Cross Creek eighth-grader Audrey Wieringa finished as a runner-up in the Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s State of the State art contest. (Photo Courtesy of National Heritage Academy)
Artistic talent runs strong in the Wieringa family, so when approached about the opportunity to enter a state-wide contest, Audrey was up for the challenge.
“My mom heard of the contest on the news,” Audrey said. “She suggested I should enter. I thought it would be fun to try something different.”
Wieringa’s mother, Nicole, is the K-8 art teacher at Cross Creek, and her father, Eric, is a full-time artist. She draws inspiration from both.
“It’s pretty cool (to have mom as an art teacher) but she can’t take all the credit, my dad is a professional fine artist,” Audrey said. “He teaches me a lot of techniques and advice on how to get better.”
The art contest challenged K-12 students across Michigan to come up with a creative design for the 2022 State of the State program cover following the theme “Why do you believe in Michigan?” Students were encouraged to be as creative as possible and were welcome to use crayons, markers, paint, or any other materials. Gov. Whitmer announced the results of the contest by video Jan. 18.
“Michigan is home to some of the most beautiful landscapes on earth, but it’s also home to some incredibly talented students who turned those backdrops into amazing works of art,” Gov. Whitmer said. “I want to thank every student who took the time to create these masterpieces and submit their interpretation of why they believe in Michigan. It’s inspiring to see the passion and potential in all of the gifted and creative students in this state.”
As the governor sorted through the top five selections, she stopped to praise Audrey’s work.
“Oh my gosh, this is so beautiful, it’s got to be in the Upper Peninsula, it’s just gorgeous,” she said. “This is really spectacular.”
Audrey said Pictured Rocks holds a special place in her heart.
“My family visited there for the first time two summers ago,” she said. “I found the landscape to be a spiritual and peaceful experience. It has a lot of different elements in one site and brings together several elements that you can draw.”
Seventh-grader Grace Murtha of Hemlock Middle School was selected as winner by the governor for her piece depicting multiple postcard-like images on a tree trunk-like background. Nearly 800 students submitted their artwork for the contest. The winning art piece will be featured on the 2022 State of the State program cover.
About Cross Creek Charter Academy Cross Creek Charter Academy, located in Byron Center, Mich., is part ofNational Heritage Academies (NHA), a charter school management company in Grand Rapids, Mich. with 98 tuition-free, public charter schools across nine states, serving more than 60,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade.
The ongoing COVID pandemic hasn’t stopped Kent County residents from reading library books, but it has influenced the way they get them.
Britt Bennett’s book was a popular digital download in 2021. (pubic domain)
The Kent District Library recently announced it reached a record-breaking one million digital book checkouts in 2021. KDL was one of 121 library systems worldwide to reach that milestone.
Randall Goble, director of engagement for KDL, said the increase was definitely related to the pandemic. While digital downloads had been increasing even before the days of COVID, they trended sharply upward when buildings closed in the spring of 2020, then remained high even after libraries reopened.
“Digital is still really strong,” he said.
Digital access is the fastest growing segment of public library resources, KDL officials said.
Even before the pandemic, circulation of physical materials was not increasing at nearly the same rate as digital materials, according to Goble.
“There has been an increase in the circulation of digital materials because they’re so much more convenient to access,” Goble said. “We’re constantly striving to provide what people can access most easily and have the most value, and digital materials fit the bill.”
Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library was a popular audiobook downloaded by KDL patrons. (free domain)
Readers in the Rockford area top Kent County in terms of digital downloads, he said.
“They absolutely are higher-than-average users,” he said.
According to figures provided by KDL, the following titles were the top five ebooks borrowed from their digital collection in 2021:
The 1 million figure includes mainly e-book downloads, but some audiobooks are also included, Goble said.
1. The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett 2. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig 3. The Four Winds by Kirstin Hannah 4. The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate 5. People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
In terms of audiobooks borrowed in 2021, these five topped the list:
1. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig 2. Atomic Habits by James Clear 3. The Guest List by Lucy Foley 4. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens 5. The Four Winds by Kirstin Hannah
KDL residents with a valid library card can access digital books from KDL’s OverDrive-powered digital collection by visiting kdl.overdrive.com. KDL library card holders can also obtain books by downloading the Libby Library reading app.
The KDL is in the top 60 public library systems worldwide in total digital circulation, library officials said.
The West Michigan Aviation Academy girls basketball team’s Jan. 19 home game against Holland Black River might be seen as a microcosm of the current struggles of a very young team with talent yet to take flight.
The Aviators, now 0-8 overall on the season (0-2 in Alliance League), played scrappy defense and were right in the game well into the second half before a few tough shots were made by the visiting Rats, a few easy shots were missed by the Aviators, and some missed opportunities from the foul line led to a 39-32 loss.
West Michigan Aviation Academy action during a game Jan. 19. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
The good news is that 1st-year head coach Jasmine Hall has a plan for her young team — a combined JV/varsity team this season with only one senior (who was out ill against Black River), five juniors and eight underclassmen in uniform.
“This year we have eight freshman and sophomores, we are pretty young, and my idea here is to keep them together, to let them get the experience,” Hall said. “This way, next year, I hope to put my more developed players onto a varsity team and then get a JV team with a few returning players, more kids coming into the program and the freshmen coming up.”
And coach Hall has a reputation and avocation of “developing” young basketball talent.
After starting out on the basketball sidelines at Grand Rapids Central High School as a statistician, she has been an assistant coach at many levels. She coached youth and school teams, spent two years coaching at Davenport College (now University), and mot recently coached both basketball and track in Grand Rapids Public Schools.
She holds degrees from Davenport, including an MBA, and is currently head coach and owner of the West Michigan Elite Stars, a women’s development basketball team which will be playing under the WABA league.
West Michigan Aviation Academy 1st-year head coach Jasmine Hall, with Aviators freshman standout Sofia Vandenhoek (11) and junior leader Caden Schifini (10) during a timeout of a game Jan. 19. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
A few of Hall’s current Aviator players are already making their mark on the Hall’s team, and setting themselves up as players to build a program around.
“Over the next couple, three years, one of them is definitely going to be Sofia (Vandenhoek, a freshman), she’s an all-around athlete — she’s six feet tall, she can shoot the ball, she can play inside and outside,” Hall said. “I have high expectations for her.”
Another freshman coach Hall is looking forward to developing is Lucy Lawrence — “She is a great ball handler.” And coach sees the ability of one or more of her juniors to step up and be team leaders in their senior years; they include Alondra Herrera, Ava Bazuin, Audrey Mileski, Caden Schifini and Addison Turk.
The only senior in the program is Kendal Springborn. The other sophomores and freshmen are Alayna Atkinson, Presley David, Amber Hilbrands, Meredith Jarchow, Abbie Ruis and Abigail Toonder. Coach Hall is assisted by Marco Vogel.
One of the items that surprised Dan Burrill while seeking election to the Kent County Board of Commissioners was the fact that the seat was only for two terms.
Dan Burrill
“So basically, I had a year and then I am already back into campaigning,” said Burrill who won his bid to be the District 8 commissioner representing the City of Wyoming in 2020.
Michigan in fact was one of about five states in the United States that still had its county commission terms at two years. Note the “was” because in December Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed bills into law that would extend the terms of county commissioners from two to four years. The change will begin with the fall 2024 election.
“People have asked me ‘What do I get out of it?’” said Kent County Commissioner Stan Ponstein, who is the first vice president for the Michigan Association of Counties (MAC), the organization that worked to get the county commissioner term lengths changed. “And, well, for me personally, nothing as I am at the end of my political career.
“It will be a big help to those counties in the north, mostly the knuckle area and beyond, and in the U.P. (upper peninsula), where they have had problems finding people to serve on the county board of commissions.”
For the lower half of the state, the issue has been more on the cost of running a campaign.
“There have been people who have spent $30,000 to $40,000,” Ponstein said. “That is a lot of money just to be a county commissioner and then have to spend it about every two years.”
Up until 1963, county commission seats were four-year terms. At the time, the group was referred to as the Board of Supervisors. With the development of townships, which became supervisors, the county boards were changed to Board of Commissioners, serving two-year terms, Ponstein said. Besides county commissioners, all other county- and township-elected officials are elected to terms of at least four years. This includes county clerk and treasurer. U.S. and state house of representatives are now the only government-elected offices that have two-year terms in Michigan.
Stan Ponstein
The change, according to Burrill, gives newer commissioners like himself a chance to learn the ins and outs of county government, which includes representing county interests at the state and federal government, participating in long-range planning and managing the county budget and finances. Much of the Kent County budget covers the sheriff’s office, the courts, the prosecutor, the treasurer and other independently elected county officials.
“Having the four years allows you to work together more on a local level while forming relationships and concentrating on the needs of the county,” Burrill said.
The change will not impact the upcoming county election, which is set for this fall. “This will be the last year Kent County commissioners will run for two years,” Ponstein said.
Also, all county commission seats will be up for election at the same time unlike in some city and township elections where seats are staggered for consistency. This is not a change for Kent County as currently all county commission seats are up at the same time.
Ponstein, who will become the president of MAC this year, said the effort behind getting the commission terms changed does demonstrate the efforts of what MAC does to help county commissions boards. Currently, the organization is working on several issues such as mental health and protecting revenue sharing on the county level.
Dr. Cameron Risma, medical director, outpatient addiction services, talks about the new Birch Lodge Substance Use Disorder Residential Unit. (WKTV)
By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma joanne@wktv.org
The gray building tucked neatly on the Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services does not appear to be anything unique, but what it offers to those with a substance use disorder is a bridge from addiction to normal life.
This week, Pine Rest officials celebrated the opening of its first independent substance use disorder residential unit, Birch Lodge, located on its main campus just off of 68th Street.
The 12-bedroom facility original served as Pine Rest’s detox center, which had been moved to be with its substance use disorder residential program.
“What was happening is people who were coming in for detox were not really ready to hear about resources such as AAA or exercising,” said Dr. Talal Khan, the medical director, outpatient and recovery services, for Pine Rest. “What this does is provide a bridge between acute care and life, offering a smoother transition into life and its activities.’
Those in the Pine Rest substance use disorder program may move to the step-down program at the Birch Lodge Residential Unit after completing detox. Residents may stay up to 30 days but the facility’s short-term stay is expected to be seven to 10 nights. The facility includes a living room, dining room and kitchen, double occupancy bedrooms, a class room, exercise area, and offices.
“We will be having dinner together which for some will be a challenge in having dinner without having a drink,” said the Clinic Manager Lisa Zwerk, RN.
The patients at the Birch Lodge residential facility will participate in group therapy, spiritual reflection, case management sessions, technology time, fitness time, and recover support meetings. Patients also will be attending outings to Griffins and Whitecap games along with visiting local restaurants to learn about their triggers and how to plan for them, Zwerk said, adding the group also will visit community-peer led sober support programs as well to learn about resources that are available to them.
Khan said it takes time for medications to stabilize and relearn daily activities which is something that the facility offers versus residents going straight from acute care right back into daily life.
“When you have a substance use disorder, you burn a lot of bridges in the process,” Khan said. “Mending those bridges takes time.”
The new unit will expand Pine Rest’s use disorder services from 14 to 26 beds with Pine Rest officials estimating the organization will be able to treat up to 400 additional patients each year through the Birch Lodge Resident Unit.
The Birch Lodge Residential Unit includes double occupancy bedrooms, a living area and an exercise room. (WKTV)
Substance use disorder is a broad term that covers what used to be called substance abuse and substance dependence. The term can be applied to most additions, drug and alcohol as well as gambling, internet addiction, sex and others. According to Zwerk, the residential program has handled about 70 percent alcohol-related dependencies and about 30 percent have been drug related. The need for substance use disorder support has continued to grow with it being exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Khan, there has been 30 percent increase in substance use disorder since the start of the pandemic. The number of people who seek treatment remains at about 10 percent, he said.
Zwerk noted that patients who move on from the Birch Lodge will be able to work with the same professional providers and clinicians as they move on through each level of care.
