“In Between the Trees”, Rose Hammond’s 2019 documentary film about the historic African-American resort towns of Idlewild and Woodland Park, was more than simply a community project supported by WKTV Community Media.
It is a prime example of a community-led project which WKTV prides itself in being an advocate for and a partner with. And the film will be on display next week as it begins a short cable-television run on WKTV Community Channel 25.
“As Rose went through he process of producing this documentary, we all found it fascinating that she was uncovering this amazing story of local history,” said Tom Norton, general manager of WKTV Community Media. “WKTV is happy and proud that she chose to use this facility to realize that storytelling goal.”
WKTV will air “In Between The Trees Monday, April 20, at 9:30 a.m.; Tuesday, April 21, at 7 p.m.; and Friday, April 24, 10 a.m.
Idlewild was started in 1912 by white investors who created a resort for black vacationers during the Jim Crow era — when most resorts would not allow blacks to book stays. Woodland Park came a few years later.
Rose Hammond at WKTV Community Media for the premiere of her film “In Between the Trees”. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
The film about the history of the towns — produced, substantially filmed, and edited at WKTV by Hammond — is based on her 1994 book “Idlewild & Woodland Park, Michigan (An African American Remembers)”.
“I was attracted to the story when coming home and our family went up north to visit our grandpa’s old house,” Hammond said to WKTV. “While in Woodland Park all I heard were the stories of how it used to be. I then decided that someone needed to put a collection of interviews together to maintain the historical value of the community.
“No matter what becomes of the two communities they will always be known as an outlet for thousands of African Americans to entertain and vacation like their counterparts. It will always be Idlewild and Woodland Park.”
For the complete WKTV Journal story, visit here. The trailer for the documentary can be viewed here and another here. For a WKTV video interview with Rose Hammond while the film was in process, visit here.
The genetic traits that helped our ancestors battle food scarcity could today be contributing to excess weight and related illnesses. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
It’s not easy maintaining a healthy weight. Even when you manage to drop a few pounds, they often return.
Why would the body seem to encourage obesity?
New research suggests the answer lies far back in human evolution, with an anti-starvation mechanism that primes the body to store fat.
The key to this mechanism is a protein dubbed “RAGE,” according to New York University scientists working with mice. They believe RAGE evolved to help keep ancient humans from starving when food was scarce.
But today, in times of plenty, there’s a glitch at work: RAGE is produced to combat the cellular stress caused by overeating.
The protein seems to mistake this stress as similar to starvation, and so it switches off the body’s ability to burn fat. The result: fat becomes easy to accumulate, but tough to shed.
Still, there’s a silver lining to all of this, the NYU team said, because the research might lead to anti-obesity drugs.
“Our thinking is that RAGE is targetable. When we put mice with no RAGE expression at all on a high-fat diet, they ate the food but were not becoming obese,” explained study author Dr. Ann Marie Schmidt, from the NYU School of Medicine.
And a lack of RAGE appeared to be safe, at least for mice.
“When you totally delete RAGE in mice, they have normal reproduction and no problems with cognition,” she said.
The researchers hope that because RAGE seems to be active just during times of metabolic stress instead of during everyday functions, taking it away won’t create problems.
But don’t pin your hopes on a RAGE-deleting drug just yet.
Schmidt was quick to note that any such drug is a long way off yet because the research is currently in mice. Findings from animal studies don’t always translate to humans.
Still, Schmidt said the potential is exciting.
In addition to limiting the body’s ability to burn fat, RAGE also may contribute to inflammation throughout the body. So, along with taming obesity, it’s possible that removing the RAGE protein might help with some of the inflammatory consequences of obesity, such as diabetes, cancer, hardening of the arteries and Alzheimer’s disease, according to the researchers.
Dr. Michael Wood, medical director for bariatric surgery at the Detroit Medical Center’s Harper University Hospital, said the study was interesting, although very early.
And, Wood said, “obesity is a very complicated problem, and I think these findings are an oversimplification.”
But Wood noted that it’s possible the RAGE protein plays a role in excess weight. It’s just not likely the only factor in the development of obesity.
“I don’t think there’s one switch or any one thing that can solve this complicated issue. There’s no magic bullet for obesity,” he said.
Right now, if someone wants to lose weight, they have to commit to lifestyle changes, Wood said.
And, that’s true even if someone has weight-loss surgery. He added that the most significant change comes from eating fewer calories. Exercise is a healthy habit, but only a small component of weight loss.
The study was published online recently in the journal Cell Reports. Funding was provided by the American Heart Association, the U.S. Public Health Service and the American Diabetes Association.
Melaine Bork and Bradley Wernette were not about to let COVID-19 prevent them from getting married. The couple tied the knot April 13 at Metro Health. (Supplied)
April is a big time for weddings and like many couples, Melanie Bork and Bradley Wernette were looking forward to their special day on April 17 in Petoskey, Mich. However, one uninvited guest — COVID-19 — crashed the party before it could even get started.
Both essential employees working at Metro Health – University of Michigan Health — Bork is a a nurse in the post-anesthesia recovery unit and Wernette is a physician assistant in neurosurgery — the couple faced long hours ahead on the front lines of battling the coronavirus. That and a governor’s executive order limiting gatherings met the Petoskey wedding was not going to happen.
But Bork and Wernette were not about to let anything stop them from getting hitched.
Metro Health chaplain John DeVries (center) officiated the ceremony. (Supplied)
“We can say that we’re more excited about the marriage than one day of a party and a wedding,” Bork said. “We’re more excited about the rest of our lives and a marriage.”
They picked a new venue, the place they happened to be at the most, Metro Health, and reached out to the hospital’s chaplain, John DeVries. DeVries has married other people at the hospital, but it is normally when a patient is too sick to have a wedding anywhere else, adding that this was a much nicer experience, despite the less-than-perfect venue.
“It is really nice to have a wedding to focus on and to show there are good things going on during this unprecedented time,” DeVries said.
Social distancing guidelines were followed for the April 13 wedding of Melaine Bork (second from right) and Bradley Wernette (right). (Supplied)
So a few days earlier from their original date, the couple tied the knot on Monday, April 13, with two co-workers as witnesses and DeVries officiating the ceremony, and of course, all social distancing guidelines being followed. Metro Health also was able to stream the ceremony for the couple’s family members to watch and enjoy the special union.
The couple is not alone. Across the country, there have been reports of couples finding ways to say their “I dos,” from one couple stepping outside for their “walk” to another having a drive-by wedding.
The couple, who reside in Hudsonville, hopes to have a party with the 110 friends and family who were planning to come to the Petoskey ceremony this summer to celebrate their nuptials as well as taking their postponed honeymoon to Hawaii.
The couple’s friends and family were able to watch the wedding via streaming. (Supplied)
Before the Stay Home, Stay Safe order, WKTV hosted its annual Volunteer Appreciation Party on March 7 at the WKTV station located in Wyoming. Pictured are former WKTV employee and now volunteer Caleb Butler and WKTV Production Coordinator Davin Harsila.
While the station is closed to the public right now due to the Stay Home, Stay Safe order, the staff is there and can not wait to hear about all the upcoming projects our volunteers have been planning while at home. Until then, remember to practice social distancing and wash those hands.
Do you have a photo to be considered for Photo of the Week? Send your photos to WKTV Managing Editor Joanne Bailey-Boorsma, joanne@wktv.org.
In an effort to obtain information to track potential COVID-19 hotspots in Kent County, the county health department today launched a new web-based survey for residents — keepmihealthy.org.
The “secure, anonymous, web-based survey” — which does not required an app download — will provide health officials with “valuable data that could potentially identify future COVID-19 ‘hot spots’ in Kent County,” according to the announcement.
“Our ability to respond to this pandemic depends upon timely, accurate, and multi-sourced data,” Kent County Health Department Director Adam London said in supplied material. “The information gathered through this survey will provide us with an additional layer of data to make strategic decisions on how we use our resources.”
Local technology company OST, which started in Grand Rapids in 1997 but now has a worldwide footprint, actually came to Kent County with the idea.
“We would like to thank local technology developer OST for turning this community health screening concept into reality,” London said. “Without being asked, they identified a need, reached out to us and other community partners, and quickly developed an easy-to-use and effective screening tool.”
The survey questions are simple — as simple as “Are you experiencing any of the COVID-19 symptoms or not?”
To complete the survey, residents will be asked to answer four personal identification questions including year of birth, gender, county, and zip code.
All data will be kept confidential and housed in a secure database, according to the announcement. Under licensed agreements, health care professionals, hospitals, and local health departments will have access to the anonymous data to learn more about the community’s health in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID- 19.
To complete the survey, go to keepmihealthy.org/ and click “Get Started!”
Upon completion, residents can optionally provide their mobile phone number to receive a daily text reminder to take the survey.
“By taking the survey daily, it will ensure health officials are making decisions based on the most current information available,” according to the statement.
To learn more, review the frequently asked questions document at keepmihealthy.org/faq.
A Spanish version of the application will be released shortly.
If there is something that staff from West Michigan hospitals have learned during the past couple of weeks, if you ask, the community will rally to help.
As the announcement of the Stay Home, Stay Safe order came out and area hospitals began to see the number of COVID-19 cases rise, hospital officials put out a request for items.
