Eric Achtyes, M.D., M.S., D.F.A.P.A., staff psychiatrist, Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services, and Michigan State University – College of Human Medicine, associate professor and chair, department of psychiatry west. “Several years ago, we conducted a pilot study of ECT in this patient population which showed promising results for reducing agitation associated with dementia. Now, thanks to this grant, we will be able to conduct a definitive study to assess the benefits and risks of using ECT for these individuals and the families who care for them.”

For the study, 200 patients will be enrolled across the five sites. The study will be open to older adults or individuals who have been admitted to the inpatient geriatric psychiatry units of any of the five participating sites and who have moderate-to-severe Alzheimer’s disease, are experiencing agitation and aggression, and who have not been responsive to other forms of treatment. Enrollment is expected to begin in spring 2019.

Louis Nykamp, M.D., Pine Rest’s geriatric fellowship director and electroconvulsive therapy and transcranial magnetic stimulation clinic director will be serving as the Pine Rest principal investigator for this study. Dr. Nykamp is a geriatric trained psychiatrist with expertise in the assessment and treatment of dementias, as well as the use of ECT and other neuromodulation techniques such as transcranial magnetic stimulation. He was involved in drafting the grant and will lead the team here at Pine Rest in the safe conduct of this critically important and impactful study.

“Agitation and even aggression are unfortunately common in the context of the brain changes which occur in the late stages of Alzheimer’s dementia,” says Dr. Nykamp. “Many people can think of a family member or friend to whom this has occurred. There are currently no approved treatments and the medications typically used for these complications of the illness can come with troublesome side effects and often they don’t work as well as we’d hope.

“Pilot studies of ECT for these symptoms have been promising, and it has been a part of our clinical practice at Pine Rest to offer this when symptoms have been severe and refractory. We are very fortunate to have this grant opportunity to collaborate with excellent partners to study the effectiveness of ECT for severe agitation in dementia.”

Preliminary work to prepare Pine Rest’s ECT Clinic to participate in the NIA grant was funded by a $20,000 grant from the Pine Rest Foundation. With this funding the capacity to accurately and consistently track data and measure outcomes using standardized assessment tools was improved. This process gave staff experience with administering the standardized diagnostic, efficacy and side effect scales that are used in research and incorporated these measures into the clinic work flow preparing our team to participate in transformational research projects such as this.

When the study begins this spring, the teams from the five hospitals will interact regularly with a data safety monitoring board composed of experts in geriatric psychiatry, biostatistics, and ECT who will review every piece of data as well as the overall conduct of the study to provide an independent objective review of safety. The researchers will also provide a yearly progress report to the NIA.

Wyoming accepting reservations for Daddy Daughter Dance

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, , ,
Young ladies are encouraged to bring their favorite adult date, dad, grandpa, uncle or another male figure, to the Daddy Daughter Dance.

The City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation is currently taking registrations for its annual Daddy Daughter Dance, which will be Saturday, Feb. 9.

The popular dance, which is for girls ages 3-15, fills up quickly, so residents are encouraged to register early. This year’s event will include a photo booth, DJ, games and refreshments.


The event will be from 6-8 p.m. at the Wyoming Senior Center, 2380 DeHoop Ave. SW. Cost is $8 for residents and $12 for non-residents. (Fee is per person.)

Pre-registration is required. To register, click here.


The words we use

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, Non-Profits, Our Cities, ,

By Bob Smith, LMSW, CAADC,
Clinical Manager, Cherry Health

The way we speak often impacts the way we feel and changes the lenses in which we see the world. One area in which this has impacted those suffering from substance use disorders are common terms I hear of being either clean or dirty to describe one’s using status.

These terms are used widely to describe people suffering from addictions and present themselves in use through media, news organizations, agencies, providers, trainers and even those individuals suffering from addiction themselves. They have become so broadly used and interconnected in the treatment of addictions that at times it seems we have lost sight of the impact these statements have on how individuals, providers, and our country views addictions.

Addiction is a disease defined by the American Medical Association and the American Society on Addiction Medicine including changes in the way our body and brain function. Over time and left untreated, addiction is a progressive relapsing disease, severe, disabling and ultimately life-threatening. We do not label those suffering from heart disease, diabetes or cancer as clean or dirty, and instead we treat them with compassion and empathy.

We all need to take responsibility for shifting these perspectives to disrupt the cycle of placing individuals suffering from a disease into a category of being labeled externally and internally dirty. When individuals use substances, or are screened for substances in their body, the correct terms we should be using is testing positive or negative for substances. I would challenge all of us to actively confront these statements when we hear them.

We all can be part to making changes starting with educating our patients on how they speak about themselves, educating our co-workers, writing letters to our local and national news broadcasters and Congressmen when they use these terms, as well as advocating for continuing expansion of treatment services in our community.

Whether we are suffering from heart disease, diabetes, cancer, alcohol or opioid addiction, or any other chronic health concerns, we all deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.

Reprinted with permission from Cherry Health.

On the shelf: ‘The Miracle at Speedy Motors’ by Alexander McCall Smith

Books, Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, , , ,

By Lisa Boss, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch

 

Alexander McCall Smith’s ninth novel in the wildly successful No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency  series. The Miracle at Speedy Motors, revisits the life of Mma Ramotswe. She is a “traditionally built” woman of Botswana, who has created something completely new in the town of Gabarone, and even in all of Botswana: a detective agency led by a woman. Precious Ramotswe was led to do this after her dear, good father died, and she needed a means to support herself, since she had left her terrible marriage.

 

I am not a big fan of the classic mystery genre (hate the whole “red herring” thing), and worse yet, this sub-genre is often termed a “Cozy”, which seems about as appealing as lukewarm oatmeal. Do not be put off by these terms! This series is fascinating, lively, and hilarious: if you start them you will not be able to stop!

 

They are like small snapshots of the lives of some very fascinating characters, in the cultural context of Botswana. These books have had unfailingly great reviews, even receiving two Booker Judges’ Special Recommendations and also being voted one of the International Books of the Year and the Millennium by the Times Literary Supplement. So don’t worry that they will be too enjoyable to be good for your mind.  And don’t be surprised if they lead you into reading more books about Africa, a continent rich in so many different traditions, with unimagined wealth still to be discovered, that may well become the next China or India.

 

Alexander McCall Smith’s biography would make an interesting book in itself. He has lived and taught at universities in different countries, and has written many non-fiction books that are considered definitive in their field. He was born in Zimbabwe (which was then Rhodesia) and went to school near the Botswana border. Later in life, he wanted to write a book that would speak to his admiration for the people of Botswana, and Mma Ramotswe came into being.

 

If you have heard about them but not tried one yet, it is important to begin at the beginning in this series.

  • The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency (1998)
  • Tears of the Giraffe (2000)
  • Morality for Beautiful Girls (2001)
  • The Kalahari Typing School for Men (2002)
  • The Full Cupboard of Life (2004)
  • In the Company of Cheerful Ladies (2004)
  • Blue Shoes and Happiness (2006)
  • The Good Husband of Zebra Drive (2007)
  • The Miracle at Speedy Motors (2008)

‘Bystanders are usually the first responders’

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This slideshow requires JavaScript.

By Jason Singer, Spectrum Health Beat

Photos by Chris Clark

In October 2017, a bullet shattered Paolo Bautista’s arm in a mass shooting at a country music concert in Las Vegas.

As the bullets rained down on concertgoers, Bautista’s quick-thinking sister stuffed her wound with a sock. A stranger pulled a belt tight above the hole. Doctors say this makeshift tourniquet saved Bautista’s life.

Fifty-eight people died in that incident.

As the number of mass shootings in America increases—there were 11 school shootings in the first three weeks of this year—advocates would like to see tourniquet kits made available in public spaces such as schools, shopping malls and arenas.

Doctors believe tourniquets could potentially save lives if they were more readily available in places where mass shootings can occur.

Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat

“In reality, bystanders are usually the first responders,” said Laura Maclam, injury prevention and outreach coordinator for trauma services at Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital. “Whether it’s three minutes or six minutes or nine minutes that you’re waiting for the ambulance, if you can get care during that time, it can be the difference between life and death.”

Maclam is spearheading Butterworth Hospital’s Stop the Bleed campaign, part of a nationwide effort to increase the number of tourniquets in public spaces and teach citizens how to apply them.

“Just like we train people to administer CPR, we should be training people on how to stop bleeding,” Maclam said.

Past is present

Tourniquets are not a new invention.

As Alexander the Great marched through Asia and northeast Africa during the fourth century B.C., tourniquets were used to staunch the bleeding of wounded soldiers.

They were used by the ancient Romans under Julius Caesar and during the American Revolution under George Washington, and by nearly every army in between.

The most basic tourniquet is basically a tight cord or bandage placed above a wound, which compresses the limb and restricts blood flow. It prevents injured people from quickly bleeding to death.

But tourniquets fell out of favor after World War II, when medical experts blamed prolonged cutoff of blood flow for the number of amputations soldiers were suffering.