“So a person who has been discharged from the residential program may continue to meet with the same doctors and clinicians they worked with here in outpatient care,” she said, adding that the program is designed for people of all income levels.
The Birch Lodge Resident Unit officially opened on Tuesday accepting its first patients that day.
For more about the Birch Lodge residential program or the services available at Pine Rest, visit the organization’s website.
Retirementplanning is crucial enough as it is for a married family. Still, it becomes even more critical for singles or unmarried couples considering that they are not accorded the same tax breaks and advantages which a couple gets upon marriage. Statistical studies report that single women are the fastest-growing group of home buyers, while the number of married families buying a house has dropped by 10% in the last ten years.
With increasing divorce rates and increased tolerance of non-traditional definitions of the concept of a family, the taxation laws have not been able to keep up with the growing purchasing power and numbers of people who fall into the definition of singles or unmarried couples, including divorcees, same-sex couples and singles living in an extended family with other members. What proactive financial planning steps can people who fall under these characterizations take to ensure a secure future?
If you live with a partner, the best thing you can do is be transparent about your finances and discuss all expenses and bills payable, to work out a satisfactory arrangement. This could mean a pooled fund for monthly payments and joint assets, while payments towards significant individual assets are paid for the owner(s).
Remember that there will be no legal recourse in case of a split and the asset not being in your name. If you have joint ownership of assets, contact a lawyer to put in writing arrangements for the distribution of assets in case of a split. A commonly availed arrangement for partners buying a home is under a JTWROS or joint tenants with the right of survivorship. A living trust can be set up to avoid the gift tax, which would be payable for transferring property to the surviving partner.
Funds in 401(k) plans, IRAs, and other retirement plan vehicles will not automatically be transferred to the survivor, as in the case of a spouse. Take special care to nominate your partner as the beneficiary and change as and when necessary if you are single. Write powers of attorney for each other, which would only come into effect in the sudden demise of one partner, or extreme disability. Note that unmarried couples do not have a right to each others’ social security benefits. IRA rollovers from one partner to the other are also taxable, unlike those for a married couple.
Also, laws governing rights over assets and responsibilities for joint debts may vary depending on the state of residence and the contracts signed with financial organizations.
All this means is that for single and unmarried live-in couples, retirement planning needs to be taken a bit further than that done by a married couple to offset the lack of clarity in governing laws and tax benefits. Everything has to be put down in writing in clear terms. It is generally advisable to consult a financial planner and set your finances to go in the right direction before jumping into a long-term live-in arrangement.
Dave Stanley is the host of Safe Money Radio WOOD1300 AM, 106.9 FM and a Financial Advisor and Writer at Integrity Financial Service, LLC, Grandville, MI 49418, Telephone 616-719-1979 or Register for Dave’s FREE Newsletter at 888-998-3463 or click this link: Dave Stanley Newsletter – Annuity.comDave is a member of Syndicated Columnists, a national organization committed to a fully transparent approach to money management
WKTV Featured Game coverage of local Kentwood and Wyoming area high school basketball continues this week with a key OK Conference Green boys basketball game as Zeeland East visits Wyoming high Friday, Jan. 21, for a 7 p.m. contest.
The Wolves enter the week with a 4-4 overall record, 1-2 in OK action, after a road loss to traditional power Muskegon (6-0, 3-0 OK) on Jan. 14. Prior to that game, Wyoming had won four of five games including a conference road win at Holland and tight loss to Muskegon Reeths-Puffer (5-2, 2-1 OK).
Early this week, on Jan. 18, Wyoming will host Zeeland West (5-2, 2-1) as both teams try to stay near the top of the conference standings. Zeeland East enters the week with a 1-5, 0-3 OK record, and will play an early-week game hosting Grand Rapids Union (1-5-1, 1-3 OK).
A look around the Wyoming and Kentwood area courts
The Grand Rapids South Christian boys (5-3) enter the week in a three-way tie at the top of the OK Gold standings with a 2-1 record, with the other two teams being Forest Hills Eastern and Ottawa Hills. The Sailors will play both of the teams this week, including a home game against Ottawa Hills on Friday.
The South Christian girls enter the week with a 6-3 overall record and are also 2-1 in early season OK games.
The Kelloggsville boys (5-3 overall) enter the week in the middle of the OK Silver race with a 2-1 conference record including two road wins last week at Comstock Park and at Sparta.
The Godwin Heights girls enter the week at 4-3 overall, 1-2 in OK Silver standings, with road games this week against two teams behind them in the conference: Belding and Hopkins.
The West Michigan Aviation Academy boys enter the week 5-3 overall and 1-0 in Alliance League action, tied with the Wyoming Tri-unity Christian boys (4-2 overall) and also 1-0 in Alliance.
WKTV coverage and schedule/scores
Complete local basketball schedules as well as up-to-date scores of previous night’s games are also available at wktvjournal.org/sports-schedules-scores. (You can also just just bookmark WKTVjournal.org on your phone or other device and click on the blue banner at the bottom of the screen.)
The tentative WKTV Feature Game schedule for the remainder of January and February is as follows:
Tuesday, Jan. 25, boys basketball, Ottawa Hills at South Christian
Friday, Jan. 28, boys and girls basketball, Kelloggsville at Godwin Heights
Wednesday, Feb. 2, boys hockey, Manistee at East Kentwood
Friday, Feb. 4, boys and girls basketball, Grand River prep at Potter’s House
Tuesday, Feb. 8, boys basketball, Holland at Wyoming
Friday, Feb. 11, boys hockey, Petoskey at East Kentwood
Friday, Feb. 18, boys and girls basketball, Zion Christian at Wyo. Lee (HOF night)
Tuesday, Feb. 22, boys basketball, Caledonia at East Kentwood
Friday, Feb. 25, boys and girls basketball, Tri-unity Christian at Potter’s House
WKTV featured games will on cable television in Wyoming and Kentwood on Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 Community Channel, rebroadcast on the night of the game and various days and times the week after. See the programming schedule at wktv.org. For more information on WKTV coverage of basketball and other winter prep sports, follow us at wktvjournal.org/sports.
All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV’s video coverage team, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.com.
Yoga is just one of the classes offered through Eaglecrest Healthy Agining, which is part of the Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan. (pxhere.com)
Are you looking for ways to become or stay active in the new year? Don’t know where to start? Eaglecrest Healthy Aging — part of the Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan — may be the right fit for you. Their motto is “Start where you are! Use what you have! Do what you can!” There is no pressure to jump into the highest level, instructors have modifications throughout the programming and can meet you where you are. They like to say, “You do You”.
In the new year, Eaglecrest Healthy Aging has expanded its suite of programming to include more specialized classes. The SISU Seated class will give folks just beginning to exercise, or those recovering from illness or injury, a place to start. Yoga, EnhanceFitness, Tai Chi, Boom Muscle, and Silver Sneakers Circuit are other classes that will help build endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility.
Eaglecrest Healthy Aging programs are designed specifically for older adults. They are dedicated to helping older adults stay active and independent, offering evidence-based classes that are safe and effective. As people get older the chance of suffering a fall increases. According to the National Council on Aging (NCOA), 1 in 4 Americans aged 65 and older falls each year. Incorporating a balance and exercise program can help build up a body’s flexibility and strength.
The Eaglecrest Healthy Aging classes come to you via Zoom. Want to try it without making a commitment? Interested participants can try all the live classes virtually for a week for free. Participants can meet the team of certified instructors and see the class format before committing to buying a package. There is no cost for SilverSneakers or Silver & Fit insurance members.
As an Eaglecrest Healthy Aging member, participants also gain access to its wide library of videos, so you can fit your workouts into your schedule. The revamped virtual class schedule just launched on Jan. 3.
To sign up for your free week or to learn about membership and view the latest class calendar, visit www.aaawm.org/HA. You may also email healthyaging@aaawm.org, or call 616-588-2580.
Encountering email and phone scams has become a common nuisance in recent years, even more so as we become more online- and internet-focused as a culture. It is not unusual for consumers to discover a fraudulent email in their personal and business accounts every day as scam artists attempt to cheat them out of money or information.
When this WKTV writer was asked to research an article on prevalent scams in the community, I was suddenly inundated with stories of those who had become victims of scams. Some escaped unscathed, others did not.
WKTV recognizes the importance of community members being aware of current scams so they can protect themselves against becoming victims, and has compiled several personal narratives, from this writer as well as other residents, to raise that awareness. (Names have been changed to protect the victim’s identity.)
Seeing red flags in emails
Within the space of a few days, my personal email account received a message with the heading, “Happy New Year – Your Order ID#740217.” It did not specify what company I supposedly ordered from, but did contain the message, “This message is from a trusted sender.” The body of the email contained two links. One labeled, “You have won!! Gift inside.” The other, “Go Here.”
It immediately raised red flags as I didn’t remember ordering anything recently, and the email didn’t specify the sender. The line about it being from a trusted sender, however, made me pause for just a moment and consider that it might be legitimate — and that is what scammers are hoping for.
(Michigan Attorney General)
Next came an email titled: “Re: (smiling emoji) Your Package delivery notification ID#87946477.” Supposedly, this email was sent by USPS. However, I couldn’t see the United States Postal Service using emojis in their emails, and when I noticed that the email address the message originated from was indecipherable, it became obvious that it was a scam.
Some are harder to discern. The next email seemed to legitimately come from Best Buy, an electronics retailer. The sender was listed as Bestbuy.com, which made sense. The heading was: “Your Order #502-20201222—is still awaiting instructions!” It then instructed me to track the status of the order by clicking on the link offered.
There weren’t any misspellings or emojis to make me think twice about the validity of the sender. What did make me think twice was that I hadn’t ordered anything from Best Buy in years.
After a closer look at the email — which looked alarmingly similar to many invoices received from other online orders placed — I noticed that listed under Order Details was another listing of an order number. This one, however, contained a lowercase ‘n’ and then the degree symbol before listing the number, and ended with a right parenthesis. Those small mistakes reassured me that the email was a scam. A company as large as Best Buy would make sure those mistakes were nonexistent.
Another email appeared to be from a friend, but the sender’s email address did not match her true email address. Another claimed to be from Quicken Loans Affiliate attempting to confirm my mortgage savings package (I neither have a mortgage nor have ever used Quicken Loans) but the email address was a random jumble of letters and numbers, not a legitimate address.
Other stories, other scam attempts
We have all received emails that make us think, “Is this legitimate?” What we need to do is slow down and take a closer look before assuming they are real and clicking on links.
While scam artists use email more often than phone calls due to the online nature of our culture, phone calls are still prevalent, especially for elderly community members who may not be quite as media oriented.
Attempting to sell a SLR camera body on Marketplace, Denise was asked if she could chat to an interested buyer via Messenger audio. She agreed and was then asked to ship the camera directly to the buyer’s brother because it was a birthday gift. She was willing to do so. The buyer then asked if she would include a birthday card and a $50 gift card since it would be shipped directly to his brother, and he would not have the opportunity to do so himself; he would then reimburse her for the camera, shipping, and gift card once she showed proof of shipping.
Alarm bells went off in Denise’s head.
The buyer was insistent and talked fast, so she pretended to agree to do as he asked so she could bring the call to an end. When the call finished and Denise had time to organize her thoughts, she realized she would have lost the camera, shipping, and $50 if she had gone along with the man’s request.
Scam artists prey on their victim’s emotions and promote a sense of urgency that is hard to ignore when someone believes a family member is in trouble.
Molly’s father-in-law received a garbled call: “Grandpa, I’m in Atlanta, was in an accident and broke my jaw. I was arrested for being drunk but hadn’t had a drop … will you wire me money for my bail and attorney?”
Thankfully, Molly’s father-in-law suspected fraud and instructed the caller to phone his father, then called Molly and asked her to check with her son to make sure it was fraud and that his grandson truly did not need help.
It was fraudulent.
Amy’s elderly parents experienced the same call and “made it all the way to the bank, where the employee stopped them and explained that they must not make that withdrawal. We figured out that my nephew’s phone had been hacked. He was out of the country on a trip at the time.”
Mark received what appeared to be a legitimate phone call from a scammer who claimed to be from his bank, warning him that a scammer had tried to break into his account.
