All posts by Joanne

Identical triplets: A rare and ‘indescribable’ joy

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

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By Sue Thoms, Spectrum Health Beat

 

Photos by Chris Clark

 

Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!

 

In an instant, Julie and John VanderMolen became parents of three beautiful infants.

 

All boys.

 

All identical.

 

Statistically, that’s a rare event―identical triplets occur once in every 100,000 births.

 

And for the VanderMolens, it’s a triply blessed event.

 

The babies arrived by cesarean section Nov. 26 at Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital, and the couple eagerly embraced the moment they became a family of five.

 

“I just was a mess of tears,” Julie says. “The pregnancy was a pretty long journey for me.

 

“Just having that bond with them in utero, and being able to feel each one of them move separately. And then to see them outside of me, it just felt so surreal. I felt like I already knew them.”

 

Ivan John arrived first, at 11:28 a.m., weighing 4 pounds, 7 ounces. Then came William Lloyd, at 11:29 a.m., tipping the scale at 5 pounds. Third was Harrison Kenneth, born at 11:31 a.m., weighing 3 pounds, 15 ounces.

 

Each has a full head of hair, and each gave a hearty cry at birth.

 

“To hear that scream―that moment is indescribable,” John says. “I am just so happy and thankful they are healthy. They are doing great now. We are just very blessed.”

One, two, three heartbeats

The couple found out they were expecting triplets early in the pregnancy. Julie had experienced a miscarriage a year earlier, so she had an ultrasound exam at six weeks.

 

“You guys are having twins,” the technician said, as she detected two heartbeats.

 

Photos by Chris Clark

A moment later, she added, “There are three heartbeats.”

 

Julie began to shake. “Like a leaf,” she says. John became dizzy.

 

“Things got real very quickly,” he says. “I just was not prepared. I felt like I had been hit by a car.”

 

It didn’t take long for shock to give way to feelings of excitement.

 

“We desperately wanted children,” Julie says.

 

Although John had lobbied for a big family, they hadn’t decided how many kids they wanted. They thought they would start with one and see how that went.

 

Doctors told the parents early in the pregnancy the infants would be identical because, although they had three separate sacs, they shared a single placenta.

 

Identical triplets can occur when a single fertilized egg divides in two, and then one of those eggs divides, said Vivian Romero, MD, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist with Spectrum Health Medical Group.

 

Julie, a social worker, and John, a former Marine who works for the federal government, are Grand Rapids-area natives who moved to North Carolina for John’s job. After they found out they were expecting triplets, they moved back to West Michigan to be closer to family.

To be able to see him and hold him is an indescribable feeling.

 

John VanderMolen
Father of identical triplets

During her pregnancy, Julie received care from the maternal-fetal medicine specialists at Spectrum Health.

 

She gained about 70 pounds and carried the babies for 32 weeks. Labor began suddenly Saturday morning.

 

“It was very unexpected,” she says. “Everything went quickly after that.”

 

William breathed room oxygen from birth. Ivan and Harrison needed continuous positive airway pressure, but only for a day.

 

Photo by Chris Clark

The three babies moved to the neonatal intensive care unit at Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital―in the same room but in separate incubators.

 

 

“They are doing well,” says Carol Bos, RN.

 

 

The boys receive nourishment through feeding tubes. They will learn to eat on their own before they are ready to go home.

Perfection

On Monday afternoon, John wheels Julie to the NICU so they can hold the babies, providing skin-to-skin contact. They make sure each boy receives equal cuddle time. This visit, Ivan waits in his crib while his brothers get their turn.

 

Nurse Bos lifts Harrison from his crib and gently helps Julie settle him on her chest.

 

“Hi, buddy. Come to mama,” Julie murmurs. Harrison opens his eyes and looks up at her.

 

John sits in a nearby chair and holds William. The newborn squawks and squirms, then settles in and closes his eyes.

 

“To be able to see him and hold him is an indescribable feeling,” John says.

 

“It’s unlike anything you can ever describe,” Julie agrees. “It’s perfection.”

 

The VanderMolens received a moment of fame with a playful video they created to announce their triple pregnancy. It shows their frantic preparations for parenthood―with John catching three baseballs and Julie filling three baby bottles. It was featured on ABC’s Good Morning America.

 

Now, they can’t wait to bring their babies to their home in Kentwood, Michigan. Three cribs await the boys upstairs. A triple stroller stands ready. They have piles of outfits, diapers and bottles.

 

Photo by Chris Clark

Julie looks forward to taking her sons to church. John dreams of playing sports with the boys.

 

With Julie still recovering from surgery, the couple says they don’t think they have quite come to grips with the challenges ahead.

 

“The full responsibility has not sunk in yet,” John says.

 

“But I wouldn’t say we are fearful about it at all,” Julie says. “The connection we have with them is just so instant. And I am so looking forward to being home, on our own schedule, and figuring it out together as a family.”

 

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Enjoy a holiday dinner or high tea at Kellogg Manor House

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Holidays, Upcoming Events, , ,
Courtesy W.K. Kellogg Conference Center and Manor House

 

By Sarah Carroll, W.K. Kellogg Biological Station

 

Have a holly jolly holiday season when you visit the W.K. Kellogg Manor House this year for a marvelous meal or a traditional high tea. The holidays are a special time at the Manor House, visible in our lavish decorations and decadent culinary spreads.

 

Holiday meals at the Manor House are a special tradition, sure to bring cheer to you and your friends and family of all ages.

Each high tea at the Manor House has a different theme and menu, featuring a light meal and a historic tour of the Manor House. All teas will be held from 3–5pm unless otherwise noted.

Pricing information and registration for each event are available online. All events will be held in the W.K. Kellogg Manor House, located at 3700 E. Gull Lake Dr., in Hickory Corners. Reservations are required. To learn more, visit conference.kbs.msu.edu, call 269-671-2400 or email conference@kbs.msu.edu.

 

Many of our holiday events have already sold out, please register today to secure your reservation.

 

The W.K. Kellogg Manor House is part of the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station. As MSU’s largest off-campus educational complex, we’ve put our land-grant values into practice for nearly a hundred years as we’ve delivered groundbreaking scientific research and education, community engagement, and historic preservation. As we look forward, our students, staff, and faculty are working to understand and solve real-world environmental problems for a better tomorrow.

 

KBS is more than any individual lab or location. There’s a story behind all that you see; look closer and you’ll find more amazing discoveries than ever before. To learn more about KBS, visit us online at kbs.msu.edu.

School News Network: Social skills, life skills & job skills, one beverage at a time

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, ,
Teacher Jackie Pnazek helps Cameron Blouw pour coffee for his customer, teacher Matt Jen

By Bridie Bereza

School News Network

 

Third-graders Cameron Blouw and Javier Garcia made their way down the hall of West Godwin Elementary last Thursday, pushing a cart stocked with carafes of coffee, hot water for tea, and a variety of cold, fizzy beverages. They stopped outside a classroom, and Javier entered and approached the teacher.

 

“Would you like to purchase a beverage from the beverage cart?” he asked.

 

The beverage cart is a new service at West Godwin, making its first run on Oct.16. It seems like a simple enough undertaking — students selling  drinks to staff every Tuesday and Thursday morning — but for the four students who operate the cart, it’s providing valuable lessons that will transfer to other avenues in life, says Jacqueline Pnazek, resource room teacher at West Godwin.

 

Javier Garcia stocks the cart

Hands-On

 

Pnazek’s resource room is a classroom for students in special education. There, students receive targeted instruction based on their current needs.

 

“The end goal is to get all my students back into general education full-time,” she said. “The daily goal is to make sure that each student is able to succeed in general education, whether that be in academics, socially, or behaviorally.”

The beverage cart was Pnazek’s brainchild. She created it, her mother embroidered the aprons for it, and she accompanies the students who operate it.

The idea, she said, is to provide meaningful opportunities for students to work on social skills, life skills and job skills. Talking with staff and teachers and offering them beverages, then serving the beverages and handling the payment hits on all of these skills. It’s not a real moneymaker — the money earned restocks the cart — but that’s not the point.

“Being able to make change and handle money is such a life skill, and some of the students need that hands-on, real-life experience in order to make the connection and really learn,” said Pnazek.

 

Cameron Blouw and Javier Garcia pose with the coffee carafes and cash box after serving drinks to teachers and staff at West Godwin Elementary

Honing Their Skills

 

“Wait until she’s off the phone,” Pnazek told Cam, who was eager to offer a beverage to school secretary Kristi Bast last week.

The students who work the beverage cart are in speech and language therapy, so operating the cart is a good exercise, said Pnazek, in using complete sentences and responding appropriately to the adults they are serving.

“The students love being able to go around to teachers,” said Pnazek, “They really loved the aprons on day one; they said it made them feel ‘working,’ which I love.”

 

Cameron Blouw stirs coffee before serving it to a teacher

Pnazek said careers in the retail and service industries are appropriate future jobs for many of her students. She wants them to begin loving it from a young age so they are excited about it and have some experience to help them should they consider such careers.

Third-grader DeAnvia George and first-grader Colston Minnema operate the cart in addition to Cam and Javier. DeAnvia said operating the beverage cart is fun because she likes to see some of her favorite teachers from past years.

Plus, she said, “I love the clothes you get to wear.”

 

Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.

 

Absentee student problem, ambitious county landfill plan on WKTV Journal In Focus

3-bottom, Area Education, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Kentwood Public Schools, Local Faces, WKTV Journal In Focus, , , , ,

 

K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

On the latest episode of WKTV Journal In Focus, countywide issues that impact public school students educational success rates and also the quality of the environment they will inherit.

 

We talk with two education experts on the Strive for Less than 5 effort to combat high rates of student absenteeism, and then we talk with the director of the county’s public works department about Kent County’s Sustainable Business Park Master Plan for 250 acres adjacent to the South Kent Landfill in Byron Center.

 

Explaining the importance of the “Strive for Less than 5” countywide campaign is Mel Atkins II, Executive Director of Community & Student Affairs for Grand Rapids Public Schools, and Kent ISD data researcher Sunil Joy, who has studied the importance of the reducing absenteeism.

 

Also on the show is Darwin J. Baas, Director of the Kent County Department of Public Works. Baas will discuss the details of the Sustainable Business Park Master Plan, which is intended to provide opportunity for partnerships and innovative approaches to managing waste in the county, with the goal of diverting 90 percent of trash from the South Kent Land ll by 2030.

 

 

 

“WKTV Journal In Focus” airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel (see our Weekly On-air Schedule for dates and times). But all interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.

 

Wyoming Public School election results are in: Jirous, Lewis named new board members

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, , , , ,
Jennifer Lewis

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

 

It was not just national elections that had to wait a few weeks for final counts to determine the outcomes, the Wyoming Public Schools has been waiting for two weeks to learn who would win write-in race for the second seat on its Board of Education.

 

The newly elected board member is Jennifer Lewis, who was one of two write-in candidates seeking the seat in the Nov. 6 election. Brian Jirous had filed for one of the two six-year seats that were being vacated by Tom Mott and Susan Sheets Odo. Jirous received 9,255 votes. 

 

“I’m not sure I can say I know all the people who voted for me,” Jirous said with a laugh. “I am pretty certain some people were just filling in the boxes. But to be honest, I was not that worried about it.”

 

Brian Jirous

The harder part, Jirous said, was waiting to learn who the other new board member would be. Because write-ins have to be counted by hand, the process can take up to two weeks, according to school officials. The Wyoming Public Schools was notified this week that Lewis, who received 262 of the 762 write-in votes was the winner. The other write-in candidate, Adriana Almanza, received 84 votes. The remaining write-in votes are either invalid names or voters filled-in ovals with no names attached, according to city officials.