Transportation was much worse in those days, and it often took many hours—if not days—for wounded people to get treatment. That’s no longer the case.

The thinking began to change after a study found that 10 percent of combat deaths in the Vietnam War could have been prevented by tourniquets.

Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat

In the 1980s, the Israeli military adopted them. And by 2005, the American military had re-adopted them after a study at an Iraq hospital showed that 87 percent of patients who came in with a tourniquet survived. Among those who were good candidates for tourniquets but didn’t receive them, none survived.

“Tourniquets have come along way,” Maclam said. “When applied properly, they can cause quite a bit of pain, but they stop blood loss very effectively.”

If a tourniquet stays on many hours it could still lead to amputation, but that rarely happens, Maclam said. And even if it did, “loss of limb is better than loss of life.”

Life lessons 

The Stop the Bleed campaign began in 2012 after the Sandy Hook school shooting in which 20 children and six adults were massacred.

“There’s a research project called the Hartford Consensus that came together after Sandy Hook,” Maclam said. “What they realized: Potentially several of those lives could have been saved if some bleeding could have been controlled at the scene.”

The Obama administration heavily promoted the Stop the Bleed campaign. It recommended that tourniquet kits be added to locations where automatic external defibrillators are available—places such as stadiums, business offices, airports, airplanes, hospitals and shopping centers.

Maclam and Butterworth Hospital’s goal is to get tourniquet kits in as many places as possible in Michigan.

They’re providing free or low-cost training to any person or group who wants it. The Spectrum Health Foundation recently donated $10,000 to the campaign.

Maclam said anyone, including children as young as 11, should be taught the basics of how to stop bleeding in an emergency scenario.

Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat

“I think I could teach anyone,” she said. “It can be a little scary—some people don’t want to think about blood or an open would—but it’s just like teaching someone CPR or an AED. It’s a little upsetting, but it’s important.

In the last decade, 40 percent of mass shootings have occurred at education institutions, Maclam said. These types of large gathering places are prime for this sort of campaign.

“So, looking at universities, local schools, the arena, the places you think about where people gather—sporting events, malls, school buses, elementary schools, mass transit,” she said. “There’s a program out of Seattle—they have light rail there—and they taught all their employees. Any opportunity where people can gather, those are probably the best targets and the best places for installation and training.”

Beginning last year, Michigan passed a law requiring students to learn how to administer CPR and AED before graduating. Maclam believes tourniquet kits should be included in that curriculum.

“I think this will be included with that education moving forward,” she said. “In order to graduate, what a great thing to add.”

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

10 Things You Can Do To Get Some Sleep

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By Ronald Christian Rivera, LMSW, Outpatient Therapist, Leonard Street Counseling Center

sleep
Courtesy Cherry Health

We know that sleep problems can cause some forms of obesity, irritability, memory problems, immune concerns,  anxiety and depression. Check out this article with a list of 10 things we can do to promote a good night’s sleep:

  1. Understand that every person needs at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night.
  2. Develop a sleep hygiene plan that becomes routine every night, if possible.
  3. Get rid of your television and i-technology in your bedroom.
  4. Go to bed at the same time every night.
  5. Do not eat a heavy meal before bedtime, but do eat some small carbohydrate before bed.
  6. Exercise daily but not at night.
  7. Avoid emotional conversations or arguments right before going to bed.
  8. Don’t drink too much caffeine or alcohol during the night.
  9. Don’t nap during the day…exercise instead.
  10. If you can’t sleep, get up and clean your toilet instead or wash your floors.

Reprinted with permission from Cherry Health.

Local high school sports schedule includes WKTV featured swim event at E. Kentwood

Sports


WKTV will be at a boys swimming Meet at East Kentwood starts Thursday. (Creative Commons)

Mike Moll, WKTV Volunteer Sports Director
sports@wktv.org

The high school basketball season is in full swing but other high school sports are also available including bowling, cheer, wrestling, gymnastics, hockey, dance, swimming, and diving. WKTV will be at a swim meet this week, in fact, with coverage of Thursday, Jan. 10, boys swimming/diving competition of Hudsonville at East Kentwood.

Show the local schools your support by going in person, but then watch WKTV for the events that are showcased each week. Check out the broadcast schedule at wktvjournal.org for replay dates and times.

The erst of the current tentative schedule is:

Tuesday, Jan. 15 — Girls basketball: Christian at Wyoming
Friday, Jan. 18 — Boys/Girls basketball: NorthPointe Christian at Godwin Heights
Tuesday, Jan. 22 — Boys/Girls basketball: Potter’s House at Tri-Unity Christian
Friday, Jan. 25 — Boys/Girls basketball: Middleville T-K at Wyoming
Thursday, Jan. 31 — Boys swimming/diving: Rockford at East Kentwood

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, Jan. 7
Boys/Girls Bowling
Godwin Heights @ Kelloggsville
Unity Christian @ South Christian
Zeeland West @ Wyoming
Calvin Christian @ Wyoming Lee

Tuesday, Jan. 8
Girls Bowling
Godwin Heights @ NorthPointe Christian
Calvin Christian @ Tri-Unity Christian
Boys Basketball
Hopkins @ Godwin Heights
South Christian @ Wyoming – Cheer Appreciation Night / Jazz Band
Wyoming Lee @ Kelloggsville
Tri-Unity Christian @ Pewamo-Westphalia
Wellsprings Prep @ Potter’s House
Algoma Christian @ West Michigan Lutheran
Grand River Prep @ Kent City
Zion Christian @ Heritage Christian
Girls Basketball
Godwin Heights @ Hopkins
Wyoming @ South Christian
Kelloggsville @ Wyoming Lee
Tri-Unity Christian @ Muskegon Orchard View
Wellsprings Prep @ Potter’s House
Algoma Christian @ West Michigan Lutheran
Grand River Prep @ Kent City
Zion Christian @ Creative Tech
Girls Cheer
@ East Kentwood

Wednesday, Jan. 9
Boys/Girls Bowling
Belding @ Godwin Heights
South Christian @ FH Eastern
NorthPointe Christian @ Kelloggsville
East Grand Rapids @ Wyoming
Wyoming Lee@ Potter’s House
Girls Cheer
Godwin Heights @ Belding
Kelloggsville @ Belding
Wyoming Lee @ Belding
Boys Wrestling
Wyoming @ Holland
East Kentwood @ West Ottawa
Girls Gymnastics
FH Central vs Potter’s House @ Kenowa Hills
Boys Basketball
Martin @ West Michigan Aviation
Girls Basketball
Martin @ West Michigan Aviation

Thursday, Jan. 10
Boys Swimming
Hudsonville @ East Kentwood – WKTV Featured Event
Boys/Girls Bowling
Muskegon Orchard View @ Potter’s House
Girls Basketball
West Michigan Aviation @ Barry County Christian

Friday, Jan. 11
Boys Basketball
Godwin Heights @ Belding
South Christian @ East Grand Rapids
NorthPointe Christian @ Kelloggsville
Wyoming @ Wayland
Tri-Unity Christian @ Bridgman
West Ottawa @ East Kentwood
Potter’s House @ Fruitport Calvary
West Michigan Aviation @ Heritage Christian Academy
West Michigan Lutheran @ WMAES
Grand River Prep @ Holland Black River
Holland Calvary @ Zion Christian
Girls Basketball
Godwin Heights @ Belding
South Christian @ East Grand Rapids
NorthPointe Christian @ Kelloggsville
Wyoming @ Wayland
West Ottawa @ East Kentwood
Potter’s House @ Fruitport Calvary
West Michigan Lutheran @ WMAES
Grand River Prep @ Holland Black River
Wellsprings Prep @ Zion Christian

Saturday, Jan. 12
Girls Cheer
Godwin Heights @ Wyoming
Kelloggsville @ Allendale
Wyoming Lee @ Allendale
East Kentwood @ Stoney Creek
Boys Wrestling
Kelloggsville @ Fruitport
Wyoming @ West Catholic
East Kentwood @ West Catholic
Boys/Girls Bowling
Kelloggsville @ Lowell
Boys/Girls Dance
Wyoming @ Kenowa Hills
East Kentwood @ Kenowa Hills
Boys/Girls Bowling
East Kentwood @ Hudsonville
Boys Swimming
East Kentwood @ Kalamazoo Loy Norrix
Girls Gymnastics
Potter’s House @ Lowell

Monday, Jan. 14
Boys/Girls Bowling
South Christian @ Wayland
Kelloggsville @ Belding
Wyoming @ Byron Center
Hopkins @ Wyoming Lee
East Kentwood @ Grand Haven
Girls Gymnastics
Potter’s House @ Lowell

Led by Rep. Brann and Sen. Peters, abuse victims, pets gain protections in new laws

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Crime Prevention, Pets/Animals, Politics,


New laws aim to prevent and punish crimes against abuse victims’ pets. (MaxPixel)

By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org

After nearly a year of work introducing and shepherding two bills though the Michigan Legislature, newly reelected state Rep. Tommy Brann received a early Christmas present when his animal abuse prevention and prosecution law — the “Howie Bill” — was signed by then Gov. Rick Snyder as one of this last official acts.

