All posts by Joanne

WKTV Community Connection: How are you spending your time, Mike Moll?

3-bottom, Going Local, Local Faces, Sports, Volunteers, WKTV Projects,
Volunteer WKTV Sports Director Mike Moll, right, loves talking sports. But these days his life is much more than sports. (WKTV)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

WKTV Community Media is all about the communities of Wyoming and Kentwood, as well as our community volunteers who live all over West Michigan — community people who bring life to our building and to our work. So in these days of social distancing we at WKTV wanted to keep us a little more connected.

So, we asked people to “Tell us how are spending your time?” How has your life and work changed due to the COVID-19 restrictions? What has stayed the same in your life. What advice would you give to the other WKTV community members, and the public at  large?

Mike Moll, high school sports director and announcer

“I am still working each day as we are considered to be an essential business … the hours are being cut way back though as there simply are not enough other businesses that remain open for us to service. As a result, it will be interesting over the next several weeks to see how we are affected.

WKTV’s Mike Moll.

“This is certainly a different time for all of us, not just in our lifetimes, but in the generations around us as well. Even as much as I enjoy watching, calling, and participating in sports, I think it’s a time where we have the opportunity to ‘re-focus’ and really look at what is ‘important’ in our lives, but more-so, what SHOULD be ‘important’ in our lives.

“I find it more than coincidental this all happened around the time of year where sports are at their highest in our world.  Between college basketball and March Madness, but also basketball, hockey, and baseball being in the small window where all major professional sports seasons overlap for a period of time and became more of a daily routine in many lives.  We turn on the television to watch or to get the results of the games, or listen on the radio for the same.

 

“I think this is giving us a chance to look elsewhere for the where, and the what, is the purpose of our lives and how we can show others around us as well.”

And his words of wisdom:

“We (he and wife Pat, also a longtime WKTV volunteer) have much more recognizance of what and who is around us, as well as how and what we do on a daily basis. As we see and read more of the daily struggles of so many, we lift our family, friends, communities, country, and world up in prayer knowing that they are all being held by much bigger and stronger hands than ours could ever be.  May we feel that touch of those hands each day of our lives in some way, but then may we share that feeling somehow with someone else.

“Here is the hope that you all stay healthy and may we all change our focus point to be a little higher than what is in visibly in front of us each day.  I know I’m trying!”

Thank you Mike — and Pat, for all you do.

Interested in learning more about WKTV Community Media, maybe getting involved with volunteer community? Visit https://wktv.org.

Other WKTV Community Faces:

Paul Kabelman, high school sports announcer

Becci Schumaker, cameraperson extraordinaire




Signs your loved one is ready for assisted living

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

By Vista Springs Assisted Living


The prospect of moving out of a comfortable and familiar environment typically isn’t appealing to anyone, no matter their age. But, for aging adults, and the adults taking care of them, it’s often a prospect that must be considered. Before even considering a move, aging adults and their family member will want to make sure it’s necessary. Here are some signs that may indicate it’s time to start considering an assisted living facility.

Frequent falls

Is your parent or loved one falling a lot lately? Even if it’s just small stumbles over the edge of a carpet or a bump against the corner of a coffee table, frequent tumbles can be a sign of a bigger problem. Or, they could be the eventual cause of a larger problem.


According to the CDC, “Each year, millions of older people—those 65 and older—fall. In fact, more than one out of four older people falls each year, but less than half tell their doctor. Falling once doubles your chances of falling again.”


Even if your parent doesn’t tell you they’ve been falling or stumbling, you can keep your eyes open for signs such as unexplained bruises or limp. It’s also important to consider what would happen if they were to fall. How often do they have people over? If they were unable to get up or get to a phone, how long would it take to discover them? Both the falling and the repercussions of the falling are things to consider.

Memory lapses

Observe their behavior when you’re around. Are there small things they seem to be often forgetting, like names or what day it is or the last time they went to the grocery store? While these little things may seem inconsequential, you should consider what else they may forget when you’re not there. Maybe they’ve forgotten to turn the oven off or to lock their doors at night? It’s possible they could forget to put the car in park before getting out or even forget to take their medications. If the small things start adding up, it may be time to consider help, before the big things cause larger issues.

Minimal social life

Even if their social life isn’t what it used to be, how often do they leave the house or have people over? They may not be going to the movies once a week or out every weekend, but do they at least have activities they care about or people they look forward to seeing? Being cooped up at home or not leaving the house may be a sign of depression or might indicate they can no longer travel on their own. Either way, social activities are essential to a healthy lifestyle, and if they can’t attend them on their own, it may be time to move to a facility that can help.

Changes in appearance

Next time you visit your loved one, take a long look at them. What do you notice? When you give them a hug, do they feel thinner? Weight loss could be a sign they aren’t cooking enough or getting the proper nutrition. Alternatively, weight gain could be a sign of turning to easy but unhealthy food options, or that a condition like diabetes is not being treated.


Besides their physical appearance, how do their clothes look? Are the clothes clean and well-kept? Does your love one appear well-groomed and clean? Or, are they still in their night clothes in the afternoon or wearing clothes that seem dirty?


These are all signs that your loved one may not be able to complete everyday tasks such as laundry or showering.

Poor food supply

Check the fridge and cupboards of your loved one, what do you find? Are the shelves bare? Or, is the fridge full but with expired or stale items? Are there multiples of one item but not enough of another? If the weather turned bad and they couldn’t get to the store, would there be enough food to last a few days?

A grimy house

If your loved one can’t keep up with everyday house cleaning, it can create an unsanitary situation, and you’ll start to see signs even if they are good at hiding it. There may be visible signs such as cobwebs and mold in corners, but make sure you check the areas they think you won’t see like their bedroom and bathroom. These are areas they may neglect if they don’t have the energy to clean the whole house.

Frequent medical care

If your loved one is heading to the ER or hospital for one reason or another, chronic illness, frequent falls, respiratory problems or more, they may need more advanced medical care than they can get at home. Ambulance rides can be costly and so can a long stay at a hospital. Making the switch to an assisted living center, while it may be more up front, can provide your loved one access to the care they need without frequent, emergency trips.


One or two of these signs on their own may not indicate it’s time to move your family member out of their home. Maybe they just need some extra house cleaning help or a meal service to relieve the stress of cooking every day. If they want to continue living independently, and they aren’t in immediate danger, some services can help them do that.


But, a combination of these signs can result in a low quality of life and may mean it’s time to start thinking about a move.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.


New life for an old drug

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, ,
Compared to more expensive therapies, aspirin is cheaper and quite effective in treating migraines. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Robert Preidt, HealthDay


A cheap, century-old drug in most Americans’ medicine cabinets—aspirin—may come to the rescue for people suffering from migraines, a new study finds.


While there are effective prescription medications, many migraine patients in the United States don’t have access to them due to limited access to doctors or good insurance, or high insurance co-pays, said researchers at Florida Atlantic University, in Boca Raton.


Aspirin might often be a viable option for these patients, said the research team, who reviewed 13 studies of migraine treatment involving more than 4,200 patients.


The investigators also looked at data on the prevention of recurrent migraine in tens of thousands of patients.


The results suggest that giving a high dose of aspirin—900 to 1,300 milligrams—when migraine symptoms set in is an effective and safe treatment for acute migraine.


There’s also evidence that daily aspirin doses of 81 to 325 milligrams may be an effective and safe treatment for prevention of recurrent migraine, the team said. The standard “low-dose” aspirin pill, taken by millions of Americans to help lower heart risks, contains 81 milligrams.


The bottom line: “Our review supports the use of high-dose aspirin to treat acute migraine as well as low-dose daily aspirin to prevent recurrent attacks,” senior author Dr. Charles Hennekens, professor and senior academic advisor at the university’s College of Medicine, said in a school news release.


According to review first author Bianca Biglione, a second-year medical student, “Migraine headaches are among the most common and potentially debilitating disorders encountered by primary health care providers.”


Biglione added that, “in fact, about one in 10 primary care patients present with headache and three out of four are migraines. Aspirin is readily available without a prescription, is inexpensive and, based on our review, was shown to be effective in many migraine patients when compared with alternative more expensive therapies.”


About 36 million Americans suffer from migraines, the researchers noted.


Dr. Noah Rosen directs Northwell Health’s Headache Center in Great Neck, N.Y. Reading over the new findings he noted that “aspirin has been in continual use for headaches since its introduction during the industrial revolution of the late 19th century. Clearly, the part that it contributes to pain relief is quite significant and should be considered for primary treatment in an appropriate population.”


But the benefits of taking the drug regularly to prevent headaches need to be balanced against potential risks, especially the risk of bleeding, Rosen said.


“The cost benefit (of aspirin) is a huge component and out-of-pocket expense is quite low,” Rosen said. “But the risk of bleeding with daily use needs to be considered.”


The findings were published online in the American Journal of Medicine.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.




Treetops Collective’s work for new American women detailed on WKTV Journal In Focus

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Going Local, Health, Local Faces, Non-Profits, Our Cities, WKTV Journal In Focus,

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

In Focus today is Treetops Collective, a Grand Rapids based group which helps New American women become part of our west Michigan community — to quote from their website, to help refugee women “sink their roots down and flourish with their families for generations to come.”