 

“We have some big shoes to fill with Tom Mott and Susan Sheets Odo vacating from the board,” said Lewis, who is a personal insurance agent and an alumnus of Wyoming Park High School. “They have been in the community for awhile. I have been in the community for awhile as well, working on a number of projects in and for the schools. Looking forward to and ready to take on the challenge.”

 

Lewis said she had considered running for the board but did not put her name on the ballot as her oldest son was graduating from Wyoming Public Schools last spring and heading to Michigan State University.

 

“I didn’t know how that transition would go, so I did not want to make a commitment to something,” she said, adding that it all went very smoothly. But when she learned that only one person had filed for the two open seats, she reconsidered and decided to seek one of the seats as a write-in candidate.

 

Jirous, who is an AT&T mobile technician and alumnus of Wyoming Park High School, said while he lives only a few doors down from Mott, it was actually his interest to serve the district in another capacity that made him decide to run.

 

“I wanted to be more involved, not just in the day-to-day but in a higher level,” Jirous said. “I wanted to learn how a district is run and this is an good opportunity and a good time in my life to do this.”

 

Both Jirous and Lewis will be sworn in at the Wyoming Board of Education’s first meeting of 2019, Monday, Jan. 14, at 6 p.m. 

Teen’s advice after crash: Stay strong

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Education, Local Faces, , , , ,

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By Krystle Wagner, Spectrum Health Beat; photos by Chris Clark

 

As her graduating classmates celebrated accomplishments and looked forward to the future, Angela Maurer focused on one thing.

 

Regaining the ability to walk.

 

In high school, Maurer stayed active in cross country, basketball and track. She served on student council, in the National Honor Society, in the Business Professionals of America, and, an avid horseback rider, as president of her 4-H club.

 

She was an achiever, in every sense of the word.

 

And since running had been part of her life since middle school, Maurer planned to join the cross country team at Aquinas College in the fall of 2014.

 

Everything changed in her final week of high school.

The crash

On May 22, 2014, Maurer, then 18, was behind the wheel of her Chevy Tahoe, with her younger brother, Nathan, in the passenger seat.

 

Photo courtesy of Angela Maurer

They had just left the house. When Maurer made a left turn out of the driveway of her family’s home in Williamston, Michigan, she forgot to check her blind spot.

 

An oncoming SUV broadsided her Tahoe at about 60 mph. Although Maurer’s brother managed to walk away with minor injuries, Maurer sustained serious injuries that would change her life.

 

Initially, she didn’t even understand the severity of her trauma. She remembers telling her mom she could move her toes, and asking her mom if that was a good thing.

 

“The entire dash was on my lap,” Maurer recalled.

 

An ambulance rushed her to the hospital, where an initial evaluation provided more uncertainty. The left side of her pelvis shattered upon impact and her neck had fractured.

 

Given the extent of the trauma, doctors couldn’t say if she would ever walk again.

 

Hearing that, Maurer became motivated to make a full recovery.

 

“It drove me to prove them wrong, push myself harder,” she said.

The recovery

Surgeons at Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital installed plates and screws to keep her pelvis together.

 

Then came the hard part.

 

Physical therapist Linda Rusiecki, DPT, evaluated Maurer after her transfer to the Spectrum Health Center for Acute Rehabilitation.

 

Photo courtesy of Angela Maurer

The work to recover began immediately. Each day for three weeks, she would undergo four therapy sessions—one hour of physical therapy and one hour of occupational therapy followed by half-hour sessions of each.

 

She first entered therapy on a Tuesday, making a goal of attending her high school graduation ceremony that Sunday.

 

Maurer remembers the pain when she first arrived at therapy. She needed two people to help her get up. But she was clearly motivated, Rusiecki recalled.

 

The young woman progressed from learning how to sit up in bed to getting into a wheelchair. When she sat up in bed, her head spun and she couldn’t focus on anything.

 

Maurer said it was hard to visualize how she would ever reach her goal and someday run again, but her family encouraged her to keep going.

 

Progress came incrementally.

 

After days of persevering through pain, she joined her classmates in celebrating high school graduation. As Maurer’s brother pushed her wheelchair across the stage, the crowd gave her a standing ovation.

 

Hitting that milestone was emotional, Maurer said. In that moment, she saw the volume of love and support behind her, even as she continued her recovery about an hour-and-a-half away from her hometown.

 

Her accomplishments didn’t stop there. In two more weeks of therapy, she progressed from a walker to crutches.

 

Although some days proved to be more challenging than others—she remembers being plagued by soreness—the hurdles became easier to clear once she could walk with crutches.

 

Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat

Through occupational therapy, she learned how to get out of bed, shower and use the restroom without assistance. In physical therapy, she learned how to get in and out of cars, walk down stairs and walk across different terrains with her crutches.

 

When therapists released Maurer from inpatient therapy on June 9, less than a month after the crash, she could walk more than 1,000 feet with crutches over various terrain. She could also maneuver a flight of steps as long as she kept the weight off her left foot, Rusiecki said.

 

Returning home, Maurer became single-mindedly focused on one goal: Running again.

The finish line

Her medical team cleared Maurer to stop using crutches two days before freshman orientation at Aquinas College. She then worked toward her goal, one step at a time.

 

“Everything was worth it in the long run,” she said.

 

Before she got the OK to run, she spent time cross-training, biking and exercising on the elliptical to build up her strength. Six months after the crash, doctors approved her to begin running again.

 

In November 2014, she become an active member of the cross country team, where her teammates heard her story and greeted her with enthusiastic support.

 

“They remind me how I’m a walking miracle, and it’s like a blessing to be able to run again,” she said.

 

In May 2015, a year after the crash, Maurer visited staff at the Center for Acute Rehabilitation to show them her progress.

 

“It was very exciting to see her again,” Rusiecki said.

 

Maurer said she’s now in the best shape she’s ever been in. And her experience is shaping the trajectory of her life not just in physical recovery, but in academic prowess.

 

Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat

Prior to the crash, she had planned to study either occupational or physical therapy. Given her experience, she has decided to study physical therapy, in hopes of one day working with athletes who may find themselves in similar situations.

 

She can relate to athletes whose injuries might temporarily keep them from doing what they love. She can help them persevere to reach their goals, and help them return to their passions.

 

Despite the challenges, Maurer said the journey has made her thankful for every day. Thankful for everything she has. Thankful for still being alive.

 

For others going through their own struggles and journeys, Maurer, now 20, recommends keeping a positive mindset, because negativity will only make things more challenging.

 

Her advice: “Stay strong.”

 

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

On the shelf: Good reads for teens

Books, Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, ,

By Tallulah Stievers

 

The Kayla Chronicles
by Sherri Winston

 

This just in: Kayla Dean, budding feminist and future journalist, is about to break the story of a lifetime. Egged on by her best friend, Kayla has decided to try out for her high school’s notorious dance team, the Lady Lions, in order to expose their unfair selection process. But when she actually makes the team, the true investigation begins! Now a Lady Lion, Kayla is transformed into a dance diva. But does looking good and having fun mean turning her back on the cause? Soon Kayla is forced to challenge her views, coming to terms with who she is and what girl power really means.

 

Saving Juliet
by Suzanne Selfors

 

Mimi Wallingford has a life most girls can only dream of — complete with the starring role in her family’s production of Romeo and Juliet. But acting is not her dream, and she’s fighting for the right to become a doctor. During the play’s final performance, Mimi’s wish to get away actually comes true when she and her costar are magically transported into Shakespeare’s Verona. Now that she knows the real Juliet, Mimi doesn’t want to stand by and allow the play to reach its tragic end. But if saving her new friend means changing the ending, will she and Troy ever make it back to Broadway?

 

Vampire Kisses 1: Blood Relatives
by Ellen Schreiber, Art by rem

 

The absolute last thing goth-girl Raven and her vampire boyfriend, Alexander, need is another hitch in their nighttime — only romance — but dark trouble hovers on the horizon. When a crew of sketchy vampires takes up residence in Dullsville’s lonely graveyard, Alexander finds this motley bunch led by his very own blood-sucking cousin, Claude Sterling. Claude and his creepy crew can only spell out more problems for the pair, especially when Raven finds them in daylight in the very last place she could ever imagine. What could Claude and his invaders be doing — or searching for — in Dullsville?

 

The American Muslim Teenager’s Handbook
by Dilara Hafiz, Imran Hafiz, and Yasmine Hafiz

 

What does it mean to be a Muslim? Ask ten people, and you’ll probably receive ten different answers. The American Muslim Teenager’s Handbook is a positive, informative guide to Islam in America. Timely and engaging, it conveys the basics of the fastest-growing, most stereotyped and misunderstood religion in America from a progressive, teen perspective. Whether struggling to define themselves as Muslims in American society or simply curious about Islam, teens will find much to love about this entertaining book.

 

Bunker 10
by J. A. Henderson

 

At eight o’clock in the evening, 24 December 2007, Pinewood Military Installation exploded. The blast ripped apart acres of forest and devastated the remote highland valley where the base was located. No official cause was given for the incident. Inside Pinewood were 185 male and female military personnel — a mixture of scientists and soldiers. There were also seven teenagers. This is the story of their last day.

 

 

Manage chronic conditions by making an action plan

3-bottom, Area Education, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Education, Health, How-To's, Senior Living, , ,
Courtesy Michigan State University Extension

By Gretchen Stelter, Michigan State University Extension

 

One of the best ways to manage chronic conditions such as diabetes, arthritis or Parkinson’s disease is to make a weekly action plan. This will guide you to achieve your health goals. Michigan State University Extension suggests you make sure your action plan has these key ideas:

Make your action plan something you want to do

  • This is your plan, not someone else’s plan for you. Action plans can help you feel better by successfully accomplishing tasks.
  • Your plan is something you think you should do and want to do or achieve yourself. An example is if you hate pool water, you shouldn’t make a goal to swim three times a week.

Pick something you can do easily

  • Ask yourself if your plan is realistic and achievable for you right now. You wouldn’t want to begin walking three miles a day if you have not walked after your knee surgery!
  • If you feel you will fail at this action, then change it so you can succeed. If you do fail at an action plan, usually you will not try again.

Be action specific

  • What is it that you are going to do?
  • How much are you going to do? This can be broken down in minutes or days.
  • When are you going to do it? Be specific.

Plan ahead for possible barriers

  • Ask yourself what might get in the way of achieving this goal. If the weather is bad you may not want to walk.
  • Figure out ahead of time how you will handle barriers, such as plan on walking in an open gym in the evening when the weather is bad.
  • Know who you can call if you need help. You may like to have a partner when you walk.

Celebrate and evaluate:

  • Congratulate yourself on what you’ve achieved.
  • If things went well, the next week you may be able to stretch your goal. Instead of walking a quarter of a mile three days a week, you may walk a half mile four days a week.
  • If things got in your way, find solutions to help get past the barrier. Perhaps walking through a box store three days a week is better than walking in inclement weather. Keep track of your progress. If things get in your way, think of solutions that can help you achieve your goal.

An example of a weekly action plan to get more exercise

What am I going to do? I will start taking a water aerobics class.
How often will I do it? I will do one hour a week.
When will I do it? I will go to the 9 a.m. class every Friday.
What might get into my way? The weather, which may make it challenging to get out of the house in the morning.
What might make doing this easier for me? I will ask a friend to join me; one that has mentioned water aerobics before.

