Taking a moment each day to journal or plot out your thoughts could help you improve your focus, a key aspect of your well-being. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
If you’re satisfied with your life, you probably have emotional well-being.
Emotional well-being can be mastered just like any other skill, according to Richard Davidson, founder of the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
How? By developing four key traits, said Davidson, a neuroscientist.
Resilience
The first is resilience. Research at the Center for Healthy Minds found that, over time, regular mindfulness meditation can help you learn how to bounce back from adversity.
Mindfulness meditation teaches you to become aware of your thoughts and emotions, center yourself and decide how you would like to proceed with the rest of your day. Find out more at mindful.org.
Positivity
Having a positive outlook is the second key trait—both finding the positive in others and being positive in the way you approach life.
Another type of meditation called compassion meditation is said to bring measurable changes after two weeks of 30-minute-a-day sessions. The goal is to switch from being judgmental to being caring.
Focus
Next is improving your attention level. A Harvard study found most people spend nearly half of their waking hours not paying attention to what they’re doing.
Letting the mind wander typically makes people unhappy, the researchers concluded. Practice focusing on the here and now, one task or activity at a time.
Generosity
Finally, become more generous of spirit. This means feeling happy for others when they do well rather than being envious or bitter, emotions that only hurt you.
Generous behavior activates circuits in the brain that promote well-being while enhancing the lives of those around you.
Yes, it takes time and effort to change your thinking and the way you see the world, but the benefits are infinite. And the more you practice, the more natural it will feel.
WKTV offers on-demand viewing of the Wyoming and Kentwood high school sports, community events, and government meetings. (WKTV)
By K.D. Norris ken@wktv.org
Local state legislators, and leaders from the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming, weighed in on Gov. Gretchen Whitmer plan to borrow $3.5 billion to rebuild the state’s deteriorating highways and bridges over a 5-year span, as part of a wide-ranging inter-governmental leaders meeting Monday, Feb. 10, at the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce’s Government Matters Committee’s monthly forum at Wyoming City Hall.
The Democratic governor unveiled the bonding plan during her second annual State of the State speech to lawmakers. It will enable the state Department of Transportation to do about twice as much construction on I-, U.S.- and M-numbered routes as it can now, she said in her speech. The funds would not be used to repair local roads.
But it was near unanimous opposition to, or at least serious questioning of, the Governor’s plan from local officials.
State Sen. Peter MacGregor (R), in part, pointed out that “bonding for the roads is not a solution” and compared such a plan to “financing the roads by putting it on credit cards.” While State Rep. Steve Johnson (R) said that when it comes to government financing “it is really easy to get into debt and really hard to get out.”
Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley and Wyoming Mayor Pro-Tem Sam Bolt also voiced their concerns.
Mayor Kepley said, in part, that “this is not long-term planning,” and Bolt pointed out that the increased state road work “doesn’t do any good for Wyoming” as it not have any funding for city roads.
Other discussion topics at the meeting included Kent County recycling efforts and the issue of drivers license documentation for undocumented immigrants.
The meeting, as always, was hosted by chamber member and moderator Kathy Batey and chamber president Bob O’Callaghan. The intergovernmental discussion hosted by the chamber focuses on issues that effect residents and businesses in the two cities.
The Government Matters meeting brings together representatives from the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood, Kent County commissioners, local Michigan state senators and representatives, as well as often representatives of Michigan’s U.S. senators and U.S. congressman who represent the Wyoming and Kentwood area.
At the February meeting, state leaders also included Rep. Tommy Brann. On the federal level, the panel included Peter Dickow, West Michigan Regional Director for U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, and Brian Patrick, communications director for federal Rep. Bill Huizenga (Michigan Congressional District 2).
The next meeting will be March 9, from 8 a.m. to 9:15 a.m., at Wyoming City Hall.
For more information about the chamber and Government Matters visit southkent.org.
The meetings are on the second Monday of each month, starting at 8 a.m. WKTV Journal will produce a highlight story after the meeting. But WKTV also offers replays of the latest meeting on Wednesdays at 7 p.m., as well as on select Saturdays, on Comcast Cable Government Channel 26. For a highlight schedule of WKTV cable programs visit WKTVjournal.org.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) announced today that it is partnering again with the DTE Foundation for the Young Women in Science program, offered as an after-school program to Godfrey-Lee Public Schools and Grand Rapids Public Schools students.
During spring of 2020, middle school students will have a special opportunity to work with local women STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) professionals. During this after-school program, students will work with Hydrogen powered cars, solar and wind energy, electrochemistry, physics and engineering, and more. Young Women in Science is offered free to participants, and takes place during a six-week session at the Grand Rapids Public Museum, once again sponsored by the DTE Foundation.
“Thank you to the DTE Foundation for continuing to support the Museum’s efforts to share these opportunities with area students,” said Dale Robertson, President & CEO of the Grand Rapids Public Museum. “In these after-school programs, students experience science in a hands-on way, led by local female professionals. We are extremely thankful to the DTE Foundation for the role they are playing within the community.”
The program reinforces grade-level science standards and laboratory skills with an emphasis on renewable energy. A portion of the program focuses on reflection and dialogue to improve students’ attitudes toward science and engineering by strengthening self-confidence and introducing career possibilities. The program is especially beneficial for young female students who may not see themselves widely represented in STEM fields.
“The Young Women in Science program engages girls in middle school with STEM subjects at a crucial time in their educational journey. At the DTE Foundation we want to make sure that we keep these girls interested in an important field that can change their futures,” said Lynette Dowler, executive director and president of the DTE Foundation. “We’re proud to support the next generation of engineers, mathematicians and scientists.”
Participating schools include Lee Middle School (Godfrey-Lee Public Schools) and Grand Rapids University Prep Academy, Westwood Middle School, Alger Middle School, and Riverside Middle School (Grand Rapids Public Schools).
A new study of pre-menopausal and menopausal women has helped shed light on how every woman experiences menopause differently, and what treatments are most effective. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
Every woman experiences menopause in her own unique way with a variety of symptoms.
She may suffer from hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, weight gain, fatigue and a sense of not feeling right. Some of these symptoms may sound familiar to you—possibly all of them.
I’ve seen several patients recently who each complained of different issues related to menopause.
A woman I’ll call Peg had to stop wearing silk shirts to work because she sweat through each one. Another patient, Sue, became embarrassed in meetings because her face becomes very red when she makes presentations to her peers. Cindy felt depressed that even though everything in her life was great, she had a sadness she just couldn’t shake. And then there’s Gloria, who expressed frustration with weight gain she recently began experiencing.
The four women felt betrayed by their bodies.
Fortunately, I had some encouraging information to share with each of these patients, thanks to a comprehensive women’s health study called the SWAN study.
The Study of Women Across the Nation (SWAN) is an ongoing study that follows women between ages 42 and 52 in order to understand how they will experience the menopause transition. There are seven SWAN sites across the nation: Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, Newark, Pittsburgh and Oakland.
Each woman receives a physical exam that includes measuring her height, weight, waist circumference, blood pressure and lab work levels. The study also records whether or not she smokes, how much alcohol she consumes, her education status and family history. Race/ethnicity is categorized as African American, non-Hispanic Caucasian, Chinese, Japanese or Hispanic.
The results of the SWAN study are interesting and have helped doctors understand why each woman’s menopause experience is unique.
For example, the study showed that women who became at higher risk for heart disease—increased cholesterol, belly fat and blood sugar levels—tended to fall in the following categories: Hispanic or Japanese, less physically active, less likely to be highly educated, and most had higher BMI and cholesterol levels before the study began. Pre-diabetes was found to be a very high risk factor across all ethnic groups.
Another study done in Pittsburgh evaluated Caucasian and African-American participants at risk of depression. Twenty percent to 30 percent of participating women had new onset depression between the ages of 42 and 52.
The women in the study had an average age of 46, and 31 percent were African American. In addition, 34 percent had a family history of depression. The women who had a family history of depression proved to be more likely to be highly educated and have experienced at least one episode of depression.
The SWAN study has also taught doctors so many other important facts about women in menopause:
Hot flashes are different for each woman.
Women of color experience hot flashes for the longest period of time (average of 10 years).
Women of Asian descent have hot flashes for the shortest period of time, but they suffer more with depression and irritability.
Hispanic women suffer from hot flashes an average of 8.9 years.
Caucasian women experience hot flashes an average of 6.5 years.
The earlier women start having hot flashes, the longer they last.
There are so many other fascinating findings that have occurred as a result of this ongoing study, but the bottom line is that women do not have to suffer the symptoms of menopause.
There is help for you and plenty of research to back up the findings. Strong, scientific research is being done to help us know what works best and determine the safest method for treating menopause symptoms.
I recommend being active, drinking plenty of water, maintaining a healthy weight, staying off the sugar, and being grateful in your life daily. These are simple but very powerful tools used to combat the symptoms of menopause.
In addition, there are FDA-approved hormones that may help those who need them. They are a safe option for many women.
If you think you may benefit from this type of treatment, ask your doctor, or come see us at the Spectrum Health Menopause offices. If we discover that hormones are not safe for you, there are many other options to try.
Since 2010, the Centers for Disease Control predicted that the number of new cancer cases has increased 24 percent.
For those in the medical field, the reason for that increase varies from early detection to people living longer. Because of some of those reasons, many agree that cancer care has become subspecialized and getting the right care often means that some West Michigan residents have had to leave home to find it.
Dr. Peter Hahn, President and CEO of Metro Health – University of Michigan Health (WKTV)
However, three institutions — Metro Health – University of Michigan Health, Mercy Health, and Michigan Medicine (formerly the University of Michigan Health System) — are looking to change that with a new initiative launched at the beginning of 2020, the Cancer Network of West Michigan.
The Cancer Network is being designed to integrate cancer care services in West Michigan with the goal of bringing broader access to advanced, state-of-the-art, comprehensive diagnosis treatment and support across leading health care institutions.
“We are really bringing together the talents of three world class organizations and combining it with the world class expertise of Michigan medicine,” said Dr. Peter Hahn, CEO and President of Metro Health – University of Michigan Health.
Dr. Kim Hyung, President of Mercy Health Saint Mary’s (WKTV)
Dr. Hyung Kim, president of Mercy Health Saint Mary’s, said the partnership is actually a natural extension of partnerships that already exist between the institutions. They Cancer Network of West Michigan will build on the foundation established by a radiation oncology collaborative already linking radiation oncology services between Michigan Medicine and Metro Health and between Michigan Medicine and Mercy Health.
Hyung said the question became “What can we do to take it to the next level. Especially in something like cancer care where there are more therapies and things are getting more complicated. Working together can make a big different in terms of what you can offer a community.”