Peninah Mucyo

With us is Tarah Carnahan, Treetops Collective Business Development Director & Co-Founder, and well as Peninah Mucyo, social enterprise program participant with Treetops Collective.

The local non-profit’s past and present and future — including why they use the name “Treetops Collective” — is both informative and important; Ms. Mucyo’s personal story is nothing short of inspiring.

WKTV Managing Editor Ken Norris hosts.

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


GR Symphony cancels additional concerts in April and May

Entertainment, ,
Previous Grand Rapids Symphony concerts are available on Blue Lake Public Radio. (Supplied)

By Jeffrey Kaczmarczyk
Grand Rapids Symphony

In response to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s directive that Michiganders remain at home for at least three weeks to slow the spread of coronavirus, the Grand Rapids Symphony is canceling all concerts previously scheduled for mid-April and early May. Canceled concerts include:



The final concert of the 2019-20 season, Mahler’s Resurrection, remains scheduled for performances on Friday and Saturday, May, 15-16, in DeVos Performance Hall.

“The Grand Rapids Symphony has been monitoring the global outbreak of COVID-19 and planning for a variety of contingencies as the virus has spread,” said Mary Tuuk, President and CEO of the Grand Rapids Symphony. “Our highest priority is to ensure the health, safety, and wellbeing of every member of the Grand Rapids Symphony family and Western Michigan community.”

Two weeks ago on March 12, the Grand Rapids Symphony canceled all scheduled performances from that date through Saturday, April 11.

Gov. Whitmore’s order, which took effect on Tuesday, March 24, closed all non-critical businesses and directed Michiganders to remain at home unless employed in critical jobs, engaged in necessary tasks such as shopping, or caring for family members or pets. All public and private gatherings of any number outside a household were banned.

Free Picnic Pops tickets available to healthcare workers

In recognition of the extraordinary sacrifices healthcare providers are making to keep us safe and healthy, the Grand Rapids Symphony is offering two free tickets per healthcare worker to a 2020 D&W Fresh Market Picnic Pops concert.

Two free lawn tickets will be given for one of three shows in the D&W Fresh Market Picnic Pops season: Jeremy Kittel & Co on July 22, The Doo Wop Project on July 29; and Ladysmith Black Mambazo on July 30 at Cannonsburg Ski Area. Tickets are subject to availability and will not be available for the special event concert featuring Hanson on July 24.

Grand Rapids Symphony Offices:

The Grand Rapids Symphony closed its office on Mon. March 16, and the office will remain closed indefinitely with the staff working remotely. However, we have the ability to answer ticket inquiries and requests by phone on a limited basis and will get back to you as quickly as possible regarding your needs.

Ticket Policy for Cancelled Concerts:

We encourage you to exchange your cancelled concert tickets for upcoming concerts through May 2021.  We are happy to exchange your tickets based on comparable value and availability and encourage you to mail your exchange requests as follows:

  • Ticket Exchange
  • Grand Rapids Symphony
  • 300 Ottawa Ave NW, Suite 100
  • Grand Rapids, MI 49503

All requests will be handled in the order received. If you would prefer to exchange your cancelled concert tickets via phone, please call 616-454-9451.  You may also donate your tickets or request a refund. To purchase tickets for concerts after May 10, please purchase online at www.GRSymphony.org.

WKTV Community Faces: How are you spending your time, Becci Schumaker?

3-bottom, Local Faces, Volunteers, WKTV Projects
WKTV’s remote video truck includes many volunteers, with Becci Schumaker often one of the volunteer camera persons. (WKTV)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

WKTV Community Media is all about the communities of Wyoming and Kentwood, as well as our community volunteers who live all over West Michigan — community people who bring life to our building and to our work. So in these days of social distancing we at WKTV wanted to keep us a little more connected.

So, we asked people to “Tell us how are spending your time?” How has your life and work changed due to the COVID-19 restrictions? What has stayed the same in your life. What advice would you give to the other WKTV community members, and the public at  large?

Becci Schumaker, cameraperson extraordinaire

 

“I, we, are doing well, I am stuck at home regardless of the stay-at home-rule. Just one week out from my foot surgery. Already going bonkers,” Becci said to WKTV in an email. “But I  am making phone calls to people, encouraging them when needed. Also on Facebook, so I’m in contact through Facebook. Will be doing a short video for my second grade Sunday school class and posting it to our church Facebook page.”

  

And her words of encouragement:

“Stay safe everyone. Miss y’all.”

Thank you Becci, for all you do.

Interested in learning more about WKTV Community Media, maybe getting involved with volunteer community? Visit https://wktv.org.

Other WKTV Community Faces:

Paul Kabelman, high school sports announcer


Hear GR Symphony concert, virtually live, on Blue Lake Radio on Sundays

Entertainment
The Grand Rapids Symphony’s horn section. (Supplied)

By Jeffrey Kaczmarczyk
Grand Rapids Symphony

Though concert halls, movie theaters, restaurants and pubs are closed, in this time of social distancing, we still need to feel connected to the wider community. We need music now more than ever.

Tune in to Blue Lake Public Radio on Sunday afternoons and hear your Grand Rapids Symphony in a concert performed earlier this season. Though Sunday’s performance isn’t live, the recording was made live and airs unedited, so it’s almost the same as being there in DeVos Performance Hall. 

At 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 29, Blue Lake Public Radio airs the Grand Rapids Symphony’s concert Prokofiev Triumphant, part of the 2019-20 Richard and Helen DeVos Classical series, originally performed Friday and Saturday, Nov. 15-16.

 

Tune in at 1 p.m. to Blue Lake Radio at WBLU-FM 88.9 in Grand Rapids or WBLV-FM 90.3 in Muskegon or go online to Blue Lake Radio here.

Guest violinist Tai Murray joined the orchestra as soloist for Eduardo Lalo’s Symphonie espagnole. Guest conductor JoAnn Falletta, one of the world’s most prominent female conductors, also led the orchestra in two short pieces by another woman, French composer Lili Boulanger, who composed D’un soir triste and D’un matin de printemps not long before her untimely death at age 24.

Violinist Tai Murray (Supplied)

Most notably, Falletta leads the Grand Rapids Symphony in Sergei Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5. Composed during World War II, Prokofiev’s Fifth Symphony triumphantly celebrates the Russian people’s spirit and perseverance through the darkest hours of the Second World War.

Grand Rapids Symphony’s concerts in the Richard and Helen DeVos Classical series and Holland Home Great Eras series air at 1 p.m. each Sunday on Blue Lake Radio.

Here’s the rest of the season’s lineup

Sun., April 5 – Shostakovich & Mozart – performed Jan. 10-11 in DeVos Hall

Pianist Jeffrey Kahane is soloist Mozart’s magical Piano Concerto No. 22 with guest conductor Peter Oundjian leading the Grand Rapids Symphony in a Dmitri Shostakovich showpiece, the rebellious Symphony No. 11 “The Year 1905,” and Richard Strauss’ Serenade for Winds.

Sun. April 12 – The Glory of the Baroque – performed Jan. 31 in St. Cecilia Music Center

Julian Wachner, artistic director of the Grand Rapids Bach Festival, leads the Grand Rapids Symphony in two well-known works from the Baroque, J.S. Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 and G.F. Handel’s Music for the Royal Fireworks, plus music by French Baroque composers Marin Marais and Jean-Philippe Rameau.

Sun. April 19 – Schubert’s Great – performed Feb. 14-15 in DeVos Hall

Pianist Inon Barnatan joins the Grand Rapids Symphony to perform Suspend for Piano and Orchestra by contemporary composer Andrew Norman, who was born in Grand Rapids. Music Director Marcelo Lehninger also leads the orchestra in Brahms’ Tragic Overture and Schubert’s Symphony No. 9 “The Great.”

Sun. April 26 – Beethoven’s Pastoral – performed March 6-7 in DeVos Hall

Soprano Larisa Martinez joined the orchestra to sing selections from Heitor Villa-Lobos’ The Amazon Forest, and Brazilian-born Music Director Marcelo Lehninger also leads the Grand Rapids Symphony in Debussy’s Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun and Beethoven’s “Pastoral” Symphony No. 6.

Live discussion today on developing a sense of belonging

3-bottom
Alan Headbloom

The Host of Feels Like You Belong Alan Headbloom and interculturalist Christian Höferle will present the topic “The Culture Talk: Finding Belonging of Separation” at 2 p.m. today, live on The Culture Mastery Facebook Page.

In these challenging times of working from home or in physical distance from coworkers and customers, it an be even harder to develop a sense of belonging.

Today, Höferle and Headbloom will talk about what it means to belong during lockdowns, shutdowns, and isolation, as well as the stresses of being far form one’s cultural “home.”

WKTV concerts — Sounds of Summer to return; WKTV has Brena Band on-demand

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Going Local, Kids Activities, Local Entertainment, Recreation, Upcoming Events, Volunteers, WKTV Projects, , ,
The crowd and band at Sounds of Summer 2019. (Supplied)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

If you’re feeling a little cooped-up — and who isn’t? — and longing for a community concert featuring local talent, we have good news and good news.

First, WKTV has been told that the people behind Cutlerville’s Sounds of Summer July concert series are already looking past the current COVID-19 restrictions and planning for 2020 summer series.