Metro Health – University of Michigan Health Public Relations Manager Jamie Allen said Metro Health has received a number of donations from the community. Among those contributing are:
• Amway donated 3,400 bottles of hand sanitizer
• Steelcase donated 1,800 face shields
• Byrne Electric donated 500 face shields
• The Center for Physical Rehabilitation donated an assortment of gloves, wipes, and sanitizer
• Planet Fitness donated hand sanitizer and disinfectant products
• Posh Nail Spa and Girl Cave Nail Salon donated gloves
• Hoekwater Family Dentistry donated masks and gloves
• Home Depot donated make, filters, and gloves
“We are now asking for homemade cloth masks from the community,” Allen said, adding that they have received about 600 handmade masks from individual donors. “These are something we want to provide to our non-clinical staff members.”
Metro Health – University of Michigan Health is accepting donations from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Items are to be brought to Metro Health’s System Services and Learning Center, 1980 Metro Court, Wyoming. People should enter using the door on the south side of the building, facing M-6.
Area schools contribute
With public school and college buildings shut down due to the governor’s order, staff at KentISD and several area universities and colleges discovered they had extra personal protection equipment that would not be used for the current school year.
School News Network reported that the Kent Career Tech Center’s Exploring Health Careers program has donated personal protective equipment such as masks, gloves, isolation gowns, and cleaning items like hospital-grade wipes and hand sanitizes to Spectrum Health and the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans.
According to School News Network, other schools that have donated include Rockford, which donated 5,000 medical gloves and more than 1,000 masks and Grandville High School science department donated 219 pairs of protective eyewear to Metro Health. As well as Grand Rapids Community College, which donated more than 70,000 pieces of medical and personal protection equipment and have had faculty members volunteering time and expertise to Spectrum Health and GRCC’s Nursing Programs loaning thermometers and donated more than 1,500 thermometer probe covers to the Grand Rapid sPolice Department.
Various departments at Grand Valley State University have donated medical supplies to regional health care systems and facilities. Efforts include donating disposable gloves from science laboratories as well as custom-made masks designed and created by engineering students and faculty, and face shields and respirators donated by occupational safety and health laboratories.
“It seemed like the right thing to do,” said Michele DeWitt, lead lab supervisor with the GVSU Chemistry Department, who led efforts for donating 90,000 disposable gloves to Spectrum Health. “We don’t want the doctors, nurses and other health professionals to get sick. We want them to be able to help us.”
The Padnos College of Engineering and Computing and the applied Medical Device Institute worked to design and create approximately 1,000 face masks, all made by hand from fabric and metal. Because elastic is in short supply, the design incorporates a metal clamp to hold the mask in place comfortably. Those masks will be donated to American Family Care, an urgent care in Grand Rapids that was already in short supply of equipment.
Businesses getting creative
Business leaders have also rolled up their sleeves to help where they can.
Hearing that there was a major shortage of nasal swaps for the COVID-19 test kits at a Grand Rapids hospital, The Right Place staff identities Keystone Solutions Group, a member of its medical device consortium, MiDevice, that had the capabilities to fulfill the request. The company’s team worked to develop the swabs and being production for West Michigan health care systems.
Many have heard of Holland’s Coppercraft Distillery’s efforts to produce hand sanitizer with the company delivering a 1,000 gallons to Holland Hospital before the end of March and another 1,000 gallons to the Detroit Fire Department last week.
While Coppercraft is focused on area hospitals and other emergency agencies, Three Oaks’ Journeyman Distillery has answered the call of providing hand sanitizer to the community.
“In the early 1940s, the Warren Featherbone Company supported the war effort by manufacturing raincoats for the U.S. Armed Forces,” said Journeyman founder and self-proclaimed history buff Bill Welter. “Now, almost 80 years later, we’ve converted our production facility in the historic Featherbone factory to make hand sanitizer for front-line healthcare and essential service providers—as well as our community.”
In March, Journeyman had a fundraising bottle sale for its Hourly Employee Fund and from there requests for hand sanitizer started rolling in with the company website taking online orders.
Southwest Airlines Grand Rapids station staff prepares to take snacks to Spectrum Health. (Supplied)
Due to national restrictions, travel has been down especially on the airlines. Southwest Airlines found it had an abundance of snacks it normally serve for on-board flight service and wanted to make sure food items were put to good use. This week, Southwest Airlines Grand Rapids station dropped of 30 boxes of snacks to teams at Spectrum Health as a way of saying thanks to all the healthcare employees putting in long hours to battle COVID-19.
Donations are being accepted at many facilities. For a list of items, click here.
In future Michigan classrooms, the age of COVID-19 will be studied by all age groups. A new Michigan History Center program seeks to collect stories to tell. (U.S. Army)
The State of Michigan, like most governmental agencies, puts out press releases to media sources on a wide-range of issues almost daily. Some are important for the public to know; some are just routine governmental business. Some make the news and some do not.
We at WKTV have decided that in these times of COVID-19, of often-filtered news, we’d let the state departments say what they want to say to the pubic a little more directly. Following are links to State of Michigan releases from the Easter Sunday holiday weekend, April 9-12 — with a little emphasis given by our staff on what we found interesting.
Michigan History Center seeks public input for COVID-19 pandemic project
The Michigan History Center has announced a new collecting initiative that gives residents the opportunity to share stories that reflect their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, for the benefit of future generations.
“The COVID-19 pandemic is a critical moment in history, and the Michigan History Center is committed to documenting — through objects, archival materials, stories and experiences from diverse Michiganders — how the coronavirus is affecting Michigan residents in the workplace, at home, in communities and in many other settings,” an April 11 press release states.
The first phase of the three-phase collecting initiative is active right now. It offers a web-based platform for people to share and donate photos, videos and audio files that document their daily lives during this emergency— all of which will be considered for preservation in the Archives of Michigan’s collections.
Michigan health insurance providers to waive COVID-19 patient costs
The Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) announced that the state has received agreements from nearly all of the state’s health insurance companies to waive cost-sharing, including copays, deductibles, and coinsurance for coronavirus (COVID-19) testing and treatments. The Whitmer Administration and DIFS had worked with insurers to waive these costs.
Consumers with these individual and group health plans will not be charged cost-sharing for coronavirus-related medical treatment, such as primary care visits, laboratory testing, emergency room visits, ambulance services, and FDA-approved medications and vaccines for COVID-19 when they become available.
The new Expedition 63 crew joined the Expedition 62 crew a board the International Space Station. (Front row from left) NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy and Roscosmos cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner. (Back row from left) NASA astronaut Andrew Morgan, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka and NASA astronaut Jessica Meir. (Credit: NASA TV)
On Wednesday, April 15, the WKTV Government 26 will feature the live NASA coverage of the Expedition 62-63 Change of Command Ceremony as Russian cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka hands over the command of the International Space Station to NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy. The ceremony is scheduled for 4:55 p.m.
Live coverage continues on Thursday, April 16, for the Expedition 62 farewells and Soyuz MS-15 hatch closure as NASA astronauts Andrew Morgan and Jessica Meir and cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka prepare to return to earth. Coverage begins at 6 p.m., with the hatch closure scheduled to take place at approximately 6:35 p.m.
Stay tuned for the de-orbit burn and landing coverage starting at midnight Friday, April 17. The de-orbit burn is scheduled for approximately 12:22 a.m., with the landing near Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan expected at 1:17 a.m.
For more information on NASA TV or the International Space Station, log on to www.nasa.gov. NASA TV can be seen on the WKTV 26 Government Channelon Comcast and AT&T U-verse 99 Government Channel 99.
Feeding America West Michigan’s mobile food bank operation is working with Woodland Mall and the Michigan National Guard to provide Mobile Food Pantries for those facing hunger. The weekly food distribution is open to the public but aims to serve unemployed service industry workers. (Feeding America WM)
There has always been hunger in the Wyoming and Kentwood area — and across the region, state, country and world, in fact. And there is a long list of groups big and small working to be part of the solution to the problem.
From the City of Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry to the Kent County Community Action, from local school districts to Wyoming’s United Church Outreach Ministry (UCOM) and a score of other area churches and other private non-profit organizations, many groups have done their part and continue to do their part in this time of a COVID-19 unemployment surge.
Feeding America West Michigan is providing weekly Mobile Pantries in Woodland Mall’s parking lot. The Michigan National Guard is helping to distribute the food each week. (Feeding America WM)
The most far-reaching single group, however, is Feeding America West Michigan, which with the aid of the Michigan National Guard and Woodland Mall began weekly food distribution at the mall April 1.
The next Woodland Mall mobile pantry food distribution, from Feeding America’s Service Industry Workers Mobile unit, will be Wednesday, April 15, at 4 p.m., at 3195 28th St., Kentwood.
“Hunger is not new,” Molly Kooi, communication manager for Feeding America West Michigan, said this week to WKTV. “Before COVID-19, 1 in 8 people in our 40-county service area faced hunger. Now, many more people are in need of food assistance due to unemployment, school closings and a variety of other factors.”
Feeding America West Michigan (WM), part of Feeding America’s nationwide network of food banks, not only collects and directly distributes food but also works with many religious and non-profit groups. And they have some sobering statistics about the impact of COVID-19 on the food assistance need.