Action plans outline steps you can take to attain a larger health goal. Research shows that such plans are instrumental in bringing about behavior changes in patients. American College of Physicians Foundation gives ideas for some opportunities to use an action plan:

  • Making diet changes
  • Quit smoking
  • Increase physical activity
  • Reducing stress
  • Improving sleep habits

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 schools participate in airport’s 24th annual Holiday Music Festival

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

By WKTV Staff

joanne@wktv.org

 

The Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GFIA) will soon be filled with festive sounds of the season. The 24th Annual Holiday Music Festival will take place the week of Dec. 3-7 in the Grand Hall. Daily performances run from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

 

Some of the groups scheduled to perform are Potters House at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Monday, Dec. 3; Legacy Christian 7th and 8th Grade Choir at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 5; Wyoming High Concert Choir at 10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 6; East Kentwood Varsity Voices at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 6; South Christian High School Madrigals at 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec.6; and Lee High School Varsity of Voices at 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 7. A full schedule is available on the Airport’s Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/FlyGRFord.

 

A total of 18 West Michigan schools are scheduled to sing a variety of carols during the Festival. Local choirs representing public and private schools will sing 20 minute song sets throughout the day.

“We love having the schools here during the Holiday Music Festival. The music helps to put passengers and guests in the holiday spirit around the airport,” said GFIA Marketing & Communications Director Tara Hernandez. “We hope to put smiles on passengers’ faces as they listen to the carolers.”

 

All Festival performances are free and open to the public.

City of Wyoming hosts annual Candy Cane Hunt Dec. 8

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Candy Cane Hunt

WKTV Staff

joanne@wktv.org

 

Linus had his “Great Pumpkin” patch, the City of Wyoming has the Great Candy Cane Hunt, which is set for Dec. 8 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Wyoming Senior Center, 2380 DeHoop SW.

 

Children ages 3-14 are invited to hunt for the many hidden candy canes outside. Then everyone will head indoors for games, a craft project, and lunch with the man of the season, Santa. Children will have to the opportunity to meet with Santa and give them their holiday wish list. 

 

Pre-registration is required for the event. It is $5 for residents, $7 for non-residents, and $2 parents and others. 

 

To register click, here. For questions call 616-530-3164 or email parks_info@wyoming.gov.

Kentwood’s PACE program promotes energy efficiency, renewable energy systems

3-bottom, City of Kentwood
The City of Kentwood has adopted a program to promote the installation of energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy systems in area properties. (U.S. Air Force Graphic)

 

By The City of Kentwood

 

The City of Kentwood has adopted a program to promote the installation of energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy systems in area properties.

 

The Property Assessed Clean Energy, or PACE, program allows owners of commercial or industrial property to finance the upfront cost of energy or other eligible improvements and then pay the costs back over time through a voluntary assessment.

 

Established under the federal Property Assessed Clean Energy Act, PACE relies on funding through loans from private lenders arranged by property owners and developers.

 

By adopting the program, the City of Kentwood joins a growing list of municipalities striving to promote energy efficiency. According to Lean & Green Michigan, which operates the PACE program in Michigan, 22 counties and 13 cities and townships in Michigan have adopted the financing tool, including the cities of Wyoming and Grand Rapids.

 

“The PACE program establishes a new mechanism for our business community to finance energy projects,” said Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley. “This economic development resource produces sustainability for our businesses by lowering energy costs while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”

 

Program applicants may request financing for energy efficiency improvements such as insulation, heating and cooling distribution systems, storm windows and doors, caulking, weather-stripping and air sealing.  Other forms of improvements could also include the replacement or modification of lighting fixtures and electrical wiring, as well as measures to reduce the usage of water or increases the efficiency of water usage.

 

Implementation of renewable energy resources could include biomass, solar and solar thermal energy, wind energy, geothermal energy and methane gas captured from a landfill, among others.

 

The PACE program provides a means of financing such energy projects with property owner-arranged loans from a commercial lender. No City monies, general City taxes or City credit of any kind may be used in connection with any energy project associated with the PACE program.

 

A PACE assessment is a debt of property. This means the debt is tied to the property as opposed to the property owner. In turn, the repayment obligation may transfer with property ownership if the buyer agrees to assume the PACE obligation and the new first mortgage holder allows the PACE obligation to remain on the property.

 

More information about Kentwood’s PACE program is available at kentwood.us.

 

Multi-tasking troubadour Ryley Walker, inbound from Europe, set to land at Calvin

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Reviews, Upcoming Events,
Ryley Walker. (Supplied photo by Evan Jenkins)

 

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

To say Chicago-based Ryley Walker is a busy man these days would be a grand understatement. Just check his passport and his album/EP catalogue and music downloads.

 

After gigs in Europe on Nov. 30 through Dec. 2 — in the Brighton UK, Paris and Amsterdam, respectively — Walker will likely catch a red-eye and get over a bout of jet lag before he takes the stage at Calvin College on Wednesday, Dec. 5.

 

And that is just his live music schedule. He has also been busy in the studio.

 

Ryley Walker. (Supplied photo by Evan Jenkins)

So far this year the 29-year-old singer-songwriter and guitarist from Rockford, Ill., has released Deafman Glance, an eclectic mix of originals, as well as the just-out The Lillywhite Sessions, a track-by-track cover of Dave Matthews’ infamously abandoned 2001 art-rock masterpiece of the same name.

 

So, the audience at Calvin’s Recital Hall should be prepared for a wild ride with Mr. Walker. And cheap tickets — $10 general admission — are still available.

 

Deafman Glance is Walker’s fifth album release since 2014, not to mention three EP releases between 2011-13, including The Evidence of Things Unseen, originally only available on cassette. (Ya, he’s worked his way up.) His 2015 album release, Primrose Green, gained a ton of buzz and included several notable Chicago jazz and experimental musicians doing their instrumental things.

 

While Walker is probably proud of Deafman Glance, he quickly moved on to the next thing on his non-stop musical ride.

 

“It’s a good record. But I can’t really listen to it anymore. It kind of broke my brain,” Walker said in supplied material. “I was under a lot of stress because I was trying to make an anti-folk record and I was having trouble doing it. I wanted to make something deep-fried and more me-sounding. I didn’t want to be jammy acoustic guy anymore. I just wanted to make something weird and far-out that came from the heart finally.”

 

An initial listen of Deafman left me with the feel that I was on a long road-trip with the musician, with the smooth, confident alt-pop songwriting flowing forth often in almost stream of consciousness, accompanied by long long instrumental/synth experimentations. My favorite cuts were “Opposite Middle”, “Spoil With the Rest” and, for an unknown reason, the hypnotic instrumental “Rocks on Rainbow”. But there are several soft, almost spacey ballads.

 

From Deafman, Walker turned to The Lillywhite Sessions, and a sometimes complete reinterpretation of Matthews songs, which Walker describes as “a record where (Matthews) and his band indulged a new adult pathos and a budding musical wanderlust … (with Walker’s covers being) one adolescent fan’s fulfillment of that possibility, a partial musical map of the places that this trio’s early interest in Matthews has since taken them.”

 

An initial listen to Lillywhite found interpretations filled with both smooth and jagged synth riffs, sparse almost jazzy horn riffs, and often haunting alt-pop sounds. Having little experience with Matthews’ originals, I found “Big Red Fish” to be my favorite, while “Grace is Gone” was the one original remembered, but I was still drawn to Walker’s clear, clean version.

 

The period of the making of Deafman and Lillywhite was, not so incidentally, actually filled with the “a new adult pathos” of Walker’s own.

 

Ryley Walker. (Supplied photo by Evan Jenkins)

“I quit drugs and booze recently,” he says. “I got sick of being a party animal — I don’t want to be 19-gin-and-tonics-Ryley any more. My brain is working a little better now, but man I was just going at it pretty wildly, and then trying to make a record (Deafman Glance) while I was drinking, it was kind of like torture.

 

“The songs (on Deafman) don’t really deal with any political or personal or social issues at all. Mostly it just comes from being bummed out. And there’s not a lot of musical influences on the record. I wasn’t even listening to music when I made it. … Maybe I’d say it’s a record for coming up or coming down. It’s not an album for the middle of the day. It’s for the beginning or end of it.”

 

Can’t think  of a better way to end a work day than catching Walker at Calvin.

 

The concert will be somewhere in Calvin’s Covenant Fine Arts Center, 1795 Knollcrest Circle SE, Grand Rapids. For tickets and information, visit calvin.edu/calendar/event . For more on Ryley Walker visit ryleywalker.com.

 

Cat of the week: Otter

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

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

 

By Sharon Wylie, Crash’s Landing

 

Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).

 

On October 13, 2018, Dr. Jen received this very heartfelt request: “I’ve been trying to avoid writing this email for a long time. I adopted Otter in 2009 and he’s been my best friend from Day 1. My partner and I have been living separately for the past 5 years due to his severe allergic reaction to my cat, but we’ve reached the point where we’d like to start our lives together. I have tried everything to place Otter into a home I trust but nearly everyone in my life has multiple pets and the inability to take on another. I am hoping that, even after all of this time, Otter still can have a place at Crash’s. He means the world to me and I can’t consider him going somewhere his life might be at risk. Please let me know if this is still an option. I’m heartbroken and just need to know he will be safe and loved.

 

“He’s lived the past 3 years with two rescue pit bulls, as part of the gang we affectionately call ‘Two Pitties & a Kitty’. He’s a little instigator who loved to get the pups to chase and play with him, especially taking on the laser pointer together. Otter has been through probably half a dozen moves with me and has handled change like a champ, always making himself instantly comfortable. His favorite pastimes are sleeping on the windowsill in the sun, chirping at the birds or any other wildlife he can see, and snuggling on your chest while purring in your face (his purr motor never shuts off). He loves catnip probably too much (we have had talks about it). Otter has been my one constant through so much change over the last near decade—he is part of my heart and soul.”

 

Every time we read this, we get choked up; to love someone so much and have to let them go is one of the most difficult decisions to have to make. We strive for our motto to be ‘once a Crash cat, always a Crash cat’, so there was no question about it—Otter was of course welcomed back into our furry fold. Since he is a senior citizen (born in August of 2008) and had been away from us for such a long time, Dr. Jen was a bit concerned that his world would be turned upside-down, but literally within minutes he was trucking around the place, finding himself a great vantage point on a perch and surveying his surroundings (this was of course after our grand reunion at the clinic where Dr. Jen got to personally greet him and get some long overdue lovin’ ).

 

He is such a sweet, gentle cat who more often than not can be seen being carried around in the arms of a volunteer, obviously enjoying every second of hands-on time with his new BFF’s. He is going to thrive in a home where he can be showered with attention, both human and canine-kind; you can even throw a cat or two in the mix and all will be right with Otter’s world once again.

 

He really is the perfect cat, and if you haven’t heard, 10 is the new 5, so age certainly isn’t a factor in considering Otter as your lifelong kitty companion; a full work-up at the clinic deemed him healthy after several teeth were extracted, with sensational lab work to boast about as well. As you can see from how his mom gushed about him and by how smitten our volunteers are with him already, this great guy here really is exactly the type of cat that will seamlessly transition into any happy household and add so much joy to it as well, so don’t let a cat as magnificent as Otter pass you by!

More about Otter:

  • Large
  • Domestic Short Hair
  • Tabby (brown/chocolate, tiger-striped, white)
  • Senior
  • Male
  • House-trained
  • Vaccinations up to date
  • Neutered
  • Declawed
  • Good in a home with other cats, dogs, children

Want to adopt Otter? 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.

 

Odd/even parking starts this Saturday in Wyoming

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, ,

WKTV Staff

joanne@wktv.org

 

This Saturday is Dec. 1 which also happens to be the first day of odd/even parking in the City of Wyoming.

 

The odd/even parking allows for more effective snowplowing of the streets in the winter, according to city officials.