The Brena Band. (Supplied)

And if you can’t wait that long for a community concert, WKTV has a bunch of recent concerts in Wyoming and Kentwood covered by WKTV Community Media and available on-demand at WKTVlive.org. For example, check out the great August 2019 City of Kentwood Summer Concert Series concert by Brena. Don’t know the band? Check here for a 2019 WKTV story.

Patty Williams and crew. (Supplied)

“It’s a go,” Patty Williams, of P. Williams Productions, said to WKTV on March 26. Sounds of Summer series “music will fill the park … A variety of bands from country, rock, jazz, and Bluegrass, will be setting the stage to entertain the community.”

Williams, who is a longtime WKTV Community Media volunteer, said the concert series, at Cutlerville’s Cutler Park, has gotten the go-ahead to schedule concerts every Thursday night in July, starting July 2, with concerts starting at 7 p.m.

This popular concert series by P. Williams Productions, and LW Studios, has been entertaining the local community for more than five years at Cutler Park, located at 6701 Cutler Park Drive, just off 68th St., near Division Avenue.

To keep up on news of Sounds of Summer, visit their Facebook page @soundsofsummerculterville, or call P. Williams Productions at 616-818-9874.


The diverticulitis divide

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Food, Health, Senior Living, ,
Episodes of diverticulitis can entail pain in the lower left abdomen, fever, chills and changes in stool. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Len Canter, HealthDay


Although colonoscopy screens for cancer, it can also uncover a common condition called diverticulosis.


This is when one or more pockets develop in the colon wall, often in the large bowel. These pockets occur over time, possibly from not getting enough fiber in your diet or eating too much red meat.


They’re so common that about 50% of people have them by age 50, according to the American Gastroenterological Association.


Problems can occur if a pocket gets infected, swollen and inflamed, which happens to about 5% of people with diverticulosis.


This condition is called diverticulitis.


“Attacks” of it can come with pain in the lower left abdomen, fever, chills and changes in stool. You may also experience nausea and vomiting.


Treatment for diverticulitis often centers on a short-term low-fiber diet to quiet the digestive tract and possibly antibiotics to get rid of the infection.


Some people get repeated attacks.


There’s also the possibility of developing a serious abscess in a pocket and needing surgery to remove the affected section of intestine if the damage is severe.


But you can take steps to lower the risk for repeated attacks and complications.


After—and only after—the infection clears, slowly reintroduce fiber to your diet by eating more whole grains, legumes (including beans and lentils), vegetables, berries, fruits with edible skins, nuts and even popcorn.


The goal is 25 grams of fiber a day for women, 38 for men. Replace at least some red meat with poultry and fish. Vigorous cardiovascular exercise also offers some protection.


Also, ask your doctor about any medications that might raise your risk of a flare. These could include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, like aspirin or ibuprofen. Acetaminophen may be safer for you.


These same steps may help prevent diverticulosis or stop it from progressing to diverticulitis.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.


To keep employees safe, county recycling center to temporarily close March 27

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Health, Our Cities, Recycling,
Recycling at Kent County’s recycling center will temporally close. (Supplied)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

The Kent County Recycling Center in Grand Rapids will close to all inbound loads of recyclables at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 27, to limit exposures to COVID-19 to Kent County staff and workers, the Kent County Department of Public Works announced March 26.

“The recycling center employs 40 people who handle the recyclables throughout the sorting process,” the announcement stated. “Due to the proximity of workstations on the processing line, maintaining six feet of separation between workers isn’t possible to maintain operations and minimize worker exposure to the COVID-19 virus. As other manufacturing processors shut down their facilities, Kent County’s ability to transport recyclables to processors and end-users has constricted.”

Beginning 5 p.m. on Friday, March 27, the recycling center will temporarily close to all inbound loads and to all recycling activities. The residential recycling drop-off station at North Kent Recycling & Waste Center will also temporarily close, also beginning at 5 p.m. on March 27. All recyclables normally delivered to these facilities must either be held until the recycling center reopens or placed in a bag for disposal in the trash.

“Kent County’s South Kent Landfill, Waste-to-Energy Facility and North Kent Transfer Station remain open to provide critical solid waste disposal services that sustain and protect public health in our community, as determined by the Department of Homeland Security and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency,” according to the county announcement. “Residents are reminded to bag all trash before placing it at the curb for pickup by a waste hauler to reduce the risk of exposure to waste workers from items like used tissues and other personal hygiene products.”

The Kent County Department of Public Works provides municipal solid waste disposal services to ensure the effective removal, storage and disposal of residential and commercial solid waste. Additionally, Public Works operates the Kent County Waste-to-Energy Facility, an electrical generation facility. More information about service changes at Kent County Department of Public Works facilities is available at reimaginetrash.org.


Snapshots: Things to do at home

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

The best music, you can seek some shelter in it momentarily, but it’s essentially there to provide you something to face the world with.

Singer/Songwriter Bruce Springsteen


By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

The Lake Sturgeon are now virtual stars at the Grand Rapids Public Museum. (GRPM live stream)

Going Virtual

Adventure is only a click away now that the big four, the Grand Rapids Public Museum, the Grand Rapids Art Museum, the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, and the John Ball Zoo are offering live streaming and virtual tours of exhibits, story time, and more. Click on any of the institutions to get to each’s Facebook page. For more information and videos, click here.

SpartanNash to install sneeze guards at all points of sale including cash registers and pharmacy areas. (Supplied)

With the governor’s stay-at home order, several places, including Woodland Mall and Rivertown Crossings, have closed. However, many area restaurants and grocery stories have remained opened. Restaurants are offering takeout and delivery options. Also SpartanNash recently announced it would be installing sneeze guards at all points of sale including cash registers and pharmacies.

Grand Rapids Public Museum donated masks and other personal protective equipment to Spectrum Health this week. (Supplied)

Sharing the Supplies

The Grand Rapids Public Museum was one of the first to donate its extra personal protective equipment and throughout the week there have been numerous reports of people sewing face masks and donating PPE supplies. Both Metro Health and Spectrum Health have set up donation areas. For a list of those areas and items being collected, click here.

The Mastodon skeleton at the Grand Rapids Public Museum. (GRPM)

State Fossil: Mastodon Skeletons

Bet you didn’t know that Michigan has a state fossil. One of the most complete mastodon skeletons is showcased at the Grand Rapids Public Museum. Below, Grand Rapids Public Museum Science Curator Dr. Cory Redman discusses the preservation of the Moorland Mastodon found in Ravanna, Mich. For more mastodon-related items, visit the grpmcollections.org.

It’s time to energize

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Food, Health, Senior Living, ,
If it’s long-lasting fuel you’re after, steel-cut oats with berries is the ideal way to start your day. (Public Domain)

By Gregory Stacey, Spectrum Health Beat


In today’s sleep-deprived, over-caffeinated, under-exercised society, there is a relentless demand for more energy.


The energy drink sales in the U.S. are evidence of that.


And yet, we’re still tired.


So where do we go from here? Good nutritional intake. That’s right—a healthy diet can help keep you energized all day.


By eating just one or two high-energy foods every two to four hours, you can sustain your energy levels for a much longer period.

Here are the Top 10 foods to fuel long-lasting energy:

1. Old fashioned or steel-cut oats

Oats are a good source of complex carbohydrates, soluble fiber and protein. Eating oatmeal may also improve your cholesterol. Avoid flavored oatmeal packets because they have added sugar or sugar substitutes. Instead, flavor your oatmeal yourself with fruit, berries, cinnamon and nuts.

2. Brown rice

Rice is inexpensive, and it’s versatile in its culinary uses. Whole grains such as brown rice will provide complex carbohydrates for energy while also providing healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein.

3. Potatoes

Potatoes provide complex carbohydrates and are good sources of fiber (keep the skin on) and potassium. Sweet potatoes and yellow-, red- or purple-skinned potatoes are the best choices.


Given that 98 percent of Americans eat a potassium-deficient diet, the importance of potatoes can’t be overstated—they have double the potassium of bananas. So eat those potatoes.

4. Beans

Beans are good sources of complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and minerals. They are one of nature’s perfect foods.

5. Plain Greek yogurt

Greek yogurt provides a lot of protein and simple carbohydrates in the form of lactose. Choose a plain, low-fat or fat-free Greek yogurt to avoid sugar substitutes, and add healthy carbohydrates and fats yourself—fruits, berries and nuts.

6. Fresh fruit

Fresh fruits have simple carbohydrates for quick energy, as well as fiber and antioxidants that decrease the glycemic index. Choose fruits as snacks throughout the day, and be sure to eat at least two servings daily.

7. Berries

Berries get their own category because of their unique blend of low caloric, high fiber and high antioxidant content. Try to eat berries every day.

8. Nuts

Nuts provide healthy, unrefined fats, and they’re a good source of protein and fiber. They make easy snacks and have a long shelf life. Nuts are high in calories, so a handful once a day is enough.

9. Leafy greens

A low energy level can sometimes correspond to a lack of important nutrients such as omega-3, iron, B vitamins, zinc and magnesium. Leafy greens are good sources of these nutrients, as well as a source of antioxidants. Have a salad every day, or alternatively, put these greens in your smoothie.

10. Water

Dehydration contributes to poor energy levels. Try to drink at least 64 ounces of water daily. That’s about 2 liters. If you’re a large man or you exercise regularly, you may need to drink 3 to 4 liters of water each day.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.



WKTV Community Faces: How are you spending your time, Paul Kabelman?