Combined, the three West Michigan facilities treat 13,658 cancer patients a year. They bring to the collaboration a combined of 63 cancer specialists and sub-specialists, along with access to the latest research, treatments and clinical trails.
What does this mean for the average patient? Two or three years ago, a person with lung cancer only had one option, which was standard therapy such as chemotherapy, Hahn said. Today, there are so many different advances in terms of molecularity therapy that through the Cancer Network, the three partnering organizations will be able to offer that care in West Michigan versus a person having to travel to Ann Arbor or the Mayo Clinic, he said.
“We all know that people do better if they get excellent care close to home,” Hyung said.
For patients, the new Cancer Network will provide a more standardized cancer base-care with less variance. No matter which facility a patient goes to, they should receive the same treatment options.
Dr. Gary Allore, President of Mercy Health Muskegon (WKTV)
The initial announcement of the new initiative was received quite favorably by staff, acceding to the hospital officials. Currently, the three organizations are working to build the leadership team for the Cancer Network. There is a nationwide search for the person who will head the Network with the recruiting process for the specialists, who are in high demand, underway as well.
By having access to world class trials and advance therapies, Hahn said he believes the Cancer Network could help make West Michigan a destination for cancer care treatment.
“There is a lot of work to come, but we are all confident this could be a regional leading, potentially a national leader, in cancer care,” Hahn said.
To learn more about the Cancer Network of West Michigan, visit wmicancernetwork.org.
Social studies teacher Brent VanEnk has built the game with students over four years. (School News Network)
Wyoming: ‘You sneak them into learning
Discover how Wyoming Junior High School teacher Brent VanEnk sneaks students into learning with a virtual reality game he developed. In a Dungeons & Dragons-esque fashion, the game takes the students through the start of humanity and ends between 1400 – 1500. Want to play along? Well then click here for more.
Teacher Bryce Pulley with Paul Shannon, left, and Eire’hon Payton-Moore. (School News Network)
Kelloggsville: ‘Thinking about my world and deciding how to make it’
More Dungeons & Dragons coming as we head over to Kelloggsville Middle School where first-year teacher Bryce Pulley uses the software Inkarnate to help students learn more about geography. D&D players have used the software to create the intricate and detailed maps the game demands. How does Pulley use this software? Well X marks the spot to learn more.
Damone’t Johnson and Cacia Mitchell play their violas. (School News Network)
Kentwood: Musicians take on anything but classical
Just because they wear formal attire when entering into a concert venue does not mean East Kentwood High School’s Anything But Classical Orchestra is your typical musical performance group. In other words, be prepared to — at minimal toe tap and at maximum dance — along. Click here to read more.
For more stories on area schools, visit the School News Network website, schoolnewsnetwork.org.
As part of its commitment to building stronger communities, the SpartanNash Foundation invites store guests to take part in its companywide fundraising effort to build a strong foundation and a path toward homeownership in partnership with Habitat for Humanity. The SpartanNash Foundation’s fundraising effort to secure shelter – one of the Foundation’s pillars – will run Feb. 12-23, supporting local Habitat for Humanity partners in eight states.
During the 12-day scan, store guests who visit any participating SpartanNash-owned retail store or fuel center will have the opportunity to donate $1, $5 or $10 or round up to the nearest dollar at the checkout register. Participating stores include Family Fare, D&W Fresh Market, VG’s Grocery, Family Fresh Market, Forest Hills Foods, Ada Fresh Market, ValuLand, SunMart, Supermercado Nuestra Familia, Econofoods, No Frills and Dillonvale IGA stores in eight states.
For a list of store locations participating in the companywide scan campaign and the local Habitat they are partnered with, visit:spartannash.com/foundation-scans.
Nearly 50 local Habitats will receive monetary support thanks to the scan to build stronger communities. One hundred percent of all funds raised during the Foundation scan campaign will go directly to local Habitats’ homebuilding initiatives. SpartanNash underwrites the costs to run the scan campaign, contributes funding and encourages associates to volunteer with local Habitat partners.
Since 2006, SpartanNash, its associates, the SpartanNash Foundation and generous store guests have raised and granted nearly $1.9 million to support local Habitats and hardworking homebuyers.
“The SpartanNash Foundation supports community nonprofit organizations that provide hunger relief, secure shelter and support our military heroes,” said Meredith Gremel, vice president of corporate affairs and communications and executive director of the SpartanNash Foundation. “Through our retail scan campaigns, we have developed many strong partnerships with local Habitats, and we are excited to join with our store guests, associates and Habitat partners to continue to build stronger communities in 2020.
“Habitat for Humanity builds much more than homes – and together, we can help local families build a strong foundation and a brighter future.”
Habitat for Humanity’s vision is to build a world where everyone has a decent place to live. The organization is dedicated to eliminating substandard housing locally and worldwide through constructing, rehabilitating and preserving homes; by advocating for fair and just housing policies; and by providing training and access to resources to help families improve their shelter conditions.
Habitat homebuyers invest 300-500 hours of sweat equity into homebuilding and mentorship classes, where they learn the responsibilities and criteria to maintain the Habitat home they purchase on a zero-percent interest rate.
In 2019, more than $1 million was granted through the SpartanNash Foundation’s companywide scan campaigns, benefitting local Habitat for Humanity, Special Olympics, patriotic and food pantry partners’ initiatives to build stronger communities.
AIM also invites the public to run, walk or hand cycle your way through Grand Valley State University’s campus in Allendale this Saturday, April 4, for its Wheel Run Together 5K Run/Walk fundraiser. (Supplied/AIM)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
The local non-profit Alternatives in Motion — whose stated mission is to “enhance independence through access to mobility equipment” — recently announced a successful mobility device collection drive put on by one of AIM’s board members.
AIM will also be the benefactor of the Wheel Run Together 5K Run/Walk fundraiser, held at Gran Valley State University’s Allendale campus in April. And it is not too early to sign up.
Throughout December 2019, AIM board member Leigh Chick hosted a Mobility Drive at Ionia Intermediate School District’s Freedom Acres School.
Throughout December 2019, AIM board member Leigh Chick hosted a Mobility Drive at Ionia Intermediate School District’s Freedom Acres School. (Supplied/AIM)
“I was inspired to host a mobility drive to support AIM because they have given so much to the students and families of Ionia County and directly to Freedom Acres School,” Chick said in supplied material. “I knew there were families and community members holding onto old equipment that their child had outgrown and they didn’t know what to do with it. I wanted to give them a place to pay it forward. I also wanted to spread the word about how amazing of an organization AIM is.”
Chick thanked several people for help with the drive, including Jim VanBeek of Triangle Construction, who loaned an enclosed trailer to house and collect the equipment in until it could be delivered to Alternatives in Motion’s warehouse, as well as, at the school, Principal Angela Miller, maintenance supervisor Jeff Duell, and Brenda Brown, the school’s physical therapist.
Wheels, run, walk, whatever — for a good cause
AIM also invites the public to run, walk or hand cycle your way through Grand Valley State University’s campus in Allendale this Saturday, April 4, for its Wheel Run Together 5K Run/Walk fundraiser.
All proceeds go directly to support the organization, which aids in donating and refurbishing wheelchairs to individuals and families in need.
The event will take place at 1110 Kirkhof Center, 1 Campus Drive, on GVSU’s Allendale campus. In addition to the run, there will be raffles, prizes, music, snacks, drinks, and more. The cost is $25 per person with events starting at 10 a.m. and ending at 1 p.m.
It’s not all in your genes. Research underscores the important role that lifestyle decisions play in shaping the trajectory of your brain health. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
Researchers looking to trace the genetics and risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease put out a call: Volunteers needed to take a short online memory test.
Celebrities such as Ashton Kutcher, Lynda Carter and Valerie Bertinelli spread the word on social media. Soon, thousands of people signed up to match word pairs on the MindCrowd test.
With more than 59,000 tests completed, the researchers at the Translational Genomics Research Institute in Arizona analyzed the results.
On average, adults 18 to 65 who had a family member with Alzheimer’s scored lower than those who did not.
The study suggests those who have a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s because of family history may show changes in memory performance as early as their 20s, say the researchers.
More than 115,000 people have now taken the test, which is still online.
Researchers aim for a pool of 1 million participants, creating a set of data about how people without Alzheimer’s perform on the test, based on age, gender and various demographic and health factors.
Take results in context
The study, published in the journal eLife, may spark intriguing questions about who is at risk for the memory-impairing disease—but it is far from a diagnostic test, cautions Timothy Thoits, MD, the division chief of neurology with Spectrum Health Medical Group.
Thoits, a specialist in memory disorders, said neuropsychologists administer a number of tests to diagnose Alzheimer’s.
One test resembles the one used in the MindCrowd research. It asks participants to learn word pairs and then tests how well they can recall the missing half of each pair when one word is presented.
For example, a word pair may be “fan and vase.” When prompted with the word “fan,” the participant fills in the missing word, “vase.” (These words are not from the actual test.)
But someone undergoing testing for dementia would undergo many other tests—covering abilities such as attention, visual and spatial perception, judgment, processing, recall and retention.
Neuropsychologists’ testing also measures whether the patients are giving a good effort. This is crucial because depression, anxiety and other factors can affect whether people give it a full effort.
“Memory loss has to be taken in context—what’s going on in your life, what medications you are exposed to, any other medical illnesses,” Dr. Thoits said.
He encouraged anyone concerned with their results on the test—or memory issues in general—to talk first with a primary care doctor.
The researchers, in discussing the results of the study, stressed the value of a healthy lifestyle in helping to reduce the risk of dementia.
Neuropsychologists generally divide recommendations into three age groups, Dr. Thoits said.
Early life
Stay in school.
“People with a high education build up what we call cognitive reserve,” he said. “We think they can get along longer even though they may be having trouble, because of that high intelligence.
“For somebody with a lower cognitive reserve, minor deficits come to the forefront sooner.”
Midlife
Address health risk factors linked to an increased risk of dementia, including high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, smoking and hearing loss.
Although hearing loss gets little attention as a risk factor, research shows the link to be significant.
A recent study of more than 16,000 people in Taiwan found those diagnosed with hearing loss between 45 and 64 years of age were at higher risk of developing dementia in coming years. The findings suggest that hearing protection, screening and treatment might reduce that risk factor, the researchers say in the study published in JAMA Network Open.
Later life
Physical inactivity, social isolation, hypertension and depression all raise the risks of dementia for older adults.
Dr. Thoits encourages people to socialize and remain physically and mentally active. Suggestions include:
Take a lifelong learning course at a local college.
Do crossword puzzles and other fun games, including those offered free online at Games for the Brain.
Each day, get 30 minutes of aerobic exercise a day—make it a heart rate-boosting, sweat-inducing session.