 

From Dec. 1 to Mar. 31, residents should park on the side of the street with even numbers (addresses ending in 0, 2, 4, 6, 8) on even number days and on the side of the street with odd numbers (Addresses ending in 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9) on odd number days. Residents living in a cul-de-sac may only park on the street on even number days. Streets with “No Parking: signs still have no parking restrictions. There is a grace period form 7 p.m. to midnight every evening when residents can park on either side. Just make sure to move your car to the correct side by midnight.

 

According to the city’s website, Wyoming has approximately 250 miles or 600 lane-miles of streets. Streets are prioritized with major streets that have the most traffic, such as 44th and 28th streets, plowed first, then collector streets plowed second, and finally, residential streets and cut-de-sacs third.

 

Sidewalks are plowed at night after there has been two or more inches of cumulation. Residents are asked to  keep the sidewalks clear of obstructions such as garbage cans and parked vehicles.

 

More information can be found on the city’s website.

Frey Foundation awards $150,000 for community land trust and supporting programs

3-bottom, , ,
Ryan VerWys, executive director of the Inner City Christian Federation (Frey Foundation). The ICCF was awarded $150,000 to create a Community Homes Land Trust.

The Frey Foundation is pleased to announce Inner City Christian Federation (ICCF) as the recipient of its inaugural Housing Innovation Award. ICCF will use the $150,000 award to create a Community Homes Land Trust and support structures designed to create and preserve affordable homeownership and rental opportunities for ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) families in Kent County.

 

“We are honored to receive this award and are excited to expand affordable housing opportunities in our community,” said Ryan VerWys, ICCF President & CEO. “We recognize the need for solutions to affordable housing that go beyond new construction. With the support of the Housing Innovation Award, we will leverage existing assets to bring affordability to both renters and homeowners.”

 

In the planned Community Homes Land Trust model, homes are sold at below-market prices to income-qualified households who cannot afford to buy on the open market. Upon resale, any home in the Land Trust remains affordable by utilizing a portion of the appreciation to reduce the purchase price for the next owner, preserving affordability from generation to generation.

“A diverse, cross-sector Selection Committee unanimously recommended ICCF’s Housing Innovation proposal for its potential for impact, scale, and ICCF’s intent to share the Community Homes Land Trust framework with other housing organizations whose beneficiaries could be served by this tool. Their proposal included well-vetted ideas designed to preserve affordability and access over the long-term,” said Lynne Ferrell, Frey Foundation Program Director.

 

Frey Foundation President Holly Johnson (Frey Foundation)

“Our trustees are committed to being at the table and playing a meaningful role in moving the needle on housing insecurity on behalf of ALICE families in West and Northern Michigan,” said Ellie Frey Zagel, third generation Free Foundation trustee and chair of th initiative. “This work can’t be done by one funder or in silos. we are committed to learning and listening for emerging opportunities, and are willing to try new approaches to make an impact on those we seek to serve.”

 

This is the foundation’s first venture into “prize philanthropy,” a grant making tool designed to spark innovation and engagement for community impact.

 

The Frey Foundation issued an open call for innovative ideas to accelerate access to sustainable, quality housing opportunities in Kent County in late September. The deadline for applications was October 29, 2018. A range of ideas were submitted by several local non-profit organizations. Submissions were evaluated by an external, diverse and multi-sector Selection Committee of seven coordinated by Executive Director John Weiss and the staff at Grand Valley Metro Council (GVMC)

 

“We designed a process to give community stakeholders license and incentive to get in a room and think creatively and collaboratively. We see this process having broader learning implications for the foundation and others involved with intrinsic benefits that will continue to unfold,” said Frey Foundation President Holly Johnson.

 

While the Frey Foundation serves the broader West and Northern Michigan regions, the Housing Innovation Award opportunity focused on serving Kent County’s ALICE population.

 

About the Frey Foundation

 

Edward and Frances Frey established the Frey Foundation in 1974 out of a deep love of community and their commitment to philanthropy. Since that time, two generations of the Frey family have come along to continue their legacy, working to enhance the lives of children and families, protect natural resources, promote the arts, and build community. Learn more about the foundation and its grant making at www.freyfdn.org.

 

About ICCF

 

ICCF is the oldest non-profit affordable housing provider in the state of Michigan. Active in the Grand rapids area since 1974, ICCF serves more than 2,200 households a year through its programs and services. Program offerings include Family Have emergency shelter, 439 units of affordable rental housing, newly constructed homes for purchase, homeownership education and financial counseling. Visit www.iccf.org for more information.

 

 

School News Network: ‘She’s come so far’

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, , , ,
Farhiya Abdullahi stands with Ian Gibson, Crossroads Alternative High School’s assistant principal

By Erin Albanese

School News Network

 

Quick to react with words and fists, Farhiya Abdullahi became a regular in school administration offices. She spent many days suspended, and was eventually expelled.

 

“The way I reacted was terrible. I had so much anger built up in me… My mouth was terrible,” she said. “My attitude was terrible. I was suspended literally every month.”

 

Farhiya sat at the desk of Crossroads Alternative High School Assistant Principal Ian Gibson, the administrator who expelled her two years ago and welcomed her back last fall.

 

Turns out, a lot can happen in a year: Gibson recently recommended Farhiya for a School News Network article about how far a student can go after deciding to change.

 

Farhiya Abdullahi says time to reflect and the realization that she was out of options led her to change her ways

Farhiya now has 16.5 of 19 credits required to graduate and could earn her diploma as early as December, before her peers. Compare that to a year ago when she had earned just four total credits.

 

Farhiya immigrated to Kentwood as a toddler with her mother, Nunay Ali, and six siblings, as refugees from Kenya. Farhiya does not remember Kenya. She and her family speak Maay Maay, a Somali dialect.

 

“My mom ended up coming to America to make not only her life better, but her kids’ lives too. She wanted us to get our education. In Kenya, there aren’t that many opportunities. This is the place she felt her kids needed to grow up.”

 

Farhiya’s father, who emigrated from Africa separately from the rest of the family, moved away completely when Farhiya was young. “My mom was struggling; she had seven kids and was new to the country… She was a single mom and she had to raise all of us by herself.”

 

Farhiya had a few negative early experiences in school; her resentment grew and she began getting in trouble. She got in many fights at Crestwood Middle School, and, at East Kentwood High School, her fists landed her in long-term suspension.

 

She enrolled at Lighthouse Academy briefly, then at Crossroads Alternative High School in 2016.  “I stayed in school for a month and got expelled,” she recalled.

 

Learning to not react to drama was a key to getting on the right path

Leaving Behind Anger and Resentment

 

Being out of school gave Farhiya time to reflect. She knew her options were limited and she had passed few classes at school. She realized her self-created predicament was sad, but she also knew she could get herself out of it.

 

Farhiya re-enrolled at Lighthouse and passed a couple classes. Last October, a Lighthouse staff member asked Shirley Johnson, the district’s assistant superintendent of student Services, if she would meet with Farhiya to talk about reinstatement. Johnson agreed.

 

“In my mind I was like, ‘I don’t deserve it. I got long-term suspended and I got expelled, and she’s still willing to talk to me?’ ” Farhiya recalled.

 

At the reinstatement hearing, Johnson asked Farhiya why she wanted to go back to Crossroads.

 

Her answer: “I sat down this summer and thought about everything. I shouldn’t be putting my mom through this. I shouldn’t be putting myself through this. My mom brought me here for better opportunities and I’m just putting it to waste.

 

“On top of that, I’m trying to graduate. I want to be successful. I want to make a better living for myself and my family. I don’t want to sit here and struggle. I see a lot of people in my family struggling because they have no education. They are working, breaking every bone in their body, just to survive.”

 

Johnson said students including Farhiya need champions and an advocate for a second chance. “I saw her heart and her authentic self in the process,” she said. “Farhiya has really made significant gains since returning to school, and I couldn’t be more proud of her maturity and growth.”

 

Farhiya was all in.

 

Back at Crossroads, she ignored drama, avoided conflict and soon realized she could excel. “Teachers are motivating here. Teachers will help you,” she said.

 

She completed 12 classes in a matter of months, often working at home into the wee hours. She was soon Crossroads’ No. 1 student and last spring earned a science award.

 

Mom Nunay Ali stands with Farhiya Abdullahi after Farhiya received her U.S. citizenship Oct. 31.

“She’s a model student now. She’s got that grit we talk about here in Kentwood,” Gibson said. “She has this positive vibe about her… She is absolutely college-bound.

 

Added Principal Rick Hatfield, “She’s done a phenomenal job. Farhiya has had exemplary behavior, academically and emotionally, since she was reinstated.”

 

Farhiya recently received her citizenship from U.S. Dept of Homeland Security, with her mother by her side.

 

Farhiya plans to go to Grand Rapids Community College. She said she is interested in healthcare or social work.

 

Her mother, who once was more accustomed to her daughter being out of school than in, is now proud of Farhiya, and says their relationship has improved.

 

That matters a lot.

 

“If I could buy my mom the world, I honestly would. The only way I can do that is to further my education.”

 

Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.

With The War and Treaty added, St. Cecilia Acoustic Café Folk Series just gets better

Entertainment, Upcoming Events,
The War and Treaty, featuring Michael and Tanya Trotter, has been added to the St. Cecilia Acoustic Café Folk Series, with the performance set for Feb. 24. (Supplied)

 

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

 

Anybody who attended the recent Bob Seger concert in Grand Rapids already know that The War and Treaty — which opened the Seger show — are worth the price of a ticket all by themselves.

 

The rest of us will just have to find out for ourselves at St. Cecilia Music Center in February.

 

St. Cecilia on Monday announced that the band, featuring Michael and Tanya Trotter, has been added to the Acoustic Café Folk Series, with the performance set for Sunday, Feb. 24, at 7:30 p.m.

 

“The War and Treaty’s Motown sound with soul and folk roots … are a powerful duo who are on the rise and we are excited to feature them,” Cathy Holbrook, St. Cecilia executive director, said in supplied material.

 

Tickets for The War and Treaty are now on sale. (Tickets are also still available for this week’s folk series performance by the The Lone Bellow, who will take the St. Cecilia stage Thursday, Nov. 29, at 7:30 p.m.)

 

The War and Treaty, featuring Michael and Tanya Trotter, sing songs of their lives and of other lives. (Supplied)

The War and Treaty, according to supplied material, “blend roots, folk, gospel, and soul, reaching back through their deep-rooted history to conjure up the strength of their ancestors. Their Down to the River EP (2017) boasts a sound that’s both stirring and sensual, driven by joy, determination, and an unceasing upward gaze.”

 

Lofty sounding words, but their real life stories provide evidence to the description.

 

The backstory of the band, and its name apparently, is a story of the separate but now joined musical paths of Michael and Tanya. One found their voice during childhood; the other found it during time of war. And their songs now blend to show life — real life, of real people.

 

After winning a talent show when she was 13, Tanya knew singing would be her life, her supplied biography states. Growing up in a tight-knit community just outside of Washington, D.C., she had a voice described as “honeyed and bold, guttural but angelic.” She started writing songs young as well, often alone in her room at night.

 

Michael spent part of his childhood in Cleveland before moving with his mother, brother, and sister to Washington, D.C. The family spent time in and out of homeless shelters – a limbo Michael would experience again as an adult. He was 19 when his first daughter, Michaela, was born, he “joined the Army for her,” he says in his supplied bio. Michael enlisted in the United States Army in 2003.

 

The musical transformative days, came when he was sent to Iraq, and stationed in one of Saddam Hussein’s ruined palaces. There, he had access to a piano that had emerged miraculously unscathed. An American officer heard him play and sing, and he encouraged Michael to pursue music. When that same officer was killed, Michael sat down to write the first of his many songs, some for other fallen comrades.