3-bottom, Community Health, Local Faces, Sports, WKTV Projects,

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

WKTV Community Media is all about the communities of Wyoming and Kentwood, as well as our community volunteers who live all over West Michigan — community people who bring life to our building and to our work. So in these days of social distancing we at WKTV wanted to keep us a little more connected.

So, we asked people to “Tell us how are spending your time?” How has your life and work changed due to the COVID-19 restrictions? What has stayed the same in your life. What advice would you give to the other WKTV community members, and the public at  large?

Paul Kabelman, long-time high school sports announcer

 

“Being retired, not much has changed other than lack of flexibility of going somewhere and not having church on Sunday,” Paul said in an email. “Obviously one change is being more cautious about what you touch and constantly washing your hands, as well as avoiding getting close to someone.”

And his words of wisdom:

“My advise would be to continue to lift our country and its populace in prayer, especially those affected by the virus and those service personnel that are trying to help see us through this time.”

Thank you Paul, for all you do.

Interested in learning more about WKTV Community Media, maybe getting involved with volunteer community? Visit https://wktv.org.


Exploration is only a click away, thanks to virtual offerings by local institutions

3-bottom,
The WKTV Journal and the Grand Rapids Public Museum team up to take residents behind the scenes into the GRPM’s Collection. (WKTV)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

They were just swimming along, enjoying the comforts of their home when suddenly a large black hose was dunked in and began sucking water out and vacuuming the rocks. 

But the two 10-month-old Lake Sturgeon need not panic, it was only a Grand Rapids Public Museum staff person cleaning their tank. 

The Lake Sturgeon are the stars of a new reality show featured on the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s website, grpm.org/live-stream. Due to the governor’s stay-at home order, visitors can not see the Lake Sturgeon in-person, so the museum officials decided to feature the fish in a live stream.

“The Museum is committed to continuing to deliver content digitally to the community during our closure,” said Kate Kocineski, the Museum’s Vice-President of Marketing and Public Relations. “We want to continue to entertain, educate and spark curiosity within our virtual visitors while many are safely in their homes during this time.”

The Public Museum is not the only venue to take to social media with virtual tours, the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, the Grand Rapids Art Museum, and the John Ball Zoo all have had videos featuring staff discussing specific items or exhibits at each of its facilities.

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park Classroom Activities and Education Technology Coordinator Carlie Fournier talks about the transformation from a chrysalis to butterfly. (Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park Facebook page)

Frederick Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park

The Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is offering daily virtual visits at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Meijer Gardens Public Relations Manager John VanderHaagen said with the governor’s executive stay-at home order, it has limited staff availability, but the virtual tours will continue.

“We will still be bringing content to our followers, but we’re going to have to change our tactics,” VanderHaagen said. In fact, today, Senior Horticulture Manager Wendy Overbeck was going to describe the different types of butterflies in the “Fred and Dorothy Fichter Butterflies Are Blooming” exhibition on the Meijer Gardens’ Facebook page. Also on the Meijer Gardens’ Facebook page, there is a live feed of the chrysalis area where visitors can watch the butterflies emerge as well as past videos that include staff reading children’s books and discussing other interesting facts about butterflies.

From the John Ball Zoo Facebook Page.

John Ball Zoo

The John Ball Zoo staff also has taken to Facebook to feature visits with the animals and an insightful interview with the Zoo’s veterinarian Dr. Ryan Colburn answering questions about how the coronavirus is impacting the animals. 

GRAM Director and CEO Dana Friis-Hansen

Grand Rapids Art Museum

On the GRAM’s Facebook page, both GRAM Director and CEO Dana Friis-Hansen and Chief Curator Ron Platt have videos discussing current exhibits at the Art Museum.

GRAM Communications Manager Elizabeth Payne said the museum offerings do extend beyond Facebook to a number of digital resources at its website artmuseumgr.org.

“We’re offering everything from artist interviews to digital publications and resources for kids,” Payne said. “We’ll also be adding to this in the days to come as we produce more content.”

Like the GRAM, many institutions have been providing digital or online resources long before the coronavirus came along. The Public Museum’s Collection of more than 250,000 artifacts and specimens can be explored at grpmcollections.org and residents can create their own login for the website and begin to curate their own collections and digital exhibits.

“Our goal is to encourage the community to keep their minds active by exploring the GRPM’s vast Collections database,” said GRAM Chief Curator Alex Forist. “There’s something new to discover with each click whether you’re interested in furniture made in Grand Rapid, fashion from the turn of the century or rocks and mineral from right here in Michigan.”

Also the Public Museum does provided Virtual Discovery Kits to help keep students engaged. Currently there is an Egypt: Be Curious Virtual Discovery Kit, where students may explore the GRPM’s digital Collections for Egyptian afterlife. Visit grpm.org/HomeMuseum for more information.

A National Movement

Again, virtual content is nothing new. Just like the GRAM and the Public Museum, larger institutions have been providing virtual content for years. There probably is more now as many U.S. states and other countries are dealing with stay-at home orders. A Google search offers a variety of options including an extensive list of national virtual tours at npr.org.

The Lake Sturgeon at the Grand Rapids Public Museum. (Picture from GRPM’s live stream.)

Keep Checking Back

There is always new content and the various institutions are working on other virtual opportunities as well. And the online offerings are not just about providing activities to keep children, families and anyone busy, but it is also about making connections.

“It is important to us to continue to connecting with the community and fostering a sense of curiosity and joyful learning during this time,” said GRPM Director of Education Erin Karen. 

Also, virtual tours and live streaming are available anytime day or night…well except for the Lake Sturgeon. The lights go out at night, because, after all, stars do need their beauty sleep.

Allergies linked to heartburn meds

3-bottom, Community Health, Food, Health, Senior Living, ,
Taking as few as six doses of heartburn medication each year may lead to an increased need for allergy medicine. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Serena Gordon, HealthDay


There are numerous drugs to treat digestive woes caused by heartburn or stomach ulcers. But solving one health problem may be causing another.


New research from Austria found that people who use drugs that suppress stomach acid were almost twice as likely to need drugs to control allergy symptoms.


And people over 60 who used these drugs were more than five times as likely to also need an allergy medication, the study reported.


“Many people have gastric (stomach) complaints and many people take anti-acid medicine. The longer the treatment with these medicines, the higher the risk of allergies,” said study senior author Dr. Erika Jensen-Jarolim, a clinical immunologist at the Medical University of Vienna.


How might these two conditions be connected?


Jensen-Jarolim said that, normally, the acidic environment in the stomach helps break down food-derived proteins that can cause allergies.


But if you take acid-suppressing drugs, the food you eat isn’t broken down into small enough pieces.


Intact allergens are sent to the intestine, where they can cause an allergic reaction and inflammation.


The implications from this study could be far-reaching.


According to the American College of Gastroenterology, more than 60 million Americans have had heartburn at least once in the past month.


Heartburn—gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD—occurs when stomach acid backs up into the esophagus (the tube connecting your throat and stomach), the American College of Gastroenterology said.


Symptoms include a feeling of burning behind the breastbone that can move up to the neck. Some people notice the bitter taste of bile in the back of the throat.


To treat this discomfort and pain, people often take acid-reducing medications. These include popular drugs called proton pump inhibitors, or PPIs.


Medications in this class include prescription and over-the-counter drugs like Prilosec (omeprazole), Prevacid (lansoprazole) and Nexium (esomeprazole).


Another class of medications is called H2 blockers. This class includes Tagamet HB (cimetidine), Pepcid (famotidine) and Zantac (ranitidine). There is also a medication called Carafate (sucralfate) that’s an aluminum compound.


All of these medications were linked to an increased use of allergy medications.


But there was a higher prevalence of allergy medication use after a sucralfate prescription, according to the study.


The study included prescription information from 97% of people in Austria. The data covered four years, from 2009 to 2013.


The researchers noted that as few as six doses of anti-acid medication each year were linked to an increased need for allergy medication. The risk of needing allergy medication rose with more frequent use of acid-reducing drugs.


Women and older people taking acid-reducing drugs were more likely to need allergy drugs.


Jensen-Jarolim said she hopes doctors will heed the study findings and prescribe acid-suppressing medications with care. She also hopes that consumers buying over-the-counter anti-acids will remember that these are medications and any medication can have side effects.


For those concerned about allergies, but who may still need acid-reducing drugs, she recommended taking these medications for the shortest time possible.


Dr. Elie Abemayor, chair of the division of gastroenterology at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco, N.Y., reviewed the findings, and said it’s always important to weigh the benefits of a drug against the risk.


And while the findings were “concerning,” Abemayor said it’s important to recognize that this study is observational and cannot prove a cause-and-effect relationship.


“I would still take these drugs if I needed them. I don’t think this study will change the way they’re prescribed,” he said.


But he added that if you don’t really need the drugs for a long time, it’s a good idea only to take them as needed.


The findings were published recently in the journal Nature Communications.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.


New director named for GVSU Galleries and Collections

Entertainment, ,
Nathan Kemler

By Peg West
Grand Valley State University

Nathan Kemler is the new director for Grand Valley State University’s Galleries and Collections for the Art Gallery, where he will lead an operation that places a premium on surrounding the GVSU community with art. 