Lifelong
In general, Dr. Thoits advises paying attention to four areas of life: Stay active physically, mentally and socially and follow a Mediterranean diet, with its emphasis on fruits and vegetables, fish, legumes, poultry and whole grains.
He does not advise taking supplements that claim to prevent dementia.
“One multivitamin a day is all we recommend,” he said.
Streams of Hope’s new executive director, Kurtis Kaechele. (Supplied)
Streams of Hope announced last week that its Board of Directors has unanimously approved the appointment of Kurtis Kaechele as its next executive director.
Kurtis will be taking leadership in the organization’s first full-time position beginning Feb. 17. With the continued growth of 10 existing programs and planned expansion into new offerings for its community, the time is ripe for Streams of Hope to invest in a full-time leader. Former Executive Director Paul Holtrop, who has helped lead the organization since its inception in 2006, will be ensuring a smooth transition with Kurtis.
“I’m excited to have Kurtis starting soon,” Holtrop said. “He is an enthusiastic leader and faithful Christian who will continue to emphasize community building at Streams of Hope.”
Kaechele is a native of Caledonia and lives in Grand Rapids with his wife and young daughter. He spent the past 15 years as a brand and marketing strategist, most recently as the marketing director for Nexstar Media, the parent organization for WOOD TV8 locally. Kaechele holds a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University in Communications and Media, and has been instrumental in planning and promoting the popular Maranda Park Parties in West Michigan. His background in communication and strategic planning is a wonderful fit for this nonprofit which has been a staple of the Townline community for the past 12 years.
“Streams of Hope is well established, and it’s just starting to build on a really solid foundation,” Kaechele said. “I’m really impressed with what they offer and the good work they’re doing in our community, and I look forward to sharing that story with others.”
Streams of Hope is a fairly young organization, but it already has significant, long-term impact on its community. Its focus is healthy schools, neighborhoods, and families. Through a variety of programs it touches almost 600 neighbors each month. Supportive services like the Food Center, an onsite medical clinic, fitness and cooking classes, and after-school programs for students help foster a healthier community.
Under Kaechele’s leadership, the Streams of Hope team plans to continue expanding its programs to reach more neighbors. In 2019, the nonprofit had a $1 million economic impact on its community and is looking forward to increased growth.
“God has truly blessed me with this incredible opportunity,” Kaechele said. “I am excited to bring my passion, experience, and fresh perspective to this amazing team of staff and volunteers. Together we’ll build upon Streams of Hope’s successful history of positive, sustainable change in our community!”
The best way to get through midlife and menopause is to know the tricks.
One of the tricks for healthy aging is to eat the Mediterranean way. This way of cooking and eating is healthy, tasty, satisfying and good for staying on a budget.
Mediterranean cooking includes whole grains, lean protein such as seafood and chicken, extra-virgin olive oil and lots of veggies.
For flavor and health benefits, the recipes use lemons, lots of garlic, and spices such as oregano, dill and parsley.
There are so many options to consider, and my favorite cookbook for Mediterranean cooking is Live to Eat by Michael Psilakis.
He organizes everything by key items to keep on hand: Greek yogurt for sauces and dips, garden-fresh veggies and fruits, peppers, onions, roasted cherry tomatoes, tomato sauce and garlic confit. From these items, healthy meals are a snap.
Mediterranean cooking has been proven to reduce risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.
Insulin resistance is the common denominator for all these issues, which combined are the cause of death for a third of women.
Insulin resistance is when the blood sugar stays higher longer after consuming food—and especially higher after consuming simple carbs such as white flour pasta, white bread, white rice, alcohol or treats.
When blood sugar stays high, it can damage tissue and cause higher levels of insulin, which increase cravings for sugar, as well as promote storage of sugar into belly fat.
One of the other things sugar does is make blood vessel linings sticky, which allows fat to adhere to them, increasing the risk of a blockage.
The bottom line, a diet high in foods made with simple carbs cause preventable disease.
Learning how to cook the Mediterranean way can save lives.
The West Michigan industrial economy remains marginally soft, said Brian G. Long, director of Supply Management Research in Grand Valley State University’s Seidman College of Business.
Long surveyed local business leaders and his findings below are based on data collected during the last two weeks of January.
The survey’s index of business improvement (new orders) edged down to -9 from -7, but continues to be ahead of October’s much weaker -21. The production index recovered to -2 from -7. The index of purchases remained negative at -6 from -17, and the employment index fell to -7 from -2.
Long said the West Michigan economy is poised for a period of slower growth entering 2020.
He said the tariff wars are not over, but there has been progress. The new tariff agreement with Canada and Mexico will correct some inequities that have popped up over the past 26 years. “For West Michigan, the biggest beneficiaries will be our local auto parts producers who will have their tariffs to Canada reduced or eliminated,” he said.
Long said some West Michigan farmers may benefit from the Phase I trade agreement with China.
“Many of the tariffs that have disrupted Chinese pricing for many commodities and sub-assemblies for some of our local businesses are not included in the agreement,” said Long. “The agreement may contain a lot of loopholes that could allow China to fudge compliance numbers. In fact, it may be a year before we know if the agreement has actually done us any good.”
Long said the coronavirus could slightly dampen the world economy. “The CDC tells us that a vaccine is still about 12-14 months away, so world travel and other measures to contain the spread may put a dent in the Chinese economy, as well as other economies around the world, including our own,” he said.
The Institute for Supply Management survey is a monthly survey of business conditions that includes 45 purchasing managers in the greater Grand Rapids area and 25 in Kalamazoo. The respondents are from the region’s major industrial manufacturers, distributors and industrial service organizations. It is patterned after a nationwide survey conducted by the Institute for Supply Management. Each month, the respondents are asked to rate eight factors as “same,” “up” or “down.”
For more information, contact Brian Long at 269-870-0428.
Hand2Hand, a local children’s food program, will host an informational meeting Thursday, Feb. 27, for area business, church, and school leaders in the Wyoming/Kentwood area.
According to Hand2Hand, there are about 6,619 students in the Wyoming/Kentwood area in need of weekend food. Weekends are the most vulnerable time for child whose home lacks food resources.
Hand2Hand delivers a bag of food to children for that weekend time. The program parnters with local churches and schools and also engages businesses and individuals to help provide that food.
The informational meeting for the Wyoming/Kentwood area will be Feb. 27 from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Cornerstone Church’s Wyoming campus, 2730 56th St. SW. During the meeting, participants will learn about Hand2Hand and its purpose, hear from Wyoming and Kentwood superintendents about the program, and receive a complimentary lunch.
Those interested in attending the program should RSVP by Feb. 18 to jodi@h2hkids.org or call 616-209-2779.
Sometimes you never know what you will find when you unpack a box. That certainly has been the case for Dr. Cory Redman, the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s science curator, and his team as they unpack the science collection at the Community Archives Research Center located at 223 Washington St. SE.
About 95 percent of the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s collection is displayed at the Community Archives Research Center, also called CARC. Redman has been tasked with unboxing and cataloging the many boxes that contain the science collection.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum’s lava medallion. (WKTV)
It was during this process that the team discovered a curious item, a lava medallion.
“These became popular in the 1820 as kind of souvenir or commemorative object,” Redman said during a recent segment on the WKTV Journal.
In the mid-18th Century, taking a Grand Tour of Europe had become fashionable among the wealthy elite. People would visit cities like Paris, Rome, Venice, Florenece, and Naples with a tutor to learn about languages, geography, culture, art, and architecture. When passing through Naples, the volcano of Mount Vesuvius — yes the volcano that destroyed the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum in 79 A.D. — became a must see stop mostly because instead of getting a postcard, you pick up a lava medallion. Mt. Vesuvius is where the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s lava medallion is from.
The other side of the lava medallion showing the name for who it was made for. (WKTV)
“The way it is formed is you actually take hot molten lava and you put it in some type of mold,” Redman said. “It is usually a two-part mold to press it and then you dunk it in water to solidify it.”
The museum’s medallion was made by Henry Augustus Ward who in 1862 started the Ward’s Nature Science in Rochester, New York, Redmen said. At that time, the company supplied museums with specimen and artifacts but today provides science equipment and materials to schools.
As to how the museum acquired the medallion, Redmen said his guess is that it came from one of the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s past directors, Henry Levi Ward, who served from 1922 — 1932 and also was the son of Henry Augustus Ward.
For more about the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s collections, visit grpm.org/collections/.
A community blood drive has been set for Wednesday, Feb. 12 from 8 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Wyoming City Hall Council Chambers, 115 28th St. SW.
Those interested in donating blood at the drive should make sure to eat a healthy meal and drink plenty of water before donating. Also, participants should plan to bring a photo ID with birth date.
Appointments are preferred. To make an appointment, call 866-642-5662 or visit versiti.org/MI.
Recycling Education also occurs at the Kent County Recycling & Education Center. (Kent County)
By K.D. Norris ken@wktv.org
Kent County announced this week that Kent County Recycling & Education Center at 977 Wealthy St. SW will be closed and unable to accept recyclable materials from both curbside and public drop-off locations for processing while new equipment is installed.
The equipment upgrades will “improve efficiency and quality by replacing the mechanical screens used to sort paper,” according to supplied material. Renovations will take place starting Monday, Feb. 24 and last until approximately Friday, March 13, according to the county.
During that period, there will be no recycling accepted by the county — from citizens at the downtown and north county transfer facilities, or by contract trash haulers who also collect recycling — a county spokesperson confirmed to WKTV.
(WKTV)
“We are giving advance notice to ensure residents can get as much of their existing recycling picked up and recycled before the February 24 temporary closure,” Dar Baas, director of Kent County Department of Public Works, said in supplied material. “We understand this is inconvenient but it’s necessary to ensure we can continue to be a reliable processor of recyclables for the region.”
According to the county, paper accounts for 70 percent of the processed material at the recycling center. In 2019, the center processed 16,692 tons of paper product, the equivalent of 283,764 trees, according to the county. The facility sorts out at least a truckload of paper every day. The screens used to sort paper are original equipment from when the center opened in 2010 and have run for over 30,000 operational hours.
Recycling is an ever-changing technology. And Kent County’s recycling system is changing. (Supplied)
“Periodic upgrades and renovations, like the replacement of our paper screens, ensure the recycling facility is up-to-date and can efficiently and reliably process clean materials for recycling markets,” Nic VanderVinne, Resource Recovery & Recycling Manager for the Kent County Department of Public Works, said in supplied material. “The Kent County Recycling & Education Center allows residents to conveniently recycle materials with a single-stream sorting process, that requires we have screens to automate the sorting process for materials like glass, metal, plastic and paper.”