They asked him to verify his information to make sure everything was okay. The scammers listed his address and phone number (all easily accessed public information) and asked if it was correct. When he replied that it was, they asked, “And I have your social security number on my screen, can you verify that for me, please?” Once the Mark recited his social security number, the scammer said, “Yes, that’s right.”
The victim had just given enough information for the scammers to steal his identity and/or open various accounts in the victim’s name.
“They (the scammers) say it so casually that the victim often doesn’t realize they’ve just given away a vital piece of information to the victim; it almost sounds like the scammer supplied all of their info,” Mark said.
Marci relayed an experience of an elderly woman who received a call that her taxes were late, and her house would be foreclosed on if she didn’t wire funds within the hour. Fearing that she would become homeless, “the woman called a cab and told the driver why she had to hurry. He took her instead to the police department.”
The police handled the matter, and the woman did not lose any money.
What to do, where to for for help
Katie Grevious, Better Business Bureau Communications Specialist, urges residents to slow down and “think before you act.”
Even if you feel a sense of urgency or fear as a result of an email or phone call like the ones listed above, step back, take a deep breath, and search for those clues that will help you know if the message you received is, in fact, legitimate.
If you are unsure of the best way to identify if a message is a scam, visit Better Business Bureau’s website for tips on how to differentiate between authentic and fraudulent communications.
Please report scams to BBB’s scamtracker site: https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker. This allows consumers to know what is happening and protect themselves. It also helps law enforcement and other government agencies like BBB to root out the source of the scam and put a stop to it.
Every day online users are bombarded with real — and scam — communications. The trick to keeping your money and personal information is knowing the difference. (Pixere.com)
With email and phone scams on the rise in an ever-increasing online and media culture, local law enforcement and government agencies are working to educate consumers on current scams and how to protect themselves from becoming victims.
Phishing, defined as the fraudulent practice of sending messages designed to trick individuals into revealing personal information, has become one of the main conduits for fraud.
Katie Grevious, Better Business Bureau Communications Specialist, told WKTV that falling victim to a scam has become more difficult to avoid as “scammers are becoming more crafty and creative.” Grevious said that scammers use fear and a sense of urgency to prompt consumers into following their directives: “It is an emotional situation. Something is wrong, something bad is going to happen — that’s what gets people.”
The ongoing pandemic has also played a role in increasing the phishing strategy, with emails offering grants to those out of work and in need of money. In a more general sense, an increasing number of consumers have begun shopping online, providing ample opportunities for scam artists to create situations that involve an emotional response of fear and urgency.
“We don’t see it really slowing down as the pandemic continues and we become more online and internet focused,” Grevious said.
An online scam could also be as simple as clicking on a link to track an order. Scam artists often use the names of larger corporations, such as Amazon, to send emails offering a link to track an order that the consumer may not remember placing.
Grevious urges consumers to hover their computer mouse over the link, which will reveal a bar that states where it will actually take you, and even hover over the sender’s name to see the email address associated with that email. If it is a jumble of letters and numbers instead of, for example, Amazon.com, it is not legitimate. Also look at the browser — if there is a lock symbol and “https” listed there, it means it is a secure and authentic site.
“It is really important that people are vigilant all the time,” said Grevious. “Look for simple grammar and spelling mistakes. Big companies make sure everything is spelled correctly.”
Slowing down is also key to ensuring consumers don’t miss something important.
(Pixere.com)
“Think before you act,” Grevious said. “Our culture has a quick-go pace. We do a lot on our phones, so we don’t do that double-checking and hovering.”
Det. Andrew Tompkins of the Kent County Sherriff’s Office and member of the Metropolitan Fraud and Identity Theft Team agrees: “Good practice is that if you didn’t order anything or didn’t sign up for something, then it’s most likely a scam.”
Grevious also urges consumers to avoid emails that tell you to re-log into another account you may have, such as Facebook, and offer a link to do so in order to complete the instructions given. These are often ploys that will reveal your password to the sender.
“People may think it’s not important if their Facebook or Instagram account gets hacked,” said Grevious, “but a lot of people have a lot of similar passwords because it’s too hard to remember 200 different passwords to everything. Your Facebook password may offer a clue on how to get into more important accounts — like bank accounts.”
Preying on pet, gift card buyers
In 2021, one of the most common phishing scams involved buying pets online.
“People tried to buy pets online because of the pandemic,” Grevious said. “They pay for the pet through payment apps and then find out it’s a scam. The scammers will often use a random address on the website they create, so people assume it’s real. Then they show up at that address to get their animal and it’s not there.”
Buying pets online is also a place to be aware of possible cams. (Kent County District Court historic photo)
Grevious advises seeing the animal you are interested in purchasing in person beforehand, even if it involves traveling. “Legitimate businesses want to know you are a good fit for their animal. They want to see you in person.”
While email scams have become increasingly common, scams involving phone calls are still prevalent and used often in attempts to illicit money from victims.
Det. Tompkins said that one of the most common scams involves cold calls targeting people to send gift cards, claiming they are from various government agencies and that they have a warrant for the arrest of the consumer unless he/she pays to absolve the issue.
“Government agenc(ies) will never ask for gift cards to get you out of legal trouble,” Det. Tompkins said. “No legitimate business is going to ask for gift cards for services.”
Summer and winter have revealed an upward trend in scams as air conditioning and heat are turned on in homes.
“If you pay your electric bill online, and someone calls you saying they are from Consumers Energy and ask you to confirm personal information,” Grevious said, “say you will call them back and call the company from a number you know, like the number provided on the bill.”
Det. Tompkins had similar advice: “Do not give personal information or identifying information out. Don’t call the number that a person provides you over the phone, search the number for that business to call and confirm this is a real interaction.”
Some scams, however, play on the familiar. Det. Tompkins warns residents, especially the elderly, to be careful of scammers who call claiming to be family. “Scammers call elderly pretending to be their grandkids saying they were arrested and need to send money.”
When asked the standard amount lost by individual victims of scams, he said, “The typical amount of loss is under $1,000. But if the scammers target business or subject(s) that are wealthy, then the loss is in the several thousands.”
Grevious reminds consumers to remember that, “you are in control of your information and who you are talking to. Think before you act.”
Consumers are also urged to speak up if they become victims of a scam.
“The more people let us know what is happening, the more we can help,” said Grevious.
Keith Morgan was recently named the new CEO and president of the Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Comerce. (Photo by Indie City Photography)
The next leader of the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce is a businessman whose experience ranges from corporate management to starting a small business from scratch.
Keith Morgan, 46, will replace outgoing president and CEO Bob O’Callaghan, who is retiring effective Feb. 1.
“Our CEO Search Committee looked at over 80 applicants and Keith was the unanimous choice,” O’Callaghan said. “His knowledge of our Chamber and many years of business experience make him a natural. I am proud to turn the reins over to Keith.”
Stepping into the role in the midst of a pandemic, when the definition of “normal” is ever-shifting, Morgan said his goal for the chamber is to get back to basics.
“When I say back to basics, I’m talking about building a better tomorrow. There are going to be some changes we’re going to live with for a while. But business and commerce are always going to be with us,” he said.
“As we move forward, how do we get back to the basics so we can begin to continue to create change on our own terms? The terms we’ve been given have been dealt to us at this point. Now, how do we begin to take the reins back and effect change?”
Morgan, an Indianapolis native, started volunteering for the Chamber about 10 years ago.
He originally came to West Michigan for a management position with AT&T. He got excellent training and experience running a sales division for AT&T, he said, but he got transferred around a lot, from Kentwood to Lansing to Wyoming. When AT&T wanted to transfer him yet again, he took the plunge and started his own janitorial business, All Clean Again.
“I always had ambitions to start a business and actually build something,” Morgan said.
Over several years, he grew the business from “cleaning the toilets myself” to employing a staff of about 20.
He had already started toying with the idea of selling his business when, as chair of the chamber board, he learned of O’Callaghan’s retirement plans. While actively involved in the search for a new president and CEO, the idea kept popping into his head that maybe he could take on the leadership role himself.
After talking with the chamber’s executive board members and local business leaders, and getting confirmation that they thought it would be a good idea, he made the difficult decision to sell his successful business and go in a new direction.
Keith Morgan officially takes the helm of the Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce on Feb. 1. He will be overseeing the annual meeting on Jan. 28 where former Chamber President and CEO Bob O’Callghan will be honored. (Photo by Indie City Photography)
“I came up with this philosophy a few years ago: I’m not going to continue to let life happen to me, I’m going to make life happen,” he said. “Being an entrepreneur, I got comfortable with risk. I was able to have enough success off the risks I had taken that I was a lot more comfortable with making that decision.”
With his corporate background, a master’s degree in business, and his experience being a small business owner, he thinks he can help chamber members with practical advice to help them be successful.
He also made a lot of connections in the area while owning his business, something crucial to his role at the Chamber of connecting businesses to other businesses.
Morgan will lead the Chamber’s annual meeting and awards dinner on Jan. 28, when O’Callaghan will be honored for his years of service.
“One of the things I am thankful for is that the current CEO and president has navigated the organization to where we are today. We have a good solid foundation,” Morgan said.
Kent District Library announced today that due to increased COVID-19 rates, it would be pausing all in-person, indoor programs at all KDL locations. Local libraries will remain open for all other services and resources.
According to KDL officials, this step was taken to address the risk of having large groups in enclosed rooms during a time when COVID-19 rates are increasing.
“We’re hopeful that programs can resume soon and we will continue to evaluate as new data emerges,” said a statement released to all patrons.
The Teen Film Festival will shift to a virtual event as it was last year. Early Childhood Education programs will take place virtually when instructors are available for online sessions. Also, some of the book talks and book clues may be available as online sessions.
The Sled Dogs visits will continue as outdoor programs. The Sled Dogs are scheduled to come to the KDL Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch Feb. 5 for a 10 a.m. program and to the KDL Grandville Branch on Feb. 25 at 1 p.m.
Darriol Stephens has been missing since Dec. 11. (Supplied)
The Wyoming Department of Public Safety needs the public’s assistance in locating Darriol Stephens, a 66-year-old white male from Wyoming. Stephans has been missing since Dec. 11 when he was seen leaving his residence by his roommate. Stephens requires medical attention which he has not received and there is growing concern fo this safety.
Wyoming Police are also trying locate Stephens black 2012 Chevy Impala with Michigan registration DSG2228. The vehicle has tinted windows and is similar to the vehicle pictured.
Wyoming Department of Public Safety detectives have conducted an extensive investigation and have followed up on all leads, but the leads have reduced significantly. We are again reaching out to the public for their help in locating Stephens or his vehicle.
“We are hopeful that someone may have information that we have not yet received and that they will reach out to our team,” read a press release from the Wyoming Department of Public Safety.
Wyoming Police are also looking for Stephens’ black Chevy Impala which is similar to the one pictured above. (Supplied)
Anyone with information about Stephens may call the Wyoming Department of Public Safety at 616-530-7300 or 911. You can report information anonymously by calling Silent Observer at 616-774-2345.
Kentwood’s 62-B court’s touch-screen kiosk, among other uses, allows individuals to check-in for court remotely and receive a text message when it is their turn to enter the courtroom. (Supplied)
The City of Kentwood has announced that the city’s 62-B District Court is now offering a new — and innovative — service kiosk to “maintain public safety during the COVID-19 pandemic and provide better access to court services.”
The touch-screen kiosk is the first of its kind in Kent County that allows individuals to check-in for court remotely and receive a text message when it is their turn to enter the courtroom, according to the announcement.
Individuals can make payments online by scanning the QR code located on signage in front of the Kentwood Justice Center, 4740 Walma Ave. SE. (Supplied)
Individuals can also visit the kiosk during business hours, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday, to make payments or place court documents in a secure drop box.
Additionally, individuals can make payments online by visiting here or scanning the QR code located on signage in front of the Kentwood Justice Center, 4740 Walma Ave. SE.