“We’ve seen a 235 percent increase in people searching for food assistance on our website,” Kooi said. “We’ve seen a 50 percent increase in the amount of food requested by our partner agencies. We’re spending $100,000 each week to keep up with the increased demand for food.”
The new distribution site at Woodland Mall is just one part of the group’s efforts, and one part of a much wider spectrum of emergency food providers. In the Wyoming and Kentwood area alone, food pantries supported by Feeding America include the East Paris Community Food Pantry, located at At-Tawheed Islamic Center and Mosque, on East Paris Avenue; Faith Reformed Church Food Pantry, on 44th Street SW; and Family Network, also on 44th.
What to expect if you’re seeking assistance
The first step for persons seeking food assistance — especially persons new to the system such, maybe recently out of work and seeking to support families — could be the regional Feeding America WM webpage FeedWM.org/findfood, Kooi said.
Feeding America West Michigan is working with Woodland Mall and the Michigan National Guard, to provide weekly food distribution at the mall parking lot in Kentwood. (Feeding America WM)
“There they will find a map making it easy for them to locate our partner agencies (red icons) and mobile food pantry sites (blue icons) near them,” she said. “If they don’t have access to the internet, they can call 2-1-1 or our office (616-784-3250) for assistance.”
And how does a person new to the system qualify and register for food assistance?
Some traditional food pantries have income limits, some have geographical limits and most have visit frequency limits (say, once a month). However, many may be changing how they are doing things due to COVID-19, Kooi said.
“I would tell a neighbor in need to first locate a food pantry near them and then reach out to that pantry’s director, or search their website, to learn what the requirements are,” she said.
Feeding America WM’s mobile pantries are hosted by organizations such as churches or schools, and provide fresh produce and other food to those in need, farmers’ market style, Kooi explained. All attendees are required to fill out a form asking for basic information like household size.
“Anyone in need can attend mobile pantries at any time and no one is turned away,” she said. “Due to COVID-19, all mobile pantries are providing drive-thru service at this time.”
Woodland Mall food distribution part of large network
The new mobile food pantry at Woodland Mall is a prime example of diverse organizations working together.
During the recent COVID-19 crisis, Feeding America has gained assistance from the Michigan National Guard at various locations including at the Woodland Mall mobile distribution.
One reason for the National Guard assistance is that Feeding America WM’s regular volunteer force, often older retired persons, has been directly impacted by safety concerns and stay-at-home orders.
But the local work is just a small part of the scope of Feeding America WM’s food bank collection and food distribution work.
Feeding America West Michigan currently owns 30 trucks, that drove about 418,000 miles in 2019, according to the organization. (Feeding America WM)
The food bank currently owns 30 trucks, that drove about 418,000 miles in 2019, according to the organization. So many trucks and trips are needed because of the way our the organization works: “We reclaim safe, surplus food from farmers, manufacturers, distributors and retail stores, and then distribute it to more than 800 partner agencies throughout West Michigan and the Upper Peninsula,” they state in supplied material.
Typically, more than 100 mobile food pantries are held each month across our 40-county service area. More than 99 percent of the donated food collected and distributes comes from large-scale food donors, with a small amount from community food drives.
Feeding America WM also delivers thousands of pounds of various food items to fixed food pantries and other hunger-relief agencies each month.
Where to go for support, to be part of the solution
During the COVID-19 pandemic, two things have defined the American — and the world’s — job market: rampant unemployment and the explosion of work-from-home. That, and the already emerging changes due to interconnected world job markets and automation in the workplace, are profoundly changing the future of work.
So the World Affairs Council of West Michigan’s now virtual-only spring lecture series is perfectly timed as it looks at “The Future of Work” with three Tuesday evening lectures discussing the future workforce and workplace changes in a changing world.
“The Future of Work” series, presented in partnership with the Kent District Library, will start with the reality that “COVID-19 creates a ‘new normal’ in all aspects of our lives, including the economy and work,” according to World Affairs Council statement.
Set to start the series on Tuesday, April 14, Kristin Sharp, a partner with Entangled Solutions, out of Washington, D.C., will speak on “Global Trends Shaping the Future of Work”.
Following discussions will be April 21, as a panel led by moderator Attah Obande, “Director of Dream Fulfillment” at Spring GR, discuses “Entrepreneurs’ Experiences in the Changing Economy: Local Perspectives”.
Grand Rapids Community College President Bill Pink (GRCC)
Finally, on April 28,Dr. Bill Pink, president of Grand Rapids Community College, will discuss “Working Together for Growth in West Michigan: Industry and Education”.
The premier of each discussion will be 6:30-7:30 p.m. each Tuesday and can be attended for free via the World Affair’s Council’s YouTube page for an “interactive conversation” as there will be the ability to send questions during the live presentations. All the discussions will be available afterwards as archived videos.
“Globalization. Automation. Underemployment and the gig economy. What are the trends that have been shaping patterns of work?” the World Affairs Council states about the series. “How will government, industry, and educators respond to the new opportunities and challenges created by change? Just as importantly, how do people imagine new possibilities in their local roles as workers and citizens in a global and tech-driven economy, so that we can positively affect the future of work?”
Details of the discussion leaders
Kristin Sharp. (Supplied)
Kristin Sharp, as a partner with Entangled Studios, is “focused on building out the future of work, automation, and ed/workforce technologies portfolio,” according to her company’s webpage biography. Prior to joining the company, she co-founded the Shift Commission and launched the ShiftLabs and Work, Workers, and Technology projects at New America, examining the impact of automation and AI on the workforce. Earlier in her career, she worked in technology, innovation, and national security policy in the U.S. Senate, working in senior staff roles for senators and committees on both sides of the political aisle.
Attah Obande, of SpringGR. (Supplied)
Attah Obande works for Spring GR, “a grassroots business training experience that uses the business model canvas (think of it like a road map for starting a business) to help entrepreneurs develop their business idea or business,” according to the company’s website. Over the course of 12 weeks, the group brings people together in small groups, teach the business process, and provide coaching. … For two years following graduation, SpringGR “acts as a bridge to connect graduates to other resources throughout Grand Rapids to further grow and develop their businesses.”
Dr. Bill Pink is the tenth president of Grand Rapids Community College, starting in 2017. He has been an educator for over 25 years, including as Vice President for Academic Affairs at Oklahoma State University (Oklahoma City.) and he has taught and/or coached in Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Oregon. He has an Associate’s Degree from York College (Nebraska), a Bachelor’s from Oklahoma Christian University, a Master’s from the University of Central Oklahoma, and a Doctorate from the University of Oklahoma.
When caring for a loved one, the process can be both a rewarding and stressful experience. It often involves shifting family dynamics, financial changes, and an increased workload. Because of this, it is not uncommon for caregivers to experience increased feelings of stress and burnout. Without support, these feelings can lead to emotional and physical problems like heart disease and depression.
To avoid these issues, it’s important to recognize the need for help and support to relieve some of the stress. Here are some practical ways to accomplish this:
1. Ask for help
Caregivers often find themselves taking on too much and not wanting to burden others with our responsibilities. However, this common problem can quickly lead to feelings of being overwhelmed and helpless. Speak up and let family and friends know that you need some assistance.
Additionally, when someone does offer to provide help, don’t be afraid to accept it. Keep in mind that this also means having to relinquish complete control of the situation, which can be challenging.
2. Take breaks
Busy caregivers often don’t have much leisure time to themselves. However, not making this element a priority could be counterproductive in the long run. If necessary, dedicate this time in a calendar and ask someone to help fill in for you (see the paragraph above and ask for help with this item) and take the time to rest from the list of caregiver responsibilities. After this rest time, energy and focus will be improved, increasing attitude and productivity.
3. Make health a priority
When a caregiver fails to make their health a priority, that will ultimately result in not being able to provide the level of care their loved one needs. Getting enough sleep, eating healthy, regular doctor visits, and exercise are essential components that keep a caregiver feeling great and energized.
4. Find support
Depending on the situation, caregiving can become a lonely place. But that doesn’t have to be the case, as there are many other caregivers out there that are dealing with similar situations and they can become an excellent resource. There are also support groups available (both in-person and online) that focus on discussing and listening to others’ who know and understand what caregiving entails. These groups can provide comfort from those feelings of lonesomeness as well as education and insight on care and specific diseases.
5. Accept the situation
It is easy to find ourselves in a trap of feeling frustrated or mad about the caregiving situation, continuously asking why something like this has happened. That energy is being wasted and doesn’t help improve caregiving abilities. Instead, try to accept the situation and use it as a tool to build personal strength, depth, and understanding.
In conclusion, when stress and burnout set in, it puts the caregiver at risk of not being able to provide adequate care. That impacts both the caregiver and the person being cared for. The bottom line is that managing the health and well-being of a caregiver is equally as important as making sure a family member takes their medication and gets to their doctor appointments on time.
The Grand Rapids Symphony and Chorus perform “Hallelujah”. Sound mixing done by Jay Round. Video editing by Glen Okonoski and Steve Secor. (Grand Rapids Symphony)
Though the concert halls are empty, the musicians of the Grand Rapids Symphonyand Symphony Chorus have not been silent.
More than 70 musicians of the orchestra and chorus have banned together to create a virtual performance of the “Hallelujah” Chorus from Handel’s Messiah.