Kemler will oversee a continuous display of art throughout 130 buildings and grounds at the university. A commitment to widely displaying art and making it accessible to all is a core value of the university and an important reason why Kemler wanted to lead the Art Gallery.

“Art is everywhere on campus. It is a borderless museum,” Kemler said. “I also believe art tells the story of the whole human experience, therefore I believe art matters because we matter. It’s a catalyst for social change. What Grand Valley has is a unique model that is not seen very often. You cannot move through Grand Valley without encountering artwork.”

Kemler replaces founding director Henry Matthews, who is now serving as distinguished university associate, Galleries and Collections. Kemler had been serving as interim director until the recent permanent appointment.

He will lead a team managing more than 19,000 pieces of art, including the largest public collection of Mathias J. Alten paintings in the world. Other high-profile collections include the recently acquired life’s work of photographer Douglas R. Gilbert, which includes rare Bob Dylan photos, and a highly regarded contemporary art collection procured in collaboration with artists in the Chicago area.

While at Grand Valley, Kemler has served as collections manager, curator of collections management, assistant director and then interim director before this appointment. He said over a 20-year career in the museum field, he has worked in every aspect, from collection care and curation to working with community partners and donors.

That wide-ranging experience will be an asset for the Art Gallery’s future, said Ed Aboufadel, associate vice president for academic affairs.

“Nathan brings extensive experience in the museum field, including the collection and exhibition of artwork,” Aboufadel said. “He is well-known across the state for his leadership of the Michigan Museums Association. Nathan’s collaborative leadership style will be critically important to the Art Gallery as we move forward in the 2020s.”

Kemler’s goals for the Art Gallery going forward include leading innovation efforts in digital initiatives, seeking even more community collaborations and curating collections that reflect the university’s learning values, such as stories of empathy and social justice.

Metro Health announces two employee programs

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, ,
Metro Health – University of Michigan Health partners with YMCA to provide daycare for staff. (Supplied)

By Jamie Allen
Metro Health – University of Michigan Health

Metro Health – University of Michigan Health last week announced progressive programs that will help ease the burden of child care and financial restraints for valued staff during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Metro Health Hospital and Metro Health Hospital Foundation have partnered with the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids to provide free and reliable backup child care services for the children of all employees, employed medical providers and contracted staff. Metro Health will be providing these backup child care services on its campus at the SpartanNash YMCA location, and the care will be provided by qualified child care workers.

“We are proud to partner with Metro Health and do our small part to help the medicalcommunity during this challenging and unprecedented time,” said Scott Lewis, President and CEO, YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids. “We believe collaborative efforts like these make us all stronger as we lean in together in support of our community.”

The YMCA has agreed to allow Metro Health to lease space in the building and equipment for this limited purpose of providing emergency backup child care. Extreme measures have been taken to prepare and sanitize the classrooms and staff started utilizing the service on March 16.

Additionally, the Metro Health Hospital Foundation has announced a $1 million needs-based assistance fund for employees who encounter COVID-19-related hardships. Examples of a need include bill payment assistance, support for vehicle repairs to ensure transportation to work or offsetting the costs of care for family members who fall ill or need assistance.

“I want to thank and commend the Metro Health Hospital Foundation for helping to establish this program in such a short time,” said Peter Hahn, President and CEO, Metro Health –University of Michigan Health. “We understand COVID-19 has disrupted many lives and this is why we believe it is essential to support our colleagues through resources such as this needs-based fund and free child care.”

Metro Health employees are also being encouraged to donate back unused paid time off hours to support colleagues who may exhaust their hours due to illness or to care for family. Metro Health will continue efforts in the coming weeks in order to keep the Metro Health team healthy, financially stable and ready to serve the community.

Visit www.metrohealth.net for the most up to date information from the CDC and resources to protect yourself and prevent the spread of COVID-19.

KDL Staff Picks: A Mixed Bag

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

Editor’s Note: Make sure to check out KDL’s online resources that include eBooks, movies and more.

Adult

The Need
By Helen Philips

“This story is sort of a blend of horror, thriller, and musing on the mundane joy of caring for small children. As a parent of a toddler and a baby, I read it at the perfect time because her language and descriptions of parenting ring so true. But even if you aren’t a parent, the tension around the plot is also very compelling and makes it a fascinating, creepy ride.”

– Anna at East Grand Rapids

Wanna Get Lucky?
By Deborah Coonts

“If you’re a fan of Janet Evanovich you may enjoy this series by Deborah Coonts. Lucky O’Toole is head of Customer Relations in a casino and gets in plenty of situations.”

– Loretta at Wyoming





Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?
Big Questions from Tiny Mortals About Death
By Caitlin Doughty

“One of my favorite nonfiction author. Answering questions asked by kids. (adult may not ask but equally wondering about them I’m sure …)”

– Yuko at the KDL Service Center

Children’s

Polly Diamond and the Magic Book
By Alice Kuipers

“Polly loves writing and learning new words, and when she discovers a magic notebook where anything she writes inside instantly comes true, she’s thrilled to use all her favorite words to make some magical things happen. However, Polly’s about to learn that with great magical power comes great responsibility! Charming illustrations and large text make this an awesome new beginning chapter book series.”

– Jenny at East Grand Rapids

Kent County commissioners’ work continues, remote meeting attendance available

3-bottom, Community Health, Health, Our Cities, Recreation, Upcoming Events,
The Kent County Board of Commissioners (from a previous meeting). (Supplied/Kent County)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

It may not exactly be business as usual for the Kent County Board of Commissioners during the COVID-19 emergency, but the work of conducting the public’s business, in public, continues — and the community is invited to attend and offer comment while maintaining their social distance.

“Pursuant to Governor (Gretchen) Whitmer’s Executive Order 2020-15, the Kent County Board of Commissioners in order to protect the public health will conduct its (March 26) meeting via electronic communications,” according to a statement from the county administration. “Any member of the public wishing to listen to the proceedings or provide public comment” can do so.

While the March agenda is fairly short, it does — rather appropriately, given the current social restrictions — offer action on Kent County outdoor recreation issues and future projects, including Dwight Lydell Park and Thornapple River Trail Landing. For a complete agenda, visit here.

Commissioner Chair Mandy Bolter (District 5). (Supplied/Kent County)

“It is critically important, especially during this public health crisis, that government maintains its ability to conduct essential business in an open, accessible, and transparent manner while protecting the health and safety of all residents,” Kent County Board of Commissioners Chair Mandy Bolter said to WKTV. “With the use of technology, residents will be able to participate remotely in our meeting to nearly the same extent as if they were present.”

The means to provide the public comment include an internet connection and phone access with pass code, as follows:

https://kentcountymi.zoom.us/j/977751835 … Meeting ID: 977 751 835

 

Phone Options:  1(646) 876-9923 Pass Code:  977751835#
 

or 1(312) 626-6799 Pass Code:  977751835#

For more information about the Kent County Board of Commissioners, visit accesskent.com.

Muskegon Museum of Art offers remote art projects for crayons, cameras

Area Education, Community Health, Education, Entertainment, How-To's, Kids Activities, Local Entertainment, Recreation,
One of the Selfie Challenge artworks was “Fastball” (bronze, 1987) by Albert W. Wein (American, 1915-1991). (Supplied by MMA)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

The Muskegon Museum of Art may be closed to visitors due to the COVID-19 restrictions, but it doesn’t mean lovers of art can’t have some fun with art projects sponsored by the museum.

For adults — or tech-savvy children — with a love of cell-phone selfies, the museum is offering the MMA Selfie Challenge. For children — or children-at-heart — with crayons (or whatever is used these days) in hand, the museum is offering “Color our Collection” coloring book pages.

“Calling all selfie snappers! The MMA is hosting a “Selfies of the Best Kind” challenge,” the museum states in supplied material. “Every other day in March, we are posting a work of art from our collection on Facebook that we encourage you to replicate at home with a selfie.”

Check out the museum’s Facebook page for the artwork of the day, snap your selfie, post it to your wall, and tag the Muskegon Museum of Art. (Use #picturesofthebestkind or #muskegonartmuseum for tags.)

The remaining Selfie Challenge Dates are March 25, 27, 29 and 31.

Also, the museum is offering Color our Collection coloring book pages available for download and printing. In all there are seven images from the Muskegon Museum of Art’s permanent collection available, with information about the artist on the second page of the pdf files.

Among the paintings available for coloring are John Steuart Curry “Tornado Over Kansas”, Edward Hopper’s “New York Restaurant”, Dale Nichols’s “Footsteps in the Snow”, Roger Brown’s “Painter of a Birds Eye View”, Jacob Lawrence’s “The Builders: The Family”, Hughie Lee-Smith,’s “Apres-Midi” and Severin Roesen’s “Tabletop Still Life”

For more information and its many activities during and after the COVID-19 restrictions, visit muskegonartmuseum.org.

Wyoming closes offices, only essential staff reports

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming,

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

With the governor’s stay-at-home order, the City of Wyoming buildings and offices have closed as of March 23. Only essential staff are reporting to their work sites, according to the city’s website, wyomingmi.gov.

Essential services include police, fire, emergency medical, water, sewer, and public works. The city has implemented aggressive cleaning regimes and eliminated overlapping schedules as protective measures for first responders. 

Emergencies Services

Call 911

Police Non-Emergency Services 

Call 616-530-7300

Police Non-Emergency Services

Call 616-530-7314.