“We are proud to be the first court in the county to offer this safe, innovative and convenient option for the community,” 62-B District Court Judge Amanda Sterkenburg said in supplied material. “The kiosk allows individuals to safely conduct business with the court, which is particularly important during the current surge of the COVID-19 pandemic, and reduces time spent waiting in line or going through security protocols to enter the facility.”
In addition to English, the kiosk’s software offers five other languages to serve the diverse Kentwood community: Arabic, Chinese (simplified), Kinyarwanda, Korean and Spanish.
The system has been operational since late December 2021 and was purchased by the court using federal pandemic support Cares Act funds.
According to the announcement, “The 62-B District Court strives to earn the public’s trust and confidence by providing a fair and just forum for the resolution of civil and criminal disputes, providing services in a professional, timely and efficient manner with respect and courtesy, educating and providing services in an understandable and user-friendly fashion, being accountable for the resources invested in the court and recognizing the changing needs of the judicial system and the people it serves.”
For more information on the new system contact Court Administrator Michele White at 616-554-0715 or whitem@kentwood.us.
The Kent County Health Department, responding to the month of January being National Radon Action Month, have a supply free radon test kits available to residents … while supplies last. (Supplied)
The Kent County Health Department recently announced that during the month of January — National Radon Action Month — county residents can gain free radon test kits while supplies last. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is leading month-long the public information effort.
“You cannot see, smell, or taste radon but the radioactive gas can kill,” the county announcement stated. “Next to smoking, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States.”
Radon-caused lung cancer kills more than 20,000 Americans every year, according to the U.S. Surgeon General.
“Testing for radon is an easy and important step in protecting the health of your family,” Rusty Flewilling, Supervising Sanitarian with the Kent County Health Department (KCHD). said in supplied material. “The kit is easy to use. Simply hang a filter inside your house for a few days, then send it in a self-addressed, pre-stamped envelope for testing.”
The KCHD recommends that all homes be tested for radon every few years. Testing kits are available Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. at the KCHD’s main clinic location at 700 Fuller Avenue NE, Grand Rapids.
Test results will be sent to residents and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy. People can use the information when deciding on how best to pursue remediation, and the State gains a better understanding of the prevalence of radon in Michigan.
For help understanding the test results, residents should contact the KCHD Environmental Health Division at 616-632-6900.
Radon occurs naturally in the ground and seeps into buildings through cracks or openings in the foundation of floors and walls. It occurs in both new and old homes. The EPA and the U.S. Geological Survey have developed a map of risk zones for the United States which can be viewed by clicking here. Kent County is typically categorized as having a moderate to high levels of radon.
The KCHD podcast “A Matter of Public Health” recorded two episodes dedicated to educating people about the issue. In the first episode, residents will learn what radon is, how prevalent it is in Michigan, and how often testing should be done in homes.
In the second episode, the discussion focuses on how to get rid of the radon, how to select a contractor, and how to avoid getting ripped off by unscrupulous contractors. Guests include KCHD subject matter experts, Michigan’s top radon expert, the President of the National Radon Safety Board, and the Better Business Bureau of West Michigan.
Jan. 12 Update: The City of Kentwood has announced that due to the frigid temperatures forecasted for this weekend, the City “has just made the difficult decision to postpone the Unity Walk planned for this Saturday.” Details of the rescheduled event will be announced once finalized.
In celebration and remembrance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday Jan. 17, the City of Kentwood will host several events in honor of MLK on Saturday, Jan. 15, including a unity walk, a proclamation, live music, coffee and cake, and a community service effort to stock Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry — which began in 2017 as a Martin Luther King Jr. Day community service project.
A painting at the Kent County Administration Office unveiled in 2018. (WKTV)
Residents of all ages are invited to gather in front of the Kent District Library – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch, 4950 Breton Ave. SE, at 9 a.m. for a 1-mile walk. The walk will end at Fire Station 1, 4775 Walma Ave. SE, according to a statement from the City of Kentwood.
An indoor ceremony will follow, including a proclamation that will be presented by various community members, live music, coffee and cake. The event is free and open to the public.
Canned goods and other non-perishable items will be accepted at the event to stock Little Free Pantry, for which the City of Kentwood continues to host food drives to keep the pantry well-stocked.
“We look forward to coming together as a community to celebrate the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,” Mayor Stephen Kepley said in supplied material. “We will walk in remembrance of his historic contributions leading the civil rights movement bringing needed changes to our nation and in reflection of what we all can do to honor his values today and every day.
The City of Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry. (Supplied/City of Kentwood)
“The event also continues our MLK Day community service tradition of stocking Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry to support our neighbors in need. All are invited to join us.”
Kentwood’s first Little Free Pantry opened in 2017 at the Kentwood Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE, where it remains available year-round during business hours. The second Little Free Pantry was opened last year at the Kent District Library – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch for the community to visit during library hours.
Anyone can utilize or donate to the pantry. More information, including a list of suggested donations, is available at kentwood.us/LittleFreePantry.
One of the fundamental financial concepts, the time value of money (TVM), says that the current value of a sum of money is worth more than the future value of that same amount. The principle of TVM comes from implicit costs, known as “opportunity costs.” It would be best if you evaluated when deciding whether it’s better to receive money now or take payments in the future. One way to think about opportunity costs is that they represent the value of what you stand to lose or possibly miss out on when you choose one possibility over another.
For example, a favorite uncle left you $100,000 in his will with the option to either take the whole sum now or get the money in equal payments over three years and receive an additional $500.00 for doing so.
For most of us, the instinctive choice is to take all the money right now and not wait three years to put it to use. By taking that money immediately, you can put it into an account that offers you continuous compounding interest that is likely to equal or exceed the $500.00 bonus you get for waiting. You could invest in an appreciating asset such as real estate or a cash-flowing business when you get the money right away. You might purchase stock with the potential to gain value or lock-in value with an annuity or life insurance policy. Because it provides immediate purchasing power, most people consider a present-day sum of money more valuable than a future sum.
Understanding the theory of the time value of money can help you avoid making costly mistakes with your money. You may one day face the decision to take a lump sum of money immediately or wait until later. Fortunately, there is an easy formula for the time value of money that takes the guesswork out of the decision. In this formula, the following variables are accounted for:
FV= Future value of money
PV= Present value of money
i=interest rate
n= number of compounding periods per year
t= number of years
Using the TVM formula, we can determine whether it would be wiser to accept the $100,000 from your uncle as a lump sum or in equal annual payments over three years along with the additional $500.
We have established that by not taking the lump sum, you stand to gain an additional $500. The question is, how much money could you earn over the three years if you were to receive the $100,000 and invest it today? Let’s say you take your $100,000 and invest it in a fund with an average annual rate of return of 6%. You want to know how much your investment will grow by the 3rd year. To figure this out, input the variables, and you will be left with the future value of your investment for a particular year.
119,101.60=100,000 x (1+.06)3
As you can see, after the 3rd year, your initial investment will have earned you an additional $19,101.60. Now that you know, taking the lump sum seems like a no-brainer.
If you are taking an active approach towards investing for retirement or other financial goals, do not be fooled by the allure of “free” money in return for splitting the sum into smaller payments. Carefully evaluate the pros and cons of each option while keeping in mind your own financial goals. Use the TVM formula, compare the potential gains and remember this; a dollar today is worth more than a dollar in the future.
Dave Stanley is the host of Safe Money Radio WOOD1300 AM, 106.9 FM and a Financial Advisor and Writer at Integrity Financial Service, LLC, Grandville, MI 49418, Telephone 616-719-1979 or Register for Dave’s FREE Newsletter at 888-998-3463 or click this link: Dave Stanley Newsletter – Annuity.comDave is a member of Syndicated Columnists, a national organization committed to a fully transparent approach to money management.
According to the U.S. Census, there are about 22.5 million empty nest holes in the United States, however there is little material in helping parents weather the transition.
In November, Terri DeBoer released her book “Brighter Skies Ahead: Forecasting a Full Life When You Empty the Nest.” The book provides personal insight mixed with humor on 50 strategies DeBoer has discovered for weathering that transition to an empty nest.
This Wednesday, DeBoer, who is a meteorologist for WOTV and a host of EightWest, will be the featured guest at Mr. Sid’s Video Series at Marge’s Donut Den. At the 2 p.m. program, DeBoer will discuss her new book and talk about some of her strategies.
Autographed books and the companion journals will be avail for sale.
Upcoming programs for the Mr. Sid’s Video Series are: Mike Martin’s presentation “Three Presidens and their Wives on Feb. 16; the Ireland video on March. 16 and WOTV Sports Director Jack Dole will be discussing his experiences of covering the Olympics on April 20.
The opening of the Kent County Department of Public Works’ Grand Rapids administrative offices, including a SafeChem Swap Shop, on Wealthy Street Jan. 6. Addressing the crowd were, from left at podium, were Cynthia Janes, vice-chair of the Board of Public Works; Emily Brieve, Kent County commissioner; and Dar Baas, DPW director. (Supplied)
Operating by the often-used “3-Rs” recycling slogan of “reduce, reuse, recycle”, Kent County Department of Public Works opened its new Grand Rapids administrative offices on Wealthy Street Jan. 6 — a facility that also includes a soon-to-open recycling center, an education center, an electronics drop-off station and not only a SafeChem drop-of station but also a “SafeChem Swap Shop”.
Maybe it should be 4-Rs, with “reimagine” added to the slogan.
Continuing its efforts exemplified by its slogan “Reimagine Trash”, with the county’s Department of Public Works (DPW) website actually being reimaginetrash.org, Kent County officials and DPW leaders held a facility ribbon cutting Jan. 6 to officially open the facility, with its returning and new offerings.
“The new administration center brings our team together and makes it easier for the community to connect with our department and services,” Dar Baas, DPW director, said in supplied material. “The facilities are designed to foster collaboration.”
And that collaboration is exemplified by the new dual SafeChem operations.
The Kent County Department of Public Works SafeChem Swap Shop includes dropped off cleaning chemicals still good for use — and free pickup by the community. (Supplied)
“The SafeChem Drop-off station and Swap Shop are a real asset for our community,” Baas said. “Not only do they keep hazardous materials out of area landfills and the environment, they also provide people free products to avoid them being discarded in the first place.”
The “drop and shop” operation is offered all five of the county-managed chemical drop-off locations, including ones in the Kentwood and Wyoming area.
The Wealthy Street Recycling and Administration Center located at 1045 Wealthy St. SW, adjacent to the Recycling and Education Facility, the SafeChem Drop-off station, SafeChem Swap Shop and electronics recycling services. The DPW offices were previously co-located with the Kent County Road Commission on Scribner Avenue and the property was sold in 2021.
All of Kent County’s SafeChem stations — there are several, with varying days and hours, including one each in the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming — allow residents to drop off household waste like cleaners, garden or garage products. The Wealthy Street location also includes a Swap Shop where products that are in good condition can be offered at no cost.
(The reopening the residential recycling drop-off station on Wealthy Street, which has been closed during construction, will be announced soon on reimaginetrash.org, according to a DPQ statement.)
For more information on the DPW’s SafeChem program, visit here.
Also opening last week, on Jan. 8, at the Wealthy Street location, was its electronics drop-off station, planned to be open for drop-off during the same year-round operational hours as our SafeChem household hazardous waste drop-off and SafeChem Swap Shop. (For more information on the list of electronics accepted for recycling at DPW facilities, as well as other local electronics recycling locations, visit here.)
Kentwood, Wyoming, Byron SafeChem site information
According to the Kent County DPW website, the Kentwood location is 5068 Breton SE, Kentwood, with days and hours November-March, Tuesdays, 2:30-4:30 p.m., and April-October, Tuesdays, 1:30-5:30 p.m.
The Kent County Department of Public Works SafeChem Swap Shop includes dropped off automotive chemicals still good for use — and free pickup by the community. (Supplied)
The Kentwood SafeChem site remained open after the closure of the city’s satellite recycling-drop off.
“A special thank you to City of Kentwood for their partnership,” the DPW website states. “We’re grateful to the City of Kentwood for hosting this SafeChem collection site.”
The Wyoming area location is 2350 Ivanrest Ave. SW, Grandville, with it open Mondays, 1-3 p.m., and Thursdays 7-9 a.m.