The production led by Music Director Marcelo Lehninger debuted Thursday evening. You can see “Hallelujah for Hope: From Our Homes to Yours” here on the Grand Rapids Symphony’s website as well as on its Facebook page and YouTube page.
More than 70 musicians of the Grand Rapids Symphony and Grand Rapids Symphony Chorus each recorded his or her performance in their own homes, and all of the individual tracks were brought together in the nearly 5-minute performance unveiled on April 9.
“During these extraordinary circumstances, we need music more than ever. Music sustains us and nourishes us. It gives us comfort when we’re troubled and offers hope for renewal,” Lehninger said. “Beethoven said it best: ‘Music can change the world,’ and we agree.”
Grand Rapids Symphony and Chorus members recorded their pieces from home.
The very first performance of Handel’s Messiah was given in April 1742 as a benefit concert to raise money for two hospitals in Dublin. The “Hallelujah” Chorus may be 278 years old, but its message of comfort still rings true, and its promise of hope is just as relevant for us today.
Grand Rapids Symphony selected the most famous chorus from the best-known oratorio in the English language because it’s so well-known and because it uses both orchestra and chorus.
“Because of its message of hope, as well as the importance of expressing joy for the gift of music, we believe this would be a powerful piece of music to share as a gift to our community,” said Mary Tuuk, President & CEO of the Grand Rapids Symphony, who also participated in the virtual performance.
In response to the outbreak of COVID-19, the Grand Rapids Symphony began cancelling concerts and events on Thursday, March 12. The GRS offices closed as of Monday, March 16 with staff continuing to work from home.
Two weeks later, the Grand Rapids Symphony launched From Our Homes to Yours featuring daily solo performances by musicians throughout the Grand Rapids Symphony family. The series debuted March 27 with a video featuring Principal Cellist Alicia Eppinga and Music Director Marcelo Lehninger on piano.
Through the end of April, you can enjoy a new performance every morning at 9 a.m., seven days a week, on the Grand Rapids Symphony’s Facebook page or YouTube page. You also can view the entire lineup of videos already posted on the Grand Rapids Symphony’s From Our Home to Yours page on YouTube.
“In challenging times, we need music more than ever,” Lehninger said. “So our talented musicians will continue to perform from their homes to yours.”
To maintain operations, the Grand Rapids Symphony has launched a fundraising campaign titled Music More Than Ever: From Our Home to Yours. All donations to the campaign (up to $5,000) will be matched dollar for dollar by generous friends and supporters who have pledged $50,000 in matching funds.
“Although the Grand Rapids Symphony isn’t performing, our musicians and staff still are being paid,” Lehninger said. “You can help us by supporting our Music More Than Ever campaign.”
In the 40-year history of a Grand Valley State University economic survey, the economic situation in West Michigan has seldom looked this grim, said Brian G. Long, director of Supply Management Research in Grand Valley’s Seidman College of Business.
“Although negative, much of our data collected in the third and fourth weeks of March do not begin to reflect the impact of recent events,” said Long.
Long surveyed local business leaders and his findings below are based on data collected during the last two weeks of March.
The survey’s index of business improvement (new orders) slipped to -21 from +7. The production index dropped to -16 from +2. The index of purchases plunged to -30 from +9, and the employment index plummeted to -25 from +9.
Long said the Detroit automakers made good on their promise to report only 2020 quarterly sales, which reflect the aggregate of positive sales months of January and February and the negative month of March. “Even then, sales were off considerably,” he said.
Long said at this early stage, assessing the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is almost impossible, but said “we are now in a historical collapse.”
“If, by some miracle, we were to have a viable vaccine in the next few months that could be widely distributed, the economy would quickly begin to recover,” said Long. “However, some marginal businesses have already been forced to close, and there will surely be more to follow. Unfortunately, this crisis is still just beginning.”
The Institute for Supply Management survey is a monthly survey of business conditions that includes 45 purchasing managers in the greater Grand Rapids area and 25 in Kalamazoo. The respondents are from the region’s major industrial manufacturers, distributors and industrial service organizations. It is patterned after a nationwide survey conducted by the Institute for Supply Management. Each month, the respondents are asked to rate eight factors as “same,” “up” or “down.”
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) announced today that it is actively collecting digital submissions of community stories, videos and photos related to COVID-19 to ensure the local pandemic experience is documented for future generations. The COVID-19 pandemic will be recorded as a significant event in history and the GRPM encourages all community members to take a moment to reflect and share how COVID-19 has impacted you, your family and community.
“We want to do our part in making sure that we’re documenting history as it happens, especially since this pandemic has dramatically shifted life for the people of West Michigan and beyond,” said Alex Forist, the GRPM’s Chief Curator. “We hope to collect a variety of stories from community members so we can accurately portray what life was truly like during the pandemic, while also creating an archive for future generations to remember this time.”
Signs like these on Marge’s Donut Den is just some of the items the Grand Rapids Public Museum is looking to collect. (WKTV)
Once it is safe to do so, the Museum will begin collecting objects related to the pandemic as well. From products and signage made by local businesses, to homeschool lesson plans and grocery lists, the Museum hopes to document everyday life during this time. Donors may indicate objects they are interested in giving to the Museum Collections in the online form at grpm.org/collections. To ensure all health care workers have the resources needed during this time, the Museum will not accept objects or medical items, such as N95 masks, until the crisis is over.
To submit a story, video or photos, visit grpm.org/collections and click “submit.” People of all ages are encouraged to submit. Children 17 and under may submit their experiences, but must have a parent or guardian sign off on the form. For additional questions, please call 616.929.1809.
The GRPM Collections page on the Grand Rapid Public Museum’s website. (WKTV)
The Grand Rapids Public Library is also collecting stories related to the COVID-19 pandemic to create a shared community memory of this time. Consider sharing your story with both the GRPM and the GRPL. Stories submitted to the GRPL will become a part of the Library’s permanent archival collections and will give scholars, historians and medical researchers a record to study in the future. Learn more at https://www.grpl.org/covid-19-stories/.
To learn more about the GRPM’s Community Documentation Project, visit grpm.org/collections. Join the conversation on social media by using the hashtag #CommunityCollectingGR to help spread awareness.
Like many women, Marisha Stawiski, DPM, would love to be able to wear a 3-inch heel on a regular basis with no pain.
“But unfortunately, the vast majority of us just cannot withstand this foot position for any prolonged course of time on a regular basis without having detrimental effects on foot health and eliciting pain,” said the Spectrum Health Medical Group Foot & Ankle podiatrist. “As a rule of thumb, the more you can avoid a shoe with a heel over 1.5 inches, the better.
“Yet many of us (myself included) will stray from this rule of thumb for aesthetics and beauty at times,” Dr. Stawiski said. “Some of us more than others.”
Her best advice?
1. Go high quality.
Buy a heel that is as high quality as possible for your budget. Certainly, something with more cushion, width and arch support will feel better than a poorly constructed shoe.
2. Go lower.
The lower the heel, the less you are going to see complications and pain associated with wear. Think a cute kitten or wedge heel.
3. Try it out.
Purchase the shoe only if you can return it. If you wear it around your home only an hour or two (don’t wear outside, stay on carpet), you will know if there is any way the heel will be something you can feasibly wear for an extended period of time and still be modestly comfortable.
4. Keep it real.
If you have certain foot pathology, sadly, you may need to give up the idea of wearing heels at all. Some examples of pathology that may preclude you from being able to wear high heels includes severe bunions or hammertoes, arthritis, hallux rigidus, or Haglund’s deformity.
5. Give your feet a timeout.
Whenever possible, avoid wearing high heels for any extended walking or standing. Bring an alternative pair of shoes with you to the office, and slip off your heels under the desk during the day to put on a more sensible shoe. Slip on your heels when getting up for meetings, but try to avoid staying in them all day long. Take them off for your commute as well.
6. Think special occasions.
Avoid wearing heels on a regular basis or every day. Have alternative wardrobes that go well with a lower heel, wedge or a flat with more support. Your feet really do need a break from wearing a high heel, and high heels should be more of an occasional thing than an everyday occurrence.
Higher risks
Remember, if you choose to wear high heels, you are at a higher risk of developing a variety of conditions, including metatarsal pain, plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendon issues, Haglund’s deformity and knee pain.
“There is plenty of data to show that high heels have negative long-term effects on several structures from the toes all the way up the lower extremity,” Dr. Stawiski said.
While some shoemakers market technology such as memory foam and built-in arch support that’s meant to diminish the problems associated with high-heel use, it doesn’t change the position of the foot when it’s stuffed into a heel.
“All high heels are thrusting the foot into a very unnatural position,” Dr. Stawiski said. “You cannot completely counteract the negative affects of walking or standing in heels with new technology.”
Even if considerable padding and arch support are added to a 3-inch-plus heel, the issues with the high heel still exist, she noted.
“Padding and arch support don’t change this abnormal biomechanical position, which creates many of the injuries associated with wearing high heels,” she said. “These added technologies can make the shoe more tolerable for a longer amount of time for certain individuals, but they do not eliminate the root issues inherent to a high heel.”
Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day.