Email dpsrecords@wyomingmi.gov

These include: FOIA Requests, Accident Reports, Firearm Permit Applications, and SOR Registration

Much of the city’s remaining staff will continue to work from home if they are able. The city provides a number of online resources and services. Staff will continue to monitor responses to contact forms, emails, and phone calls.

Those unable to find the information they are looking for may use the city’s contact form or call 616-530-7226.

Limited Public Meetings

The City of Wyoming will be limiting public meetings to only take what actions are necessary. Most of the city’s scheduled public meetings have been canceled. Check the city’s website for a specific meeting.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued an executive order allowing public meetings to take place digitally.  We encourage everyone to submit written public comments instead of attending meetings to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Bot the City Council and Planning Commission meetings are streamed live on Facebook and WKTV local channels. Members of the public are encouraged to view City Council meetings from home. For the City Council meetings, residents may submit public comments in writing through the City Clerk’s Office webform. For the Planning Commission meetings, residents may submit public comment in writing to planning_info@wyomingmi.gov.

For both meetings, members of the public who are in attendance should follow social distancing and sit away from others. The City Council and the Planning Commission will limit public comments to one and a half (1.5) minutes per person.



62-A District Court and Kent County

Last week, the 62-A District Court announced there would be no in-person, public access to the facility. Residents are encouraged to pay tickets and check records online. Filings may be mailed to the 62-A District Court, 2650 DeHoop Ave. SW, Wyoming MI 49509. 

Many of the Kent County buildings have closed to the public including the County Clerk’s Office and the Treasurer’s Office. 

For up-to-date information about the City of Wyoming visit wyomingmi.gov. The city also has a page on its website dedicated to coronavirus information www.wyoming.gov/covid.

Photo of the Week: Saying Thanks

Citizen Journalism

This week’s photo comes from Maggie Boorsma who snapped this on Sunday, March 22. The women in the photo was on the corner of 54th Street and Byron Center in Wyoming. The woman’s sign says “Thanks for working.”

Do you have a photo you would like considered for Photo of the Week. Send it to WKTV Managing Editor Joanne Bailey-Boorsma at joanne@wktv.org.

Area health facilities accepting donations of personal protective supplies

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

The Grand Rapids Public Museum donated gloves, face shields, Tyvek suits and personal respiratory mask to Spectrum Health. (Supplied)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Hearing of the need its “neighbor” was having, the Grand Rapids Public Museum decided to lend a helping hand by donating its extra gloves, face shields, Tyvek suits and personal respiratory masks to Spectrum Health.

The personal protective equipment were supplies that the museum had for everyday work and emergencies. The Grand Rapids Public Museum closed more than a week ago when the governor announced restrictions on gatherings of people. 

“The Grand Rapids Public Museum saw a need within our community for personal protective equipment supplies for our healthcare workers on the front lines of this pandemic,” said Kate Kocienski, the Museum’s VP of Marketing. “We keep supplies on hand for everyday work with our Collections and for emergencies. Earlier this week our team gathered those supplies and donated them to Spectrum Health.

“We are proud to be able to help in the community where needed so we can continue to flatten the curve.”

In fact, the outpouring of community inquires and offers of support has both Metro Health – University of Metro Health and Spectrum Health accepting donations of personal protective equipment. Each facility has set up donation sites.

It should be noted that traveling to drop-off sites to donate medical supplies does not violate Michigan’s statewide stay-at-home order, which allows for an exception to the order for providing necessities to “individuals who need assistance as a result of this emergency.”

Metro Health – University of Michigan Health

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. 

Disposal gloves are in demand at local hospitals. The Grand Rapids Public Museum donated these gloves to Spectrum Health. (Supplied)

Items being accepted include:

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

N95 Masks

Isolation masks – children and adult

Face shields

Safety glasses

Goggles

Isolation gowns

Gloves – all sizes

Bouffant caps

Non-Personal Protective Equipment

Bleach wipes

Cards for caregivers

Spectrum Health

Starting today at noon, Spectrum Health will be accepting PPE supplies at 14 different locations such as:

Spectrum Health South Pavilion, 80 68th St. SE, Culterville

Spectrum Health Medical Group Family Medicine, 3152 Port Sheldon St., Suite C, Hudsonville

Spectrum Health Integrated Care Campus – East Beltline, 2750 E. Beltilne Ave. NE, Grand Rapids

Spectrum Health Medical Group Lake Drive, 4100 Lake Dr. SE, Grand Rapids

Spectrum Health Integrated Care Campus – Holland, 588 E. Lakewood Blvd., Holland

Spectrum Health Integrated Care Campus – Rockford, 8501 Meadow Creek Dr., Rockford

There are also locations in Ludington, Muskegon, Ionia, Hastings, Greenville, Grand Haven, Fremont, and Big Rapids. For the complete list, click here. Most locations are open from 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Friday except for Spectrum Health Medical Group Lake Drive, which is open from 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. Monday – Friday.

According to hospital officials, Spectrum Health continues to maintain a supply of masks and other personal protection equipment for its patients and health care providers. Officials said they are working to stretch its supply and is turning to the community  because officials do anticipate the need will continue to grow.

The following items are accepted at the donation sites:

N95 Masks

Isolation masks (adult/child)

Masks with face shield/visor

Handmade or sewn reusable masks

Face shields

Googles/safety glasses

Bouffant caps

Extended extra protection gloves – all sizes

Isolation gowns

Bleach wipesSwabs (flexible min-tip

Pocket-sized sanitizer

Thermometers (digital, disposable, temporal)

To reduce the risk of exposure for all, Spectrum officials are asking donors to place donations in the bins provided at each location while maintaining a distance of at least six feet from others. 

Spectrum Health is not currently accepting donations of 3D printed items, other medical equipment, medications or blankets. 

If the donation is large and requires special arrangements or if you have a question, email Spectrum Health’s supply chain team at covid19supplies@spectrumhealth.org. Spectrum Health is also accepting monetary donations to its COVID-19 Response Fund. 

Kent ISD Adult Education programs, success story discussed on new WKTV Journal In Focus

3-bottom, Area Education, Education, WKTV Journal In Focus,

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

On this episode of WKTV Journal In Focus, we sit down with the director and a student of Kent ISD’s Adult Education Program, which helps adult students get their high school equivalency, gain skills in the English language, and connects them with various career and technical education programs.

Note: This WKTV video was recorded before the current COVID-19 social and business restrictions. Please visit here for more information on the present status of Kent ISD programs; visit here for specific information on the Adult Education Program.

The various ISD programs, according to its website, offer adult students, “Pathways to Success to help them build a brighter future.”

With us is Oogie LaMar, Kent ISD Director of Adult Education, as well as Kylan Tette, a student enrolled in the the Adult Education General Education Development, or GED, Program.

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


The power of a hearty nap

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, Senior Living, , ,
In a years-long study, those who napped once or twice a week cut their risk of heart attack, stroke and heart failure nearly in half. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay


Could grabbing a nap once or twice a week help you live longer?


A new study reports the occasional nap appears to cut in half people’s risk of heart attack, strokes and heart disease, compared with folks who never nap.


But more frequent napping provided no benefit, researchers found.


“In fact, we found that frequent nappers had initially a higher risk for incident cardiovascular disease,” said lead author Nadine Hausler, a postdoctoral researcher at University Hospital of Lausanne in Switzerland. “However, when we took sociodemographic, lifestyle and cardiovascular risk factors into account, this increased risk disappeared.”


The findings left experts scratching their heads.


“I don’t think it’s anything definitive, in terms of whether napping is actually helpful or not helpful,” said Marie-Pierre St-Onge, director of the sleep program at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City.


She noted that the health benefits of napping are a source of intense debate among researchers, with many arguing that naps are a sign of lousy nighttime sleep and, therefore, not a good thing.


“This throws a little bit of a curveball, because they found one to two naps per week might be beneficial,” St-Onge said.


For this study, researchers looked at napping patterns of nearly 3,500 randomly selected people in Switzerland and then tracked their heart health for more than five years.


About three in five said they don’t nap.


One in five said they nap once or twice a week—the same number who reported napping three or more days a week.


Frequent nappers tended to be older men with excess weight and a tobacco habit. Though they reported sleeping longer at night than those who don’t nap, they also reported more daytime sleepiness and were more likely to have sleep apnea, a condition that wakes a person repeatedly in the night when their breathing stops.


During the five-year follow-up, participants had 155 fatal and non-fatal heart events, the findings showed. These could include heart attacks, strokes and heart disease caused by clogged arteries that required surgical reopening.


Napping once or twice a week cut a person’s risk of heart attack, stroke and heart failure by 48%, compared with people who don’t nap at all, the researchers found.


Frequent naps initially appeared to increase a person’s heart risk by 67%, but that disappeared after accounting for other risk factors, the study authors noted.


Dr. Martha Gulati, a cardiologist who is editor-in-chief of CardioSmart.org, the American College of Cardiology’s patient website, said it makes sense that frequent napping could be a red flag for health problems.


“I worry that somebody that naps every day isn’t getting good sleep,” she said. “Somebody who takes six or seven naps a week, I ask, are you not sleeping well at night? Is that how you’re catching up with your sleep?”


Gulati added, “But I am still going to enjoy my Sunday naps and now say I am working on lowering my risk for heart disease when my husband asks.”