“A special thank you to City of Wyoming for their partnership,” the DPW website states. “We’re grateful to the City of Wyoming for not only hosting this SafeChem collection site but for staffing the SafeChem collections.”
The Byron Center location is 10300 South Kent Dr. SW, with its days and hours being November-March, Mondays, 8:30-10:30 a.m., and April-October, Mondays, 8:30-11:30 a.m.
Nika, the Amur tiger at John Ball Zoo, is reported doing much better after testing positive for COVID. (Supplied)
The John Ball Zoo had good news today in that its 16-year-old female Amur tiger, Nika, is doing well after testing positive for COVID-19.
“Nika continues to do well and has been symptom free since approximately five to seven days after her initial presentation,” said Dr. Ryan Colburn, John Ball Zoo’s veterinarian. “No other animals at John Ball Zoo have shown signs of or tested positive.”
In December, John Ball Zoo announced that the Amur tiger had COVID. It is believed that a pre-symptomatic, positive member of the animal care team exposure the tiger to COVID. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have been worldwide reports of animals being infected with COVID by humans. At this time, it is believed that the risk of animals spreading COVID to humans is low.
People can spread COVID to companion animals such as dogs and cats. At zoos and sanctuaries, several types of big cats, otters, non-human primates, and hyenas have been reported being infected. Also white-tail deer in several U.S. States have been reported as being infected as well.
According to John Ball Zoo, Ryan and his teams have now successful administer vaccinations to many animals at the zoo who are considered high risk of COVID infection as well as continue to monitor Nika for viral shedding.
Still on the hunt
Blandford Nature Center continues to search for its missing Bobcat, Artemis.
Artemis, the female bobcat demonstrates her love for climbing at Blandford Nature Center. (Supplied)
Artemis escaped from the Department of Natural Resources’ approved enclosure on Dec. 31. Her brother, Apollo, had escaped earlier in December but was captured in a live trap by a neighbor and returned to Blandford on Dec. 20.
“We know our community’s been eager to hear good news about our missing bobcat, Artemis,” it states on the Blandford Nature Center Facebook page. “We want to thank everyone who has contracted us with sightings and leads on her location or reached out with kind words, we are so appreciative of the help we have received so far.
“We are sad to report there are no new developments at this time, but we remain hopeful that we will be able to find her and bring her home safely.
According to Blandford’s wildlife staff, Artemis has been on Blandford’s property in the past few days and has been spotted by Blandford trail cams. Blandford has received several reported sightings near or on its property which gives staff reason to believe she won’t be traveling far and are hoping to catch her in one of the many live traps that are being placed on Blandford’s property.
Blandford Nature Center got the sister and brother bobcats in the fall. The cubs were orphaned after their mother was killed by a car. Because they did not receive the survival training from their mother, it was determined by registered wildlife rehabiliators that the cubs would not be able to survive in the wild.
Apollo, the male bobcat, at Blandford Nature Center. (Supplied)
Blandford had an existing bobcat enclosure that was built for two but only housed its former bobcat, Bob, who died in 2020. The cubs were placed with Blandford.
Bobcats are solitary. Their prey is usually rabbits. rodents or similar in size small animals. According to Blandford, due to Artemis’s age and size, that of a large house cat, she is unlikely to be a threat to humans or most animals. The main concern is for her safety.
If a resident does spot Artemis, they should not approach her but should call the Grand Rapids Police Department’s non-emergency number, 616-456-3400. The GRPD will notify Blandford. The social media and phones at Blandford are not monitored 24/7 which is why residents should contact the Grand Rapids Police Department.
Apollo is currently being housed at the John Ball Zoo where he is doing fine. According to the Facebook announcement, Blandford’s bobcat enclosure is scheduled to have more reinforcements made next week.
Col. Eileen Collins is the featured speaker at this year’s “Roger That!” two-day program. (Supplied)
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) and Grand Valley State University (GVSU) have announced the return of “Roger That!,” a multi-day event celebrating space exploration and the life of Grand Rapids native, Roger B. Chaffee.
In its sixth year, “Roger That!” will take place on Feb. 18 and Feb. 19 with various components to the celebration, all themed around women in space — including remarks from pioneering pilot and astronaut Eileen Collins, the first woman to both pilot a spacecraft and command a space shuttle mission.
“After four in-person events and one virtual iteration of‘Roger That!’ we’re excited to combine the best of both with a hybrid conference in 2022,” said Deana Weibel, event co-organizer and GVSU professor of anthropology.
The two-part event will feature speeches on both days by Eileen Collins, who made history in 1995 as the first woman to pilot a U.S. spacecraft with the Discovery shuttle flight. In 1999, she was the commander for Columbia, making her the first woman to command a space shuttle mission. She ultimately logged 872 hours in space.
GVSU will host a free academy conference on Feb. 18 that is open to educators and the general public. Speeches will be available in person and virtually, over Zoom.
2022 speakers include: Computational Chemist Michelle Franci; Space Historian Catherine Newell; Planetary Scientist Louise Prockter; Space Educator Crzarina Salido; Bioastronautics Researcher and Spacesuit Technician Yvette Gonzalez; Space Media Archivist Megal Prelinger; Electrical Engineer Heidi Jiao and Space Historian and Eileen Collins’ Biographer Jonathan Ward.
The Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium is named after the Grand Rapids native who perished in 1967 on test of the Apollo 1 mission to the moon. (Supplied)
To attend the “Roger That!” Academic Conference, register at gvsu.edu/RogerThat. The events being held at GVSU this year will be free, as will the virtual talks, but guests must register. A reception with light refreshments will be held ahead of Collins’ talk at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 18 at the Loosemore Auditorium on GVSU’s Pew Grand Rapids Campus. The lecture is free through registration at gvsu.edu/RogerThat; it will also be livestreamed.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum will have activities both days centered around local astronaut Roger B. Chaffee, who died in 1967 during a NASA test flight, and space exploration. Hands-on activites include build stations where attendees can design their own rockets and paper airplanes, astronaut challenges, artifact interactions including meteorite samples, and tektite and more.
Collins will speak at 11 a.m. Feb. 19 at the GRPM. Tickets for this lecture will be available free of charge at grpm.org beginning Jan. 14.
Happy New Year! Did you make any New Year resolutions this year? Many of us did. And most of us have failed to keep them in years past. In one study, 77% of people kept their resolutions for 1 week but by the end of two years, only 19% were still going strong— and 53% reported slipping up at least once. Yes, it can be difficult to stick to your resolutions.
Make a cue-based plan. For example, instead of generalizing that you will exercise, plan a time each day when you will exercise and have your electronic calendar remind you to do it. Or, if you want to eat healthier, plan a weekly menu and make a shopping list to support it.
Give yourself a fine. Make a deal with yourself, a friend, or a charity, that every time you slip up, you will pay them a designated amount of cash. Psychologically speaking, it seems penalties can be pretty motivating.
Make it fun. Watch your favorite TV show only when you work out. Treat yourself to your favorite coffee drink when you buckle down and learn that new subject or listen to your favorite tunes organize the house.
Give yourself a few “Get out of Jail Free” passes. If you miss a day at the gym or gorge on chocolate cake one night, give yourself a pass and get back on the wagon.
Find an encouraging friend. Including a friend on your journey keeps you more accountable. Also, they might have some wisdom for you as you seek to achieve your goals, and vice versa.
Whatever your 2022 New Year resolutions are, another good way to achieve them is to choose health in every choice you make. Even if your resolutions have nothing to do with physical health, being active, eating healthy, staying hydrated, and getting enough sleep all support you in every other area of your life. So does keeping your spine healthy. Regular chiropractic adjustments not only relieve pain that can discourage you from meeting your goals but keeps your whole body humming in tune.
Kent County veterans are served by many groups, including the Kent County Veterans Services and Michigan Veterans Homes at Grand Rapids. (Michigan Veterans Homes)
The Kent County Board of Commissioners’ Veterans Millage Renewal Subcommittee, led by City of Wyoming’s (District 8) commissioner Dan Burrill, held an initial meeting in December to discuss and begin action on a planned August 2022 countywide vote on the renewal of an existing Veterans Millage first passed in 2014.
The meeting included several local veterans groups but was focused on the work of the Kent County Veterans Services (KCVS) office and its associated Veterans Services Advisory Committee. The KVCS provides dedicated services to veterans of active United States military service and their dependents, with a current staff of nine full- or part-time employees under the direction of manager Martha Burkett and including six veterans who provide direct service and a contract Veteran Support Coordinator who is also a veteran.
A second meeting of the group was set for will be Tuesday, Jan. 18, from 1-3 p.m., in room 311 of the Kent County Administrative Building, downtown Grand Rapids, at 300 Monroe Avenue NW. (and not at the KCVS building on Fuller Avenue).
The meetings are open to the public, veterans and non-veterans alike, according to supplied material.
The decision to take the renewal request to the voters would eventually need to be approved by the Board of Commissioners.
In November 2014, Kent County voters approved a Dedicated Veterans Millage, an eight year, 0.05 mills tax that, at that time, would raise about $1 million a year and was estimated to cost the owner of a $200,000 home approximately $5 annually, according to the county website.
Due to several factors — including the 1978, voter-approved amendment to the Michigan Constitution which included a number of provisions related to state and local taxes and now commonly known as the Headlee Amendment — the actual tax collection decreased from 0.05 mills to 0.0482 in 2021.
Statewide, 51 of Michigan’s 83 counties posted a millage dedicated to veterans in 2020.
Thanks to a federal grant totaling three-quarters of a million dollars, the Wyoming Department of Public Safety hopes to curtail gun violence and violent crimes by adding six community police officers to its department.
During a National Night Out event, a Wyoming police officer helps a resident on a motorcycle. Through a federal grant, the Wyoming Department of Public Safety plans to expand its Community Services Unit. (WKTV)
The Department was awarded the $750,000 Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Program grant from the United States Department of Justice. The Wyoming City Council accepted the grant at its Dec. 20 council meeting. With the grant money, the Department will be able to add six officers to its department, bring the police department’s total number of sworn officers to 99.
“We have seen a significant increase in violent crimes,” said Capt. Timothy Pols, the department’s public relations officer. “Last year, we had eight homicides, which is an all-time high for the city.”
Pols said the department could not contribute the increase specifically to COVID, as there was a rise before the pandemic started. However, current conditions have impacted the community with there having been an increase in reported shootings involving property damage and people being hurt, he said.
The Wyoming Department of Public Safety has been searching for funding to help increase its numbers. The COPS Hiring Program is designed to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by proving direct support to state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies nationwide. The program funding supports the hiring of career law enforcement officers to increase an agency’s community policing capacity and crime prevention. The funding covers up to 75 percent of the approved entry-level salaries and fringe benefits of full-time officers for three years. The city is required to cover the remaining 25 percent.
The COPS Hiring Program is an open solicitation. For the 2021 fiscal year, COPS received 590 applications from about every state and U.S. territory. It awarded grants to 183 state, local, and trial law enforcement agencies totaling $139,232,523 to support the hire of 1,066 full-time officers and deputies.
The Wyoming Department of Public Safety was one of four police departments in Michigan to receive a COPS Hiring Program grant. The other cities to receive funding were Battle Creek, West Branch, and Hamtramck. Wyoming received the highest awarded grant monies out of the four Michigan cities that received funding.
“Obviously this is a great thing for the City of Wyoming and it is really hard to turn money like that down,” said Mayor Jack Poll during the Dec. 20 City Council meeting. The grant does come with the requirement that the city fund the new six positions for at least 12 months beyond the three-year time period. The department hopes through additional local funding to maintain the new positions beyond the three-year timeframe.
The Community Services Unit works on building relationships. (WKTV)
The COPS Hire Program grant is dedicated to community policing. With the six new hires, the Wyoming Department of Public Safety will be able to move seasoned officers into its Community Services Unit, which currently consists of four Community Services Officers, three School Resource Officers, and a supervisor. By expanding the community policing, the Wyoming Department of Public Safety hopes to curtail gun violence and violent crimes through expanded evening coverage; adding a dedicated crime analyst office, gang intelligence officer, dedicated apartment liaison, and dedicated hotel/motel liaison; and increasing participation with juvenile offender reentry programs and area summer camps comprised predominately of at-risk youth along with high visibility patrols, especially in high crime areas and other community policing initiatives.