Winne-the-Pooh
By WKTV Staff joanne@wktv.org
Visit Drummond Island or check out Harbor Country
Drummond Island now has a live camera. (WKTV)
Two new Michigan destination spots added live video or virtual tours this week. The West Michigan Tourist Association added a livestream video of Drummond Island to its website, wmta.org. The stream is one of 12 livestreams featuring West Michigan locations such as the Grand Rapids Public Museum, Binder Park Zoo, and the USS Silverside Museum. To learn more, click here.
Also, Harbor Country, which features eight towns, Michiana, Grand Beach, New Buffalo, Three Oaks, Union Pier, Lakeside, Harbert, and Sawyer, along the southeast edge of Lake Michigan, announced it has released its annual tour guide of the area digitally. To check it, click here.
Run for the Tulips
Sign up for the Tulip Time 5K virtual run and then start training. Just do the run sometime between May 1 and 10 and you will receive a t-shirt and a finisher medal plus a dollar from each registration will go toward the Kids Food Basket. You must register by April 20 to participate in the run. For more information, click here, and remember to follow social distancing guidelines!
Check out the May ballot
Michigan’s Secretary of State’s office has announced that the coming May 5 ballot will “primarily” use a mail-in voting system by expanding the state’s existing absentee ballot process with all registered voters in areas set to vote being sent absentee ballot registrations. There are two school districts that will have items on the ballot, Kelloggsville and Godwin Heights. For more on how the May 5 election will work, click here.
Fort Gratiot Lighthouse (Wikipedia Commons)
Fun Fact: Lighthouses
Michigan has more than 100 lighthouses, 116 that can be toured. Ever wonder which one is the oldest? Fort Gratiot Lighthouse was established in 1825 and is the oldest surviving lighthouse in Michigan. It help keeps watch over Lake Huron at the St. Clair River.
Lighthouse of Alexandria (Wikipedia Commons)
Bonus Fun Fact
The oldest lighthouse in the world happens to be the first lighthouse, the Pharos of Alexandria, commonly called the Lighthouse of Alexandria. It was built by the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Ancient Greece sometime between 280 – 247 BCE
Tulip Time Festival (www.tuliptime.com) announces the Tulip Time Run will switch to a virtual experience, which will be held from Friday, May 1 to Sunday, May 10 2020.
During this time of uncertainty, Tulip Time encourages everyone to stay safe, stay healthy and get some fresh air, while continuing to follow social distancing guidelines. Runners can unite VIRTUALLY and participate in the 5K or 10K as their schedule permits anytime between May 1 and 10. Registrants can run or walk around their neighborhood or on a treadmill.
Virtual Run Participants will be mailed a 2020 Tulip Time Run unisex tech t-shirt and finisher medal. One dollar of each participant’s fee will be donated to Kids Food Basket to help fight hunger in the community during this time of uncertainty.
Tulip Time Festival was cancelled on March 16th, 2020 following the CDC recommendations of limiting gathering sizes of 50 or more people to slow the spread of COVID-19. The cancellation of Tulip Time was heartbreaking, and the festival board and staff acknowledge the huge financial impact it has and will have on both the organization and the Holland community. Participation in the Virtual Run will help Tulip Time begin to rebuild for the 2021 festival.
Registration and pricing information, along with all race details, is available online at www.tuliptime.com/run. Questions regarding registration and race details can be directed to Victoria Raterink, Event Coordinator, at victoria@tuliptime.com.
As the novel coronavirus continues to spread throughout the United States and the rest of the world, financial implications on employees and businesses are profound.
Impacts are being felt across the economy, and the nonprofit sector is not immune. Researchers at Grand Valley’s Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy have analyzed IRS 990 form data and have identified trends in the nonprofit sector that nonprofits can expect to contend with as the pandemic evolves.
The research was led by Jeff Williams, director of the Johnson Center’s Community Data and Research Lab, and is based on an analysis of the financial vulnerabilities of nonprofit organizations.
Williams said models can help nonprofit leaders make educated decisions about their organizations, especially as it pertains to project management, disaster response and using solid data.
The Community Data and Research Lab identified three trends that leaders can use to inform decision making.
1. Before things get significantly better or worse, leaders can expect to see things ‘get weird.’
Williams said in times of crisis when we are looking for certainty the most — even if it’s bad news — is when events are most likely to be unexpected in terms of magnitude, order and topic.
“Adopting a mental posture of flexibility is key,” Williams said. “Being open about the impending storm in communications with service beneficiaries, clients and staff is essential for maintaining staff morale, too.”
2. Nonprofits are facing three distinct financial threats at the moment, each of which will impact different nonprofits in different ways.
As entire segments of the economy falter and the stock market tumbles, different types of nonprofits will see decreases in revenue in three very different ways: decreasing revenue from annual campaigns and gifts, dropping demand for services and/or changes to contracts, and decreasing value in investments and stock market fluctuations. Most nonprofits, for example, receive very little investment income, so stock market fluctuations will not be their primary concern.
Williams said a clear understanding of the different types of revenue declines is important because nonprofits are businesses that pay salaries and rent, and purchase supplies and equipment just like any other. However in the big picture, nonprofits serve a broader public mission. Williams said nonprofits should remember to secure their operations first, much like the instructions given to passengers on airliners about oxygen masks: Always secure your own mask before assisting others.
“While businesses are closing and people are at risk of losing employment, there is likely to be an increase of demand for safety net agency services, many of which will be met by nonprofit organizations and their staff,” Williams said. “But if a nonprofit cannot meet its business obligations, it will not be in a long-term position to assist its community in a time of need.”
The full report from the Community Data and Research Lab explores in depth the different financial problems nonprofits of different sizes and categories may face due to COVID-19. The report is available at JohnsonCenter.org.
3. The process of restoring normalcy isn’t a linear process. Multiple stages of recovery often exist, involving different sectors of the nonprofit world at different times.
Williams said while some disasters are a singular event, like a tornado or tsunami, others happen more slowly and recovery often takes many stages. When society works to recover from the pandemic, the nonprofit sector will see those stages take shape.
Right now, nonprofits are focused on immediate needs, like health care and direct emergency assistance, especially food. However, over time, as the situation stabilizes, the nonprofit sector will need to shift to education, housing and human services.
Once the virus is well contained, job training, workforce development and other economic and productivity concerns will come back to the forefront.
Finally, when people feel confident making longer-term plans to return to normal life, nonprofit operations will also return to a more normal activity level.
Upcoming research
Over the next several weeks, the Johnson Center will use additional IRS data to explore other financial aspects of the nonprofit sector, including cash on hand, changes in revenue sources, and what past economic shocks tell us about nonprofit organization creation and failure rates.
This sunset picture was taken by Dorr resident Becky DeYoung just before the snow melted on Lake Michigan. The picture was taken at Holland State Park, which is a public recreation area covering 142 acres in Park Township, Ottawa County, four miles west of the city of Holland.
Do you have a photo you would like considered for Photo of the Week? Send it Managing Editor Joanne Bailey-Boorsma at joanne@wktv.org.
The Drummond Island Tourism Association has installed this live camera overlooking the ferry dock on the island. The Drummond Island Ferry runs daily to and from the mainland, 365 days a year.
The ferry, capable of holding 36 cars, crosses one mile across the St. Mary’s River to bring cars, passengers, trucks, and semi trucks across to the island. The St. Mary’s River is one of the busiest waterways in the world. It is an international waterway, with over 4,500 cargo carriers passing Drummond Island each year.
Dubbed the “Gem of the Huron” for a thousand good reasons, Drummond Island is famous for both its outdoor pursuits and pristine beauty. If you’re looking for adventure, explore over 100 miles of ATV and ORV trails, kayak the Heritage Water Trail around the island, or scuba dive to view multiple shipwrecks. Discover the wild side of the island by birdwatching during the migration seasons, hunt for whitetail deer, bear, and small game, or fish for pike, perch, and walleye. If it’s relaxation that you seek, immerse yourself in the peace and tranquility by strolling along the beach looking for puddingstones, or soak in the natural surroundings right from your deck chair. Boaters often call Drummond Island their home port. Whatever your desire, every season is the perfect reason to experience “island life.”
The State of Michigan, like most governmental agencies, puts out press releases to media sources on a wide-range of issues almost daily. Some are important for the public to know; some are just routine governmental business. Some make the news and some do not.
We at WKTV have decided that in these times of COVID-19, of often-filtered news, we’d let the state departments say what they want to say to the pubic a little more directly. Following are links to State of Michigan releases from April 8 — with a little emphasis given by our staff on what we found interesting.
Michigan joins other state in urging feds to open ACA marketplace
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel recently joined 20 other attorneys general in urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and its Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to approve a special enrollment period on the official Affordable Care Act health care marketplace website during the current COVID-19 pandemic.
According to an April 8 statement from Nessel’s office, the attorneys general argue that the federal government is making a “shortsighted decision” to not provide the special enrollment period.
“At a time when so many Americans are facing uncertainty in every direction they turn, ensuring they have the opportunity to obtain health care coverage via a special enrollment period on healthcare.gov should be a major priority for the federal government,” Nessel said in supplied material. “Regardless of how this administration feels about the current structure of the Affordable Care Act, it is law and it provides health care services that millions of people need right now across this nation. The federal government should want to ensure all who live in this country have access to the care they need to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.”