The Kent County Recycling & Education Center is approaching its 10th year of single-stream recycling. Over the past decade, the center has undergone periodic maintenance and upgrades to adapt to changes in community recycling habits and packaging trends. In 2017, Kent County added equipment to accept paper cartons and improve automation.
“The recycling industry has changed significantly in the past few years due to increased global import restrictions,” Baas said in supplied material. “It’s imperative we make improvements to keep producing a high-quality product in a very competitive domestic market.”
For any updates and more information on the temporary closure visit reimaginetrash.org or call 616-632-7945.
Extreme early birds seem to function well in the daytime but they have trouble staying awake for evening social commitments, according to researchers. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
Early to bed and early to rise? In its extreme form, this tendency is more common than previously believed, according to a new study.
Going to sleep at 8pm and waking up as early as 4am is called advanced sleep phase. It was believed to be rare, but this study concluded that it may affect at least one in 300 adults.
In advanced sleep phase, your body clock (circadian rhythm) is on a schedule hours earlier than most other people’s. You have premature release of the sleep hormone melatonin and shift in body temperature.
Advanced sleepers also wake more easily than others and are satisfied with an average of five-to-10 minutes extra sleep on non-work days, compared with the 30-to-38 minutes more sleep that other people would take advantage of, according to study senior author Dr. Louis Ptacek. He’s a professor of neurology at the University of California, San Francisco.
Advanced sleep is not the same as early rising that develops with normal aging, or the waking in the early hours linked to depression.
“While most people struggle with getting out of bed at 4 or 5am, people with advanced sleep phase wake up naturally at this time, rested and ready to take on the day,” Ptacek said in a university news release.
“These extreme early birds tend to function well in the daytime but may have trouble staying awake for social commitments in the evening,” he added.
In order to determine the prevalence of advanced sleepers, the researchers analyzed data from more than 2,400 patients at a sleep disorder clinic. Of those, 0.03% were determined to be advanced sleepers. This is a conservative estimate, the study authors explained, because it did not include patients who didn’t want to participate in the study or advanced sleepers who had no need to attend a sleep clinic.
The researchers also said that all of the advanced sleepers in the study reported at least one close relative with the same early sleep-wake schedule.
“We hope the results of this study will not only raise awareness of advanced sleep phase and familial advanced sleep phase, but also help identify the circadian clock genes and any medical conditions that they may influence,” Ptacek said.
The report was published recently in the journal Sleep.
“I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can.”
George Bernard Shaw
Community programs in Wyoming
There are a number of spring programs available through the Wyoming Department of Parks and Recreation Registration is now open for these programs. Go here for the story.
Run and dance in Kentwood
The City of Kentwood has community-focused events all year round but February may be a little more busy than most months with its annual Valentine’s Dash 5K on Saturday, Feb. 8, and two more events later in the month, including the Annual Freeze Fest Disc Golf Tournament, and a Hawaiian Luau-Themed Family Dance, both on Feb. 22. Go here for the story.
Summer sunny job in Wyoming
Whether a college student just home for the summer or an older adult looking to do something different, the City of Wyoming has a number of seasonal job opportunities available. Go here for the story.
Fun fact:
$3,910 … or so
If you will reach full retirement age in 2019, you may earn up to $3,910 per month without losing any of your Social Security benefits. Source.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) announced today that Roger That! is returning this February for the fourth year. Roger That!celebrates space exploration and the life of Grand Rapids native, Roger B. Chaffee, with a multi-day experience, featuring STEM school programming and a public celebration at the GRPM and an academic and public conference at Grand Valley State University (GVSU).
The two-part event will feature speeches both days by NASA astronaut Dr. Story Musgrave, who was the only astronaut to fly on every shuttle that went into space. The free academic conference on Friday, Feb. 14 will include a keynote from Alice Bowman, one of the leaders of a mission that explored Pluto, along with programs for school groups and breakout sessions. School groups are invited for STEM programming on Friday, Feb. 14 at the GRPM, followed by public programming on Saturday, February 15.
GRPM Public Celebration
Join the GRPM for Roger That!on Saturday, Feb. 15.Visitors will learn more about Roger B. Chaffee and space exploration with hands-on activities including a jet propulsion activity, gazing at the daytime sky with telescopes, creating underwater ROVs, interacting with space artifacts and much more!
Community partners will engage with visitors through hands-on activities. New this year, Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry, Kent Intermediate School District (KISD) and YETi CGI will join returning partners, Kent District Library (KDL), the Grand Rapids Amateur Astronomical Association (GRAAA), the GVSU Padnos College of Engineering, GVSU Physics Club and the GVSU Lunar Lakers.
Activities will be available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. throughout the GRPM. Activities are included with general admission. Planetarium shows take place every hour and are $4 per person; free for Museum members. For planetarium show schedules and to purchase tickets, visit grpm.org/planetarium.
Dr. Story Musgrave (NASA)
Astronaut Dr. Story Musgrave: From Farm Kid to Trauma Surgeon to Rocketman and Way Beyond
Astronaut Dr. Franklin Story Musgrave will present From Farm Kid to Trauma Surgeon to Rocketman and Way Beyond as part of Roger That! on Saturday, Feb. 15 at 11 a.m. in the GRPM’s Meijer Theater. Theater doors will open at 10:30 a.m. Tickets are free and must be reserved in advance at grpm.org/RogerThat. Limited tickets available. Following the presentation, there will be a meet and greet opportunity with Dr. Musgrave.
Dr. Musgrave is an American physician and a retired National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) astronaut. He is a public speaker and consultant to both Disney’s Imagineering group and Applied Minds in California.
After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, Musgrave earned an impressive list of academic credentials, including a combination of bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mathematics, operations analysis, chemistry, literature and physiology, as well as a medical degree from Columbia University. As an expert on cardiovascular and exercise physiology, Musgrave was selected by NASA to serve on future space missions.
Musgrave’s first space mission was on STS-6, the maiden flight of the Challengerspace shuttle (April 1983). Musgrave’s most important mission came in December 1993, where he led a crew in a successful effort to repair the faultily constructed Hubble Space Telescope. In addition to Musgrave’s impressive work history, he also published several scientific papers on aerospace medicine, exercise physiology and other subjects. Musgrave retired from NASA in 1997.
Roger B. Chaffee By NASA/photographer unknown – NASA [1] Great Images in NASA Description, Public Domain
Academic, Public Conference at Grand Valley State University
Join GVSU for a free, public academic conference on Friday, Feb. 14, including keynote speakers, breakout sessions, and celebrating Valentine’s Day with an educational “Love Story” theme. Those interested in attending should register at gvsu.edu/rogerthat.
GSVU will kick off the Roger That! academic conference with keynote speaker Alice Bowman, the Mission Operations Manager for New Horizons, presenting New Horizons: Exploring the Icy Heart of Pluto and Beyond at 11 a.m. Bowman’s presentation will highlight the watery elements of Pluto, theories of a subsurface water ocean and discuss the Sputnik Planitia ice field on Pluto, the most famous “heart” in the Kuiper Belt.
A plenary session will be held at 2:30 p.m., featuring guests from the Adler Planetarium and Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago. The session will discuss Aquarius, a citizen-scientist program that allows students and scientists to work together, using underwater robots and additional technology, to search for pieces of a 600-pound meteorite that splashed into Lake Michigan in February 2017.
Following, Astronaut Dr. Story Musgrave will present The Way of Water: Essential, Engaged, Energetic, Adaptable, Cohesive, Transparent, Creative, Flowing, Synergistic, Multidimensional, Unbeatable and Beautifulat 5:30 p.m. in GVSU’s Loosemore Auditorium.
Additionally, GVSU will host an honorary dinner for Alice Bowman and Dr. Story Musgrave at the Holiday Inn Grand Rapids Downtown, followed by a special showing of Space School in the GRPM’s Chaffee Planetarium. Tickets to the dinner are $25 and can be purchased at gvsu.edu/rogerthat.
Roger B. Chaffee and the Apollo Tragedy
On Jan. 27, 1967, tragedy struck NASA’s Apollo program when a flash fire occurred in command module 012 during a launch pad test of the Apollo/Saturn space vehicle being prepared for the first piloted flight, the AS-204 mission. Three astronauts, Lt. Col. Virgil I. Grissom, a veteran of Mercury and Gemini missions; Lt. Col. Edward H. White, the astronaut who had performed the first United States extravehicular activity during the Gemini program; and Grand Rapids Native Roger B. Chaffee, an astronaut preparing for his first spaceflight, died in this tragic accident. The Grand Rapids Public Museum renamed its planetarium to the Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium the same year. The Planetarium was originally opened in 1994 and has gone through renovations to provide the best experience for Planetarium visitors.
Roger B. Chaffee, born in Grand Rapids, was an American naval officer and aviator, aeronautical engineer, and NASA astronaut in the Apollo program.
The tan and white home at 4827 Walton Ave. SW is not anything fancy, just a simple little bungalow. The 1,384-square-foot home, located near Kelloggsville High School, has three bedrooms, two downstairs and one upstairs; a bathroom with tub and shower, living room, kitchen, a fenced off backyard, and a basement that could be easily finished off.
All it needs is some landscaping, paint, new vinyl floors, and refinishing the existing hardwood floors to make it move in ready for one of the numerous families on the Inner City Christian Federation’s waiting-for-homes list.
“It’s been a great home for 70 years and it could be again,” said Chris Hall, the community homes initiative manager for the Inner City Christian Federation.
ICCF has about 250 homes in its Community Homes Initiative, many of which only need simple maintenance and repair, such as plastering and painting, to become livable again. These were homes the organization acquired in 2017-2018 through philanthropic efforts, returning the homes to local management, said Michelle Covington, ICCF’s vice president of advancement.
“When you think of Grand Rapids right now, it is a hot city,” Covington said. “It is one of the hottest zip codes in the city and so what happens is the home rates and rentals rise.”
By purchasing the large portfolio, ICCF’s goal is that homes remain affordable for low and moderate income households.
“Once we move someone out of the shelter into a home, it is only about day to repaint and do repairs at the shelter before someone else moves in,” Hall said as an illustration of the need for affordable housing.
“The key to the success is that we renovate these homes,” Covington said, adding to do that ICCF needs volunteers willing to help.
Chris Hall outside the Walton Street home discussing some of the needs to get the house move-in ready. (WKTV)
Most of what is needed is basic, patching walls, painting, cleaning, painting the trim, and landscaping, to make the homes safe, energy efficient, and affordable.
“You do not need to be a professional builder to do these types of things” Hall said, adding that ICCF already has had professionals come in for any major repair work.
For example, in the Walton Street home, the kitchen walls need plaster and paint and the moldings need to be washed and painted to transform the room into a nice living space.