Currently, the Department is in the hiring process, Pols said adding that they have interviewed some strong candidates.
“With all that has happened in the past couple of years with COVID, I believe it has given us some dedicated candidates who have a good understanding about what is involved with today’s police work,” Pols said.
The department is seeking to fill the six positions along with several other positions that will be opening up due to retirements this year. Pols said the goal is to have the positions filled by the end of 2022.
As the outgoing chair of the Kent County Board of Commissioners looked back on a list of the county’s 2021 accomplishments — not the least of which was being a key partner in the West Michigan’s efforts to battle the pandemic — the board selected new leaders to begin 2022.
The Board of Commissioners unanimously selected Stan Stek (District 6) as chair and Emily Brieve (District 10) as vice-chair during a Monday, Jan. 3, organizational meeting. Stek, who had served as vice-chair, takes over as chair from Mandy Bolter.
As incoming vice-chair, Brieve will lead the Legislative and Human Services Committee. Commissioner Diane Jones (District 4) will continue to serve in her role as chair of the Finance and Physical Resources Committee.
Kent County Board of Commissioner Chair Stan Stek. (Supplied)
“It is truly an honor to be chosen to lead this Board,” Stek said in supply material. “I look forward to working together to maintain our strong fiscal position, improve residents’ quality of life, enhance the overall delivery of services, and ensure continued economic growth for the region.”
And, in a statement from the county detailing some of the board’s 2021 accomplishments, the wide-ranging duties and efforts of the county board were detailed.
Financially, the board late last year approved a balanced 2022 budget of $527 million, including $454.8 million for operating expenditures, of which $16.7 million will be capital improvements. It also maintained maintained its dual AAA bond rating from S&P Global and Moody’s Investors Service — for the 23rd consecutive year.
The county also was a key player in the local effort to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and to distribute federal funds meant to do the same.
The West Michigan Vaccine Clinic, created in response to the need to vaccinate as many people as possible, saw Kent County, Mercy Health Saint Mary’s, and Spectrum Health develop one of the largest vaccination clinics in the country at DeVos Place — with more than 231,000 COVID-19 vaccinations administered between January and May 2021.
In addition, the county Health Department added three new mobile health units in 2021. These self- contained mobile health facilities have been used extensively to target vulnerable populations in the administration of COVID-19 and other vaccinations, HIV testing, and community outreach. To date, more than 1,000 county residents have received COVID-19 vaccinations at clinics supported by these units, according to supplied material.
Kent County Commissioner Mandy Bolter. (Supplied)
“Despite the various pressures placed on public services this past year, our Board and staff were dedicated to continuing to provide excellent service to our community,” Bolter said in supplied material. “While we continued to meet the challenges of the pandemic, we also maintained a strong focus on meeting the needs of continued economic growth.”
Other stated accomplishments, according to the county statement, included expansion and bonding of The Gerald R. Ford International Airport; the hiring of the county’s first Chief Inclusion Officer “to underscore our commitment to fully embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion in our strategic priorities and service delivery”; and establishing three new “issue-focused” subcommittees (Broadband, Judicial Resources and Veterans Millage Review).
The county also funded county Sheriff’s Office cruiser and deputy body cameras, and secured an expansion of the Chief Hazy Cloud Park into a 395-acre natural preserve along the Grand River and allow for future trail expansion to connect multiple communities.
Incoming leadership has long local history
Stek, whose District 6 includes the city of Walker and part of the city of Grand Rapids, was first elected to the commission in 2014. He is an attorney at Miller Canfield and, according to supplied material, has a long history of serving his community on various boards and committees.
Among his current and past work is serving on the Crisis Center Task Force, Dedicated Millage Committee, Kent County Community Action Board, Kent County Workforce Development Board, Lakeshore Regional Entity, Millennium Park Advisory Board, Michigan Works!, Network 180, Senior Millage Allocation Board, Substance Use Disorder Oversight Board, and Walker Citizens Advisory Committee.
Kent County Board of Commissioners vice-chair Emily Brieve. (Supplied)
Brieve, whose District 10 includes Gaines Township and part of Caledonia Township, has served in the board since 2014. She works for her family’s small business, FastoolNow.com.
She currently chairs the Board of Public Works and Community Health Advisory committees and is a member of the Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority, Grand Rapids Public Museum, and West Michigan Sports Commission.
The cities of Kentwood and Wyoming are represented on the county board by Stan Ponstein (District 7), Dan Burrill (District 8), Matt Kallman (District 9), Monica Sparks (District 12), and Michelle McCloud (District 13). For complete information on the members of the board, and the areas they represent, visit here.
“We have a strong Board and an incredible community, and we are committed to supporting the prosperity of our businesses and residents,” Stek said. “We look forward to tackling the challenges ahead with fiscal responsibility, innovation, and collaboration.”
Construction and reconstruction will begin at Lee middle and high school this spring. One of the new projects will replace an area of the building which collapsed in 2019 with a new entrance off Havana Street, as well as a new multipurpose area. (Supplied)
Construction and reconstruction will begin at Lee middle and high school this spring, including enclosing the currently unusable interior courtyard to be used as a cafeteria and other purposes. (Supplied)
Construction and reconstruction will begin at Lee middle and high school this spring, including a new area which will include a band room. (Supplied)
Construction and reconstruction will begin at Lee middle and high school this spring, including a new area which will include a band room. (Supplied)
The long saga of a much-anticipated makeover of the Wyoming Lee Middle and High School building will move into high gear early this year as, following the final approval of a general contractor late last year, construction will begin as soon as spring weather allows.
In 2020, Godfrey-Lee Public Schools district voters voted to support a bonding proposal which would allow the district to put out bonds for about $18 million for a wide range of building and facility projects.
At the time, the district not only faced the task of modernizing portions of its middle and high school that are nearly 100 years old, it had to make repairs to a portion of the building which collapsed in 2019. But modernization and repairs are only the most obvious part of the historic and still bustling building.
“As far as the new construction, I am most excited for us to begin to make our facilities worthy of the amazing students that we serve,” Eric Mockerman, district Board of Education president, said to WKTV. “I am (also) happy that our building will be more accessible to our community in multiple ways and it will overall be easier to navigate throughout the facility. I am very excited for the addition of our new band room that will better fit the needs of the phenomenal program that will use that space.”
According to information provided by Dirk Weeldreyer, district interim superintendent, the building effort will be a two-year project, expected to be completed in the 2023-24 school year.
Construction and reconstruction will begin at Lee middle and high school this spring. One of the new projects will replace an area of the building which collapsed in 2019, shown at left. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
Among the projects are the reconstructed portion of the building along Havana Street in the space where the building collapsed and was demolished. An existing entrance to the gym will be redone, and the area demolished turned into a new media center on the first floor and new classroom spaces on the second floor.
Also planned is a new cafeteria and multi-purpose space that will be built in the area that is currently the unused courtyard of the building. And there will be a new band room addition on the north side of the building.
“Our current construction timeline calls for activity on our new/rebuilt spaces to commence in early spring 2022,” Weeldreyer wrote in an email. “We will need to work from the ‘inside out’ on these new spaces, so the first thing to happen will be excavation and preparation of the interior site (inside the current courtyard).”
There will also be interior renovation work in the existing classroom spaces starting in the summer of 2022, and renovation will continue over the subsequent 18 months or more.
WKTV Featured Game coverage of local Kentwood and Wyoming area high school basketball will offer up three games this week, beginning with the Wyoming Potter’s House girls hosting Ravenna on Tuesday, Jan. 4, and a boys and girls basketball doubleheader on Friday, Jan. 7, at Kelloggsville when NorthPointe Christian visits.
WKTV was originally scheduled to cover a game at East Kentwood, with the girls team hosting Muskegon, on Jan. 4. But the non-conference game has been cancelled due to a pandemic safety issue.
The Potter’s House Pumas girls enter the week 2-4 in early season play, including a 43-36 win at Cedar Springs on Dec. 21 in their last game, while Ravenna enters 2-3.
On Friday, and opening the team’s OK Conference Silver schedule, the Kelloggsville boys will begin the doubleheader with a 6 p.m. tip-off. Starting the week, the Rockets are 3-2 and the in early season action, with NorthPointe at 1-4.
The Kelloggsville girls will tip-off their OK Silver schedule at about 7:30 p.m., and enter the week with a 2-3 record before a scheduled Tuesday, Jan. 4 home game against Covenant Christian. The NorthPointe girls come to Kelloggsville with a 5-0 record.
Complete local basketball schedules as well as up-to-date scores of previous night’s games are also available at wktvjournal.org/sports-schedules-scores. (You can also just just bookmark WKTVjournal.org on your phone or other device and click on the blue banner at the bottom of the screen.)
The tentative WKTV Feature Game schedule for the remainder of January and February is as follows:
Tuesday, Jan. 11, girls basketball, Holland at Wyoming
Friday, Jan. 14, boys and girls basketball, Calvin Christian at Godwin Heights.
Friday, Jan. 21, boys basketball, Zeeland East at Wyoming
Tuesday, Jan. 25, boys basketball, Ottawa Hills at South Christian
Friday, Jan. 28, boys and girls basketball, Kelloggsville at Godwin Heights
Wednesday, Feb. 2, boys hockey, Manistee at East Kentwood
Friday, Feb. 4, boys and girls basketball, Grand River prep at Potter’s House
Tuesday, Feb. 8, boys basketball, Holland at Wyoming
Friday, Feb. 11, boys hockey, Petoskey at East Kentwood
Friday, Feb. 18, boys and girls basketball, Zion Christian at Wyo. Lee (HOF night)
Tuesday, Feb. 22, boys basketball, Caledonia at East Kentwood
Friday, Feb. 25, boys and girls basketball, Tri-unity Christian at Potter’s House
WKTV featured games will on cable television in Wyoming and Kentwood on Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 Community Channel, rebroadcast on the night of the game and various days and times the week after. See the programming schedule at wktv.org. For more information on WKTV coverage of basketball and other winter prep sports, follow us at wktvjournal.org/sports.
All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV’s video coverage team, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.com.
Local musicians seeking an audience – and audiences seeking local music – have a new way to find each other.
KDL Vibes, a streaming service featuring music by more than 40 West Michigan artists, went live in early December.
David Specht, digital marketing strategist for KDL, said anyone can navigate to the site at vibes.kdl.org and start listening.
“As a library, it’s our responsibility to provide quality, worthwhile, important content to our patrons,” he said. “We saw this as an opportunity to do that.”
KDL Vibes brings local music to people who don’t have the means or the opportunity to go to live shows, and it also offers musicians a big new audience. The KDL serves hundreds of thousands of patrons, Specht said.
Mark Lavengood, a songwriter, singer and multi-instrumentalist, has an album called “We’ve Come Along” on KDL Vibes.
David Specht was on the team that brought the Vibes streaming music platform to the Kent District Library. (Photo courtesy of KDL)
“Once I started researching the mission I was just really impressed and grateful for the initiative to perpetuate the local music scene throughout the community,” he said. “Personally, I’m hopeful it might turn a few folks on to my catalog. For the community, I hope that they take to the new service and discover some of their new favorite artists, music venues, and songs.”
You don’t need to live in Kent County or have a KDL library card to use KDL Vibes. But some services are available only to those with a KDL card.
“The advantage to having a KDL library card is that you can sign in with that card and pin favorite single songs and also full albums, so it builds a playlist for you,” Specht said.
About 15 libraries in the U.S. are offering the service, which is built on software called MUSICat.
Specht said there are a lot of music-loving staff members at the Kent District Library, and when they heard about the streaming platform being used in cities like Seattle and Austin, they got a team together to bring it to Kent County.
In September, the KDL had a six-week open submission period when local musicians could send in a sample track and brief bio. They got 130 submissions.