Michigan unemployment office: If you can file online, please do so
With huge numbers of workers applying for unemployment benefits, the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) is adding staff and hours, and has nearly quadrupled staffing levels over the last several weeks. But like staying at home flattens the peak curve for medical providers, applying online takes strain off the unemployment system, according to an April 8 UIA statement.
“The UIA continues to provide emergency financial assistance during this unprecedented increase in unemployment claims,” Jeff Donofrio, director of the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, said in supplied material. “We continue to ramp up our services to make sure every eligible Michigander receives their benefits as quickly as possible and we’re asking workers to please reserve the phone lines for those who cannot go online or are having trouble with their account.”
The best way to file a claim, according to the UIA statement, is online at Michigan.gov/UIA, where the process takes on average 20-25 minutes.
Michigan’s Secretary of State’s office has announced that the coming May 5 ballot will “primarily” use a mail-in voting system by expanding the state’s existing absentee ballot process with all registered voters in areas set to vote being sent absentee ballot registrations.
In addition, according to a Secretary of State press release, it was announced that last week that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer had issued an executive order that will close all but one polling place — typically the clerk’s office — in each election jurisdiction to be used for in-person voting.
The Kent County Clerk’s office, which is responsible for voting processes in the county, is putting plans in place for handling the changes but the admits the state’s plans may be “confusing to voters and could jeopardize election integrity,” Lisa Posthumus Lyons, Kent County Clerk/Register, said to WKTV today, April 8.
None-the-less, Posthumus Lyons said “we are moving forward in Kent County, working with local clerks to ensure we have enough workers to staff the election, adhere to the CDC guidelines for the health of the public and our workers, and protect the security and integrity of the election.”
School leaders in Kelloggsville Public Schools — which along with Godwin Heights Public Schools are the only entities in Wyoming and Kentwood with funding measures on the May ballot — are also unsure how the changes will impact the public vote.
“First off, all of our thoughts go out to the families that have been impacted by this pandemic and hope that they are healthy as possible and are making it through these difficult times,” Eric Alcorn, auxiliary services director at Kelloggsville Public Schools, said to WKTV. But “we think anytime there is a major world/national threat, pandemic, disaster, a change in the economic outlook, there is a huge impact on elections.
“I am not sure if we have ever done an election entirely through absentee voting — we will have to wait and see on what kind of impact it will have. It will for sure be a learning opportunity for us.”
The Kelloggsville Public School District has an approximately $4.2 million, 10-year sinking fund millage proposal. Godwin Heights Public Schools has a $13,975,000 bonding proposal on the ballot.
“All I can say is that we are going to do the best we can to get the word out about the sinking fund, its benefits, and the opportunities we want to provide for our students, staff and community,” Alcorn said. “We are adjusting our plan to meet the stay-at-home orders and social distancing placed on Michigan.
“We have a small community and usually like to do a lot of our marketing face-to-face and by word-of-mouth through inviting them into our facilities and talking about proposals at events and activities. At the end of the day, we are committed to providing the best educational environment for our students that we can. The revenue generated from the sinking fund will go a long way in helping us achieve that.”
Kent County Clerk has some concerns
And while the Kent County Clerk’s office is preparing as directed by the state, the county leader is not entirely comfortable with the process mandated by the state.
“My primary concern with the May 5 Election is the safety of our clerks, election workers, and of course, the voters,” Posthumus Lyons said to WKTV. “While it would have been ideal for the school districts take advantage of the opportunities they had to move their questions to the August ballot, seven have opted to continue for May.
“I understand we face a time that requires making difficult decisions, but I am admittedly concerned with the action taken by the Governor and Secretary of State to address this May election because the process they’ve put in place is confusing to voters and could jeopardize election integrity, and I do not want this to set a precedent for how we conduct future elections in Michigan.”
The Secretary of State’s office, however, sees a primarily mail-in ballot in May as the best way to handle the voting.
“Elections are the foundation of our democracy, and our nation has a long history of holding them even in times of crisis and uncertainty,” Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said in supplied material. “All election work will be done in strict adherence to the protocols to prevent coronavirus transmission, including exercising social distancing, using sanitary equipment, and maintaining strong hygiene.”
To encourage everyone who can to stay home and vote by mail, the state will mail absentee ballot applications to all registered voters, and all new registrations will be treated like an absentee ballot application, prompting the issuance of an absentee ballot, according to Benson’s office.
“Voters like voting by mail because it is easy, private, and can be done on their own timing and while researching issues and candidates at home,” Benson said. “It also eliminates the possibility of coronavirus transmission for the voter and, with simple precautions like gloves and social distancing, the election workers as well. Finally, voting by mail is absolutely secure, as the signature matching requirement is a built-in security check.”
According to the latest Secretary of State’s office direction, local city and township clerks’ offices will remain open through Election Day, enabling same-day voter registration and voting in person, including for people with disabilities who wish to vote using assistive equipment, and others to drop off their ballots if they forget to mail it in time.
Voter registration can also be done by mail or online at michigan.gov/Vote through April 20. Between April 20 and May 5, new registrations must be accompanied by proof of residence, which can also be submitted by mail or electronically.
Do you have asthma, and have you experienced sneezing, wheezing, or itchy watery eyes when exposed to perfume or room deodorizers? Fragrance sensitivity may be impacting your asthma. When there are a lot of fragrances in an environment, even people without asthma may experience these types of symptoms.
As we spend more time at home, it is very important to protect our lungs by doing our best to reduce exposure to allergens and irritants. One way to improve your home’s air quality is to use fragrance-free products. From lotions, hand soaps, laundry detergent, and skincare products, there are healthier options. This article provides the information needed to promote cleaner air in the home. There are also products to avoid altogether, such as air aerosol fresheners—especially for individuals with asthma or other respiratory medical conditions.
Why Fragrances Might Be Problematic
Many of us connect our favorite scents with fond memories. The smell of Cherry blossoms in spring, the smell of your sweetheart’s favorite cologne, or even the smell of Pine-Sol may remind us of people and places that are dear to us. However, fragrance can be problematic for people with asthma, as many are either allergic or sensitive to fragrance. Fragrance sensitivity is the development of allergy-like symptoms with exposure to a certain fragrance(s). It is not a true allergic reaction but an irritation.
Symptoms
Different people will react in different ways, but fragrances can certainly lead to asthma-like symptoms such as:
Wheezing
Chest tightness
Cough
Shortness of breath
Fragrances can also lead to symptoms such as:
Skin irritation
Eye irritation
Headache
Drowsiness
Nausea
Abnormal gait
Rapid heart rate
Palpitations
Chest pain
What You Can Do
Avoidance is generally the best treatment. Avoiding fragrances in the following products may help prevent symptoms:
Fabric softeners
Home deodorizers
Laundry detergent
Lotion and other skincare products
Scented candles
Perfume or cologne
Soaps
When buying any cleaners, laundry detergent, lotions, and soaps, look for “Fragrance-Free” on the label.
Air fresheners and scented candles may smell pleasant to some, but they reduce the air quality in your home. Avoidance of fragrances, in general, supports lung health. By removing fragrances from your home environment, you can improve your air quality and stay safe at home.
Article Source: About.com: Fragrance Sensitivity: Making Sense of Scents by Pat Bass, MD
The State of Michigan, like most governmental agencies, puts out press releases to media sources on a wide-range of issues almost daily. Some are important for the public to know; some are just routine governmental business. Some make the news and some do not.
We at WKTV have decided that in these times of COVID-19, of often-filtered news, we’d let the state departments say what they want to say to the pubic a little more directly. Following are links to State of Michigan releases from April 6-7 — with a little emphasis given by our staff on what we found interesting.
Michigan Attorney General warning online sellers about price-gouging
Four online sellers conducting business through Amazon were told to stop taking advantage of consumers by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel after her office found credible reports of price-gouging in violation of the Michigan Consumer Protection Act (MCPA), according to a State of Michigan press release.
Nessel’s office on Monday sent cease and desist letters to the Amazon storefronts operating under the usernames Dealz N-KY, Happy Small Hands, HotDealz73 and ZXL Distribution Group.
“As we continue to work through this COVID-19 pandemic together, my office will keep protecting consumers from price-gougers – and that includes online retailers,” Nessel said in supplied material. “This public health emergency is not an excuse for businesses to take advantage of people and profit from fear, and those who try will be held accountable.”
In an example provided by the Attorney General’s office, the Dealz N-KY storefront operator sold a two-pack of hand sanitizer for $89, plus shipping. The same product typically sells for $8.85 at other online retailers.
“Eight Great Towns – One Great Lake.” Harbor Country is close by, yet a world away. It is a trademarked destination for an eclectic collection of eight towns: Michiana, Grand Beach, New Buffalo, Three Oaks, Union Pier, Lakeside, Harbert, and Sawyer.
Harbor Country combines the best of both worlds — endless days at the beach and countrysides brimming with farms and orchards. Add a vibrant arts and culture community, a lively local food scene, and an explosion of world-class wineries, craft breweries and distilleries, it’s no wonder that Harbor Country has also become a year-round home for those in search of a slower pace of life amid the natural beauty of the Lake Michigan shore.