Hall noted that a group of eight to 10 individuals could easily complete the work necessary in a few days.
“We have plenty of opportunities for this type of work if you are interested in helping to tackle this affordable housing crisis,” Covington said.
The homes are scattered throughout Wyoming and the Greater Grand Rapids area. The portfolio also included some homes in the Lansing area as well.
For more information on the Community Homes Initiative, visit the Inner City Christian Federation’s website, iccf,org.
The Open Meetings Act provides 11 circumstances where a meeting may be closed to the public. These sessions must be called by a roll call vote of those elected and serving. This requires a majority of the total board, not just those present at the meeting. For a nine-member board, this means five votes in favor of the closed session regardless of how many are in attendance at the meeting. The roll call and the purpose of the closed session go into the minutes of the open meeting. The public body can only deliberate in the closed session. Decisions must be voted on in an open session.
Some of the closed session purposes require a two-thirds vote to approve going into the closed session. These are indicated below by “(2/3)” after the purpose. The 11 closed session purposes are:
Personnel matters, if requested by the individual, and the individual may rescind the request at any time, but cannot then request to go back into closed session.
Student discipline, if requested by the student, or their parent or guardian, with the same one time restriction as #1.
Collective bargaining negotiations, if requested by either party.
Purchase or lease of real estate up until the time an option to purchase or lease is obtained. (2/3)
Attorney consultation on specific pending litigation. (2/3)
Review of applications for employment or appointment, if the candidate requests confidentiality. Interviews must be held in open meetings.
Partisan caucuses of members of the state legislature.
Consideration of material exempt from discussion or disclosure by state or federal statute. This includes materials exempt under the Freedom of Information Act, such as written opinions from the board’s attorney. (2/3)
Department of Commerce health code compliance conference.
Certain meetings in the search for a university president, if the search process meets several specific criteria spelled out in the act.
School boards to consider security planning.
Minutes of closed sessions are kept by the clerk for at least one year and one day following the regular meeting at which the closed session was approved, and longer if it is the subject of current litigation. These notes are not available to the public. Individuals requesting closed sessions may not later request that the closed session minutes be made available to the public.
The Michigan State House of Representatives in Lansing, Michigan CREDIT: USER CEDARBENDDRIVE / FLICKR
The spirit of the Open Meetings Act is to make government open and accessible to the people. People have the right to attend a meeting of any public body unless the meeting falls under one of the eleven statutory exceptions.
The Office of the Attorney General for the State of Michigan has for many years published an excellent Open Meetings Act Handbook, which can be found here.
People with a genetic predisposition to insomnia had a higher risk of heart disease, heart failure and stroke that affected large blood vessels, according to a recent study. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
If you spend a lot of nights watching the clock instead of sleeping, new research suggests you may need to be as concerned about your heart health as you are about lost shut-eye.
People with genetic variants linked to insomnia have an increased risk of heart disease, heart failure and stroke, according to the study.
“Good sleep is important for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease,” said study author Susanna Larsson. She’s from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden.
“A potential explanation for our observed associations between insomnia and heart disease and stroke is that insomnia problems potentially lead to the metabolic syndrome, including high blood pressure, increased body weight and type 2 diabetes, which increase the risk of coronary artery disease and stroke,” she said.
Insomnia affects up to 30% of the general population, the study authors said. More than 200 genetic variants are associated with insomnia complaints.
For the new study, the researchers looked at health information on more than 1.3 million people in Europe. The investigators compared whether or not genetic variants linked to insomnia were also associated with the risk of heart conditions and stroke.
The study found that people with a genetic predisposition to insomnia had a higher risk of heart disease, heart failure and stroke that affected large blood vessels. Other types of stroke were not increased.
The researchers also noted that the risk of a potentially dangerous irregular heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation wasn’t linked to insomnia.
Certain conditions, including heart disease and risk factors for heart disease, such as sleep apnea, may cause difficulty sleeping—and that makes it hard to tease out which condition comes first.
But, that’s a strength of this research, Larsson said.
Because they used genetic information to define insomnia instead of symptoms, it’s easier to see if sleep woes are directly related to the increased risk of heart problems and stroke.
There’s a flip side to that argument, however.
Because it’s not clear if the study volunteers actually had sleep troubles, or if they just had genes that made insomnia more likely, it’s hard to say if insomnia symptoms are truly the cause of these heart concerns and strokes.
Dr. John Osborne, an American Heart Association spokesperson and director of cardiology at State of the Heart Cardiology in Southlake, Texas, said he won’t be losing any sleep over the findings.
“It’s interesting and they used a powerful statistical technique that appears to be pretty accurate at identifying causal relationships. But the study didn’t identify how severe insomnia was or if people just have a tendency to insomnia,” he explained.
And, he said, the links they did find between insomnia and other conditions were only weak associations. Plus, the study was done in a European population. The findings may not be the same in more diverse groups of people.
Still, both experts said it’s a good idea to get the sleep you need for your health.
Larsson suggested that “individuals with poor sleep should try to change their habits and reduce stress in order to improve their sleep. Our genetic make-up has only a very minor influence on our risk of insomnia, which is mainly driven by behaviors, stress and other environmental factors.”
Osborne said stress management can help with sleep, as can avoiding stimulating substances like cigarettes and caffeine. He said to talk to your primary care doctor if you’re having a lot of trouble getting a full night’s sleep.
The study was published recently in the journal Circulation.
Marisa O. Ensor, center, has worked in in countries around the world and will talk on “Green Peacebuilding: Justice in the face of Climate Change”. (Courtesy)
WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
The World Affairs Council of Western Michigan’s 2020 Great Decisions series of local discussions will again tackle this year’s “issues of national an international importance” — the India and Pakistan powder keg, China’s power in the Americas, the present and future of American immigration policy, and the human impact of climate change, to name just a few.
The line-up of discussions, to be held Monday evenings at Aquinas College and Tuesday noontimes at Calvin University, will begin Feb. 10-11 with a discussion titled “Kashmir: Flashpoint between India and Pakistan” and will continue through the week of March 30.
All discussions are open to the public, with a $10 admission fee for non-Council members and collegiate partners, but free parking on each campus. No reservations are needed, and discounted series passes are available.
With the 2020 Great Decisions series, the World Affairs Council “continues its mission to empower the people and organizations of West Michigan to engage thoughtfully with the world,” according to supplied material. “Our largest community event, which we have been hosting since the mid-1950s. Diplomats, policy makers and practitioners, think tank specialists and journalists lead the conversation on some of the most pressing global issues of our time.”
The Monday lectures will run from 6 to 7:15 p.m., at the Aquinas College Performing Arts Center. The Tuesday lectures will run from Noon to 1 p.m., at the Recital Hall in the Covenant Fine Arts Center at Calvin University.
Raza Ahmad Rumi (Supplied)
The opening lecture, “Kashmir: Flashpoint between India and Pakistan” will be led by Raza Ahmad Rumi, Director of the Park Center for Independent Media at Ithaca (N.Y.) College. Rumi has been living in the United States since 2014, and is editor of Daily Times and founder of the Nayadaur Media digital platform. He is also a visiting faculty at Cornell Institute for Public Affairs.
Drawing on his deep background as a journalist and policy analyst, Rumi will “contextualize the factors that play into India and Pakistan’s actions and the U.S. response to these countries,” according to supplied material. Asking and discussing the questions “How do we de-escalate conflict between these two nuclear powers? India and Pakistan have a long history of conflict. How has escalation within the Kashmir region changed the stakes for the U.S. and the world?”
The other lecture dates, titles and speakers are:
February 17-18, “Mirror to the World: The Philippines under Duterte”, with Julie McCarthy, international correspondent with Manila Bureau of NPR.
February 24-25, “Regional Security in the Red Sea”, with Steve Dalzell, senior defense policy researcher at RAND Corporation.
March 2-3, “Green Peacebuilding: Justice in the face of Climate Change”, with Marisa O. Ensor, Justice and Peace Studies Program & Institute for the Study of International Migration, School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University.
March 9-10, “Human Trafficking: Global and Local Perspectives”, a panel discussion moderated by Rachel VerWys, co-creator of Solutions to End Exploitation (SEE).
March 16-17, “The Future is Now: Artificial Intelligence and National Security”, with Lindsey Sheppard, fellow at the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS).
March 23-24, “China’s Road into Latin America”, with Margaret Myers, director of Asia & Latin America at Inter-American Dialogue.
March 30-31, “Central American Immigration and U.S. Foreign Policy”, with Sonia Nazario, Pulitzer-winning journalist and author of “Enrique’s Journey”.
Of particular interest, for many, will be Ensor’s discussion on world justice in time of climate change. She describes herself, on her website, as “a gender and youth specialist with a background in forced displacement, environmental peacebuilding, humanitarian intervention, and post-conflict justice.”
Marisa O. Ensor (Courtesy)
She holds a PhD in Anthropology from the University of Florida, a Master’s in Law in International Human Rights Law from the University of Essex (UK), and a certificate in Forced Migration Studies from the University of Oxford (UK). She has over a decade of international experience in “the design and implementation of gender- and youth-inclusive projects in conflict-affected and fragile states, and those confronting forced migration and environmental insecurity” in 19 countries so far in Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and Europe.
In her discussion, Ensor “maps the relationship between climate change, conflict and fragile states and the lessons we can learn from those fighting for human rights and peace within their communities,” according to supplied material. Specifically she will discuss “What can young activists teach us about peace and climate change? … Climate change has become one of the defining issues of our time.”
For more information on the Great Decisions 2020 series visit here.
Freshman Karyna Espinoza and sophomores Mackenzie Griffin and Jose Briones-Maya helped their Lee band raise $13,400 in the district’s largest fundraiser, a 13th annual apple pie assembly and sale. (School News Network)
Like most marching band students, freshman trumpet player Karyna Espinoza played her part in the annual apple pie fundraiser for the Legends Middle and High band program.
“I cut up the apples and helped peel them,” said Karyna, who also wrestles and runs cross-country and track.
The 13th annual operation in late fall brought together hundreds of band students, parents and other volunteers in the school gym to transform 6,000 pounds of apples into 2,000 apple pies to raise $13,400 for the band program.
The apples came from Band Director Kevin Gabrielse’ 10-acre orchard in Leighton Township.
“This really envelops the entire community, both in the sale and the assembly process,” said Gabrielse, in his 20th year as band director.
He said fundraisers such as the apple pie sale help cut the cost of activities such as band camp, which would set each student back around $450… and also goes to some uniform parts such as shoes and gloves. As a result, students are charged $160 of the band camp’s total cost, and sales of 12 apple pies slices another $50 off per student.