A team of curators active in the local music scene narrowed them down to the 43 that are on the site now. In addition to Specht, the curators are Andrea “SuperDre” Wallace, Ted Smith, Hugo Claudin, Gabriella De La Vega, Eric Green, Linda “Lady Ace Boogie” Tellis, Laura Nowe, and Jake Wunderink.
Mark Lavengood’s album “We’ve Come Along” is one of the 43 albums on the site. (Photo by John Hanson)
“We wanted to make sure we had a collection that represents the West Michigan music scene, doing our best to include music from all the different genres that the musicians here have to offer,” Specht said. That meant they had to bypass some great music if they already had enough in that genre, but the musicians who didn’t get in the first time will have another shot.
Open submission periods for musicians will be held twice a year in the spring and the fall, so the collection will keep growing. The next open submission will likely be in the late winter or early spring, Specht said.
Both the musicians and the curators are paid a $250 honorarium for their contributions to the site.
Specht said they will keep adding new music indefinitely, and they will have a rotating panel of curators so people with a variety of tastes get a chance to choose the music.
“It won’t be the same folks from one year to the next. That’s intentional, so we can give other people an opportunity to work on it,” he said. “I feel like the project will never grow stale.”
As teeth are one of the busiest organs of the human body, they need to be taken care of with utmost priority. Our recklessness often neglects our oral health (dental health) in eating habits and hygiene routines. Our overall well-being is dependent upon our dental hygiene. A single shred of bacteria can set our whole body in pain and jeopardy as many organs get affected by the bacteria deposits in our teeth.
The matter of dental health includes the overall condition of our gums, salivary glands, lips, tongue, ligaments, and mouth tissues, and chewing muscles. It means being free of ceaseless oral-facial torment conditions, oral and pharyngeal (throat) tumors, oral delicate tissue injuries, and craniofacial tissues, all in all, known as the craniofacial complex.
Dental care is neglected at a very early age, due to which the dental health deteriorates on the arrival of adulthood and mostly in old age. Today, many senior citizens in the US are facing oral health-related problems that affect their overall health. There are ample medical outlets that provide dental care for senior citizens at cost or free throughout the country.
Importance of Dental Health
More often than youngsters, senior citizens fall into the trap of oral health malfunctioning. This is because, after retirement, they find it difficult and unnecessary to avail themselves of dental care facilities and checkups. Secondly, they often have inadequate and unbalanced appetites due to soreness, and tooth loss is inevitable. This minor health negligence can be a driving force behind many other chronic dental and overall health issues.
Good dental health influences the overall health and well-being of a person. Painful cavities and bleeding gums are signs of deteriorating dental and overall health. Children need to be guided about the significance of oral hygiene so that they do not face chronic tooth decay or tooth loss at the slight onset of old age from an early age. Recent reports indicate a relationship between strokes, cardiovascular diseases, breathing problems, and periodontal diseases with dental health.
The tooth diseases start at the onset of plaques, which accumulate in the teeth if they are not cleaned properly. This gives birth to bacteria that can be harmful to the whole body’s functioning, as this bacterium runs through the bloodstream to different organs of the body such as the heart or lungs. This bacterium becomes a hard base gathered at the base of teeth, inflaming the gums and causing painful swelling and bleeding. Daily brushing is necessary for oral hygiene; otherwise, these bacteria thicken into black substances such as tartar and cause multiple infections.
Another reason why you should take care of teeth is because it can cause cavities in the mouth, resulting in holes in the tooth structure. Cavities can rot the teeth at an early age; thus, one entirely becomes toothless by old age. So, if you want to possess some teeth as you age, the observance of dental health is a must.
Studies have also indicated a link between diabetes and tooth infections. Diabetic conditions are more vulnerable to tooth decay, gum infections, and cavities. This further puts a person’s overall health at risk.
Some tips to enhance your Dental Health
It is advisable to brush your teeth twice every day with nutrient-rich toothpaste, like fluoride-containing toothpaste.
Flossing can prevent the accumulation of bacteria or any food leftover; thus, it can be done at home or done at a dental clinic.
The best practice to keep your teeth healthy is to visit the dentist once a week or twice a month. Dental checkups can be very beneficial as the dentist can advise on the onset of any medical condition or provide counseling on preventive measures.
Diabetic patients must immediately visit the dentist if they feel a slight ache, swelling, or bleeding in the gums.
Facilities by Government
In the U.S., the government has devised free medical health, dental, and insurance plans for senior government agencies through which clinics, charities, and non-profit organizations offer extensive medical and dental care. These dental and medical care facilities are free of cost and quality assured, with special attention paid to senior citizens’ health.
The senior citizens can apply for government-funded health programs that suit their medical conditions: a renowned government-owned free health and dental organization. Medicare provides assistance in dental care for senior citizens.
The public medical care service is like a free health insurance plan with comprehensive and extensive medical and dental facilities and allowances. The U.S. government founded it in 1965. This program is for senior citizens, youngsters, and other patients with chronic health conditions and disabilities. The senior citizens can enroll in this program and apply for Medicare medical and dental facilities for 50% and above provisions.
Senior Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) is a database of specialists and doctors who act as consultants. They also assist senior citizens in understanding the importance of medical care, dental health,insurance plans, and billing processes. Many other such plans can be of great assistance to senior citizens.
Apart from this, every county’s dental association can provide accessible dental care facilities, dental checkups, and dental medicines to the enrollees.
Dave Stanley is the host of Safe Money Radio WOOD1300 AM, 106.9 FM and a Financial Advisor and Writer at Integrity Financial Service, LLC, Grandville, MI 49418, Telephone 616-719-1979 or Register for Dave’s FREE Newsletter at 888-998-3463 or click this link: Dave Stanley Newsletter – Annuity.comDave is a member of Syndicated Columnists, a national organization committed to a fully transparent approach to money management
Staying in this New Year’s Eve — for whatever reason you care to choose — and not into college football bowl games? Want to catch some great music concerts? WKTV will replay its entire 2021 Kentwood Summer Concert Series to ring in the New Year.
Starting at 5 p.m. and running until after midnight, WKTV Community Media’s Community cable channel will rebroadcast five concerts leading off with Bootstrap Boys and running through the stroke of the New Year with The Soul Syndicate.
Don’t know some of the bands? WKTV produced previews of each (follow the links to the stories).
WKTV broadcasts on Wyoming and Kentwood cable channels. Comcast cable, Channel 25 is the Community Channel, where sports events and other community events are shown. WKTV can also be found on AT&T U-verse 99.
The Kent County Health Department announced on Dec. 29 that it is changing its isolation and quarantine guidelines for people who have tested positive or been exposed to coronavirus to align with this week’s changes in U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) protocol.
The CDC has stated that science now shows the majority of COVID-19 transmission happens early in the illness, generally in the first one to two days before symptoms start and the two to three days thereafter, according to the Kent County Health Department (KCHD) announcement.
“Therefore, effective immediately, the new guidance shortens the isolation and quarantine periods under certain scenarios,” according the the KCHD announcement.
If an individual tests positive for COVID-19, the new isolation guidelines, regardless of vaccination status, are for the person to isolate for five days, and a person may leave isolation if they no longer have symptoms after five days, but those people are urged to continue to mask for an additional five days.
If an individual is exposed to someone with COVID-19, the new quarantine guidelines are:
For people who are not vaccinated, or if it has been more than six months since they received the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or more than two months after receiving the J&J vaccine and have not received a booster, they should quarantine for five days followed by mask usage for five additional days.
People who have received a booster do not need to quarantine following an exposure but should wear a mask for 10 days after the exposure.
All persons who have been exposed should test five days after the exposure. A person who experiences symptoms during quarantine should be tested for COVID-19 and stay home until receiving a negative result.
“These new guidelines will mean less disruption to people’s lives and still slow the spread of the virus,” KCHD Medical Director Dr. Nirali Bora said in supplied material. “However, COVID-19 cases and deaths remain unacceptably high. We encourage everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated and boosted as soon as possible. Anyone who is experiencing symptoms should be tested as soon as possible.”
This new guidance applies to the public and may not apply to those residing in congregate living settings, schools, or people who work with individuals in high-risk groups.
The KCHD is currently updating all its guidance and communication materials to reflect the change in the isolation and quarantine guidelines.
It is unclear if letter jackets are still in style at high schools but, if they are, East Kentwood High School’s top esports players earned their letters recently as the Falcons won the Esports State Championship in League of Legends at Eastern Michigan University, beating Northville High School.
The title is the latest success story for the school’s new esports teams and players, who compete in the emerging competitions of electronic sports, also called competitive video gaming. Some of the games they compete in include Super Smash Bros, League of Legends, Valorant, Fortnite, and Rocket League.
State esports title team from East Kentwood High School League of Legends team, from left, are Kha Di Le, Andrew Hua, Tony Truong, Jacob Le, Anna Ngo and Brandon Le . (Supplied)
The early December League of Legends matches were streamed on Twitch by PlayVS, with professional “shoutcasters” calling out the games.
East Kentwood’s League of Legends team members include Kha Di Le, Andrew Hua, Tony Truong, Jacob Le, Anna Ngo and Brandon Le.
The League of Legends team are the top players in the school, but coach Bill Dixon told WKTV that he and his fellow coaches expect as many as 100 students to compete at some level this school year.
“Only one of these kids is in athletics, so for the rest, Esports gives them an opportunity to connect with their school with something other than academics,” Dixon said.
A history of support and success
“Esports started for East Kentwood High School about 4 years ago,” Dixon said. “A group of four teachers and administrators (Dixon, Justin Michalowski, Chad Songer and Geoff Westman) decided to offer this opportunity to our students. The rationale was there is an underserved student population that needed an outlet to compete for their school outside of the traditional athletic model.
“We wanted to keep the important elements of athletics: eligibility standards, practices, team building and try outs. What separates Esports from traditional sports is that 90 percent of our student population are playing these games and have a chance to participate.”
The East Kentwood High School esports team, at right, in action. (Supplied)
The school’s esports program has produced back-to-back championships in both Valorant and League of Legends levels, and compete in state leagues such as PlayVS, Michigan High School Esports Federation (MIHSEF) and Michigan High School Esports League (MHSEL).
“We have several Kentwood graduates that are competing at the collegiate level at schools like Michigan State (University), University of Michigan, and Grand Valley (State University),” Dixon said.
And, Dixon said in a previous announcement, at the recent League of Legends event, “I was also approached by three different college Esports coaches (Grand Valley, Oakland University and Davenport) that are trying to recruit our kids, offering scholarships.”
Dixon added that the East Kentwood program was “fortunate early on to get support, funding and vision from our principal, Omar Bakri.”
Since it’s beginning, the team has competed in more than 10 different competitions, “sometimes on a national/online format and sometimes with in person competitions,” he said. And East Kentwood has also hosted five events bringing in over a dozen different local high schools.
Bringing home the hardware — State esports title team from East Kentwood High School League of Legends team show off their medals. (Supplied)
“We’ve been fortunate to have excellent teams of great, committed students who have produced back to back championships in both Valorant and League of Legends,” Dixon said.
The East Kentwood program, in cooperation with the West Michigan Sports Commission, also helped run the “Rift Clash”, a League of Legends tournament, which was held live locally in 2019 and online in 2020. That tournament had 15 colleges and 1 high school — the host Falcons — competing. East Kentwood was able to beat several colleges and advanced to the semi-finals in 2020, before falling to MSU, the eventual winner of the tournament.
That team roster included Anna Ngo, Terry Pham, Ben Pham, Daniel Nguyen, Tony Truong and Scott Luu.
West Michigan has a thriving agricultural economy with miles of apples and other crops that often need to be picked by hand each fall. Thousands of migrant workers travel to Michigan each year to harvest these crops for local farmers and growers, filling approximately 100 migrant camps to capacity in Kent County.
With that influx of workers and nomad-style workforce, issues can and often do occur — not the least of which was dealing with the recent and ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Local non-profit Migrant Legal Aid has been an advocate for those workers, their health and their rights, for many years, and they continued to do so in 2021.