The Governor’s approval followed the mid-December Senate approval of Rep. Brann’s House-approved bills, when they gained support from 33 of 37 state senators voting.

State Rep. Tommy Brann (R-77th District)

Rep. Brann, a Republican who represents the 77th District, which includes the City of Wyoming and Byron Township, told WKTV in December that House Bills 4332 and 4333 would “increase the penalties of animal cruelty crimes in Michigan and actually puts into law that pets are companion animals. I nicknamed it the ‘Howie Bill,’ after my late dog.”

The resulting new law will “make it a crime to knowingly torture, mutilate or kill an animal with the intent to cause mental distress or exert control over a person,” he previously said.

Coincidentally, a similar law was passed on the federal level, an effort led by U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-Mich.).

Sen. Peters announced in mid-December the Congressional passage of the bipartisan legislation, also introduced with Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nevada) to help protect domestic violence survivors and their pets.


The Pet and Women Safety (PAWS) Act expands existing federal domestic violence protections to include threats or acts of violence against a survivor’s pet, and “helps provide funding for facilities that harbor survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and dating violence and their pets, or are looking to do so.”

The legislation passed the Senate and the House of Representatives as part of a larger bill setting agriculture policy and later was signed by President Donald Trump.

Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.)

“Survivors of domestic violence should never have to decide between leaving an abusive relationship or staying and risking their safety to protect their pets,” Sen. Peters said in supplied material. “This bill will help ensure more safe havens for survivors and their pets are available.”

According to the statement from Sen. Peters’s office, multiple studies have shown that domestic abusers often seek to manipulate or intimidate their victims by threatening or harming their pets, but according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), only three percent of domestic violence shelters across the country accept pets. The ASPCA reported that a study in Wisconsin found 68 percent of domestic violence survivors reported their abusers were also violent towards their animals.

A similar study found that as many as 25 percent of domestic violence survivors have returned to an abusive partner out of concern for their pet. A separate 2007 study found that as many as one-third of domestic abuse survivors reported they delayed leaving an abuser for an average of two years out of concern for the safety of their pet.

Statistics and studies aside, Rep. Brann’s passion for protecting abused persons and their pets was very personal.

“Justice should include family pets because they could be used for manipulation or harm just like our loved ones on two legs,” Brann said early in 2018 as his “Howie Bill” moved through the state House. “As a pet lover myself, it pains me that animal abuse continues to be a growing a problem in Michigan and we absolutely need to address it. … This legislation will be a solution to address this awful problem.”

Children and grief

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Photo supplied

By Tracy Trautner, Michigan State University Extension

Loss can mean many things. It can come in many forms and possibly be the loss of a loved one, a pet, a house due to a fire or of a family due to a divorce, just to name a few.

Everyone experiences and copes with a loss differently and children are no different. Depending on the developmental stage and age of the child, the responses will vary. Preschool children usually see death as temporary because they see the cartoon characters on television die and come back to life. Children 5 and older think more like adults about death but still feel it will not happen to them or people they know.


Young children may feel that the death is their fault. They may also act younger than they are, need extra attention and cuddling, make unreasonable demands and possibly wet their beds. Children of all ages may have nightmares, be irritable or show anger towards surviving family members. Additionally, older children may withdrawal from others, have a drop in academic performance, be distracted, unable to focus, have memory problems, profound sadness, experience loneliness and depression and irregular sleep and appetite patterns.

A child should never be forced to attend a funeral. Discover other ways to honor or remember a loved one. Some possibilities include planting a tree, lighting a candle, writing a story about that person, looking at photographs or telling stories. In addition, allow the child to decide how they would like to be comforted and greeted at a memorial service and funeral. Respect the child to decide if they would like to give or receive a hug or kiss, a high five or not be touched at all. Adults assume that a hug or kiss will comfort a sad child, but it absolutely needs to be the decision of the child.

When talking to children about death or loss, be direct and simple. Use words such as “died” or “death” or the “body has quit working” instead of “passed away” or “went to sleep”. Children are literal thinkers and may be afraid to go to sleep as a result. Allow them to take a break from grieving. They will not grieve continuously and will need opportunities to laugh and play. It’s OK to laugh. It doesn’t mean they aren’t still grieving the loss. Also, with a hurtful loss there is really no such thing as closure. Whether it is the death of a loved one, pet, family unit, house, etc., they will remember the situation for the rest of their lives.

Children will eventually process, learn to cope and are able to move on with their lives. Encourage them to remember in a way that works for them. One way to help is for adults to validate a child’s feelings and comments. Let them know it is OK to feel sad, mad, afraid, confused or lonely and that, possibly, you do as well sometimes. Avoid saying “you have to be brave this time of year”, “everything will be OK”, “I know how you are feeling”, which will only repress their feelings and keep them from expressing their feelings to you now and in the future.

Finally, as an important person in a child’s life, remember to take care of yourself and your well-being as well. It is OK for children to see your tears and to feel your pain. Ask them for a hug when needed. It allows your children to know it is OK to feel emotions and ask for comfort. If being around your child or other family members is too much, take a break and allow others to spend time with them. Care for yourself by eating, exercising and sleeping well. Grief can come in waves and be overwhelming at times. You cannot take care of others if you are hurting yourself. Give yourself a break when it comes to committing to extracurricular activities, cleaning the house or feeding the family home-cooked meals every night. Accepting help is a good lesson for young children to learn for the future.

During this time, everyone’s life may be in chaos. Young children need structure but at the same time change will happen, and change is good. They thrive on rituals and traditions but those will change as well. Make new traditions, talk about the future in a positive way, and share specific, good memories of the person, pet or life that has been lost.

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).

Employment Expertise: I need a job! How do I start my job search?

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

By West Michigan Works! 

 

Are you unemployed? Do you want to break into a new field? Where do you start your job search?


A successful job search starts with a strategy; a plan with defined tasks that will help you achieve your goal.

Your first step: Take time to look at what motivates and interests you. Begin by identifying your skills, interests and values. Here are some questions to get you started:

  • What were some things you liked about previous jobs? 
  • Are there any moments that stand out or projects that you really enjoyed? 
  • What were your favorite classes in school? 
  • What work-related activities do you like doing?

The goal of this process is to dig into your motivations and passions. This exercise should act as a spring board for exploring careers that will be a good fit for you. Matching a job with your skills, interests and values will lead to higher job satisfaction. It will also save you time and help you organize the next steps of your job search process by narrowing down what fields to explore. 

West Michigan Works! offers services, based on eligibility, to help you get started with your job search, including skills assessment, one-on-one career coaching and help finding training to prepare for a new career. You can also check out these free, online career exploration tools:

  • O*Net Online provides information on careers you might be interested in — onetonline.org
  • Pure Michigan Talent Connect’s Michigan Career Explorer offers career research and exploration resources — mitalent.org/career-explorer
  • My Next Move can help you narrow down careers based on what you like to do and offers tools specifically for veterans — mynextmove.org

Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.

Flu is on the rise

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health,
The flu hasn’t reached epidemic levels in Michigan just yet, although it has spread in other states, so there’s still time for vaccinations. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Eve Clayton, Spectrum Health Beat

Flu season hasn’t hit Michigan hard yet, but it’s definitely here.

That’s the word from Daniel McGee, MD, a hospitalist with Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.

The influenza virus has reached epidemic levels in other states, Dr. McGee said, explaining that a moderate level of flu is popping up regionally.

“We’re not seeing a ton of it … which may mean that people are getting their flu shots,” he said.

For kids and adults who haven’t had a flu shot this season, it’s not too late.

“The good news is there’s still time to get a flu shot. But get it soon, because it takes two weeks to take effect,” Dr. McGee said.

Time will tell if the vaccine is a good match to the type of flu circulating this year, or how bad of a flu season it will be. So far, 11 children have died from the flu in the United States this 2018-19 flu season. For the 2017-18 flu season, 185 children died.

“It’s early yet,” Dr. McGee said, emphasizing the importance of the vaccine and getting immediate care for the flu.

If you suspect you or your family member has the flu, call your doctor right away, Dr. McGee said, because the medication Tamiflu can treat it—but you have to start taking it early in the course of the illness.

Flu symptoms include fever, coughing, headache, muscle aches and tiredness. Symptoms generally last five to seven days.

Bottom line? Get your flu shot—it’s really the best thing you can do to prevent the illness.

Beyond that, it’s what your mom always told you: Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently as you and your family practice good hygiene.

“That’s really the best advice,” Dr. McGee said. “That, and get your flu shot.”

To find a flu clinic near you, use the Flu Vaccine Finder—a blue box on this page from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you think you have the flu, get seen today with a MedNow appointment. To arrange a video visit, call 844.322.7374.

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

 

Kent County commission has new leadership, two new members

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Kent County Board of Commissioners Swearing-In, from Jan. 3. (Supplied/Kent County)

By Kent County

The Kent County Board of Commissioners held an organizational meeting Thursday, Jan. 3, to determine leadership positions for the 2019-2020 term and to welcome two new commissioners.