Lee Band Director Kevin Gabrielse plays along with the trombones during concert band rehearsal. (School News Network)
Grandma G and Her Son’s Orchard
“This is how we work to make a difference for families,” said Gabrielse, who praised his mom Judy — “Grandma G” — for her significant role in the fundraiser. “She does a lot of the work out in the orchard, and it’s her secret apple pie recipe.”
He said his mother “works all fall in the orchard picking and sorting apples so we can have enough to give to the band, our kids’ local Christian school and several food pantries in the Greater Grand Rapids area. We also sell fruit at a roadside stand next to our house.”
The orchard leans on retired volunteers from Judy Gabrielse’s church, band students and his two high school-age children to pick apples. Students and parents are invited to help in pie-making and sales, he said.
Gabrielse said the land he and his wife, Karen, bought in 2006 to build their house was “on a nice hill with great sunsets” and also had an active apple orchard. The farmer who took care of the orchard died in a car accident about a year later, so the Gabrielses decided to keep it going themselves.
“Thanks to the MSU Extension and YouTube, we learned how to farm the trees and over the years have been ripping out the old trees and replacing them with the newest varieties,” said Gabrielse, who grows a variety of apples including Honeycrisp, Jonagold, Fuji and Gala, plus sweet cherries and pears.
Band members, parents and other volunteers gathered this past fall in the Lee Middle and High School gym to help make apple pies for their annual fundraiser. (School News Network)
Apples to Amazing
Band booster Deanna Mockerman said the apple pie fundraiser is how most students cover their portion of band camp.
“We never not allow students to be in band because they cannot afford to pay for band camp,” Mockerman said. “We also have several sibling groups in our band; so asking parents to come up with that money for not only one student, but two… they wouldn’t be able to do it. To be honest, as a band parent myself, that is how we were able to afford camp for our daughters.
“Without this fundraiser, I truly don’t believe band camp would happen — or at least it wouldn’t be an overnight camp.”
Mockerman said the fundraiser accounts for 80% or more of the total amount of band funds raised each year, making it what she called the largest “by far” student-involved fundraiser in the district.
“The band program would not be what it is without this event,” she continued. “I also believe our marching band program wouldn’t be where it is now if we weren’t able to have band camp the way we have.
“Band camp is more than just practicing music, learning to march, learning drills, etc. It’s also the opportunity for students to build relationships with the other band students; they become like a family. The juniors and seniors help the incoming freshman learn the routine of the week and the ins and outs of marching.”
And at Godfrey-Lee, family means apple pie time.
“I was more into the manual labor of loading the pies onto the truck,” said Jose Briones-Maya, who also runs cross-country and track and wrestles. “It’s a really great fundraiser to help the band out.”
Gabrielse was named the MSBOA District 10 Band Teacher of the Year in 2019 and earned 19 years of Division 1 superior band ratings, but said it’s about more than the awards.
“When they graduate, it’s more important to me that they’re ready for what’s next,” he explained. “Developing amazing students who are ready to go out into the world, that’s really my passion.”
For more stories about area schools, visit the School News Network website schoolnewsnetwork.org.
Lee Band Director Kevin Gabrielse prepares the concert band for the upcoming MSBOA Band Festival. (School News Network)
Left, American Colonel Ralph W. Hauenstein and right, Saburo Kurusu. Kurusu was part of the special envoy to the U.S. when Pearl Harbor was attacked. (Supplied)
Pia Kurusu White was just a girl when her father, the late Saburo Kurusu, took part in two significant events in 1940 and 1941 that led to the beginning of the United States’ involvement in World War II, but she vividly remembers her father’s recounting of the hours before the attacks on Pearl Harbor and his role in signing the Tripartite Pact with Germany and Italy.
White will join Brian Hauenstein, grandson of American Colonel Ralph W. Hauenstein, who served as an officer in Iceland during the opening stages of World War II and later in significant intelligence roles, for a presentation of American and Japanese perspectives on World War II, hosted by the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies at Grand Valley State University.
Total War: American and Japanese Perspectives on World War II
Pia Kurusu White and Brian Hauenstein
February 7, 4-6 p.m.
Loosemore Auditorium, Richard M. DeVos Center
401 Fulton St. W., Grand Rapids, MI 49504
This event is expected to be at capacity, so registration is strongly encouraged at gvsu.edu/hc/events
The event is free and open to the public.
Pia Kurusu White, the daughter of Saburo Kurusu, is scheduled to speak at GVSU Friday, Feb. 7.
The drama of World War II will be brought to life by the recollections of two West Michigan residents who learned about the history of the war from two men who were central figures in its beginning and ending stages.
Saburo Kurusu was the ambassador from Japan to Nazi Germany and famously signed the Tripartite Pact between Italy, Germany and Japan alongside Joachim von Ribbentrop and Galeazzo Ciano. He would be the only one who was not executed by the end of the war. More famously, Kurusu was the special envoy to the Japanese Embassy in the United States in December of 1941, when on December 7 they received instructions from Tokyo to decode a lengthy message and deliver it to Secretary of State Cordell Hull. The message formally broke off negotiations and had to be delivered before the Japanese began bombing the naval base at Pearl Harbor. However, the translation took too long and Kurusu and the Japanese ambassador were an hour late delivering it. As a result, the Pearl Harbor attack came without a formal declaration of war, and led President Roosevelt to declare December 7 “a day which will live in infamy.”
Brian Hauenstein will relate the stories of Ralph Hauenstein, his grandfather and namesake of the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies. His stories will begin with Ralph’s time serving as a US Army officer in the little-known period prior to Pearl Harbor when the United States sent soldiers to secure Iceland from Nazi aggression. He famously inspected the plane wreckage in which General Andrews (the namesake of Andrews Air Force Base and the creator of the modern US Air Force) was killed, and was put in charge of arranging the funeral for the General and his crew who perished in the crash. More significantly, Ralph was responsible for the discovery of a Nazi codebook when a German plane crashed in the mountains of Iceland, which led to breaking the Enigma machines’ Nazi encryptions.
Following his deployment in Iceland, Hauenstein was entrusted with intelligence efforts in occupied Europe, was the first American officer to enter liberated Paris, and the first American officer to enter and spearhead the liberation of the Dachau death camp, including interrogating the commandant of the camp who would later be executed for crimes against humanity.
Brian will also discuss his grandfather’s legacy after the war, when he discovered his vocation as an entrepreneur, founded several baking companies, and dedicated his life to philanthropy, serving as a confidant and friend to President Gerald R. Ford, and serving as a lay-auditor at the Second Vatican Council in Rome.
For more information or to register for this free event, visit gvsu.edu/hc
To make the healthy choice the easy choice and enable store guests to quickly and easily identify products that fit their lifestyle and nutrition needs, SpartanNash today introduced Nutrition Pathways. Nutrition Pathways are 22 nutrition and lifestyle attributes designed to help SpartanNash customers more easily identify heart healthy, sustainable, nothing artificial, organic and other key product features in store and on shopthefastlane.com.
In Family Fare, D&W Fresh Market and VG’s Grocery stores, Nutrition Pathways attributes are now displayed at the bottom of all shelf tags, allowing store guests to quickly see up to four key attributes for every product. Martin’s Super Markets, Forest Hills Foods, Family Fresh Market, Dan’s Supermarket and all other SpartanNash-owned stores will launch Nutrition Pathways by March 2020.
“Our customers are looking for healthier choices – but it can be time consuming to read through nutrition facts panels and ingredient lists and difficult to know exactly what fits into your diet,” Chief Merchandising and Marketing Executive Lori Raya said. “With Nutrition Pathways, we’ve done all the hard work for you, so your shopping trips can be quick, convenient and, most importantly, fit within your lifestyle or wellness journey.”
SpartanNash Regional Wellness Specialists used industry standards as well as evidence-based nutrition guidelines to create the definition for each Nutrition Pathway. Many of the pathways highlight the most nutritious foods on the journey to well-being – whether store guests are managing a health condition, following a food lifestyle or just wanting to make healthier choices.
Consumers generally shop for products based on four stages of wellness2:
General Wellness: Customers care about everyday healthy choices and eating a variety of foods.
Sustainability: Customers care about the environment, how products are made, grown or raised and appreciate food transparency.
Ailments: Customers’ shopping habits revolve around ailments such as heart disease or diabetes that drive them to eat or not eat certain foods, so they read labels and ingredient lists.
Life Stage: Customers want to live longer and stay healthier by making smarter choices.
“What we eat is a huge contributor to many chronic diseases, and eating a healthier diet helps prevent and treat many of these conditions,” said Barbara Karenko, DO, Metro Health – University of Michigan Health. “Food works as preventative medicine to keep us healthy and is essential to a person’s well-being.”
Nutrition Pathways key attributes include:
Heart healthy – This product is considered ‘heart healthy’ by the American Heart Association (AHA) and contains less than 10 grams of added sugar per serving.
Five or less ingredients – This product has five or fewer ingredients.
High fiber – This product has at least five grams of fiber per serving.
Whole grain – The first ingredient in this product is a whole grain.
No added sugar – This product does not contain any added sugar.
Low sodium – This product has 140 mg or less sodium per serving.
Good source protein – This product contains at least five grams of protein.
Gluten free – This product is gluten-free.
Nut free – This product is free of tree nuts and peanuts.
Lactose free – This product does not contain any lactose.
Non-dairy – This product does not contain dairy or milk ingredients.
Free from – This product is free from the eight major allergens (milk, eggs, shellfish, fish, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat and soy), antibiotics, high fructose corn syrup, hormones, partially hydrogenated oil ingredients, pesticides, nitrates and nitrates.
Nothing artificial – This product does not contain artificial color, artificial flavor, artificial sweetener or artificial preservatives.
Vegan (plant-based) – This product does not contain animal by-products or any animal ingredients.
Kosher – This product is Kosher.
Organic – This product is considered organic.
Non-GMO – This product does not contain any genetically modified (GMO) ingredients.
Sustainable – This product has one of the following claims and/or certifications: B Corp, Biobased, BPA Free, Carbon Footprint, Dolphin Safe, Environmentally Friendly, Ethical, Fair Trade, Forest Stewardship Council, FSC, Marine Stewardship Council, Rainforest Alliance Cert, Sustainable Farming, Sustainable Fishing, Sustainable Forest Initiative, Sustainable Packaging, Sustainable Seafood or Wild Caught.
Fragrance free – This product does not contain fragrance ingredients based on a derived analysis of the ingredient statement or makes a fragrance-free claim. You will find this pathway in the Beauty Care, Baby Care and Household Cleaners sections.
Hypoallergenic – This product claims to be hypoallergenic. You will find this pathway in the Beauty Care, Baby Care and Household Cleaners sections.