MLA defines a migrant worker as a person who lives and works at the same place and travels seasonally according to which crops are in season. Due to poverty, language barriers, and discrimination, seasonal workers often find it hard to protect their basic human rights and dignity. This is where Migrant Legal Aid say they step in.
Many migrant workers come from such severe poverty that when they are treated unfairly, most don’t speak up, Molly Spaak, attorney for MLA, said to WKTV. “Culturally, they say they can’t complain. They don’t realize they have a voice … There is also a definite fear of deportation if they come forward.”
Problems and solutions
Undocumented workers make up approximately 50 percent of the agricultural work force. Because of this, there is anxiety among the workers that deportation would occur if they come forward when treated unfairly. A way to eliminate this apprehension is found in case law.
Farm workers at a local growing location from fall 2021. (Migrant Legal Aid)
“MLA has good case law that protects undocumented folks from irrelevant immigration questions and retaliation in the workplace,” Spaak said. “This helps them feel more comfortable coming forward with their concerns.”
Young children have often been found in the fields with their parents, helping to harvest the crops so their parents meet the daily quota mandated by the growers.
“Child labor laws absolutely apply to migrant workers and their families,” said Spaak when asked if Michigan law extended to seasonal workers. “There are now migrant daycares and Head Start programs parents can utilize. These are free to the families. Because of this, there has been a drastic decrease of children in the fields.”
Migrant Legal Aid also provides help for those suffering from domestic violence.
“The Hispanic community is very patriarchal,” said Spaak. “Because of this, DV (domestic violence) cases are always popular.”
MLA offers special visas for victims who come forward. These visas help in many ways, providing social security numbers to the victims so they have the opportunity for steady work among them.
“This gives women and men more justification and incentive to come forward,” Spaak said.
Communication, community awareness
Educating the migrant workers on their rights and the services Migrant Legal Aid offers is a daunting yet necessary task. MLA produces many social media campaigns, newsletters to the community, and press releases to the media in an effort to raise awareness.
However, there are still challenges.
Farm workers at a local growing location from fall 2021. (Migrant Legal Aid)
“Social media helps build community awareness, but not our clients’ awareness because our clients don’t always have access to social media like the general population,” said Spaak.
To develop this knowledge, MLA sends migrant advocates into camps two to three times a week during the summer and fall to pass out Migrant Legal Aid information and speak with the workers personally.
Over the past year, advocates also handed out information on COVID-19.
“Migrant housing is jam-packed with people with one kitchen and one shower—it’s impossible to social distance,” said Spaak. “New COVID-19 regulations are not always followed, and the migrant camps were a hot bed for Coronavirus. Even when the vaccines rolled out, myths about the vaccine stopped a lot of people from getting it because they were worried about what it might do to them. We had to dispel those myths.”
Though MLA does have cases of mistreatment that require court appearances, Spaak said that many issues “can be resolved extremely quickly by speaking with the growers. A lot if it is communication and language issues with the workers.”
Migrant Legal Aid works hard to educate the community about migrant workers’ needs and situations but still needs help from the public. Being a self-funded organization, MLA relies on grants, private party donations, and fundraisers to subsidize their work. Two of their largest fundraisers are annual events — Cup of Justice, a golf outing in the spring, and Harvest of Justice, a luncheon in the fall.
While seeing so many cases of injustice against migrant workers is emotionally hard on the MLA attorneys and advocates, personal migrant success stories give them hope.
“Rene Rodriguez was a migrant worker from several years ago. His parents emigrated to the United States and were a farm worker family,” said Spaak.
Rodriguez went to school, worked hard, and became a professional website designer and marketing designer.
“We (MLA) bought several photographs from him that are now hanging in this office,” Spaak said of Rodriguez. “Rene also helps us with marketing, brochures, and photos.”
To find out more about Migrant Legal Aid and how you can help MLA protect migrant workers’ legal rights, visit here.
Farm workers at a local growing location from fall 2021. (Migrant Legal Aid)
“Smart planning should include some of your important retirement accounts are guaranteed.” Dave Stanley
When planning retirement, do you depend on projections based on future conditions, or do you plan your retirement based on guarantees? The answer may surprise you; both can be the correct answer. It all depends on your situation and what “time” period you are focusing on retirement.
Photo with pxhere.com
Let’s start with a projection or estimate of future value planning. If you base your future retirement income solely on US (or foreign) stocks, the volatility factor must be included. How will your chosen stocks perform over some time, and how easily can they convert to a retirement account to fund your desired income level? S0 much about a stock’s performance can depend on outside influences such as the overall world economy, the valuation of the dollar, inflation or deflation, and a third parties (analysis) view of your stock’s profit results. A group of top stock strategists can predict anything from a single-digit loss to a double-digit gain.
How do you plan for your future retirement income?
Whom do you trust?
How do you estimate future market values?
Experimenting with discretionary funds is one thing, but significant retirement funds could be a poor choice. Once again, it all depends on your situation.
Many people lose sight of the actual goal of retirement planning, which in its most basic form is to make your retirement income lasts as long as we do. This seems like a relatively straightforward objective, so why do so many people start with a retirement income strategy that leaves so much to chance? Let’s consider the choices again by category; one is an estimate, and the other is a guarantee. Depending on your asset values and your desired lifestyle, there can be room for both types of planning. The key is that essential expenses must be covered first and fully funded by lifetime income sources.
You’ll enjoy some significant advantages if your lifetime sources of income are sufficient to fund essential lifestyle expenses. The question and problem are the same: How do you do it? First on the list is to avoid market volatility risk and accept a reasonable rate of return.
New studies show if given a choice, most people would choose safe, secure income over yields. When the funds have to be there, and the income is essential, safety becomes the first decision. Having this sort of income planning eliminates the possibility of outliving your source of income, or what is called longevity risk. Knowing that your necessary expenses are covered with a guaranteed source of income is a great comfort and sense of freedom to enjoy your retirement years, no matter how long you live.
Given all the uncertainties, the unpredictable outcomes, and the unending list of “what-ifs” facing investors, it’s no surprise that drawing an accurate road map to where financial markets are headed is no easy task. Even for the Wall Street players who admit there are too many variables that are beyond our capabilities to absorb and forecast. That is precisely why it’s a top priority for those retired or about to retire to understand the risk they face without having put into place a guaranteed retirement income solution to alleviate the risk of running out of money.
Let’s take a look at the state of America’s retirement system. A generation ago, pension plans were offered to more than four out of five private-sector workers—today, it’s fewer than one in three. An employee has mainly replaced pensions paid plans like 401(k)s, 403(b)s, or 457s. Expenses built into many of these plans make it difficult to earn the needed money to fund basic retirement needs. The shortcomings of this approach are evident in its lack of guarantees—an essential factor when you consider the current historical level of market volatility. Plus, new insight into how fees are charged and the actual cost of owning these plans have come under regulatory scrutiny.
Thankfully, solutions exist that can potentially increase your income and generate a lifetime pension payout to both spouses with the benefits of protection and guarantees.
We use the only financial instrument to provide a guaranteed income that you cannot outlive and maintain control of your money with upside potential and no downside risk. How can this be accomplished?
Naturally, by handing the risk of managing your significant retirement funds to a risk bearer. An insurance company is a risk bearer.
Since the Presbyterian Church first invented annuities nearly 300 years ago, annuities have been the cornerstone of millions of retirees’ significant retirement income. With the evolution of new and dynamic products, a guaranteed income with annual crediting in the 4-7% range is fully available.
Removing risk from retirement planning by allowing an insurance company to manage your retirement accounts can provide you with a stress-free and secure future.
Dave Stanley is the host of Safe Money Radio WOOD1300 AM, 106.9 FM and a Financial Advisor and Writer at Integrity Financial Service, LLC, Grandville, MI 49418, Telephone 616-719-1979 or Register for Dave’s FREE Newsletter at 888-998-3463 or click this link: Dave Stanley Newsletter – Annuity.comDave is a member of Syndicated Columnists, a national organization committed to a fully transparent approach to money management
While launching a new restaurant in the middle of a worldwide pandemic may seem daunting, in West Michigan and really anywhere, Condado Tacos location on Bridge Street in Grand Rapids proved it could be done, and done in an artful way.
Like its menu, which they say is “adaptable to every diet,” Condado Tacos just had to be adaptable to Grand Rapids ever-shifting pandemic landscape — and health regulations. But Condado Tacos opening in February of 2021, during one of the pandemic’s surges, did present unique challenges for staff as they worked to get boots on the ground in West Michigan.
Tina Femeyer, general manager of the Condado Tacos Grand Rapids location, looked back on the restaurant’s first year and told WKTV that she was originally supposed to begin work the week of the Michigan statewide shut down in early 2020.
Tina Femeyer, local general manager of Condado Tacos. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)
“Everything got pushed back 6 to 8 weeks,” Femeyer said. “I ended up training in the Royal Oak location for four months, but they were only doing carry-out. I had to completely re-train for dine-in once things opened back up.”
Founded in 2014, Condado Tacos currently has 20 locations in Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Michigan. But they were committed to Grand Rapids.
“We were not certain if we were going to open at that time,” Karen Reed, Director of Off Premise Sales, said to WKTV. “There were some slight delays on parts (supply chain issues) and acquiring and confirming our liquor license were the two most challenging issues. Also, making certain we were in the position to combat and prevent COVID from spreading in the restaurant on a regular basis…It was a matter of doing whatever it would take, with a great commitment from our staff.”
And getting that staff together was high on the priority list.
Femeyer eventually moved to Grand Rapids in November of 2020 and began conducting in-person interviews.
One of the initial hires at Candado Tacos, Kentwood bartender Dan Voetberg, behind the bar. (Supplied)
“We knew we were opening at only fifty percent capacity but planned to hire full staff,” said Femeyer.
Conducting interviews while masked and socially distanced was a new experience for the general manager, but Femeyer said the process went smoothly.
Advance marketing and the use of the Indeed employment website for recruiting helped potential employees be aware of Condado Tacos and their entrance into the market.
“It appeared we had a bit of a following even prior to opening,” said Reed.
Condado Tacos art. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)
Condado Tacos art. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)
Condado Tacos art. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)
Condado Tacos art. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)
Condado Tacos art. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)
The art of tacos, and a taco restaurant
As Condado Tacos planned its opening, also in the plans was showcasing local artists.
When asked what prompted the decision to make art a main feature of Condado, Femeyer said that it was always a vision of original founder Joe Kahn, and other executives of the corporation, to ensure art was a key component of each Condado store.
“The art ties back to the local community, creating a unique space that speaks to what the city is about while being consistent with menu and service,” said Femeyer. “Art is the backbone of what they (corporate) wanted to make each space.”
Femeyer also revealed that the art is the most time-sensitive part of the construction process, often beginning before heat, air conditioning, or plumbing are completed.
“They (the artists) truly are a part of the construction team,” Femeyer said. “They work all hours of the day and night after drywall is in place.”
While each store features artwork distinctive to the city’s artists, diners can also look for a variation of a gnome and ghost chilies at each location, creating a link of unity between each store.
Condado Tacos on Bridge Street in Grand Rapids. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)
Condado Tacos is now at full capacity, though they do offer a patio with heaters for comfort, and also heaters stationed near the entrance to the restaurant in case people would like to enjoy a cocktail or wait for a table in a less populated space.
Condado’s success in Grand Rapids comes down to two things, Femeyer said.
“Great staff. They have all been unbelievably gracious and understanding that many things were out of our (management’s) control during opening. They were very adaptable.” Femeyer said. “I think the space really speaks to how people want to dine. They want a more light-hearted, ‘come as you are’ feel, which Condado Taco speaks to. It speaks to people of all walks of life.”
But Reed added that it doesn’t end there. “Our goal each shift and every day at our Grand Rapids Condado Tacos and all of our locations, is to be very consistent in our execution along with a focus on continual improvement daily.”
Grand Rapids will not be the last Michigan location for Condado Tacos. With three locations already open in the Detroit area at the time of the Bridge Street launch, Femeyer says Condado intends to continue expanding in Michigan, with plans already in place to open a store in Ann Arbor in early 2022.