Commissioner Mandy Bolter (District 5) was elected to serve as Chair of the Board of Commissioners and Commissioner Stan Stek (District 6) was selected to serve as Vice-Chair. Stek will also Chair the Legislative and Human Services Committee.

Commissioner Diane Jones (District 4) will continue to serve in her role as Chair of the Finance and Physical Resources Committee and Commissioner Emily Brieve (District 10) will serve as Vice-Chair of this committee.

The leadership team will also include Commissioner Jim Talen (District 15) serving as Minority Vice-Chair and Minority Vice-Chair of the Legislative and Human Resources Committee.

Commissioner Mandy Bolter (District 5) was elected to serve as Chair of the Board of Commissioners. (Supplied/Kent County)

“I am excited to work with this new leadership team to build upon our history of providing high-quality and fiscally responsible services while creating a greater emphasis on communication, efficiency, and innovation for the residents of Kent County,” said Commissioner Bolter.

Two newly elected board members were also welcomed to their first official board meeting, Monica Sparks (District 12) and Stephen Wooden (District 18), accepting the Oath of Office by Kent County Clerk and Register of Deeds Lisa Posthumus Lyons.

Bolter was first appointed to the Board in 2014 and was elected to her first full term later that same year. She currently serves as a Senior Analyst at Spectrum Health and had an 18-year career in public service, working in the legislature and state appropriations, prior to her role at Spectrum.

“Every day I am grateful to represent the people of Kent County and it is truly an honor to be chosen to lead this Board,” said Bolter. “I look forward to increasing our communication with our community – we do some awesome things in Kent County and I want everyone to know about them.”

Lastly, the Board approved appointments for various committees, subcommittees and boards. The County received 146 applications for 55 vacancies.

For a list of appointments, visit here.

For the complete list of board, commission and committee members, visit this page on accesskent.com .

Snapshots: Wyoming, Kentwood weekend news you ought to know

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Local Business, Local Faces, , , ,

By WKTV Staff

victoria@wktv.org

Quote of the Day

"It is never too late to be what you might have been.”

                                                     —George Eliot 

Only 354 days until Christmas!
Now, about that tree…

Don’t let your Christmas tree dry out — drop it off at a designated site

Wondering what to do with that Christmas tree? If you’re a resident of Wyoming, there is a drop-off site at 2660 Burlingame Ave. SW. Kentwood residents can drop off their trees at the city’s Department of Public Works, 5068 Breton Ave. SE from 7:30am-4pm Monday-Friday, through Jan. 31. Get the details here.

No. 89… No. 89… Oh, wait…

Cool, old-timey photo of the Grand Rapids Symphony in the 1930s

The Grand Rapids Symphony officially organized on Jan. 11, 1930, making it 89 in 2019. Coincidentally, the Symphony has a concert performance on Jan. 11. So to celebrate its 89th birthday, one of the featured pieces is Hayden’s Symphony No. 89. Pretty clever, no? Go here for more info.

And now, a blast from the past

Remember them now?

Hey! Remember S&H Green Stamps? No? Maybe your mom does — well, your grandmother definitely does. You can trace the roots of Meijer’s MPerks and Hallmark’s Gold Crown Rewards back to about 1896, when Sperry & Hutchinson (the S&H — get it?) started to offer its loyalty retail program to supermarkets, gas stations and stores in the form of small green stamps. Managing editor Joanne Bailey-Boorsma dishes on this once-ubiquitous homemaker staple here.



Fun fact:

45%

That’s the percentage of Americans who make New Year’s resolutions. The top resolutions are: to lose weight, get organized, to spend less and save more, to stay fit and healthy, and to quit smoking. While nearly half of all Americans make resolutions, 25 percent of them give up on their resolutions by the second week of January. That’s next week, y’all.

Wyoming residents part of Diocese’s first deacon class in 15 years

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, , , ,
The Diocese of Grand Rapids’ first permanent deacon class in 15 years. From Wyoming parishes are José Saucedo (third from right) and Thu Le (second from right). (Supplied)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Thu Le had never visited a prison. The Wyoming resident never had a reason to visit one, but as part of the Diocese of Grand Rapids’ class of permanent deacons, Le was required to do so.

“As we go through the process, we learn that serving is not just about serving the church, but serving others who may not be part of the church,” Le said during an interview at his home church, Wyoming’s Our Lady of La-Vang. “I knew if people had known Christ and God they would not have gotten themselves in that situation. It is hard to describe what it is like until you can see it. For those there, it is really terrible to face it.”

Participating in prison ministry is not easy, but neither is becoming a deacon or serving as one, admitted Deacon Jim Hessler, the Diocese of Grand Rapids’ director of diaconate formation, overseeing the deacon program.

Thu Le (bowing) comes before Bishop Walkowiak to be accepted as a candidate for the permanent deacon class in a special Mass held Nov. 15.

There are two types of deacons, transitional, those who use it to move on to priesthood, and permanent, those who will remain as deacons. Permanent deacons come from their local parishes, having demonstrated years of service and dedication and showing they have the “heart” of a deacon.

Thu Lee


“The heart cannot be created in any formation class,” said Hessler of the most important element to becoming a permanent deacon. “It must be a pre-existing attribute in the man’s nature. It is the heart that demonstrates good judgement, kindness, empathy, even-temperament, humility, concern for the poor, gentleness, and generosity of spirit.”

The deacon process takes four years, involving academic coursework along with human psychological, pastoral and spiritual formation. In addition, there is training through internships in healthcare, hospice, liturgy, and jail and street ministry. Most of the programming takes place on evenings and weekends as most candidates have jobs.

Because of the time commitment, the family, especially the wife, have to give their permission for a person to even start the process, Hessler said.

Of the 16 who applied for candidacy, only 10 were accepted in a special Mass last November lead by Bishop Walkowiak. As the group continues the process of learning and reflecting, candidates may drop for one reason or another, Hessler said.

The 10 accepted last fall were the first permanent deacon class in the Diocese of Grand Rapids in 15 years.

“Different bishops have different goals,” Hessler said. “The focus of our previous bishop, Bishop Walter Hurley, had been on aligning the church so it could meet future demands. [This included the development of the Cathedral Square pulling all of the Diocese’s services into one area.] Our current bishop, Bishop David Walkowiak, has had a different focus with him reinstating the deacon program.”

José Saucedo heads to the alter to be accepted as a candidate for the permanent deacon class by Bishop Walkowiak.

But what also makes this class unique is that of the 10, the two candidates from the City of Wyoming are from countries that often do not have deacons working in the church.

According, Fides, a news agency for a department of the Vatican, there is more than 46,000 permanent deacons in the world serving about 1.3 billion Catholics with the largest increase being in the Americas. This was as of Dec. 31, 2016. According to Hessler, 50 percent of the world’s deacons are in the United States and the other 50 percent live in the rest of the world. So many countries like Vietnam and Mexico often have no deacons serving at the local church.

“I don’t remember a deacon at my church in Mexico,” said Byron Center resident José Saucedo, who is at Wyoming’s St. Joseph the Worker Parish. “However, I have been involved with St. Joseph for 15 years and we have two deacons, so I was very familiar with who a deacon is and what they do.”

José Saucedo

Saucedo said when he was little he wanted to be a priest. Having worked closely with the deacons at his church, especially through the Cursillo Movement program, he saw the need for another deacon who could speak Spanish and work with the Hispanic community.

“The Hispanic community is growing,” Saucedo said, “and there is a need for help as many still do no speak English. We have two priests who speak Spanish and three deacons who speak Spanish, but the need is greater.”

Le’s story is similar in that he too has worked closely with the deacon at Our Lady of La-Vang. He was approached by his parish at the possibility of becoming a deacon and with his deacon looking at retirement, Le too felt a calling to serve his community.

The two men acknowledge they have a long road to go, three more years, before assuming their positions. There is no guarantee they will remain at their respective churches as the Bishop will decide where they are needed. They also will serve without pay, working their full-time jobs.

“I had a couple of friends who started the process but they did not continue,” Saucedo said, adding he is not certain why they did not continue. “It has its ups and downs, and you have some doubts and wonder ‘why me?’”

But both Saucedo and Le knew the process would be a challenge and regardless if they completed it, they also knew it would give them a greater understanding of their Church and service.

“If I didn’t do it, I would have regretted it, so I am glad I did it,” Saucedo said.

Just like Le is glad that through the permanent deacon program, he had the opportunity to participate in serving the prison, so much so that he has made a commitment to continue exploring that ministry.

GR Symphony celebrates 89 years by performing Haydn’s Symphony No. 89

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism,
  • Then: Grand Rapids Symphony in the 1930s with its first musical director Karl Wecker. (Supplied)
  • And Now: The Grand Rapids Symphony in 2019 with Musical Director Marcelo Lehninger. (Supplied)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

The number 89 is considered mundane by some, being the number before the major milestone of 90. Yet according to numerology, 89 is a building number. It s known to build large structures that benefit society and that endure for a longtime, such as the Grand Rapids Symphony.