Paraben free – This product does not contain paraben ingredients based on a derived analysis of the ingredient statement or makes a paraben-free claim. You will find this pathway in the Beauty Care, Baby Care and Household Cleaners sections.
Meat first – The first ingredient in the ingredients statement of this product is identified to be a meat-containing ingredient. You will find this pathway in the Pet Food section.
On shopthefastlane.com – SpartanNash’s proprietary, intuitive online grocery shopping solution available at 70 stores in six states – all Nutrition Pathways attributes are listed, allowing customers to filter products based on their lifestyles and nutrition needs.
Nutrition Pathways is part of SpartanNash’s “Living Well” initiatives, which also include an ever-growing assortment of organic offerings, free and reduced-cost prescriptions at their pharmacies, Kids Crew programming and Regional Wellness Specialists who serve company-owned retail stores and communities in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan and the greater Omaha, Neb. area.
Wellness Specialists work with community partners and healthcare organizations to raise awareness about programs such as Nutrition Pathways and provide resources about nutrition and optimal food choices.
Diabetes is the body’s inability to properly process sugar, causing blood sugar to rise to unhealthy, sometimes dangerous, levels.
But the opposite problem—low blood sugar—can be a concern for people with diabetes, too.
About 60 percent of people with diabetes have had episodes of low blood sugar, known as hypoglycemia, according to a national survey by the American Association of Diabetes Educators. Of those people, 19 percent went to an emergency room.
“The prevalence is huge, and patients are concerned about it,” said Evan Sisson, PharmD, MHA, and a certified diabetes educator and former American Association of Diabetes Educators board member.
But the survey also showed that many patients “don’t know how to recognize hypoglycemia, and what to do if they do have it,” Dr. Sisson added.
A surprisingly high percentage of the survey’s respondents—nearly one-fifth—didn’t know how to define low blood sugar.
The number of patients who are unaware of low blood sugar treatment, or not properly treating low blood sugar, is worrisome to medical professionals because they demonstrate high patient concern but low knowledge.
When addressed properly at the first sign of symptoms, hypoglycemia can be little more than a minor annoyance. But if ignored, the symptoms become significantly worse—sluggishness, mental confusion, loss of consciousness.
Low blood sugar symptoms—the alarm signals include feeling shaky or sweaty, hungry or nauseated, or having a pounding heart—can begin when glucose levels drop to 70 milligrams per deciliter, or lower.
“Several factors put patients at increased risk of hypoglycemia,” said Annie House, a certified diabetes educator and diabetes education program coordinator at Spectrum Health Medical Group.
These factors include: too much diabetes medicine, too little food, or unplanned activity such as extra exercise in the summer or snow shoveling during the winter—any of which can use up much of the body’s glucose supply.
“Diabetes educators know to screen patients for these things and discuss the symptoms, treatment and methods of preventing low blood sugar,” House explained.
She added that modern technology is helping with such increasingly popular devices as continuous glucose monitors, which can warn patients electronically if their blood sugar is getting too low.
Dr. Sisson emphasized the importance of people with diabetes staying alert to their body’s changes.
“We’d like people to stay tuned to what their bodies are telling them,” he said. “Being able to anticipate changes in our body’s blood sugar from various activities, or from a missed meal or snack, is an important skill that comes from discipline and vigilance. And it’s important to include a patient’s medical professional in this effort.”
House said the diabetes professionals at Spectrum Health often bring up the subject of hypoglycemia during patient assessments. People with diabetes should ask their medical team about the impact of glucose medication or activities on blood sugar levels, just as a primary care provider may want to remind patients to check blood glucose before or after any physical activity, and to have appropriate snacks readily available if glucose levels fall.
Don’t be shy about this.
“When I talk with patients, one of the things I try to highlight is that hypoglycemia is a common issue,” Dr. Sisson said. “For that matter, diabetes itself is common. They’re not the odd person out. They’re not alone.”
Including a patient’s entire medical team to help develop a disciplined approach to monitoring symptoms is strongly recommended.
“We believe the patient is part of their own team,” Dr. Sisson said. “The take-home message for us in this survey is that more education is needed all the way around.”
House noted that the subject of hypoglycemia is covered, in depth, in Spectrum Health diabetes group classes, which are covered by most insurance plans.
“Hearing other people’s experiences resonates well,” she said. “Someone else’s story can have a big impact on another patient’s personal behaviors.”
By consistently monitoring their blood sugar and working with a diabetes educator, people can manage their diabetes and minimize the incidence of low blood sugar.
There are a number of spring programs available through the Wyoming Department of Parks and Recreation Registration is now open for these programs.
One such program is the spring youth soccer program. The program, which is opens children ages 4 to 12, runs April 25 to June 6. For other programs, click here.
Register at the Parks and Recreation office at the City Hall, 1155 28th St. SW
There are scholarships available for those interested in participating in the Parks and Recreation Department youth programs. For a scholarship, click here or call 616-530-361 or email Kenny Westrate at westratk@wyomingmi.gov for more information.
Volunteer coaches are needed for the soccer programs and other activities. For coaching opportunities, email parks_info@wyoming.gov or call 616-530-3164.
Also, dog lovers, the city has a Dog Park, located north of Kimble Stadium at 1414 Nagel St. SW, and has areas for both large and small dogs. the park is equipped with doggy drinking foundation and sand hill. An annual membership is $12 for residents and $24 for non-residents. For a Wyoming Dog Park packet, click here and for a registration form, click here. For more information about the Wyoming Dog Park, email parks_info@wyoming.gov or call 616-530-3164.
Kaitlyn Jones left school early one Wednesday in January because she felt awful: headache, body ache, chills, fatigue.
It must be the flu, she thought, noting how some of her fellow cosmetology students were among the many suffering from the virus this year.
She hoped she could get a prescription to treat it. But once she got home and learned she had a 102-degree fever, the last thing she wanted to do was get back into the car and go to the doctor.
So Kaitlyn, 18, took her mom’s advice and pulled up the MedNow app on her iPad.
Within minutes, she was having a video visit with Melissa Wilson, a nurse practitioner with MedNow, Spectrum Health’s telemedicine service.
MedNow lets anyone in Michigan who has access to a smartphone, tablet or camera-equipped laptop to receive non-emergency care from a Spectrum Health provider on-screen, 24/7.
“It was kind of like FaceTime,” Kaitlyn said. “Super easy.”
No waiting room
After she signed in to the app and picked the next available appointment time—in this case, immediately—Kaitlyn connected via video chat with a MedNow medical assistant, who got her registered and verified her insurance.
Then Wilson took over the video visit, asking about Kaitlyn’s medical history and walking her through a brief physical exam. From the comfort of her family’s home in Rockford, Michigan, Kaitlyn checked her neck and ears for tenderness and tried to show Wilson the back of her throat using her iPad’s camera.
“We went through my symptoms together, and then she prescribed Tamiflu,” Kaitlyn said. “She sent it right away from there to the pharmacy, so I was able to get it that night.”
Two days later, she felt well enough to return to class.
Tamiflu, or oseltamivir, is an oral drug that can shorten the duration of seasonal influenza if you take it soon after contracting the illness. It’s not essential for all flu patients, but it was important for Kaitlyn because she has Type 1 diabetes, which puts her at higher risk for complications.
Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
“I thought, we need to nip this in the bud,” said Holly Jones, Kaitlyn’s mom. “With diabetes, it’s just more complicated when they get the flu.”
Kaitlyn’s diabetes diagnosis is only a few months old, making her extra cautious about her health.
“Because I’m so new, I’m hyper aware and really scared of doing anything that would cause my blood sugars to go crazy,” she said.
The idea of sitting in a doctor’s office or urgent care center didn’t sit well with her—or her mom.
“I didn’t want her near the germy waiting room to catch whatever else was in there,” Holly said.
That’s what made the MedNow visit so ideal.
“I don’t even think you got out of your pajamas,” Holly said to her daughter.
Growing popularity
Kaitlyn’s video visit wasn’t just fast and convenient—at $45, it was also less expensive than a trip to the doctor, an urgent care center or the emergency department.
According to Amanda Reed, MedNow’s operations director, each MedNow visit saves patients and insurers more than $120, on average, compared to other sources of care. These cost savings, combined with convenience and quality of care, have propelled MedNow’s popularity.
“We reached our new high mark on January 24, with 127 patients seen in one day,” Reed said. “We had over 5,000 app downloads in the month of January alone.”
This year’s hard-hitting flu season is a catalyst for MedNow’s growth, according to Elizabeth Suing, PA, one of about 30 providers who spend at least part of their time treating MedNow patients.
“Right now, over 50 percent of the patients we are seeing in a day are flu patients,” she said.
Many of these are first-time MedNow users. But Suing predicts they’ll be back the next time they need non-emergency care—treatment for concerns like allergies, back pain, bites and stings, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, sinus problems, sprains and strains, urinary symptoms and more.
“Patients love the telemedicine. They love the convenience of it,” Suing said. “I think it’s the way that the world is going.”
Kaitlyn’s mom, Holly, confirms Suing’s view.
“I recommend it a lot,” she said. “My friends will say, ‘Oh, but I don’t want to go to urgent care,” and I say, ‘Try MedNow. Download the app. Make an appointment.’”
From a previous year’s City of Kentwood Daddy-Daughter Dance, which this year will be expanded to be an “all family” dance. (WKTV)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
The City of Kentwood has community-focused events all year round but February may be a little more busy than most months with its annual Valentine’s Dash 5K on Saturday, Feb. 8, and two more events later in the month, including the Annual Freeze Fest Disc Golf Tournament, and a Hawaiian Luau-Themed Family Dance, both on Feb. 22.
Many of the city’s community events also support local persons in need. This week’s run/walk will benefit Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry, while the disc golf tournament also serves as a food drive for the pantry.
This week’s 5K run/walk will start and end at the Kent District Library’s Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch, located at 4950 Breton Ave. SE. Check-in, on-site registration and packet pick-up will all take place at 9:30 a.m. The race will begin at 11 a.m.
Some of the runners at a previous Kentwood Valentine’s Dash 5K. (WKTV)
The 5K route will include a combination of trails and roads with mile markers and Valentine’s Day candy stations. Valentine’s-themed costumes are encouraged for the occasion. Fellow participants will vote to determine who is the “best dressed” and awards will also be presented to the fastest runners. While the 5K is intended to be a fun run, it will be chip-timed.
Following the race, participates will be invited into the library’s community room for a party that will include music, snacks, a photo booth, the award ceremony and more. If participants bring a non-perishable item or additional monetary donation for the pantry, they will be entered to win a special door prize.