Here’s what you can expect from the 2020 guide:
Get to know your local business owners
Discover new things to do
Find beaches, parks & preserves to roam
Trip planning made easy with our Great Family Fun Guide
Discover the perfect lodging for your group
Map out your foodie must try’s in the Dining & Food section
Michigan-made wine, beer and spirits
Shopping, arts & antiques
See what living here is all about in Harbor Country® Life
For a copy of the 2020 Harbor Country Guide to be mailed to you, please contact the Chamber office, a $7 fee applies: chamber@harborcountry.org 269-469-5409.
Currently the Chamber is determining how Harbor Country Guides will be distributed to businesses throughout the area. Printed copies of the guide will not be available before April 30th. An update on distribution will be provided as more information is available.
Cybercrime is always a problem, but during current COVID-19 restrictions, scammers are taking special advantage of people searching the World Wide Web. (GVSU)
Online scamming is nothing new — according to the Federal Trade Commission the most common categories for fraud complaints in 2019 were imposter scams, debt collection and identity theft, with identity-theft linked credit card fraud reported by more than 167,000 people.
But in the current world of COVID-19 awareness, cybercriminals are targeting Americans who are working from home, and spending more time online, according to a story on consumeraffairs.com by Rob Douglas, identity theft protection contributing editor.
“The Federal Trade Commission advises consumers to be wary of cybercriminals exploiting coronavirus fears to steal personally identifiable information (PII),” the Consumer Affairs article states. “Financial information and medical information is especially sensitive right now.”
There is also an increased number of hackers creating malicious websites that spoof legitimate public health resources. For example, a link can seem like it should lead you to a map of “COVID-19 cases near me” could infect your phone or computer with spyware or ransomware.
For reliable information on COVID-19, the public is urged to to visit the Center for Disease Control (cdc.gov) or World Health Organization (who.int) for accurate, safe information about coronavirus trends and statistics.
According to Consumer Affairs, increasingly common COVID-19 scams include:
Fraudulent e-commerce vendors for masks, sanitizers and test kits.
Fraudulent investment sites.
Phishing and vishing through update emails, texts and voicemails.
Spoofed government and health organization communications.
Michiganders who have lost their job, resulting in a loss of their healthcare coverage or a change in income, may have low or no-cost healthcare options available. (Public Domain)
With many employers having laid off workers due to COVID-19 restrictions, many Michigan workers are now without employer-provided healthcare coverage. But the state’s Department of Insurance and Financial Services reminds people that government-supported plans are available.
Michiganders who have lost their job, resulting in a loss of their healthcare coverage or a change in income, may have low or no-cost healthcare options available through the Affordable Care Act (ACA; also called “Obamacare”) Marketplace, Medicaid, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), according to State of Michigan guidance issued Tuesday, April 7.
And, the state points out, consumers in these situations are not required to wait for the yearly Open Enrollment Period and but should act quickly as there is a 2-month window for special enrollment.
“Michiganders who lose employer-based health insurance may have options to continue or replace their coverage,” Anita G. Fox, director of the Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS), said in supplied material. “If consumers have questions about enrolling, DIFS is available to assist.”
Consumers have 60 days after losing essential health coverage, such as through a job loss, or experienced a change in income to take advantage of a Special Enrollment Period. To determine eligibility, consumers should visit healthcare.gov.
Depending on income and their situation, consumers may qualify for cost sharing reductions, premium tax credits, coverage for their children (CHIP), or Medicaid. Consumers can contact DIFS toll free at 877-999-6442, or or email at DIFS-HICAP@michigan.gov, for assistance.
If you are suffering from urgent bowel movements, frequent diarrhea and abdominal pain, you may be a victim of inflammatory bowel disease.
But all is not doom and gloom.
With the right treatment plan, most patients can limit their symptoms and complications, allowing them to live full and active lives, said Andrew Shreiner, MD, PhD, a Spectrum Health Medical Group gastroenterologist.
Dr. Shreiner, who presented an IBD program recently at a digestive disease conference, sat down with Spectrum Health Beat to discuss what patients need to know about the disease.
1. What are the symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease?
Symptoms of IBD are often related to inflammation in the digestive tract, including frequent diarrhea, blood in the stool, urgency with bowel movements and abdominal pain. Generalized symptoms such as fatigue and weight loss are common. Symptoms related to complications of IBD, including infection or intestinal blockage, are less frequent and include abdominal pain, fever, bloating, nausea and vomiting. Occasionally, symptoms may develop from IBD affecting other body areas, such as skin, joints or eyes.
2. What are the types of IBD?
The main types are ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Ulcerative colitis affects the colon and often causes bloody diarrhea with urgency. Crohn’s disease can affect any part of the digestive tract, so symptoms are variable but often include abdominal pain, diarrhea, fatigue and weight loss.
3. What causes IBD?
We don’t know what causes IBD, exactly. It is clear that inherited genetic factors are one component, but environmental factors play a large part in the development of IBD, too. Many of the possible environmental factors are thought to be the result of modernized living, such as antibiotic use, exposure or lack thereof to microbes and changes in diet.
4. How do you diagnose it?
In individuals with symptoms that are worrisome for IBD, and not explained by another cause (such as intestinal infection), ulcerative colitis is generally diagnosed with colonoscopy and tissue biopsy, and Crohn’s disease is often diagnosed with a combination of colonoscopy and an imaging test, such as a CT scan.
5. How can IBD affect my daily life?
When IBD is active, it can have a significant impact on daily life. Frequent diarrhea, abdominal pain and fatigue can really limit an individual’s ability to maintain a normal routine. Sometimes, individuals are admitted to the hospital with severe symptoms. When IBD is well-treated and inactive, individuals can function without any significant impairments related to IBD.
6. Is there any preventive care?
Individuals with IBD—particularly those on medications to suppress the immune system—are at increased risk for a number of health problems. Preventive care is important to decrease the risk for developing these health problems. This includes vaccinations to prevent infections, sun protection to prevent skin cancer, routine check-ups to prevent osteoporosis, and a number of other preventive measures.
7. Are there any medications that can help?
Yes, there is a growing list of medications that help treat IBD. The goal of treatment is to induce and then maintain remission from inflammation, so medications work to suppress the inappropriate immune activity that promotes IBD. Various medications differ in the level of potency, so there are various options to treat IBD ranging from mild to severe.
8. How much does diet/lifestyle affect IBD?
We generally recommend a healthy diet and active lifestyle, in addition to not smoking tobacco, to promote overall health. These measures can lessen the symptom burden in IBD and they are an important component of managing the disease. It is important to note that diet and lifestyle habits are not adequate therapies by themselves to treat IBD in the vast majority of individuals.
9. Can surgery help?
There is a role for surgery in the treatment of both ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. In general, surgery is used as the last option for active disease or disease-related complications that cannot be adequately treated with medical therapy or less invasive procedures.
10. Can it ever be cured?
At present, IBD cannot be cured. However, it can be managed in most cases to limit symptoms and complications and to allow individuals to lead full and active lives.
In a videotaped message to the West Michigan community, Dr. Peter Hahn, President and CEO of Metro Health – University of Michigan Health, describes the fight against COVID-19 as the defining challenge of our time, one that offers everyone an opportunity to contribute.
Drawing from his experience as an ICU physician and as a healthcare leader, Dr. Hahn notes that the greatest minds in medicine, science, engineering and manufacturing are racing to find vaccines, treatments and innovative solutions.
These experts need time and that is why it is critical for everyone to practice social distancing and other precautions to limit the spread of the coronavirus. These actions buy precious time. Everyone has a role to play and every step we take here in West Michigan unites us to the global cause.
“The finest medical minds in our community and across the nation are working together on our behalf to develop vaccines and treatments,” Dr. Hahn says. “Brave and tireless healthcareworkers are being joined by an army of civic-minded people from all walks of life – people likeyou, resolved to do their part.”
West Michigan Works! is hosting a virtual hiring event that will include pre-scheduled phone calls for employers to discuss job opportunities with interested job seekers. The registration for this virtual hiring event is live and closes this Friday, April 10, at noon.
In order to best meet employers’ hiring needs during the governor’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” directive, West Michigan Works! will be hosting a “virtual” job fair on April 21 and 23.
Employers may register to participate in a morning or afternoon session on each day the job fair is held (register for as many sessions as you like). Each session will include a series of 15-minute time slots in which you will have the opportunity to discuss job opportunities with pre-scheduled candidates (seeexample below). Prior to the event, you will receive a final schedule with a list of candidates and their contact information. You will then call candidates at the scheduled times to discuss job opportunities.
Hiring Event Sessions: April 21: 9 a.m. to noon, includes up to twelve scheduled time slots (15 minutes each) April 21: 1 to 4 p.m., includes up to twelve scheduled time slots (15 minutes each) April 23: 9 a.m. to noon, includes up to twelve scheduled time slots (15 minutes each) April 23: 1 to 4 p.m., includes up to twelve scheduled time slots (15 minutes each)
A new exhibit titled, “Springtime,” by local artist Paulette Carr, opens at the Leep Art Gallery on April 9, 2020 at the Postma Center on the Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services campus in Grand Rapids.
Paulette Carr is self-trained artist who has attended many art workshops and conferences around the United States, Europe and Caribbean.
Springtime is a time of renewal and rebirth. A time to grow after a dark, cold and bitter time. This show represents that time of growth after that period of darkness. The colors seem brighter, the emotions fresher and the peace and serenity more cherished.