The Grand Rapids Symphony officially organized on Jan. 11, 1930, making it 89 in 2019. Coincidentally, the Symphony has a concert performance on Jan. 11. So to celebrate its 89th birthday, one of the featured pieces is Hayden’s Symphony No. 89.

“Former Music Director David Lockington started the tradition years ago,” said Grand Rapids Symphony Senior Manager of Communications and Media Relations Jeffrey Kaczmarczyk of celebrating the symphony’s anniversary with a classical piece that has the correlating number. Kaczmarczyk said the Symphony started the tradition around its 75th anniversary, which was in 2004-2005 and has been following it, on and off, for the past 14 years.

The Jan. 11 concert is part of the Symphony’s PwC Great Eras series and is titled The Classical Concert: Viennese Masters. The performance, which also include, Beethoven’s “Creatures of Prometheus” and Mozart’s Symphony No. 39, will be at 8 p.m. at St. Cecilia Music Center’s Royce Auditorium, 24 Ransom Ave. NE.

In the late 18th Century, Vienna was the capital city of the music world with Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven all living and working there during their careers. Haydn was a mentor to both Beethoven, who studied briefly with the composer, and Mozart, who learned so much for Haydn that Mozart eventually dedicated six ring quartets to his mentor.

GRS Music Director Marcelo Lehninger will lead the Grand Rapids Symphony in the Jan. 11 PwC Great Eras Series concert Viennese Masters. (Supplied)

Of course, 89 is still the number before 90, which the Grand Rapids Symphony will mark its 90th season starting this fall and into 2020. Kaczmarczyk said the Symphony will be announcing its 90th season in February and he hopes to have some more interesting and fun information to provide about the organization. Until then, there is still a lot of the Grand Rapids Symphony’s 89th season to enjoy including the film presentations of “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,” Feb. 1 and 2, and n”Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl,” March 9-11.

Highlights of the The Classical Concert: Viennese Matters will be given at 10 a.m. at St. Cecilia Music Center as part of The Classical Coffee Concert. This is a Porter Hills Coffee Classic series that is a one-hour program held without intermission. Doors open at 9 a.m. for complementary coffee and pastry.

The complete The Classical Concert: Viennese Masters program will be rebroadcast on Sunday, April 7, 2019 at 1 p.m. on Blue Lake Public Radio, 88.9 FM or 90.3 FM.

Tickets start at $26 for the Great Eras series and $16 for Coffee Classics 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 616-454-0451, ext. 4 to order by phone. Tickets are available at the DeVos Place ticket office, weekdays 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. or on the day of the concert at the venue beginning two hours before the performance. Tickets also may be purchased online at GRSymphony.org.

LowellArts Players Youth Theater presents ‘Henry and Ramona’

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Upcoming Events,

By Janet Teunis, LowellArts

The LowellArts Players Youth Theater presents Henry and Ramona, a full-length comedy by Cynthia McGean based on the books by Beverly Cleary. Performances are Jan. 17th at 7pm, Jan. 18th at 7pm, and Jan. 19th at 2pm & 7pm at Lowell Performing Arts Center/Lowell High School, 11700 Vergennes, Lowell, MI 49331. The production includes 19 youth, teen, and adult actors ages 8 and up from Lowell and surrounding communities. Directed by Teresa Goldner.

General Admission is $7. Tickets can be purchased at the door, over the phone 616-897-8545, or at www.lowellartsmi.org. Find more info at www.lowellartsmi.org/henry-and-ramona.

Synopsis: Newbery Award-winning author Beverly Cleary’s irrepressible hero saves the day in this adaptation of one of the best-loved children’s book series of all time. Ten-year-old Henry wants to do something important; he wants to deliver newspapers, just like that showoff Scooter McCarthy and the other boys. But first Henry has to prove to his parents he can handle the responsibility. That won’t be easy with Ramona Quimby around! Then when the boys form a clubhouse excluding girls, Henry’s friendship with Beezus is tested and the girls wreak their hilarious revenge. All of Henry’s most memorable adventures are here including riding to the dump in a bathtub and getting his first bike. Along the way, with the “help” of Ramona, he learns some valuable lessons about friendship and maturity. ‘Henry and Ramona’ captures the everyday trials and triumphs of being a kid.

Bigger family, lower cancer risk?

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Do siblings lower your cancer risk? New study finds people with big families are less likely to develop the disease. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Robert Preidt, HealthDay

 

If you come from a large family, you may have a lower risk of cancer, a new study suggests.

 

Researchers analyzed data from 178 countries and found that people from larger families were less likely to get cancer than those from smaller families.

 

The link between family size and cancer risk was “independent of income, levels of urbanization and age,” study senior author Maciej Henneberg said in a University of Zurich news release. He’s a guest professor in the Institute of Evolutionary Medicine at the university, in Switzerland.

 

Family size included not just parents and their children, but also members of the extended family in the household.

 

This protective effect of a large family was stronger in men than in women, according to the study published recently in the journal BMC Cancer.

 

It’s important to note, however, that the study only found an association between family size and cancer risk. It did not prove a cause-and-effect connection.

 

Family life can be stressful, but can also provide positive emotional environments that can boost a person’s resistance to diseases, including cancer, the researchers said.

 

Family members supporting one another in following a healthy lifestyle may also provide protection against cancer, the study authors added.

Kent County 2019 new board appointments

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After action by the Kent County Commission Thursday, Jan. 3, the following are 2019 appointments to various county boards and committees. For a complete list of board membership, visit this page at accesskent.com .

Agricultural Preservation Board

Commissioner Matt Kallman

Area Agency on Aging – Advisory Council

Commissioner Stephen Wooden (filling unexpired term of Harold Mast)
Harold Mast (filling unexpired term of Dr. Frederick Deane)

Area Agency on Aging – Board of Directors

Commissioner Carol Hennessy

Community Corrections Advisory Board

Circuit Court Judge Mark Trusock
Commissioner Jim Talen
Christine Tober – Defense Attorney
Christine Witters – Probation Representative

Community Health Advisory Committee

Commissioner Emily Brieve
Commissioner Betsy Melton
Savator Selden-Johnson – DHHS Representative
Mark Swan – Health Care Provider
Lori Pearl-Kraus – Health Care Provider
Lisa Knight – Community-based Organization

County Building Authority

Michael Jaskula
Ross Leisman

Fire Commission

Commissioner Roger Morgan
Commissioner Tom Antor
Carlton Blough – Township Elected Official
Jacqueline Smith – Township Elected Official
Jennifer Venema – Township Elected Official

Foreign Trade Zone Board
Wayman Britt – County Administrator

FOC Citizens Advisory Committee

Chuck DeWitt – Sheriff’s Designee
Michelle Smith-Lowe – Prosecutor’s Designee (filling unexpired term of Mark Vermeer)
Kyle Quinn – Family Law Attorney
Malique Greer – General Public Representative

Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority Board

Birgit Klohs
Dan Koorndyk – County Representative

Grand Valley Metro Council

Mandy Bolter (filling unexpired term of Carol Hennessy)

Grand Rapids – Kent County Convention/Arena Authority

Steve Heacock

Kent County Community Action Agency Advisory Governing Board

Tom Oosterbaan – Consumer Sector Representative
Jessica White-Hatinger – Public Sector Representative

Kent County Family & Children’s Coordinating Council

Jack Greenfield – Private Agency Representative
Scott Smith – KISD Superintendent At-Large
Kasie Pickardt – Private Agency Representative
Maureen Kirkwood – Private Funding Representative

Kent District Library Board

Thomas Noreen – Region 1
Charles Myers – Region 5

Kent Hospital Finance Authority

Richard Fabiano
Hattie Patterson

Lakeshore Regional Partners Substance Abuse Oversight Policy Board

Shellie Cole-Mickens
Molly Reid (filling unexpired term of Carol Avery)
Sara Sobel (filling unexpired term of Harold Mast)

Land Bank Authority

Kurt Reppart (filling unexpired term of Mayor Rosalynn Bliss)

Millennium Park Architectural Advisory Review Board

Commissioner Stan Stek
Dave Custer – Design Community Representative

Public Works Board

Commissioner Tom Antor (filling unexpired term of Dan Koorndyk)
Commissioner Phil Skaggs

Remonumentation Peer Review Group

Arthur Brintnall – Professional Surveyor
Ken Vierzen – Professional Surveyor
Randall Jonker – Professional Surveyor
Dan Pratt – Professional Surveyor (filling unexpired term of Tom Chettleburgh)

Road Commission

Rob VerHeulen

Veterans’ Services Committee

Trisha Sexton

Christmas is over, so what do you do with that tree?

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Now that Christmas is over, the age old question of “What shall we do with the tree?” is on the minds of those who had a real tree.

Well, if you are are resident of the City of Wyoming, there is always the drop-off site at 2660 Burlingame Ave. SW. The drop-off site, which is open year round, will have special hours this Saturday, Jan. 5, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Wyoming city residents may bring their Christmas trees and other yard waste to the site for free. Residents must register with an ID each time they use the site. Winter hours for the drop-off site Monday – Thursday, 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. December through March.