 

When Michael returned home, he was booked on a festival, where he met Tanya Blount. Today, they’re married, with a 6-year-old son, and writing and singing songs that, again, translate life, real life, to the audience.

 

“You have to have a deep place of love within yourself to be vulnerable,” Tanya said in describing their music. “With The War and Treaty, we allow people to see two people that are not perfect. We get on stage. We sweat. We’re overweight. We yell. We get ugly, we scream! My hair comes loose. We’re vulnerable — naked — in front of people, and it’s a chain reaction. It allows them to be vulnerable, too.”

 

For more information on The War and Treaty visit their website: thewarandtreaty.com/ .

 

The remaining concerts in the Acoustic Cafe Folk series, all in 2019, include Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn on Feb. 9, The Milk Carton Kids on Feb. 28, Asleep at the Wheel on April 11, and guitarist Leo Kottke on April 18.

 

Tickets for The War and Treaty are $30 and $30. All concert tickets can be purchased by calling St. Cecilia Music Center at 616-459-2224 or visiting the box office at 24 Ransom Ave. NE. A post-concert “Meet-the-artist” party with wine and beer will be offered to all ticket-holders, giving the audience the opportunity to meet the artists and to obtain signed CDs of their releases. For more information or to purchase tickets online visit www.scmc-online.org.

 

Low-cost or no-cost gift-giving ideas with a healthy twist

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Food, Health, Holidays, How-To's, , ,
Courtesy MSU Extension

By Shannon Lindquist, Michigan State University Extension

 

Gift-giving adds up fast, both financially and emotionally, during the holiday season. The stress of finding just the right thing may be easier than you think and you can keep your loved ones health in mind at the same time.

 

Michigan State University Extension suggests these healthy ideas to be used for any age group and they promote physical activity and healthy eating along the way.

  • Health related magazine – Give a recipe magazine or one related to overall health. There are magazines for children, women or men as well as magazines specific to physical activity.
  • Healthy recipe and ingredients – Do you have a favorite healthy recipe that everyone always asks you to make? Copy the recipe and purchase the ingredients and you have a great gift.
  • Meals for someone home bound – Prepare a meal for someone who has just had a baby or surgery, to an elderly person no longer able to get out or anyone else you feel is in need. As you cook for yourself or your family, simply take out one serving. These meals could also be frozen and used as needed by the person receiving them.
  • Coupon to host a sledding party – Sledding is a great way to promote physical activity during winter months. After sledding, serve healthy snacks like cheese sticks and apples with low-fat hot chocolate.
  • Physical activity items – Purchase exercise equipment either new or used that can be found at second-hand stores. If kids are on your list, look for soccer balls, bats, skates, scooters, snowshoes, sleds, exercise bands or helmets to keep kids thinking of physical activity all year long.
  • Gift certificate to swim at a local hotel – Swimming is appropriate for any age group and could be used for those older adults who have everything. Many hotels have designated public swimming hours with daily or monthly passes available.
  • Gardening supplies – Gardening supplies might not be as easily found in large stores this time of year, but local hardware and farm supply stores will have a rake, shovel, hand tools, gloves or knee pads, many items to make a gardener happy and ready to plan for next year’s garden.
  • Coupons to walk with a friend – Have you been meaning to join friends on a daily walk? This gift benefits the giver and the receiver. Keep yourself and your friends motivated to take that healthy walk each day, create a coupon in the shape of your favorite walking shoes. On your way out the door grab a can of soup for each hand and work those arm muscles while walking.
  • Gift certificate for roller-skate rental – When is the last time you went roller-skating? Roller rinks are still available and are a great way to spend time participating in physical activity as a family.

These gifts don’t take a lot of time, are low or no cost and send a strong message of caring because they promote health and well-being to those you care about, great reasons to choose from this list when finishing up your holiday gift-giving.

 

Not sure you’re crafty enough to create all these great gift certificate ideas? Pinterest can help! Simply fill in the information and print the certificates at home. For family nutrition information, Choose My Plate online has a wealth of information to stay healthy all year long. To find out more about physical activity and healthy eating for the whole family try the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

 

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).

Kids as caregivers

3-bottom, Area Education, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Education, Health, Senior Living, , ,
Photo courtesy Michigan State University Extension

By Shannon Lindquist, Michigan State University Extension

 

Research conducted by the National Alliance for Caregiving estimates over 1.4 million youth ages 8–18 are taking care of ill, injured, elderly or disabled family members. They are taking care of parents, grandparents and siblings as well as dealing with the most prevalent conditions: Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, heart, lung or kidney diseases, arthritis and diabetes.

 

What kind of care are they providing?

 

Kids are not just performing day-to-day household chores such as laundry, dishes, vacuuming and fixing simple meals, they are handing out medications, bathing, dressing, toileting and feeding family members. Some are even responsible for communicating with health care providers.

 

While it may seem inappropriate for kids to take on caregiving duties, changes in family structures, such as kids being raised in single parent homes or by their grandparents, increase the number of older people and multi-generations in households. Healthcare delivery has also changed so that home visits have decreased and an increase of care is becoming the responsibility of families instead of hospitals and doctor offices.

 

Why are kids in the role of caregiver?

 

Not everyone agrees that a child should be in the role of a family caregiver, however, changes in family structure and how healthcare is delivered impacts children. Economic hardships also play a part in multi-generation households, with married adults returning home with children. Regarding healthcare, medical facilities are no longer providing complex care, instead, it is being done at home by family members. Adults may be identified as the primary caregiver, however due to job obligations, children end up providing care.

 

How do caregiving responsibilities affect these kids?

 

Roger Olson, a clinical child psychologist at St. Luke’s Children’s Center for Neurobehavioral Medicine in Boise, Idaho, states that low level caregiving (helping with chores, running errands or spending time together) helps youth with character development. This type of caregiving fosters kindness, generosity, compassion and nurturance.  The other, more personal side to caregiving including feeding, bathing or changing adult diapers, can take a toll and may be traumatizing to a child. Children have the coping skills of children and are not equipped to handle these stressful roles.

 

What can we do to help youth caregivers?

 

We can help young caregivers by knowing behaviors that may be signals of concern:

  • School: tardiness, missed days, incomplete assignments, lower participation in after-school programming, poor behavior and dropping-out
  • Emotionally: anxiety, depression, grief and feelings of being overwhelmed
  • Socially: difficulties getting along with others, loss of social activities and friendships
  • Physically: exhausted, lethargic and lack of interest in appearance

We can also bring awareness to our communities that kids are in this role. We can help by providing resource information for kids in our local schools, religious organizations and public libraries. Starting a local coalition can bring more attention and support for these families. Every caregiver needs and deserves support.

 

For information on youth caregivers visit the American Association of Caregiving Youth (AACY) at www.aacy.org or call 800-508-9618 or 561-391-7401 for direct assistance. The AACY website has suggestions and links that can help families, professionals and school-based staff to assist caregiving kids. Visit the Michigan State University Extension website for additional information related to caregiving.

 

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).

 

Tickets for Aziz Ansari’s April 26th performance at DeVos Hall go on sale Nov. 30

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Upcoming Events, , ,
Aziz Ansari (photo supplied)

By Hilarie Carpenter, SMG

 

Comedian, actor, writer, producer, and director Aziz Ansari is bringing his “Road to Nowhere” Tour to Grand Rapids! The MASTER OF NONE star will take the stage at SMG-managed DeVos Performance Hall on Friday, April 26, 2019, at 7:30pm*.

 

Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, Nov. 30 at 12pm. Tickets will be available at the DeVos Place® and Van Andel Arena® box offices, online at Ticketmaster.com, and charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. A purchase limit of four (4) tickets will apply to every order. See Ticketmaster.com for all pricing and availability.

 

Fans who register as a Ticketmaster Verified Fan by Wednesday, Nov. 28 at 10pm will receive a personal presale code to gain presale access to tickets with a 10% discount on Friday, Nov. 30 at 10am.

 

*No late seating. No cellphones, cameras or recording devices will be allowed at this show. Upon arrival, all phones and smart watches will be secured in Yondr pouches that will be unlocked at the end of the show. Guests maintain possession of their phones throughout the night, and if needed, may access their phones at designated Yondr unlocking stations in the lobby. All guests are encouraged to print their tickets in advance to ensure a smooth entry process. Anyone caught with a cellphone in the venue will be immediately ejected. We appreciate your cooperation in creating a phone-free viewing experience.

 

Oh Brudder Productions own all rights in the content and materials delivered during his performance (the “Materials”). Any use of the Materials without the express prior written consent of Oh Brudder Productions is strictly prohibited and is punishable to the full extent of the law.

 

About Aziz Ansari

 

Aziz Ansari is a stand-up comedian, actor, writer, producer and director. Ansari stars in his Emmy Award-winning Netflix hit MASTER OF NONE, which he also writes and directs. Among several other awards and nominations, the show has earned him a 2017 Golden Globe Award for “Best Actor in a TV Series, Comedy” as well as nominations for “Best TV Series, Musical or Comedy” in 2016 and 2017. In 2017, Ansari was honored with the Charlie Chaplin Britannia Award of Excellence in Comedy, a SAG nomination for “Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series,” and the WGAW Evan Somers Award for outstanding writing featuring characters with disabilities, for the MASTER OF NONE episode “New York, I Love You.”

 

In 2015, Aziz became one of the only headlining comedians ever to sell out Madison Square Garden in New York. His two sold-out performances at the legendary arena were filmed for his fourth comedy special, AZIZ ANSARI: LIVE AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, which was released on Netflix in March 2015. In 2013, his hour-long stand-up special BURIED ALIVE premiered on Netflix to rave reviews. Aziz’s other comedy specials include DANGEROUSLY DELICIOUS and INTIMATE MOMENTS FOR A SENSUAL EVENING. He continues to perform stand-up for tens of thousands of people all around the world.

 

Aziz co-starred opposite Amy Poehler in the beloved NBC series Parks and Recreation for the show’s entire seven season run. Aziz’s portrayal of government employee ‘Tom Haverford’ earned him critical praise as one of the show’s breakout stars and garnered him nominations for an American Comedy Award for “Best Comedy Supporting Actor – TV” and a NAACP Image Award for “Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series” in 2014.

 

Aziz has also appeared on the big screen in THIS IS THE END, FUNNY PEOPLE, 30 MINUTES OR LESS, GET HIM TO THE GREEK, I LOVE YOU, MAN, and OBSERVE AND REPORT, and lent his voice to animated projects in both film and television; the FOX animated series BOB’S BURGERS as ‘Deryl’ and in Twentieth Century Fox’s animated features EPIC and ICE AGE: CONTINENTAL DRIFT, which grossed $268 million and $877 million worldwide, respectively.

 

For his career in comedy, Aziz received VARIETY’s “Power of Comedy” Award in 2014. Aziz got his start in entertainment performing at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre and with the sketch comedy group HUMAN GIANT.

Snapshots: Wyoming, Kentwood news you want to know

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, , , , ,

WKTV Staff

joanne@wktv.org

 

Quote of the Day

"At the end of the day it’s not about what you have or even what you’ve accomplished…it’s about who you’ve lifted up, who you’ve made better. It’s about what you’ve given back.”
                                        - Actor Denzel Washington

 

Wyoming Gives Back

 

Mayor Jack Poll near the truck during a previous Wyoming Gives Back event.

You have just over a week to purchase a toy and help the City of Wyoming stuff a truck with donations for the Salvation Army Angel Tree. The 8th annual Wyoming Gives Back is set for Thursday, Dec. 6, from 6 – 8 p.m. at Rogers Plaza Mall. Residents are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy to the event and every person who does, will receive raffle tickets for prizes provided by local businesses. There will be holiday cookies, music and the biggest gift-giver, Santa, is planning to attend.