This show has a strong influence of the impressionists, Monet, Pissaro, Manet and many more who went through a dark time for the arts and yet came out with such beautiful colors and light. “I hope the viewer will find themselves in a peaceful, serene place emotionally when viewing this exhibit,” says Carr.
Her work can be seen all around Michigan in such places as West Michigan Chamber of Commerce; Great Legs Winery, Brewery, Distillery; Start Up to Success Agency; Community Choice Credit Union; and Red Cedar Spirits. She has exhibited at First United Methodist Church, Holland Area Arts Council, Grand Rapids Festival of the Arts, Red Lotus Gallery in Muskegon and many others.
Carr is a member of Holland Friends of Art, Holland Area Arts Council, Grand Rapids Art Museum, Chicago Institute of Art, Philadelphia Art Museums, and Minneapolis Museum of Art. In addition to creating art, Carr has been active in promoting arts in the community through presentations for artists on “The Art of Selling Art Shamelessly” and promoting the arts through “Artists Sharing Sunshine.” She is also an instructor of unique classes offered for the beginning and non-artists to help them face the blank canvas.
The Pine Rest Leep Art Gallery exhibit will be on display at the Postma Center located at 300 68th St., SE, Grand Rapids, Mich., from April 9 to July 7. The Leep Art Gallery is open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. and is free and open to the public. For more information, please call 616-222-4530 or go to www.pinerest.org/leep-art-gallery.
At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 63 crewmembers Chris Cassidy of NASA (left) and Anatoly Ivanishin (center) and Ivan Vagner of Roscosmos (right) pose for pictures in front of a Soyuz trainer during the second day of Soyuz qualification exams March 12. They are scheduled to launch April 9 on the Soyuz MS-16 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station.
Andrey Shelepin/Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center
On Thursday, April 9, the WKTV Government 26 channel will feature live coverage the launch of the International Space Station Expedition 63/Soyuz MS-16 from the Cosmodrome in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Coverage starts at 3 a.m. with the launch scheduled for 4:05 a.m.
Live coverage continues at 9:30 a.m. for the docking of the Soyuz MS-16 to the ISS. The docking is scheduled to take place at 10:16 a.m.
The hatch opening will take place at approximately 12:30 p.m., followed by the welcoming ceremony for the Expedition 63 crew, NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy and Russian cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner.
For more information on NASA TV or the International Space Station, log on to www.nasa.gov. NASA TV can be seen on the WKTV 26 Government Channel on Comcast and AT&T U-verse 99 Government Channel 99.
Married folks not only live longer than singles, but the longevity gap between the two groups is growing, U.S. government health statisticians report.
The age-adjusted death rate for the married declined by 7% between 2010 and 2017, according to a new study from the National Center for Health Statistics, part of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Not only is the rate for married lower, but it’s declining more than any other group,” said lead author Sally Curtin, an NCHS statistician.
Statistically, death rate is the annual number of deaths for every 100,000 people. It’s adjusted so that a 26-year-old and an 80-year-old married or widowed or divorced are on equal footing.
The new study reported that the death rate for never-marrieds declined only 2%, while that for divorced people hasn’t changed at all.
Worst off were the widowed, for whom the death rate rose 6%. They have the highest death rate of all the categories, researchers said.
Married men in 2017 had an age-adjusted death rate of 943 per 100,000, compared to 2,239 for widowers.
The death rate was 1,735 per 100,000 for lifelong bachelors and 1,773 for divorced men.
Married women had a death rate of 569 per 100,000, two-and-a-half times lower than the 1,482 rate for widows. The death rate was 1,096 for divorcees and 1,166 for never-married women.
Part of the marriage benefit could be explained by the fact that people in good health are more likely to marry, said Katherine Ornstein, an associate professor of geriatrics and palliative medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City.
Once you’re in a marriage, there are a host of tangible and intangible benefits that give you a health advantage, experts said.
Married people are more likely to have health insurance, Ornstein said, and therefore, have better access to health care.
Being married also means you have someone looking out for you and reinforcing healthy behaviors, said Michael Rendall, director of the Maryland Population Research Center at the University of Maryland.
“Having somebody there who’s your spouse will tend to promote positive health behaviors—going to the doctor, eating better, getting screened,” he said.
This is particularly true of men, who previous studies have shown derive more health benefits from marriage than women.
“Men tend to have fewer skills than women in terms of looking after themselves,” Rendall said.
Finally, the companionship of marriage staves off health problems associated with loneliness and isolation, Ornstein said.
“Social support and the social engagement that comes with being married is a huge benefit for mental health and physical health,” she said.
All these benefits also explain why widowed people tend to do so badly after the death of their spouse, Ornstein said.
Widows and widowers have to deal with heartache, loneliness and financial stress, she said. They no longer have a partner looking after them, so they are more likely to neglect their health.
The study found some gender differences in trends.
While the death rate for married men and women declined by the same 7%, women’s overall death rate was much lower.
But the death rates among men in all other marital categories remained essentially the same between 2010 and 2017, researchers found.
On the other hand, the death rate for widowed women rose 5%, while the rate for never-married women declined by 3% and remained stable for divorced women.
In addition to it tutoring program, Streams of Hope offers a variety of programs to their community including a food pantry, after-school activities for middle and high school students, a community garden, and health & wellness programs. (Supplied)
The Streams of Hope community center in Kentwood has received a $25,000 grant from HarperCollins Christian Publishing to support the center’s elementary student tutoring program.
Since the tutoring program begin in 2010, it has steadily grown to provide more than 100 hours of free tutoring each week by 10 certified teachers to 80 students, according to the center.
Kurtis Kaechele (Supplied)
“It’s a joy and a privilege to have HarperCollins Christian Publishing come alongside this tutoring initiative once again,” Kurtis Kaechele, Streams of Hope executive director, said in supplied material. “They have been a wonderful partner over the past six years, and their support empowers the students in this neighborhood to overcome barriers and succeed in school.”
During the COVID-19 stay-at-home restrictions, Streams of Hope has sent virtual tutoring resources to their students and provided printed versions to families that utilize the center’s food center drive-thru supplemental grocery system.
The combined population of three public elementary schools, each less than half a mile from the center, located at 280 60th St, SE, is over 90-percent eligible for federal assistance, according to Streams of Hope.
“Educational success is a significant factor for reducing poverty, and our prayer is that by impacting students we would see our neighborhood transformed for the better,” Kaechele said. “In 2018, 91 percent of students being tutored in reading achieved one grade level or more of growth. During the same period, 84 percent of math students raised their assessment scores.”
Kentwood’s Streams of Hope ministry serves children and families in several ways. (Supplied)
In addition to tutoring, Streams of Hope offers a variety of programs to their community including a food pantry, after-school activities for middle and high school students, a community garden, and health & wellness programs. It also serves as a campus for SpringGR entrepreneurial training.
The HarperCollins grant will also support the center’s summer soccer and reading camp in addition to their Nutrition, Education & Wellness program for diabetic clients.
“Year after year, HarperCollins Christian Publishing continues to be in awe of what Streams of Hope can accomplish for the Kentwood community, and greater Grand Rapids,” Casey Harrell, senior director of corporate communications at HarperCollins Christian Publishing, said in supplied material. “Not only have we built a relationship through monetary investment, but with their leadership, staff, and the children involved in their tutoring program.”
Streams of Hope is a community-based ministry in the Townline neighborhood of Kentwood that “exists to demonstrate God’s love and foster sustainable change through services that build relationships, meet family needs, and promote a healthier community,” according to the group. Its programs focus on creating healthier schools, neighborhoods, and families by utilizing local resources.
We are all spending more time at home during these challenging and unprecedented times. Social distancing and staying at home are our first line of defense against COVID-19, but we should also be keeping our homes safe and disinfected to prevent possible transmission. The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has a wealth of guidelines for making your home healthy when it comes to COVID-19.
Those guidelines start with the recommendation to clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces daily in household common areas. Those surfaces include tables, hard-backed chairs, doorknobs, light switches, remotes, handles, desks, toilets, and sinks. How do you do that? Follow these simple guidelines:
Wear disposable gloves when cleaning and disinfecting surfaces. Gloves should be discarded after each cleaning. Clean hands immediately after gloves are removed.
If surfaces are dirty, they should be cleaned using a detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection.
For disinfection, you can use diluted household bleach solutions, alcohol solutions with at least 70% alcohol, or an EPA-registered household disinfectant.
If you have a child with asthma, always separate the child from the room being cleaned to avoid the bleach triggering an asthma attack, and do not over-concentrate your cleaning solution.
Prepare a bleach solution:
4 teaspoons bleach per quart of water, or 5 tablespoons (1/3rd cup) bleach per gallon of water
Follow manufacturer’s instructions for application and proper ventilation. Check to ensure the product is not past its expiration date. Never mix household bleach with ammonia or any other cleanser.
Products with EPA-approved emerging viral pathogens claims are expected to be effective against COVID-19.
For soft (porous) surfaces such as carpeted floor, rugs, and drapes, remove visible contamination if present and clean with appropriate cleaners indicated for use on these surfaces. After cleaning, launder items using the warmest appropriate water setting for the items and dry items completely, or use products with the EPA-approved emerging viral pathogens claims (examples at this link) that are suitable for porous surfaces.
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