Researcher Hausler couldn’t say exactly why a couple of naps each week might do a body good.


“The mechanisms are not straightforward,” she said. “We assume that occasional napping might be a result of a physiological compensation allowing to decrease the stress due to insufficient nocturnal sleep and, thus, could have a beneficial effect on cardiovascular disease events.”


Though she said the results should first be confirmed by other studies, Hausler added: “We can say that an occasional nap can potentially decrease cardiovascular disease risk for healthy adults.”


The study was published online recently in the journal Heart.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.



How will COVID-19 impact the nonprofit sector? Johnson Center research offers insights

3-bottom, ,
Grand Valley’s Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy (GVSU)

By Nate Hoekstra
Grand Valley State University

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.

For more information, visit JohnsonCenter.org.

Essential services includes grocery stores, gas stations, others

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming
Family Fare will remain open during the stay-at home order just released by Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Grocery stories, pharmacies, gas stations these are will remain open during the statewide stay-at-home order that goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. March 24. The order is scheduled to last three weeks until April 13.

During her address to the state, Governor Gretchen Whitmer made it clear that essentials services and business would remain open.

For many, people understand that essential services would be those in the medical and health field or business that sustain or protects life. In fact, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has issued a list of critical businesses and operations that are considered important to keep the country running. For the complete list, click here.

On CIST list and considered are some of essential services and businesses. Note, the order is to reduce the number of people out, so remember to limit trips as much as possible to these places:

Grocery stores: As the governor put it, no panic buying, the grocery stores will remain open along with farmers markets, farm and produce stands, supermarkets, and convenience stores. Also any business crucial to the supply chain of these business are included. You do not want to go into the store? Well there is always Shipt or most stores such as Meijer and Family Fare offer online order and pick-up service. 

Stores that sell medicine: See above, but basically any store that sells medicines, such as a pharmacy, will remain open.

Restaurants: The Schezwan chicken and that favorite pizza joint can still provide you food for take-out or delivery only. Whitmer is encouraging people to take advantage of delivery services such as UberEats which is currently offering free delivery if you order from a local restaurant. 

Charitable and social services: Religious and nonprofit organizations like food banks, shelters, social services and other necessities for economically disadvantaged individuals who need assistance as a result of the emergency, people living with disabilities. So yes, the current effort to feed all the students who rely on school lunches will continue. Visit School News Network for a list of schools and schedules.

Gas stations are open. (Wikipedia)

Gas stations and businesses needed for transportation: Gas stations, auto supply, auto repair, farm equipment, construction equipment, boat repair, bicycle shops, and related facilities. Also taxis, buses, trains, planes and Uber and Lyft also are operating.

Financial and insurance institutions: Banks, currency exchanges consumer lenders, consumer installment lenders, sales finance lenders, credit unions, appraisers, title companies, financial markets, trading and futures exchanges, payday lenders, affiliates of financial institutions, entities that issue bonds, institutions selling financial products and related institutions; insurance companies, underwriters, agents, brokers, and related insurance claims and agency services. So yes, your cash is available to you.

 

Pet stores: Also you will be able to feed your pet, so you need not to run out for that 200-pound bag of dog food or cat food.

Hardware stores and critical trades: If the furnace goes out, you will still be able to get it fixed. Also electrical and plumbing services will be available along with exterminators, cleaning and janitorial staff, security staff and others in the construction trades.

Laundry services: There is no excuse not to stay clean as laundromats, dry cleaners, industrial laundry service and laundry service providers will all be open.

Childcare workers: Those providing childcare services for those who are critical infrastructure workers, such as health care providers, are considered essential.

If you are not sure if you work in an essential service or business, your employer will notify you. According to the order, employers must notify people either in writing or verbally by Mar. 31 at 11:59 p.m. All employers much review staff to determine if each employee is considered necessary for the business to continue. This means some employees who work for essential services or businesses may be asked to stay-at home.

For a review of Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s order, click here. For other updates on the statewide coronavirus efforts, visit www.michigan.gov/coronavirus.

5 Misconceptions about assisted living

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

By Vista Springs Assisted Living


When it’s time to start looking at alternative living options for your aging loved one, you’ll know it’s time using these indicators, chances are, they might be a little hesitant. Moving out of their home is a big change, and there are a lot of things they may think they will be giving up. They’ll have a lot of reasons why staying right where they are is the best option. But, many of the reasons people give for avoiding assisted living facilities are actually misconceptions.


Here are a few common misconceptions about life in an assisted living facility.

Loss of independence

Many feel that when they enter into an assisted living facility, they will be giving up a lot, most importantly their independence. But, many facilities are designed to offer their residents the same amount, and sometimes more, independence, than they had a home. Small details make the difference here, like their own mailboxes, the option to have their car or utilize public transportation, and the ability to bring their own furniture and even cook for themselves if they want to.

More expensive than home

Another common argument refers to the cost of an assisted living facility. And while the cost will vary depending the type and amount of care needed, in many cases choosing assisted living over staying home can save money. If an aging loved one lives alone but can’t complete many household tasks such as cleaning or yard work, they may be paying someone else to do it for them.


And, if they are slowly finding themselves uneasy and are afraid of falling, they may need railings or special tubs installed throughout their home. Adding these features, combined with medical bills or in home care if a fall or injury occurs around the house, costs can begin to add up. An assisted living facility has the features your loved one needs already built in and extra care in included in the price of the facility.

Life is over

Many see assisted living as a “final stop” and imagine all the things they will be losing, including the things that make their lives fulfilling including friends, visits, and activities. But at facilities like Vista Springs, they strive to provide a community that is “Full of Life.” Their daily activities focus on rediscovery, reconnection, and renewal and aim to target areas such as social wellness, vibrant living, and optimism.


In many ways, given the level of care and features meant to enhance life, residents find they can do more within the facility than they ever could while living at home. In a close, active community, everything they need to live a fulfilling, active life is right at their fingertips.

You lose the “homey” feel

Many see assisted living facilities as sterile environments full of sick people, medicines, bland food and cheesy hospital decor. But many facilities, like Vista Springs, are far from that description. In certain locations, the halls and rooms are designed to mimic the feel of a neighborhood street, with street signs and rooms with framed, picture windows lining the hallways. Fireplaces and pianos offer a soft, calming ambiance and sunrooms and cozy nooks provide places to find peace. Resident’s rooms can be customized with their own flair and nurses stations are situated off the beaten path, out of the way of foot traffic.

You should wait to move until “something happens”

“But I’m fine,” your loved one insists, and that may be true. Many think it’s best to wait and move until something happens but, when one fall can lead to more and costly medical bills can start to add up, why wait? Why not move into a safer environment in order to prevent something from happening.


These are just a small spattering of the misconceptions people carry about moving to an assisted living facility. The bottom line is assisted living facilities have come a long way, and there’s no reason that leaving home has to mean giving up a home. 


Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.



Acupuncture—therapy for dry mouth?

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, , ,
This holistic treatment could help with a common condition often experienced by those undergoing radiation therapy for cancer. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Steven Reinberg, HealthDay


Dry mouth can be a troubling side effect of radiation therapy, but acupuncture may ease its symptoms, a new study suggests.


Of 339 patients getting radiation for head and neck cancer in the United States and China, those who had acupuncture had fewer symptoms of dry mouth, or xerostomia, than those who didn’t have acupuncture.


Patients who had fake acupuncture, a placebo, had about the same relief as the no-acupuncture group, the researchers found.


The placebo treatment involved a real needle at a spot not indicated for xerostomia, real needles at sham spots and placebo needles at sham points, the study authors explained.


A year after treatment, 35% of acupuncture patients had dry mouth, compared to 48% of those given fake acupuncture and 55% of those who didn’t get acupuncture, the findings showed.


For the study, participants were randomly assigned to real, fake or no acupuncture. Treatments were given three times a week on the same day as radiation.


“Dry mouth is a serious concern for head and neck cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy. The condition can affect up to 80% of patients by the end of radiation treatment,” said lead investigator Lorenzo Cohen, director of integrative medicine at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.


“The symptoms severely impact quality of life and oral health, and current treatments have limited benefits,” he added in a university news release.


Further analysis showed a significant difference between patients in China and the United States in response to fake acupuncture. Chinese patients had little to no placebo response, while Americans had a large placebo response, showing both forms of acupuncture worked, the researchers said.


More studies are needed to figure out these differences. It might be that the environment in which acupuncture is given, cultural influences or the relationship between patient and doctor are at play.


Also, more study is needed to confirm these findings and understand how acupuncture relieves dry mouth.


In the meantime, Cohen said it can be used to relieve xerostomia symptoms.


“I think with this study we can add acupuncture to the list for the prevention and treatment of xerostomia, and the guidelines for the use of acupuncture in the oncology setting should be revised to include this important chronic condition,” Cohen said.


The report was recently published online in JAMA Network Open.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.




62-B District Court closed to the general public

3-bottom, City of Kentwood,

The 62-B District Court in Kentwood today announced that access to courtrooms and other spaces is now limited to no more than 10 persons, including staff, effective immediately. The court is closed to the general public except for essential functions involving health and safety and Constitutional rights through April 3 and will reopen Monday, April 6 at 8 a.m. unless the order is extended.