 

Pretty Lights

The Christmas Lite Show returns for its 21st year at Fifth/Third Ballpark, 4500 W. River Drive, Comstock Park. Billed as West Michigan’s largest, animated, drive-through light show, the attraction maintains almost two miles of lights, tunnels, and animated displays and entertained more than 70,000 visitors last year. The popular Memory Lane Train will returns this year giving visitors a choice to drive through the display or ride the train. The display is open every day from 5:30 – 9:30 p.m. through Dec. 31.

 

And in case you haven’t heard…

NASA’s Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport — or InSight for short — landed on Mars yesterday. It took seven months for InSight to travel the 300-million miles to reach the Red Planet. InSight’s two-year mission will be to study the deep interior of Mars to learn how all celestial bodies with rocky surfaces, including Earth and the Moon, formed.  You can always check out the latest on NASA on WKTV’s Channel 26 or visit  Grand Valley State University’s “Mars: Astronomy and Culture.”

 

Fun Fact:

The 48th Tuesday

Today is actually the 48th Tuesday of 2018. It is the 48th Tuesday of the 48th week. There are only 34 days left to 2018 and, despite yesterday's storm, 24 days until winter, which officially begins on the Winter Solstice, which is Dec. 21. (Source)

See the 1990 film ‘Home Alone’ with live music by the Grand Rapids Pops

Entertainment, , ,
Macaulay Culkin in “Home Alone” (Photo provided by Grand Rapids Symphony)

 

By Jeffrey Kaczmarczyk

Grand Rapids Symphony

 

Full of clever antics and comical wit, Home Alone is sure to get everyone into the holiday spirit.

 

A modern holiday classic starring Macaulay Culkin, Home Alone is the story of an 8-year-old troublemaker, accidentally left behind by his family on Christmas vacation, who must protect his home from a pair of inept burglars.

 

See the full-length 1990 film with the Grand Rapids Pops performing John Williams’ score with its hummable melodies that evoke a child’s view of family, danger and Christmas in the Midwest.

 

Associate Conductor John Varineau will conduct this second concert of the Gerber SymphonicBoom series for one night only on Thursday November 29 at 7:30 p.m. in DeVos Performance Hall.

 

Screenwriter John Hughes had the idea for Home Alone while writing and directing the 1989 film, Uncle Buck. Macaulay Culkin played a starring role in the film, which inspired Hughes to create the precocious protagonist, Kevin McCallister.

 

Home Alone dominated the box office, making over $17 million in more than 1,200 theaters in its opening weekend and becoming the highest grossing film of 1990. For 27 years, the film held a Guinness World Record as the highest-grossing, live-action comedy in the United States.

 

Though the film is beloved for its hilarious catchphrases, stunts and mishaps, the comedic elements of Home Aloneare offset by a delightful magic that only John Williams can bring to a film score.

 

The Grand Rapids Symphony performs the musical score of the movie “Home Alone” while the film plays at a one-night only concert set for Thursday, Nov. 29.

Lukas Kendall, founder and editor of Film Score Monthly, told NPR, “[John Williams] has a breadth and depth of talent and career that really started before there were The Beatles; [today he is] essentially the dean of American composers. His themes sound inevitable. They sound like they fell out of his sleeves; they sound like they’ve always existed.”

 

John Williams sets Home Alone apart from other live-action, comedies meant for the entire family with music that’s imaginative and memorable, capturing both the rambunctious nature of the film and the essence of the holiday spirit.

 

Associate Conductor John Varineau, now in his fourth decade on the podium for the Grand Rapids Symphony, is our movie maestro who conducts most of the Grand Rapids Symphony’s concerts featuring film plus live music. Later this season, he’ll lead the Grand Rapids Pops in The Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl on March 8-10 in DeVos Performance Hall. Tickets are on sale beginning at $18 adults, $5 students.

 

John Williams is the second-most nominated person in the history of the Oscars and has received five Academy Awards and 51 Oscar nominations plus seven British Academy Awards, 23 Grammys, four Golden Globes, and five Emmys. In 2016 he received the 44th Life Achievement Award from the American Film Institute, the first time a composer was honored with this award.

 

He has composed the music for more than 100 films, including the themes used in the Harry Potter movies such as Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, which the Grand Rapids Symphony will perform in February. Williams also has composed the scores for all eight Star Wars films and for the Indiana Jones series, as well as for Superman, Memoirs of a Geisha, and The Book Thief. His 45-year artistic partnership with director Steven Spielberg has resulted in many of Hollywood’s most acclaimed and successful films, including Schindler’s List, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Jaws, Jurassic Park, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Saving Private Ryan, Lincoln, The BFG and The Post.

 

Williams served as music director of the Boston Pops Orchestra for 14 seasons and remains their Laureate Conductor. He also has composed numerous works for the concert stage including two symphonies, and concertos commissioned by many of America’s most prominent orchestras.

 

Williams has composed themes for four Olympic Games, and in 2003, he received the Olympic Order, the IOC’s highest honor, for his contributions to the Olympic movement.

 

In 2004, he received a Kennedy Center Honor, given to those in the performing arts for their lifetime of contributions to American culture.  In 2009 he received the National Medal of Arts, the highest award given by the U.S. Government to an artist.

Tickets

 

Tickets for Home Alone start at $32 and are available at the GRS ticket office, weekdays 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at 300 Ottawa Ave. NW, Suite 100, (located across from the Calder Plaza), or by calling 616.454.9451 x 4. (Phone orders will be charged a $2 per ticket service fee, with a $12 maximum.)

 

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

Hipster Santa is coming to town, straight to the Grand Rapids Public Museum

Entertainment, , , ,
Hipster Santa makes a stop at the Grand Rapids Public Museum Dec. 8.

This holiday season, the Grand Rapids Public Museum, in partnership with The People Picture Company, Hipster Santa will be stopping by the Grand Rapids Public Museum on Saturday, Dec. 8, for photo opportunities.

 

“The Museum is excited to host Hipster Santa this holiday season,” said Kate Kocienski, VP of Marketing & PR for the GRPM. “It’s a perfect combination of your favorite backdrop with a new take on Santa.”

 

Hipster Santa will be set up in the Museum’s Streets of Old Grand Rapids exhibition’s Barrel Factory from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 8. All ages are welcome to purchase picture packages, which are $65, to be printed on site, during their visit to the Museum.

 

“The People Picture Company is pleased to support institutions with community impact like the Grand Rapids Public Museum,” said founder and owner Adam Bird. “Hipster Santa is a fun, slightly different take on the holiday tradition of family Santa Claus pictures, making it a delightful activity for people of all ages.”

 

Leading up to Dec. 8, be sure to check out social media accounts for the Grand Rapids Public Museum and The People Picture Company for the 12 days of Hipster Santa, as Hipster Santa explores all that the GRPM has to offer.

 

Photo packages may be purchased in advance online at thepeoplepicturecompany.com/hipster-santa for $65. Visitors are also welcome to get a photo with Hipster Santa while at the Museum on December 8 on a first-come, first-served basis, photo package fees still apply. General admission to the Museum is required to have access to pictures with Hipster Santa.

 

For more information, please visit grpm.org/calendar.

GVSU holiday concert to celebrate ‘The Many Moods of Christmas’

Entertainment, , , ,

Robert Shaw’s “The Many Moods of Christmas” meshes together pieces of 18 of the most traditional carols combined with music from famous composers such as Handel, Bizet and Bach.

 

Renowned choral conductor Craig Jessop will lead the Grand Valley State University Arts Chorale and local high school students as they perform the piece during a special Fall Arts Celebration concert.

 

“Celebrating Holiday Splendor: Craig Jessop Conducts ‘The Many Moods of Christmas’” will take place Dec. 3, at 7:30 p.m., at Fountain Street Church in Grand Rapids (24 Fountain Street NE). The concert is free and open to the public.

 

Jessop, professor of music and founding dean of the Cain College of the Arts at Utah State University, is the former director of the world-famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir. He led the ensemble as a featured conductor during the opening ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

 

“Craig Jessop is a true American treasure, and he is without doubt one of the foremost expert choral conductors and choral interpreters in the world today,” said Danny Phipps, chair of Grand Valley’s Music, Theatre, and Dance Department. “I am very excited that our students will have an opportunity to work with this legendary conductor because those who remain in the fields of choral performance or choral education will never forget working with him, nor will audiences forget that they heard the ‘Many Moods’ conducted by one of the most accomplished and celebrated Choral conductors in America today.”

 

For more information about Fall Arts Celebration, visit gvsu.edu/fallarts.

Service work can make a difference in your community and career

3-bottom, Area Education, Citizen Journalism, Education, How-To's, Non-Profits, Volunteers, , , ,

By Katherine Jamieson, Michigan State University Extension

 

Are you looking for help to pay off student loans or save money for college? Do you need to add relevant work experience to your resume? Are you trying to enter or re-enter the workforce? Do you want to make a difference in your community? If you answered yes to any of these questions, consider becoming a member of AmeriCorps or Senior Corps. If you answered yes to any of those questions and would like to accomplish that feat within Michigan 4-H, consider joining 4-H STEAM Corps.

 

Michigan State University Extension will be expanding its 4-H programming impact through 4-H STEAM Corps, an AmeriCorps program that will place 30 full-time members in MSU Extension 4-H offices across the state to provide science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) enrichment programming via 4-H SPIN Clubs and 4-H Tech Wizards. Through this program, MSU Extension will expand 4-H SPIN clubs by potentially creating 600 new SPIN clubs in 30 counties across the state reaching over 3,200 youth. Members will serve from September 2018 through July 2019. The program is contingent upon funding by the Corporation for National and Community Service and Michigan Community Service Commission. Contact Rachel Puckett at pucket21@msu.edu for more information.

 

AmeriCorps and Senior Corps programs are operated by the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency established in 1993 whose mission is “to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering.” The Corporation for National and Community Service employs 75,000 individuals across the United States in a variety of public service assignments aimed to meet critical needs in the community. At 21,000 locations nationwide, national service members are making a difference in their community through projects focused on disaster preparedness and relief, the opioid epidemic, youth mentoring, college access and readiness, conserving our environment and improving the economic opportunity of our veterans and limited income families.

 

In addition to making a positive impact on others and serving your country, there are many other benefits to becoming a national service member. Full-time members typically receive:

  • Modest living allowance or volunteer stipend
  • Limited health benefit option
  • Student loan deferment
  • Educational award to pay for college, technical school or repay student loans
  • Skills and training

Furthermore, the Corporation for National and Community Service found service work also spurred personal and professional growth. According to the Corporation for National and Community Service Office of Research and Evaluation 2013 study, volunteering is a positive pathway to employment. They found volunteers in general were “27 percent more likely to find a job after being out of work, and that number jumped to 51 percent for volunteers without a high school diploma” and 55 percent increase for those in rural America. The Corporation for National and Community Service 2017 State of the Evidence Annual Report also found:

  • 9 out of 10 alumni reported their experience increased their problem-solving abilities.
  • 8 out 10 alumni indicated their experienced benefitted their career path.
  • 79 percent are, or plan to become, actively involved in their community after service, compared to 47 percent prior to service.

According to the National Service 2018 Impact Report, locally Michigan has 1,710 service locations with 9,360 AmeriCorps and Senior Corps members hard at work improving lives and communities, with the Corporation for National and Community Service contributing 63.1 million in program funding.