Online registration costs $30 until Feb. 7, and $35 for day-of registration. Participant packets include a long-sleeve shirt “and other goodies.” Runners who sign up as a couple will save $5 each.
A full day of fun on Saturday, Feb. 22
The late-month events are filled with family fun at the library and outdoor adventure, with the Hawaiian Luau-Themed Family Dance particularly unique.
“This dance is such a great opportunity for kids to get dressed up, have fun and dance with the adults in their lives,” Val Romeo, Kentwood Parks and Recreation director, said in supplied material. “Whether they choose to attend with their parents or grandparents, primary caregivers, guardians or other relatives, the event is open for children to enjoy an evening making memories with their family, whoever that is to them.”
Formerly known as the Daddy-Daughter Dance, this family event will run 6 to 8 p.m. in the community room at the Kent District Library’s Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch and include refreshments, crafts, a photo area with props and a DJ. The evening will also include a short hula performance by Pacific Island Dancers.
Tickets cost $10 per person, and pre-registration is required. To purchase tickets go online at kentwood.us/familyluau or call 616-656-5270.
Earlier that day, the Freeze Fest doubles as a disc golf tournament and food drive as the City of Kentwood and Great Lakes Disc have once again partnered to host the competition.
The start of the 2019 Freeze Fest disc golf event. (Supplied/City of Kentwood)
Disc golfers of all levels are invited to partake in the best-shot doubles competition at Jaycee Park, located at 1088 Gentian Dr. SE. Funds raised this year will benefit City of Kentwood Parks and Recreation youth programs and all food donations will help stock Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry.
On-site registration begins at 9 a.m., and the first round of the tournament starts at 10 a.m. The cost is $40 and one canned food donation per team.
“We look forward to this event every year not only because disc golf and a little competition is exciting by nature, but because it’s incredible to watch community members come together in support of Kentwood initiatives,” Lori Gresnick, Kentwood recreation program coordinator, said in supplied material. “Last year, we collected an entire car load of groceries and supplies for the Little Free Pantry, which really goes a long way.”
Pre-registration and more event information is available online at: kentwood.us/freezefest.
Located in the Kentwood Activities Center at 355 48th St. SE, Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry is a year-round resource for area residents to take or donate food and personal care items. No applications necessary, and no questions asked. More information about Kentwood Little Free Pantry, including a list of suggested donations, is available online at kentwood.us/littlefreepantry.
When you’re ready to start dreaming of warmer weather and summer trips, pick up a free copy of the new West Michigan Carefree Travel Guide for inspiration! The brand-new 2020 edition of the guide is now available both digitally and by mail, at no cost.
This free guide is available from the West Michigan Tourist Association (WMTA) for viewing online, or travelers may request that a free copy be mailed to them, both at the following web address: http://www.wmta.org/about-wmta/request-free-travel-info/
Whether you’re thinking about visiting, you’re spending a few days in the area, or you live in West Michigan, the Carefree Travel Guide is an excellent resource to help you get out and explore the many things that West Michigan has to offer.
“Let us inspire your dining while you’re here, or help you find a B&B or a hotel with an outstanding breakfast offering. If you’re traveling with your pet, we can help you plan a trip they can enjoy right alongside you,” says Dan Sippel, WMTA’s Executive Director. In addition, the guide contains information on area trails, local arts, beaches, lighthouses, and much more.
You’ll also find maps throughout the guide, making it easy to find which breweries, wineries, boating spots, golf courses, and more will be near your destination.
Want to get a real-time look at West Michigan? Check out our gallery of live West Michigan cameras, where you can see what’s happening around the area right now! You’ll find all of the live camera feeds at WMTA.org/Live-West-Michigan-Camera-Gallery.
Start planning your trip when you request you free copy of the guide, and access WMTA.org on your computer or mobile device to get updates on events happening throughout the year, and to find out what’s going on where you are.
If you are a business who would like to request a large quantity of Carefree Travel Guides for distribution (free of charge), please contact Judy@WMTA.org to arrange delivery.
The City of Wyoming’s odd/even parking ordinance is in effect through March 31. The ordinance helps facilitate the City’s snow plowing operations.
Under the ordinance, residents must park on the side of the street that corresponds with that day’s date. For example, on Feb. 5 cars should be parked on the side of the street with odd-numbered addresses. On Feb. 6 cars should be parked on the side of the street with even-numbered addresses. On a cul-de-sac, parking may occur on even-numbered days.
Cars mus the parked on the correct side of the street from midnight to 7 p.m. From 7 p.m. to midnight, they may be parked on either side. Odd-even parking rules apply to all streets in Wyoming that are not already designated “no parking.”
For questions, please contact the City of Wyoming’s Department of Public Works at 616-530-7260.
Inner City Christian Federation (ICCF) hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony Jan. 30 for a new affordable housing development at 501 Eastern Ave SE between Logan and Baxter.
In partnership with Bethany Christian Services, this development will offer permanent affordable housing for homeless youth along with supportive services to help them successfully transition into independent living. The two apartment buildings will ensure low-income households and families continue to have a place to live and thrive in the Baxter and Madison neighborhoods.
The two four-story 65-unit apartment buildings include:
61 affordable housing units
4 market rate units
First floor live/work space for households with small businesses
17 youth housing units
Ground floor community space and kids room
Rear parking lot for residents
LEED Silver designation
The ribbon cutting event included a “cornerstone” plaque presentation to Eastern Avenue Christian Reformed Church and Restoration Row, whose support was instrumental in this project. (Supplied)
“In a climate where rent prices continue to rise and vulnerable families are displaced, this new development is the embodiment of ICCF’s commitment to providing and preserving affordable housing for low-income families and homeless youth on the southeast side,” said Ryan VerWys, President/CEO ICCF.
“We are thrilled to see this project come to fruition,” said Justin Beene, founder of the Grand Rapids Center for Community Transformation (GRCCT) of which Bethany Christian Services is a core partner. “For the past six years, Bethany has been forging new partnerships in the community. We are grateful that this innovative collaboration will provide 17 of our previously homeless youth with a safe, affordable place to live.”
This project is made possible by funding from MSHDA Low Income Housing Tax Credits, Love Funding, Insite Capital/Chemical Bank, HUD, Grand Rapids Housing Commission, City of Grand Rapids Community Development Department, Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis, Herman Miller Cares, Restoration Row LLC, and the DEQ.
Those who attended the ribbon cutting ceremony had the opportunity to tour the facility. (Supplied)
Kent Career Tech Center student Nathan Schaner learned about designing car components virtually by using professional tool and die stamping software on a classroom computer.
He was participating in a three-day training session on the software offered by Kevin Vormac, senior applications engineer for the firm AutoForm. The program exposed a dozen engineering students in the second year of the Tech Center’s Engineering & Architectural Design program to industry-level design.
The goal was to help prepare students for the local pool of engineering jobs, many at firms that use the expensive software, as well as for apprenticeships or college programs.
Kent Career Tech Center student Nathan Schaner listens to instructions on virtual stamping design
“Learning it here at (the Tech Center) is definitely beneficial,” said Nathan, who plans to major in mechanical engineering at Ferris State University. “I feel like I have a head start amongst all the other kids.”
The software eliminates the need for material or shop space and allows tweaking and tinkering. “We want for them to have some exposure to the software so when they do go out and look for a job they can put it on their resume,” Vormac said.
Nathan said he sees the value in learning digital design now. “This seems a lot more applicable and it’s easier for us to manipulate and do the correct things we need to do.”
Program instructor Larry Ridley said AutoForm is allowing the class to download the software onto 12 computer stations for use through the end of the school year. For a company to purchase the software for that many stations, the cost would be about $840,000.
Virtual design saves time and money, Ridley said, and has become standard in the industry. “It can do what they used to do by hand, that would take them four, five, six months,” he said. “Here, they can do their preliminary design in just a couple of weeks.”
Ridley regularly has students working in engineering while still enrolled at the Tech Center. Many start as apprenticeships after graduation or go to college to pursue degrees. Engineers can earn more than $100,000 after eight or nine years in the industry, he said.
For more stories on area schools, visit the School News Network at schoolnewsnetwork.org.
That morning sudoku puzzle could be the whetstone that sharpens your mind well into your later years, according to researchers. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
Mornings spent figuring out Sudoku or finessing a crossword could spell better health for aging brains, researchers say.
In a study of over 19,000 British adults aged 50 and over who were tracked for 25 years, the habit of doing word or number puzzles seemed to help keep minds nimble over time.
“We’ve found that the more regularly people engage with puzzles such as crosswords and Sudoku, the sharper their performance is across a range of tasks assessing memory, attention and reasoning,” said research leader Dr. Anne Corbett, of the University of Exeter Medical School.
“The improvements are particularly clear in the speed and accuracy of their performance,” she added in a university news release. “In some areas, the improvement was quite dramatic—on measures of problem-solving, people who regularly do these puzzles performed equivalent to an average of eight years younger compared to those who don’t.”
Does that translate to protection against Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia? The study “can’t say” at this point, Corbett said, “but this research supports previous findings that indicate regular use of word and number puzzles helps keep our brains working better for longer.”
The study was conducted online. Participants were assessed each year, and they were asked how often they did word and number puzzles. They were also given a series of tests measuring attention, reasoning and memory, to help assess changes in their brain function.
The result: The more often participants did word and number puzzles, the better their performance on the brain tests, Corbett’s group found.
Although the study couldn’t prove cause-and-effect, some differences were significant. Brain function for those who did word puzzles was equivalent to 10 years younger than their actual age on tests of grammatical reasoning and eight years younger than their age on tests of short-term memory.
The findings are outlined in two papers published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, adding to results presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in 2018.
The study is now expanding into other countries, including the United States.
Brain experts in the United States weren’t surprised by the findings.
The large, decades-long study “confirmed what your grandmother told you: ‘If you don’t use it, you lose it,’” said Dr. Gayatri Devi. She’s a neurologist specializing in memory disorders at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.
The fact that something as simple as puzzle-solving can take years off the brain is “a comforting finding,” Devi said.
She stressed that exercising the body can do the same. “Physical exercise is one proven way to keep our brains and our body healthy,” she said.
Dr. Gisele Wolf-Klein directs geriatric education at Northwell Health in Great Neck, N.Y. She said interventions to help the brain stay healthy longer are sorely needed.
“As older patients live longer, the growing number of Alzheimer’s patients represents a major challenge for health care systems worldwide,” Wolf-Klein said. “Currently, the pharmaceutical industry has yet to propose any promising medical treatments. So, searches for lifestyle interventions that might preserve cognition (thinking) has become a priority.”
“This study further supports many (prior) studies highlighting the benefits of mind exercises,” she said. It also “reinforces the need for all of us to keep our minds as active and engaged as possible.”