For more information, visit the Wyoming City Department of Public Works website.

If you are a resident of the City of Kentwood, the city’s tree recycling site is now open through Jan. 31. Residents can drop off their trees at the city’s Department of Public Works, 5068 Breton Ave. SE from 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday – Friday.

Remember, before bringing tree to either site, make sure that all decorations, wires, and lights have been removed.

All about those Green Stamps, one of the first loyalty shopping programs

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


By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Loyalty programs, such as Meijer’s MPerks and Hallmark’s Gold Crown Rewards, have been around for a long time. In fact, you can trace the roots of these programs back to about 1896, when Sperry & Hutchinson started to offer its loyalty retail program to supermarkets, gas stations and stores in the form of small green stamps.

S&H Green Stamps were a common commodity with shoppers sometimes selecting a store based on if it offered the stamps or not.

“Back in the days of the 1950s and 1960s, I think the new homemakers of the day were attracted to this idea of getting some extra value to their purchases,” said Bill Branz, from the Wyoming Historical Commission and who oversees the Wyoming History Room at the KDL Wyoming Branch. “I remember my mother saving stamps and one of the most popular were S&H Green Stamps.”

Retailers would purchased the stamps from S&H and then give them away at a rate determined by the merchant. Stamps had values of one, 10, and 50 points. Shoppers would stick the stamps in books that had 24 pages. Filling a page required 50 points and a full book contained 1,200 points. Shoppers would then exchange filled books for premiums, including housewares and other items from a local Green Stamps store or catalog.

S&H Green Stamps would come in one, 10 and 50 point stamps. It took 50 points to fill a page in one souvenir book. It took 1,200 points to fill the 24-page book.

“You would take your books of Green Stamps, and hopefully they would not be falling out, and you would come in there and you would pick out maybe a toaster or something like that,” Branz said. 

One of the most well-known local Green Stamps provider was Rogers Department Store, which operated from 1955 to 2005, much of the time at 1001 28th St. SW, Wyoming. It is now where Advantage Solutions is located. Across the street, in the Rogers Plaza was a redemption center. 

“So it was a unique part of our local history,” Brantz said as he looks over a few books of Green Stamps along with other similar loyalty program products.

The recessions of the 1970s are credited to the decline of collecting stamps like these.

The recessions of the 1970s is credited to the decline of the stamps, which has pretty much disappeared in the 1980s. At one point, after the redemption center closed in Rogers Plaza, Rogers Department Store started redeeming the books of stamps for Rogers Cash to be used in the store. 

S&H Green Stamps still exist, online as S&H Greenpoints. The website is greenpoints.com, where you can still redeem the S&H Green Stamps, as long as you have 60 books or more.

If you would like to view the S&H Green Stamps or other Wyoming historical items, visit the Wyoming Historical Room at the KDL Wyoming Branch, 3300 Michael Ave. SW. The room is open the first and third Saturdays of the month from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and by appointment. The Wyoming Historical Commission is always looking for items related to the history of Wyoming. If you have something you would like to donate or if you are interested in volunteering, call 616-261-3508 or visit Wyoming Michigan History Room’s Facebook page.

Midwinter golf blues? Thornapple Pointe Golf Club has a simulator for you

Local Entertainment, Recreation, Sports


The Live Golf Studios at Thornapple Pointe include 6 simulators in total, 4 PGA Tour Widescreen and 2 PGA Tour Curve simulators. (Supplied/Watermark Golf and Sports)

WKTV Staff
ken@wktv.org

 
Looking to improve your swing before you can get out on the course? Thornapple Pointe Golf Club’s new Live Golf Studio is now open to the public and accepting “tee times.”

Thornapple Pointe Golf Club, located at 7211 48th St. SE, Grand Rapids but just east of Kentwood, is the first of the Watermark Properties golf clubs to offer Live Golf Studios “for golfers who want to maintain their game throughout the winter and shoulder seasons in Michigan,” according to supplied information.

Live Golf Studios is, also according to supplied information, the first West Michigan state-of-the-art golf facility offering golfers of all levels the opportunity to play in a controlled climate using high technology simulation at over 50 golf courses, practice ranges and more.
 
 
“During our soft opening period, where we had members trying out the Live Golf Studios, it was really encouraging to see so many different ages and levels of golfers,” Chris Sobieck, General Manager of Watermark Golf and Sports, said in supplied material. “We had families playing, as well as, our most competitive golfers and others all out having a great time.  These simulators offer something for everyone.”

And, yes, Thornapple Pointe will have a bar and full kitchen open during hours of play.

The Live Golf Studios at Thornapple Pointe include 6 simulators in total, 4 PGA Tour Widescreen and 2 PGA Tour Curve simulators. Each of the simulators allow golfers the ability to play over 50 golf courses with various challenge options. Live Golf Studio course selections include highly prestigious locations such as the Pebble Beach Golf Resorts, St. Andrews Links, and the Players Championship Courses.

New Live Golf Leagues will begin mid-January 2019. Leagues will run for nine weeks of play and include prizes. For more information about the leagues and to sign up, contact Live Golf Studios at 616-803-1200.

Complete information and online tee times are available for booking now livegolfstudios.com.

On the shelf: ‘Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival…’ by Laura Hillenbrand

Books, Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, ,

By Elaine Bosch, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch

 

Laura Hillenbrand knows how to turn a tale. Her first book Seabiscuit: An American Legend told the true story of the famous racehorse with all the depth and drive of great fiction. Her  second book, Unbroken: A World War II story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption an equally compelling historical read, proves Seabiscuit was more than beginner’s luck.

 

In 1931, Louis Zamperini was an energetic, incorrigible high school student with a penchant for stealing and scheming. Saved from self-destruction by the efforts of his older brother Pete, Louis learned to pack his considerable emotional baggage into running, a talent he had long possessed, but which he had heretofore used only to elude the authorities.

 

Louis became a record breaking local hero known as the “Torrance Tornado”. At the age of nineteen, he represented the United States in the 1936 Olympic games. He returned from Berlin, his passion intact, intent on being the first man to run a mile in four minutes or less.

 

World War II intervened. The 1940 Olympics, scheduled for Tokyo, were canceled, and Louis found himself a bombardier in the Air Force. In 1943, his plane went down in the Pacific Ocean. Louis suddenly found himself battling for something far more serious than a world record — his life.

 

For two years Zamperini faced deprivation and degradation that few can imagine — first as a survivor adrift in the ocean, and then as a prisoner of war at  the worst prison camps in Japan. Singled out due to his officer and celebrity status by “The Bird,” a psychotic, sadistic camp commander, Louis became the target of an intense campaign waged to utterly humiliate, demoralize, and destroy him. That he survived at all is amazing. That he did so with his spirit and joy intact is a miracle.

 

Hillenbrand will captivate you with this story, shocking and inspiring in turn. It is life and times writ large.

We need our children to love words

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Courtesy MSU Extension

By Tracy Trautner, Michigan State University Extension

 

Young children are naturally drawn to books. When children listen to a book, they are in the beginning stages of learning to read and also hear words that are quite different from the spoken language. According to Reid Lyon from the National Institute of Health and Human Development, approximately 20 to 30 percent of children have difficulties learning to read. In addition, 15 million children do not have access to any sort of reading materials. In order for children to be successful readers, they need daily exposure to books, have caregivers or parents speak to them on a continual basis throughout the day, recognize letters of the alphabet and know the parts of a book including the role of the author and illustrator.

 

Struggling to read can be embarrassing for children, which can lead to unmotivated young students with low self-esteem. In the long term, many of these students end up dropping out of high school in part due to reading difficulties.

 

So what skills does a child need to learn how to read? Reading requires phonemic awareness, phonics, reading fluency and comprehension skills. Not one of these skills is more important than the other. (For more information, see International Literacy Association.) Learning to read is not a natural process and requires a lot of practice and exposure.

 

There are some common signs to look for when children are struggling to learn to read. These include but are not limited to:

  • Struggling to recite the words they are reading.
  • Starting and stopping frequently when reading.
  • Not really knowing the content they just read when asked about it.
  • Having a difficult time understanding simple directions and following routines.
  • Easily distracted.
  • Their fine motor skills are slow to develop and have difficulty holding a pencil and picking up small objects.
  • Avoiding storytelling and circle time.

If difficulties are determined in kindergarten or first grade and the child receives intervention services at school, many children can learn to read. A child is learning to read until the end of third grade at which time instruction makes a big shift to reading to learn at the beginning of fourth grade. In fourth grade, there is very little reading instruction and children are reading to learn in their classes.