 

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

On the shelf: Great reads for grandkids

Books, Citizen Journalism, Entertainment,

By Talullah Stievers

 

Wild Ride: A Graphic Guide Adventure
Written by Liam O’Donnell and illustrated by Mike Deas

 

On a flight to visit their environmentalist parents who are working to stop a logging company from clear-cutting a remote valley, a plane crash strands Devin, Nadia, and Marcus. Soon the trio discover that they are stranded with the enemy and must rely on their survival skills.

 

 

The Willoughbys
Written by Lois Lowry

 

Abandoned by their parents, Tim, the twins, Barnaby A and Barnaby B, and their sister, Jane, attempt to fulfill their roles as good old-fashioned children. Then an unquestionably ruthless act sets in motion the transformations that lead to their salvation and to happy endings. This hilarious parody pays homage to classic works of children’s literature.

 

The Tooth Book: A Guide to Healthy Teeth and Gums
Written and illustrated by Edward Miller

 

Taking good care of your teeth and gums is an important part of maintaining overall health. After all, you need your pearly whites to eat, smile, and talk. But what should you expect when you go to the dentist? What should you do if you lose a tooth? Full of straightforward advice and animated, colorful art, as well as some bite-sized bits of history and lore, this guide provides accessible information about taking care of your teeth.

 

Canned
Written by Alex Shearer

 

Fergal Bamfield is an oddball and his tin can collection is as strange as everything else about him. One day he finds a can without a label. What could be in it? Peaches, soup, perhaps spam? But instead it’s something gruesome: a human finger. Then Fergal finds another can, this time containing a one-word message, HELP! Now Fergal and his friend Charlotte are knee-deep in an adventure, and they’re about to learn something horrible: Everybody has an expiration date.

 

Arabella Miller’s Tiny Caterpillar
Written and illustrated by Clare Jarrett

 

Arabella Miller finds a tiny caterpillar, brings him home and feeds till the caterpillar sheds his skin and disappears inside his chrysalis. Arabella misses her friend until he emerges and she is filled with wonder at the beautiful creature he has become. Clare Jarrett’s sweet story and vibrant illustrations weave details about a caterpillar’s transformation into this elaboration on the song Little Arabella Miller.

 

Don’t get scammed this holiday season

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Crime Prevention, Education, Holidays, How-To's, Senior Living, , , ,

By Katherine Jamieson, Michigan State University Extension

 

The biggest shopping days of the season are fast approaching. According to “Consumers and retailers win big over Thanksgiving holiday” from the National Retail Federation, from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday, more than 174 million Americans shopped in stores or online in 2017. According to the 2018 Consumer Holiday Spending report by OpenX and Harris Poll, predictions show that holiday spending is going to be even greater.

 

With more spending comes more opportunities to get swindled. Michigan State University Extension recommends these tips and suggestions to avoid being scammed.

 

Only give to charities you trust and know. Holidays are a time for giving and some people can take advantage of your good will. Give smarter by learning about the charities you plan to give to, making sure they are legitimate. Look them up on the Charity Navigator who rates charities based on financial health, accountability, transparency and other factors.

 

Be cautious of contests. Many scammers use telemarketing to tempt consumers with prizes from fake contests. Be skeptical if you get a call out of the blue about winning a big ticket item like the newest iPhone or luxury vacation. Don’t put down a deposit or provide the caller with your personal information.

 

Beware of bait and switch. Peddlers of fake merchandise items do a booming business during the holidays as people shop for the most popular, high ticket items like watches, designer handbags and electronics. The rule of thumb here is one you’ve heard before: “If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.”

 

Check the authenticity of purchased gift cards. Gift cards have been increasingly popular, so make sure your gift card has not been tampered with. Check the scratch-off personal identification numbers to ensure it is still intake. The Better Business Bureau also urges caution if you buy your cards from an auction or third-party website (a site that doesn’t belong to the retailer offering the cards). The card may have already expired, has no value or was obtained illegally.

 

Limit your chances of identity theft. While identity theft is an issue throughout the year, it happens even more often during the holidays. You’re probably giving out your personal information more often and freely than you even realize. Many retailers are now asking for your zip code, phone number and email address at checkout. None of this is necessary to complete a retail transaction. You can politely decline to give this information. It is best to keep sensitive information private.

 

Secure your online shopping. When you are buying online, make sure to shop on your home or other secure Wi-Fi network. You will also want to stick to secure web pages when making your purchases. Be careful of giving personal information when clicking on email links. It is better to type the company’s URL into your browser instead. This way you can see if it is a secure web page (it would have a padlock symbol and “https:” at the beginning of the URL). Make your computer is safe by using firewalls, anti-spyware and anti-virus software. Keep all software and browsers updated.

 

Unfortunately, there are new scams each year and it’s hard to keep up on all of them. Protect your wallet, purchases and identity by shopping safer and smarter this holiday season.

 

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).

15 ways to keep your glow

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, How-To's, Senior Living, , ,
Get the glow with these skin-healthy tips. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Marie Havenga, Spectrum Health Beat

 

Winter may be harsh on the spirit, but it’s also rough on the skin.

 

From getting pelted by blowing snow to being cooped up inside without the benefit of outdoor activity, our skin takes a beating.

 

Kim Delafuente, ACSM-PD, a Spectrum Health community health educator, offers up some tips on how to get through this cold weather season looking (and feeling) a whole lot better.

15 surefire ways to get your glow back:

1. Exercise saves your skin

“There are a lot of small blood vessels on the surface of the skin,” Delafuente said. “As you exercise, the blood flow rises to that level. With the blood comes oxygen. It’s actually the oxygen that helps rejuvenate the skin and helps to get rid of toxins.”

2. Sweat often

Sweating is often viewed as a negative thing, especially for women.

 

Delafuente suggests we wipe away this perception.

 

“As we sweat, we’re able to release unwanted impurities from our skin,” she said. “In some people, those impurities can lead to acne or other skin-related conditions. Sweating is a good thing. It’s a natural thing. It’s really the way our body cools itself off. This is an added benefit of exercise that helps to clean out pores.”

3. Wash after exercising

Sweating is great, but don’t forget to wash after exercising.

 

“The idea is to get the sweat and salt off,” she said. “If you don’t, you’re kind of defeating the purpose. You’re releasing impurities from your pores, but if they just sit on your face, you’re not getting the complete cleansing effect of exercise.”

4. Elevate your heart rate

Anything that boosts your heart rate is a skin-pleaser.

 

“Walking, running, any type of cardio activity is good for your skin,” Delafuente said. “Dancing is great. As your heart rate goes up, more blood is circulated. With lower level activity, there’s less blood circulating. It’s the aerobic type exercise that’s going to have the most impact.”

5. Sleep is good for the skin

Don’t use this as an excuse to sleep the day away, but the more we exercise, the better we sleep.

 

“Sleep is a time when our body repairs itself,” Delafuente said.

6. Reduce stress

Exercise reduces stress hormones like cortisol, according to Delafuente.

 

“As those levels decrease, it can have a positive effect on the skin,” she said. “Stress releases cortisol, which can be damaging to our bodies. It can cause weight gain and is responsible for belly fat. In the case of skin, it can lead to acne and eczema. There have been studies that show exercise can actually help reduce the incidents of those types of skin conditions.”

7. What is “the glow?”

Exercise not only keeps your body fit, it does wonders for your skin. As you exercise, blood flow intensifies and moves toward the surface of your skin, which is known for giving that infamous “glow” to your skin.

 

“You work out and your skin gets a little more reddish,” Delafuente said. “That’s how your body is cooling itself. As your blood comes to the surface, it helps to keep your body cooler. After a workout, when you cool down, that blood flow is still going to be intensified.”

 

And that look, for some people, is a motivator to exercise more.

 

“It’s an added benefit of exercise that sometimes people don’t think of,” Delafuente said. “For some people, this might be a draw. It seems regular exercise has the potential to keep the skin at its best.”

8. If you feel good, you’ll likely look good

Exercise provides mental as well as physical health benefits, according to Delafuente.

 

“Some of that glow comes with a positive attitude and feeling good,” she said. “The other thing is, exercise does improve immunity. When we have less chronic disease or colds and flu, our skin will naturally look better because of that as well.”

9. Remember that your skin is an organ

You may exercise to keep your heart healthy, but remember your skin is an organ that directly benefits from a workout, too.

 

“I think people are conscious of their skin, but they don’t think of it as an organ,” she said. “I think when we think of organs, we think of internal organs, but we don’t think externally.”

1o. Remove makeup before exercising

Leave your foundation and blush on, and you risk clogging your pores when you sweat.

 

Instead, remove all traces of makeup before you begin.

11. Wear proper sunscreen

If you’re exercising and sweating, make sure you wear sunscreen that is sweat resistant or that you are reapplying often.

 

“I think we all know it’s important to wear sunscreen,” Delafuente said. “But I don’t know that people always think about it when they’re exercising. They’ll say, ‘Oh, I’m going to to walk for an hour,’ but they may not think of that as a time they need to use sunscreen. People can also wear a hat to shield their face from the sun.”

12. Forget about tanning booths and spray tan products

“Never a good idea,” Delafuente said.

 

Enough said.

13. Treat your skin kindly in the face of cold weather

“Make sure you’re covered up appropriately,” she said. “If you have really sensitive skin, you may want to wear a scarf over your face.”

14. Stay hydrated

“Make sure you’re drinking enough water,” Delafuente said. “If we’re dehydrated then our skin isn’t going to be as healthy. We should drink to our thirst. In the winter, especially, we may not be as thirsty.”

15. Wear proper clothing when you exercise

Loose fitting clothing is the best choice.

 

“Make sure you wear clothing that wicks away the sweat and moisture,” she said.

 

If your clothing traps sweat in, it may clog your pores, leading to unhealthy skin conditions.

 

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Local high school sports schedule includes first WKTV featured game at South Christian 

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Sports, WKTV Featured sports,
WKTV offers on-demand viewing of the Wyoming and Kentwood high school sports, community events, and government meetings. (WKTV)

 

WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

 

The WKTV Featured Game winter broadcast schedule is jelling, and once again boys and girls basketball games of all local Wyoming and Kentwood teams will be showcased. But boys hockey as well as swimming and diving competition will also be on the schedule.

 

Our first featured game will be Tuesday, Dec. 4, when we cover the girls basketball game between Hamilton and host South Christian — in what will be the Sailors’ final game on their old basketball floor before moving to their new home. The week after that, we will be covering the Friday, Dec. 14, boys and girls basketball games between East Kentwood and host Wyoming high. Then on Saturday, Dec. 15, we will change sports and cover boys hockey as Hudsonville travels to 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:

Tuesday, Nov. 27

Boys Basketball

South Christian @ East Kentwood

Wyoming Lee @ Saugatuck

Creative Tech @ West Michigan Aviation

 

Wednesday, Nov. 28

Boys Hockey

Caledonia/Lowell @ East Kentwood

 

Thursday, Nov. 29

No events scheduled

 

Friday, Nov. 30

Boys Basketball

Byron Center @ South Christian

Christian @ Godwin Heights

Kelloggsville @ Unity Christian

Wyoming @ Grandville

FH Eastern @ Tri-Unity Christian

Grand River Prep @ Wyoming Lee

FH Central @ East Kentwood

Holland Black River vs West Michigan Aviation @ Davenport University

Zion Christian @ Holland Calvary

Boys Hockey

East Kentwood @ Rockford

 

Wyoming hosts annual ‘give back’ event on Thursday, Dec. 6

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City staff help to fill a truck with donated toys from residents at the 2017 Wyoming Gives Back.

By Joann Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

 

The City of Wyoming will be encouraging everyone to get into the holiday spirit by hosting its 8th annual Wyoming Gives Back event Thursday, Dec. 6, from 6-8 p.m. 