To confront this unprecedented public health crisis, the Michigan Supreme Court issued Administrative Order 2020-2, which highlights in specific detail essential functions. This order supersedes any previously issued local administrative orders regarding the crisis.

“We take the health and safety of all who utilize the court, each court staff member and the community, seriously and have taken the necessary steps,” said Judge William G. Kelly. “Our team is adjusting as quickly as possible to the crisis, and we appreciate the support of the public as we work to provide more business remotely in the coming days.”

Essential functions include arraignments for in-custody defendants, review and determination of requests for search warrants, among others specified. The new order also provides courts with additional flexibility to conduct business using technology such as video and telephone conferencing.

Visit the Judiciary Response to COVID-19 page or www.kentwood.us or contact the court at 616.698.9310.

West Michigan distillery plans to make, donate hand sanitizer to area healthcare workers

3-bottom, ,
Coppercraft Distillery has announced plans to make about 10,000 gallons of hand sanitizer for local healthcare providers. (Coppercraft Distillery)

By Joanne Bailey-Borosma
joanne@wktv.org

When Brian Mucci learned that distilleries across the nation were ramping up to help make hand sanitizer, the CEO of Coppercraft Distillery jumped right on board to help the West Michigan community.

Starting next week, the Holland-based distillery, will be adding the production of hand sanitizer to its production of spirits and cocktails. 

“Times of crisis require each of us to determine how we can use our work for good,” Mucci said. “This is an opportunity to step into a need and assist our community, and we are honored to do so in such a practical way. As the COViD-19 situation continues to develop, we have been inspired by numerous stories of people lending a hand to assist one another. This is one way our team can express gratitude for all front-line healthcare workers during this exceptional time.”

For the first phase, Coppercraft Distillery staff plan to make about 10,000 gallons of hand sanitizer that will be donated to local healthcare providers, including Holland Hospital.

The company will follow a recipe provided by the World Health Organization with the hand sanitizer being comprised of primarily glycerol and a 96-percent ABV neutral grain spirt. When done, the Coppercraft Distillery’s hand santizer will adhere to the World Health Organization’s guideline, as directed by both the Federal Drug Administration and the Alcohol, Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, by exceeding the 60 percent alcohol minimum. The recipe provided by WHO will make a had sanitizer that is will be about 80 percent alcohol, said Gwen Vryhof Bultema, a spokesperson for Coppercraft Distillery. 

Coppercraft Distillery will continue production of its spirits and cocktails. (Coppercraft Distillery)

Vryhof Bultema said the distillery has been working with companies across the country to get the necessary supplies to make the hand sanitizer. The materials should be at the distillery by next week with production starting then.

 

Depending on how the process goes, the distillery could be making the sanitizer for a longer period of time and may add it to offerings, Vryhof Bultema said. 

For now the focus is to donate to the healthcare providers who are struggling to secure hand sanitizer. Currently hand sanitizer, along with face masks and thermometers are in high demand.  

Coppercraft Distillery was founded in 2012 and was one of the first licensed distillers in the state. The company has expanded significantly in recent years with products now available at nearly 1,300 retail locations across Michigan. 

GR Symphony offers free tickets for healthcare workers

Entertainment, ,

By Jeffrey Kaczmarczyk
Grand Rapids Symphony

In recognition of the extraordinary sacrifices healthcare providers are making to keep us safe and healthy, the Grand Rapids Symphony is offering two free tickets per healthcare worker to a 2020 D&W Fresh Market Picnic Pops concert.

Two free lawn tickets will be given for one of three shows in the D&W Fresh Market Picnic Pops season: Jeremy Kittel & Co on July 22, The Doo Wop Project on July 29; and Ladysmith Black Mambazo on July 30 at Cannonsburg Ski Area. Tickets are subject to availability and will not be available for the special event concert featuring Hanson on July 24.

“At this difficult time, healthcare providers are our heroes, making valiant sacrifices to protect our health and welfare and keep the community safe from the spread of COVID-19,” said Mary Tuuk, President and CEO of the Grand Rapids Symphony. “The Grand Rapids Symphony is a community supported orchestra, and it’s our duty and privilege to support our community in return.”

“Music not only is one of our greatest pleasures, it’s one of our greatest sources of comfort in trying times,” Tuuk said. “When we need it, we can count on music to nourish our soul and lift our spirits.”

Beginning Monday, March 16, Grand Rapids Symphony staff has been working remotely, and the office will be physically closed through Friday, April 10.  However, we will have the ability to answer ticket inquiries and requests by phone on a limited basis and will get back to callers as quickly as possible. Please call GRS Patron Services at 616-454-9451, ext. 4 to claim your tickets. Visit PicnicPops.org for more information about the D&W Fresh Market Picnic Pops at Cannonsburg.

Colon test options abound—but colonoscopy is best

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, Senior Living, , ,
Traditional imaging tests will typically find very small polyps, which can be removed and tested for cancer. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Len Canter, HealthDay


No one looks forward to a colonoscopy, but it can save your life.


So you might be wondering whether a home test is a good alternative. These tests involve mailing a stool sample to a lab. Older types of tests check for blood, which could signal a cancerous growth.


Precancerous polyps are harder to find with these tests, because they tend not to bleed.


Newer types of stool tests look for changes in DNA that could be signs of cancer. They’re also better at finding advanced polyps.


You’ll need to have a colonoscopy if a home test shows any positive results.


Because they can’t detect a problem as early as imaging does, home stool tests are typically appropriate for people who have only an average risk of colorectal cancer and no history of polyps or colon disease.


Imaging tests, on the other hand, can find very small polyps, which can then be removed and tested for cancer.


And they don’t need to be repeated as often as home stool tests, which must be done every one to three years. Imaging tests are repeated every five to 10 years, depending on the type of imaging done and whether any polyps are found.


There are differences among imaging tests, but all involve bowel prep.


With a traditional colonoscopy, a flexible tube with an attached camera internally examines the entire colon.


Flexible sigmoidoscopy is similar, but reaches only part of the colon.


Another option is a “virtual” colonoscopy, which is noninvasive. It allows the doctor to see your colon from outside your body, but if any polyps are seen, you’ll need a traditional colonoscopy to remove them.


Despite these different choices, a very real problem exists, experts warn: Many people are still not having any type of colorectal cancer screening.


If you’ve been putting it off, take the first step and talk to your doctor about your options.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.



Kent County treasurer’s office closed for walk-in services

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, , , , , ,
Kent County Treasurer Kenneth Parrish announces the closure of the Treasurer’s Office.

WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

On Wednesday, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-14 extending the redemption deadline on 2017 tax foreclosures from March 31, 2020 to May 29, 2020.

Due to this order and to minimize face-to-face interaction during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Kent County Treasurer’s Office is closed to the public until further notice. Taxpayers are encouraged to mail check and money order payments to Kent County Treasurer, P.O. Box Y, Grand Rapids, MI 49501.

The order does not defer nor cancel interest charges. Interest will accrue beyond the original March 31, 2020 deadline until paid. Money orders are available at banks and many retailers. Residents should not mail cash. Staff continues to process mail and is available to take calls at 616-632-7500.

The Treasurer’s office closure follows suit with several other Kent County offices.

Kent County Clerk/Register Office

The Kent County Clerk/Register Office suspended in-person transactions until further notice.

This change, effective until further notice will apply to the Clerk Office (Vital Records), Elections Department, Register of Deeds, and Clerk of the Circuit Court. A listing of how customers can still request or obtain common services, as well as contact information for clarification, is below.

Clerk / Register of Deeds

clerk-register@kentcountymi.gov

Until further notice, the Kent County Clerk/Register’s Office will be serving customers via online or bymail services only. Below are specifics relating to service changes:

Clerk – Vital Records:
616-632-7640
https://www.accesskent.com/CountyClerk

  • Certified copies of birth, death, marriage, business certificates/licenses/ registrations can be requested online; copies will be mailed via USPS, no in-person pick-up available.
  • New birth and death certificates received via hospital or funeral home will be processed; copies will be mailed via USPS, no in-person pick-up available. No new home births processed until further notice.
  • New marriage licenses applications accepted online only, applicants will be contacted
  • No new CPL applications accepted until further notice; renewals processed online via MSPwebsite
  • No new notary applications accepted until further notice
  • No in-person access to records until further notice; call or email for assistanceClerk – Elections:616-632-7650 https://www.accesskent.com/Elections
  • All candidate filings (Affidavit of Identity, Statement of Organization, campaign finance reports) are to be submitted via email: gerrid.uzarski@kentcountymi.gov. Payments for candidate filings should be mailed. Receipt of filings will be confirmed.
  • Individuals needing to turn in petitions should contact the Elections office to make an appointment.
  • No in-person access to records until further notice; call or email for assistanceClerk of the Circuit Court: 616-632-5480 https://www.accesskent.com/Courts/Clerk
  • E-recordings will be processed uninterrupted
  • Filings received via USPS will be processed uninterrupted. For urgent filings, call or email theoffice.
  • Searches and recording copies are available online; will be mailed via USPS
  • No in-person access to records until further notice; call or email for assistance

Courts

Most of the area courts are closed to in-person, public access. For specific details on each court, please click the court below. Due note, that many of the courts do offer an online option to pay tickets and other fines.

17th Judicial Circuit Court

Kent County Probate Court

63rd District Court

62A District Court (Wyoming)

62B District Court (Kentwood)