 

Every year, all students in Michigan take an assessment on what they know and are able to do. For children in grades third through eighth, they are given the Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress, or M-STEP. Only half of Michigan third graders performed at or above in the English Language Arts section of the M-STEP. As a result, Michigan passed a third grade reading law to ensure all children are proficient in reading by the end of third grade. Students that may not pass may have to repeat the third grade. The third grade reading law requires school districts to come up with an improvement plan to help students who are struggling. More information is available at the following resources:

Michigan State University Extension recommends talking and reading to children as much as possible. One of the ways to do this is to describe the colors and features of things you see throughout the day. Pointing out the yellow bananas at the grocery store or the green leaves on the tree, or mentioning the soft shirt they chose to wear to school are all simple ways to increase word exposure for your child. This is called “thinking aloud” when we talk about what we are doing and why. The more words a child hears, the more words they will learn and use. Learning experiences should be engaging and fun to keep a young child’s interest.

 

To learn about the positive impact children and families experience due to MSU Extension programs, read our 2017 impact report: “Preparing young children for success” and “Preparing the future generation for success.” Additional impact reports, highlighting even more ways Michigan 4-H and MSU Extension positively impacted individuals and communities in 2017, can be downloaded from the Michigan 4-H website.

 

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).

Several exhibits scheduled to open at GVSU

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, , , , ,
Sunset, Lake Michigan was one of seven Alten paintings recently gifted to Grand Valley by Anita Gilleo. (GVSU)

Grand Valley State University has several art exhibits opening this month. Below is a list of the university’s galleries and upcoming exhibitions.

“Mathias J. Alten: An Evolving Legacy”

Exhibition dates: ongoing

George and Barbara Gordon Gallery

DeVos Center, Building E, Room 103 and 202, Pew Grand Rapids Campus

Gordon Gallery hours: Friday and Saturday, 1-5 p.m.; closed on holiday weekends

The German-born American artist Mathias Joseph Alten (1871-1938) is often referred to as the dean of Michigan painters. Working in a traditional representational style, Alten incorporated the aesthetics and techniques of the Impressionist Movement in paintings infused with light and punctuated with deft brushwork. Based in Grand Rapids, Alten created more than 3,800 works over a more than 40-year career, including landscapes, seascapes, portraits and florals. Grand Valley State University holds the largest public collection in the world of Alten’s work.

“Multitudinaria marcha por la ley de agua 14 julio 2018” in “Water: Human Right or Commodity?” exhibition. (GVSU)

“Water: Human Right or Commodity?”

Blue Wall Gallery, DeVos Center, Building B

Exhibition on display Jan. 7-June 21

This exhibition explores human rights in a world of increasingly limited natural resources; specifically, access to clean water. A result of the research and collaborations arranged by two Grand Valley State University social work faculty members, Paola León and Steven Smith, this exhibition includes images and descriptions of the challenges faced in El Salvador and Flint, Michigan. Organized into themes dealing with civic engagement, infrastructure, ownership/legislation, public health and scarcity/contamination, these materials provide local, national and international context to water rights. The El Salvador portion of the exhibition, focusing on the lack of running water in homes, social activism and contamination by the mining industry, was organized by León. Smith organized the Flint portion of the exhibition, documenting the ongoing issues and continuing recovery of the City of Flint’s tainted water supply.

“Fallout” is part of the VMA Sabbatical Showcase opening Jan. 14.

VMA Sabbatical Showcase

Art Gallery, Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts

Exhibition on display Jan. 14-March 29

This sabbatical showcase will feature works by Grand Valley faculty members Brett Colley, Dellas Henke, Hoon Lee and Anthony Thompson.

Students using a specimen to aid in anatomy and physiology courses in “Plastination – The Art of Preservation,” opening Jan. 14

“Plastination — The Art of Preservation”

Red Wall Gallery, Lake Ontario Hall, Allendale Campus

Exhibition on display Jan. 14-June 21

Plastination is the process of infusing animal, human or plant tissues with a variety of plastic or silicone products to render the tissues odor-free, dry and permanently preserved for educational and instructional purposes. The process was invented by Gunther von Hagens in 1977 at the University of Heidelberg, Germany, and became popular through his many “Body Worlds” exhibitions around the world. Beginning in 2007, members of Grand Valley State University began studying plastination and investigating the opportunity to create a lab at the university. That became a reality in 2013, and since then, more than 300 specimens have been plastinated for use in a variety of teaching roles. This exhibition tells the story of plastination at Grand Valley and walks viewers through the process and uses of plastinates. It brings together more than 20 animal specimens from the lab – currently the only plastination lab in Michigan.

For more information about Grand Valley State University art exhibits, call (616) 331-2563 or visit gvsu.edu/artgallery.

Resolve eating unhealthy snacks at work

3-bottom, Area Education, Community Health, Education, Food, Health, How-To's, Senior Living, ,

By Sheilah Hebert, Michigan State University Extension

 

It is mid-afternoon and the vending machine down the hall is calling out to you. Do you take the calling and grab a candy bar and soda to satisfy the afternoon snack attack? This might leave you with feelings of guilt or feeling sluggish an hour or two later. Many people, especially those who work desk jobs, struggle with this battle on a daily basis. What is the key to beating the vending machine blues?

 

Michigan State University Extension says that planning is the number one weapon against the “vending machine assault.” If you know you are always hungry at 2 p.m., then it makes sense to have snacks handy when hunger strikes. We often run into problems when we wait to decide what to eat until we are very hungry and we then reach for the closest, quickest option. Having something quick and healthy that is readily available before we get to that point helps us to choose better options. To prevent eating unhealthy foods, MSU Extension recommends the following tips:

  • Try to pack snacks for a whole week or several days at a time and select a variety of options to choose from, so that there is always something appealing regardless of how you are feeling. Some days you may want a salty, crunchy snack like nuts or trail mix, whereas other days something sweet like fruit may be more of what you have a craving for.
  • Most offices have a refrigerator to store lunches or snacks, so bringing along a small stock of yogurt or cheese, which gives you a protein packed snack that is readily available, will give you a healthy option to curb your afternoon hunger.
  • Similar to yogurt or cheese, stocking up on carrots or jicama and hummus can help to provide you with the kick you need to finish off your day.

By packing foods at home you can control the portion size of your snack. Sometimes our best laid-out plans still go awry and we end up at the vending machine anyway. If this is the case, try to choose snacks that are lower in calories such as baked plain chips instead of regular flavored ones and tea or sparkling water instead of soda.

 

Do you have control over what is in the vending machine or can you talk to the company and make suggestions on healthier choices? If so you can ask them to follow snack options from the National Alliance for Nutrition and Physical Activity and American Heart Association Guidelines.

 

Just say no.

Remember that everything is fine in moderation, so if you generally make healthy choices, it is okay to occasionally splurge on that candy bar or bag of chips when the vending machine comes calling. Being prepared ahead of time will help make the vending machine habit a once in while occurrence rather than a once a day choice.

 

Happy snacking!

 

Michigan State University Extension offers nutrition education classes and policy, systems and environmental initiatives to support healthy choices in the workplace. Contact your local MSU Extension office to find support near you.

 

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).

 

 

Local high school sports schedule includes WKTV featured games

Sports

Godwin Heights basketball (shown from previous season) is on the WKTV Featured Game schedule this week . (WKTV)

Mike Moll, WKTV Volunteer Sports Director
sports@wktv.org

With Christmas and the New Year now behind us, the basketball seasons and all other high school sports get into full swing this month. The basketball seasons tip off conference play starting the first Friday of the month. Other sports will also be in full swing after the holiday breaks including bowling, cheer, wrestling, gymnastics, hockey, dance, swimming, and diving.

Show the local schools your support by going in person, but then watch WKTV for the events that are showcased each week. Check out the broadcast schedule at wktvjournal.org for replay dates and times.

The tentative schedule is:

Friday, Jan. 4 —Boys/Girls basketball: Kelloggsville at Godwin Heights
Thursday, Jan. 10 — Boys swimming/diving: Hudsonville at East Kentwood
Tuesday, Jan. 15 — Girls basketball: Christian at Wyoming
Friday, Jan. 18 — Boys/Girls basketball: NorthPointe Christian at Godwin Heights
Tuesday, Jan. 22 — Boys/Girls basketball: Potter’s House at Tri-Unity Christian
Friday, Jan. 25 — Boys/Girls basketball: Middleville T-K at Wyoming
Thursday, Jan. 31 — Boys swimming/diving: Rockford at East Kentwood

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:

Wednesday, Jan. 2
Boys/Girls Bowling
Zeeland @ South Christian
Boys Basketball
West Michigan Aviation @ West Catholic
Girls Basketball
West Michigan Aviation @ West Catholic

Thursday, Jan. 3
Boys Swimming
South Christian @ Union
East Kentwood @ Christian
Boys Wrestling
East Kentwood @ Grand Haven
Boys Basketball
Pewamo-Westphalia @ Potter’ House