 

“We look forward to a great night as we celebrate the Christmas season with this Christmas kick off here in the City of Wyoming,” said Mayor Jack Poll.

 

“It’s exciting for The Salvation Army Kroc Center to be part of great collaborative efforts like Wyoming Gives Back,” said Senior Krox Officer Captain Bill Brutto. “It’s one of the reasons we were also proud to help launch the Wyoming Winterfest event a couple of years ago. I think that, as a community, we understand that no one person or group can create positive change on their own — but that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Seeing local government, businesses, school districts, and other organizations all working together to fight for good says so much about the city of Wyoming.”

 

The annual event encourages residents to bring a new, unwrapped toy as a donation to the Salvation Army Tree. Every person who donates receives a raffle ticket for a chance to win prize packs that contain hundreds of dollars of gifts donated by Wyoming businesses. 

 

“We have a city truck here where local people from our community can fill that truck up,” Wyoming City Council member Dan Burrill said. “It is a great time to support our community.”

 

The City of Wyoming partners with a number of local businesses who provide the prizes. Last year, more than 400 toys were collected for donation with nearly $5,000 in prizes raffled.

 

“I think it is important for businesses to say thank you to all the people who have supported us all year long,” said Marge Wilson, of Marge’s Donut Den, a longtime sponsor of the event.

 

With Lillian VanderVeen from Lenger Travel Center, Inc, stating that “It’s a nice start to the holiday season.”

 

More than 20 businesses are hosting tables this year. WKTV will be there again this year to record Christmas greetings for the community to air on channels 25 and 26 and on WKTV’s YouTube channel, WKTVVideos.

 

 

The Salvation Army will be providing cookies and hot chocolate to event attendees. Residents are encouraged to bring their children to meet and visit with the Wyoming Police Department, the Wyoming Fire Department and, of course, Santa Claus!

 

A lineup of local choirs and bands is scheduled to share the sounds of the season. The lineup includes the Salvation Army Band, Godwin Heights High School Choir, San Juan Diego Choir and the Wyoming Public Schools Jazz Band.

 

For more information on the event, visit www.wyomingmi.gov or call  616-530-7272 or check out the Wyoming Gives Back event page on Facebook.

Dental Symptoms You Should Not Ignore

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By Nicole Kooiker, DDS, Dentist at Heart of the City Health Center

Q: One of my teeth hurts when I drink ice tea. Do I need to see a dentist?

 

A: As a dentist practicing in Grand Rapids, I can tell you that pain in your mouth is not a feeling to ignore. While it doesn’t necessarily indicate a problem, you should contact your dental office if you are experiencing any of the following five symptoms:

  1. Mouth pain could be caused by a cavity, gum disease, an abscess or impacted tooth. If not treated by a dentist, your tooth could die, causing an even bigger problem.
  2. Experiencing pain in your teeth when you drink hot or cold beverages could indicate tooth decay, fractured teeth, worn fillings, gum disease, worn tooth enamel, or an exposed tooth root due to gum recession. Treatment options depend on the source of the sensitivity as determined by your dentist.
  3. Bleeding or sore gums could simply be caused by brushing too hard or overzealous flossing; however, this could also be a sign of gum disease that only an oral health professional can address.
  4. Mouth sores could indicate an infection, virus, fungus, or simply an irritation from dentures or a sharp edge of a broken tooth or filling. Consult your dentist if you’ve had a mouth sore for longer than one week.
  5. Bad breath can indicate poor oral hygiene, dry mouth, gum disease, or a medication’s side effects. If you brush your teeth and tongue twice a day and floss daily, but still experience bad breath, consult your dentist to rule out an underlying medical condition.

If you’re experiencing any of these issues or have other concerns, please contact us today. We’re here to help!

 

Reprinted with permission from Cherry Health.

School News Network: Godfrey-Lee celebrates uniqueness

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First-grader Aylin Mendoza receives a treat at Supermercado Mexico

By Bridie Bereza

School News Network

 

Carlos Urbina and Josephine Shindano sat next to each other in Kara Jones’ classroom at the Godfrey-Lee Early Childhood Center. The second-graders colored on worksheets that asked them to create a picture of a tradition their family observes. Carlos peeked over at Josephine’s drawing, which showed an Easter egg hunt she participates in each year.

 

Students eye the baked goods at Supermercado Mexico on Division Avenue

“They have Easter in Africa?” he asked.

 

“Yes,” replied Josephine, an African immigrant who has been in West Michigan for three years. She and her classmates have spent time each week since school began working on a project called “Who AM I?” It encourages students to explore and share their culture, language and family traditions.

 

The project was devised by Jones and first-grade teacher Nancy Stefano, following a weeklong summer course on thematic learning. They created “Who AM I?” to address a phenomenon they had both observed among students: they weren’t proud of their heritage.

 

Josephine Shindano, a second-grader at the Godfrey-Lee Early Childhood Center, works on her family tree

Fostering Pride

 

“One thing I noticed in the classroom was that during conferences, parents would frequently tell me that kids didn’t want to speak their native language.  They wanted to blend in to the U.S. culture with how they look and speak,” said Stefano. “We want kids to be proud of who they are, where they come from, and the wonderful differences we can share.”

 

Jones noticed similar sentiments among her students: When asked about their culture and customs, she said, many students would just copy whatever the person next to them said, saying, ‘Oh, I do that, too!’

 

The teachers have built in time throughout the week to work on projects surrounding family, culture and traditions.

 

Second-grader Nevah Sivins looks at photos depicting different traditions

Students are creating their own portfolios that contain family trees they created, and other drawings and writings about their families and cultures.

 

Seventy-five percent of students in the district are Hispanic. While the lessons in “Who AM I?” emphasize students’ individual identities, the teachers have incorporated some elements specific to Hispanic culture into the project, such as taking students to Supermercado Mexico, and having them prepare a song, poem and a dance for a school assembly during Hispanic Heritage Month.

 

Getting to Know You

 

“Who AM I?” will culminate around Thanksgiving, with a party for students and their families, who will be invited to bring a dish to pass that is specific to their family or culture.

First-graders from the Godfrey-Lee Early Childhood Center had many questions for Yeli Romero of Supermercado Mexico

Students throughout the school will get a chance to walk around and see portfolios created by those who participated in the project.

 

Besides instilling some pride and a sense of who they are and where they come from, the project has served another purpose: to help the teachers get to know students and their families a bit better. That has been a major focus at the school this year, said Jones.

 

“We wanted to find out what makes (students) unique,” said Jones. “Through these different projects, we’ve learned a lot about different people. We’ve learned about their families, we’ve learned about their traditions. It’s been really fun.”

 

Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.

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Mindfulness can help detect depression

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By Tracie Abram, Michigan State University Extension

 

The transition of summer to fall is not many people’s favorite time of year as it brings on physical and mental fatigue. Muscles often tense due to the cooler weather, the decreasing daylight triggers an earlier bedtime, skin is drier due to lower humidity and appetites spike. The beautiful fall colors are a welcoming and enjoyable distraction from all the mentioned bodily reactions to this transitional time, but for some, these seasonal changes may be a trigger that leads to Seasonal Depression or Seasonal Affective Disorder. During the fall and winter months, people with Seasonal Depression experience having a lack of energy, sleeping too much, overeating, weight gain and a craving for carbohydrates.

 

Other forms of depression that can occur, no matter what the season, can be more difficult to identify. One way to help notice your moods is practicing mindfulness. Mindfulness is a practice of paying attention or focusing on your senses in the present moment without judgment. If a depressed mood is noticed for more than two weeks or there is a loss of enjoyment and interest in activities that used to be enjoyable, one should consider speaking to their primary care provider or appropriate professional, or at least, a trusted friend. Depression oftentimes occurs with anxiety or substance use disorders, and once a person has had an occurrence of depression, they are more susceptible to subsequent episodes.

 

Symptoms of depression affect one’s emotions, thinking, behaviors and physical well-being:

  • Emotional symptoms of depression: sadness, anxiety, anger, mood swings, lack of emotional responsiveness, feelings of helplessness, hopelessness and irritability.
  • Symptoms of depressed thoughts: frequent self-criticism, self-blame, worry, pessimism, impaired memory and concentration, indecisiveness and confusion, tendency others see you in a negative light, thoughts of death and suicide.
  • Behavioral symptoms of depression: crying spells, withdrawal from others, neglect of responsibilities, loss of interest in personal appearance, loss of motivation and using alcohol or other drugs.
  • Physical symptoms of depression: chronic fatigue, lack of energy, sleeping too much or too little, over eating or loss of appetite, constipation, weight loss, weight gain, headaches, irregular menstrual cycle, loss of sexual desire and unexplained aches and pains.

If you or a loved one are experiencing any form of depression, talk about what you are noticing. If you are concerned about others, ask them if they are having suicidal thoughts, listen to them non-judgmentally, give reassurance and encourage them to seek medical attention. Offering to take them to their appointment may increase the likelihood that they will attend. If they dismiss or deny your help, tell them you will check in on them over the week. It is important to keep your promise to do so. Remember, people in depressed moods have impaired memories, they lose track of time and have difficulty recalling how long they have been feeling blue. If symptoms persist, ask others who are close to the depressed person to help you in the intervention process.

 

Helping people recognize their moods can be a stressful and scary task, especially if you do not practice being mindful of your own well-being. Attending a program that can help you become more aware and/or improve your mindset could be a starting point. MSU Extension provides a community-based program series that teaches the basics of mindfulness to help participants be more aware of their thoughts, emotions and physical self as they encounter stressors. Mindfulness is proven to help relieve stress and pain and improve health and well-being, to learn more, sign up for a class 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).

The role of fat in your everyday diet

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Fish provides a great source of healthy fat. (Courtesy MSU Extension)

By Dawn Earnesty, Michigan State University Extension

 

Common perceptions about fats are often not true and avoiding all fats is not healthy because it is important to have healthy fats in our diet. There are fats that contain essential fatty acids that are necessary for good health and fats that help the body to use certain vitamins.

 

The United State Department of Agriculture (USDA) makes the following recommendations in the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans:

  • Keep trans-fatty acid consumption as low as possible, especially by limiting foods that contain synthetic sources of trans-fats, such as partially hydrogenated oils, and by limiting other solid fats.
  • Reduce the intake of calories from solid fats and added sugars. Such as:
    • Butters, stick margarines, and animal fats from beef and pork. These are all solid at room temperature.
    • Soft drinks, candy, cakes, cookies, fruit drinks and ice cream. These are all processed foods that have added sugars and syrups.

Here are some actions you can take every day to keep your consumption of saturated fats, trans-fats and cholesterol low while consuming a nutritionally adequate diet.

  • Check the Nutrition Facts label to compare foods. Our interactive label can help you find what to look at on the label.
  • Choose alternative fats. Replace saturated and trans-fats in your diet with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Sources of monounsaturated fats include olive and canola oils. Sources of polyunsaturated fats include soybean, corn, sunflower oils and foods like nuts.
  • Consider consuming fish and cuts of lean meat. Examples include:
    • Poultry: chicken or turkey white meat or ground meat
    • Beef: flank steak, top loin, sirloin, lean ground beef
    • Pork: pork tenderloin
    • Seafood: salmon, trout, cod, flounder, mackerel, mussels and clams
  • Choose foods such as dairy products, lean meats, fish, skinless poultry, whole grain foods and fruit and vegetables.
  • Beware of diets that tell you to eliminate a nutrient, such as fat.

Daily essential fatty acid consumption contributes to our overall daily health in moderation. For more information please contact your local MSU Extension office or visit the MSU Extension Health and Nutrition site.

 

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).