Friday, Jan. 4
Boys Basketball
Kelloggsville @ Godwin Heights – WKTV Featured Event
Christian @ South Christian
FH Eastern @ Wyoming – Alpha Wolf/Dance Team
Calvin Christian @ Wyoming Lee
Tri-Unity Christian @ Hopkins
East Kentwood @ Caledonia
Zion Christian vs West Michigan Aviation @ Davenport University
West Michigan Lutheran @ Flat River
Girls Basketball
Kelloggsville @ Godwin Heights – WKTV Featured Event
Christian @ South Christian
FH Eastern @ Wyoming – Alpha Wolf/Dance Team
Tri-Unity Christian @ Hopkins
East Kentwood @ Caledonia
Barry County Christian @ Potter’s House
Zion Christian vs West Michigan Aviation @ Davenport University
Boys Wrestling
Wyoming Lee @ Swartz Creek
Girls Cheer
@ East Kentwood
Boys Hockey
East Kentwood @ Muskegon Mona Shores

Saturday, Jan. 5
Boys Wrestling
Godwin Heights @ Unity Christian
Kelloggsville @ Unity Christian
Byron Center @ Wyoming
Wyoming Lee @ Wyoming
Girls Cheer
Godwin Heights @ NorthPointe Christian
Kelloggsville @ NorthPointe Christian
Wyoming Lee @ NorthPointe Christian
East Kentwood @ Grandville
Boys/Girls Bowling
Godwin Heights @ Fruitport
Kelloggsville @ Fruitport
East Kentwood @ Fruitport
Wyoming Lee @ Jenison
Potter’s House @ Jenison
Boys Basketball
Godwin Heights @ Lowell
Boys Swimming
South Christian @ East Grand Rapids
East Kentwood @ East Grand Rapids
Boys Hockey
East Kentwood @ Muskegon Mona Shores
Girls Gymnastics
Potter’s House @ Rockford

Monday, Jan. 7
Boys/Girls Bowling
Godwin Heights @ Kelloggsville
Unity Christian @ South Christian
Zeeland West @ Wyoming
Calvin Christian @ Wyoming Lee

Fred Meijer’s ‘national treasure’ collection to be next exhibit at Meijer Gardens

3-bottom, Upcoming Events
Fred and Lena Meijer, in Meijer Gardens gallery. Undated. (Supplied/Meijer Gardens)

By Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park

Timed to commemorate the centenary of Fred Meijer’s birth and to celebrate his role as one of America’s foremost patrons of the arts, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is honored to announce A National Treasure: Fred Meijer, His Collection and Legacy.
 

Opening on Feb. 1, 2019, this exclusive exhibition is a celebration of Meijer’s desire to build a world-class sculpture collection. This exhibition will run through Aug. 25, 2019 and will display eleven different “chapters”, each based around original works of art from Meijer Gardens’ permanent collection as well as exclusive loans from sculptors and galleries that Meijer knew and admired.

In addition, the exhibition will debut a series of important recent acquisitions to Meijer Gardens’ permanent collection, including works by El Anatsui, George Segal and George Minne.
 
A National Treasure: Fred Meijer, His Collection and Legacy examines Meijer’s passion for sculpture, his growth as a collector and his profound commitment to engage diverse audiences through his collection. Each facet of Meijer’s collection is explored in this exhibition, including early ideas for a sculpture park and ways that the collection would be integrated across the gardens and grounds of what would become Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. The exhibition follows Meijer’s journey as a collector and patron of the arts, with rare insight into the creation of one of the world’s greatest collections of Modern and Contemporary sculpture.

 
“One of the many things that I admired about Fred Meijer was that he was a lifelong learner and enjoyed finding out about new sculptors and their work with each acquisition,” said Laurene Grunwald, Director of Sculpture, Exhibitions and Installations at Meijer Gardens. “He never sought to collect for himself, but to enrich the lives of others.”

Fred Meijer’s history


Frederik G.H. Meijer was born in Greenville, Mich., in 1919, to Dutch immigrants Hendrik and Gezina Meijer. Together with an older sister, Johanna, the Meijers formed an industrious working-class family and embraced life in the rural Midwest. The Meijer parents maintained a life-long connection to their European roots and instilled the importance of education, culture and the arts in their children.

“The eye needs something, too” was a favorite phrase Gezina Meijer often shared as a reminder that, whenever possible, a truly full life extended beyond physical needs to embrace beauty, as well as intellectual and cultural pursuits.

In 1934, in the depths of the Great Depression, 14-year-old Fred Meijer worked with his father to found and operate the first Meijer grocery in Greenville. This store became the cornerstone of the chain of supercenters, Meijer Inc., which flourishes with 242 stores today.

In 1946, Fred Meijer married Lena Meijer (born 1919) who became his beloved wife of 65 years. As their success in business burgeoned, so did their commitment to community through philanthropy in education, health care, the natural environment and the arts—an extraordinary tradition embraced by their sons and families today.

The opening of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in 1995 brought together Lena’s love of plants and flowers with Fred’s passion for sculpture and quickly became a cherished focal point of their interest and support.

Fred and Lena in Milan, Italy studio of Arnaldo Pomodoro. Undated. (Supplied/Meijer Gardens)

Although never formally trained in the visual arts or art history, Fred Meijer was deeply interested in cultural endeavors and history, and had a long interest in sculpture. In particular, he was initially attracted to historical and figurative statuary in bronze. He began collecting in the mid-1980s according to his own interests, but his views broadened in the following years.

In August of 1999, he declared his dream to “build a world-class sculpture collection” at Meijer Gardens — opening a door for collecting beyond his initial personal aesthetic with the betterment and enjoyment of the public in mind.

Today, the collection is hailed as among the finest in the world. This exhibition celebrates Fred Meijer’s centenary and traces the development of the man and his collection of sculpture and his emergence as one of the nation’s foremost patrons of the visual arts.

Exhibit events scheduled

Associated with the exhibit there will be a series of free-with-admission programs:

Gardens of Art Around the World
Sunday, March 17, 2 p.m.
Presented by Suzanne Eberle, Professor of Art History, Kendall College of Art & DesignDrawing inspiration from gardens and sculpture collections around the globe, Fred Meijer sought to create a unique museum environment that was second-to-none right in Grand Rapids. Join Dr. Sue Eberle as she highlights the sculpture gardens that inspired Meijer as well as some of the outstanding outdoor collections to add to your travel bucket list.

 
Great American Collectors
Sunday, April 14, 2 p.m.
Presented by Dr. Craig Hanson, Associate Professor, Calvin CollegeFred Meijer, as an art collector, is among a small group of philanthropists who believed that art should be shared widely with the public. He saw his collection as a tool to enrich lives through the power of art. Join Dr. Craig Hanson as he discusses the role of collectors in the United States and the legacy of art patronage.

 
The Art of Fine Art Collecting
Sunday, May 5, 2 p.m.
Presented by Linda and Scott Lafontsee, Owners of Lafontsee GalleryYou don’t have to have the resources of Meijer Gardens to build your own fine art collection. Join the owners and artists behind Lafontsee Galleries to learn easy ways to live with original artwork that inspires you every day. Linda and Scott Lafontsee have represented local artists for over 30 years in Grand Rapids.
 
Charcoal Drawing with Anna Greidanus
Friday, June 14, 3-5 p.m.
Presented by Anna Greidanus, Professor of Art, Calvin CollegeHead outdoors with artist Anna Greidanus and learn the relaxing and inspiring practice of charcoal drawing. A gestural, loose and rapid approach is both less intimidating to first time artists and an effective form of observation. Class size is limited to 15 guests. Please register online at MeijerGardens.org/calendar

Summer Sculpture Walks
Sculpture Park Niches, The Gallery – Tuesday, July 30, 6 p.m.
Sculpture Park Niches, The Groves – Sunday, August 11, 11:30 a.m.
Get off the beaten path and explore lesser known areas of the Sculpture Park. See fantastic examples of Modern and Contemporary sculpture instrumental to Fred Meijer’s collection style and legacy. Meet outside of the Indoor Sculpture Galleries and be prepared to walk and stand for at least 90 minutes, rain or shine.
 
Exhibition programs are drop-in and registration is not required.
 
A National Treasure: Fred Meijer, His Collection and Legacy is made possible by: The Meijer Foundation, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Foundation, Botanic and Sculpture Societies of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, and The Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.
 
Meijer Gardens today
 
Today Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park had 723,000 visitors in 2017 and was recently listed in the top 30 most visited museums in the United States by The Art Newspaper, the leading publication in global art news. The 158-acre main campus features Michigan’s largest tropical conservatory; one of the largest interactive children’s gardens in the country; arid and Victorian gardens with bronze sculptures by Degas and Rodin; a carnivorous plant house; outdoor gardens; and a 1900-seat outdoor amphitheater, featuring an eclectic mix of world-renowned musicians every summer.

The internationally acclaimed Sculpture Park features a permanent collection including works by Oldenburg, Moore, Hepworth, Serra, Bourgeois, Ai Weiwei and Plensa, among others. Indoor galleries host changing sculpture exhibitions with exhibitions by Ai Weiwei, Picasso, Degas, di Suvero, Borofsky, Calder and Dine.

In June 2015, the eight–acre Richard & Helen DeVos Japanese Garden at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park opened. Created by renowned designer Hoichi Kurisu, the garden features sculpture by Anish Kapoor, Jenny Holzer and Guiseppe Penone, among others.

For more information visit meijergardens.org .