Late game action from the Lee at Godwin Heights boys soccer game Aug. 29. (WKTV)
By K.D. Norris ken@wktv.org
The Lee High School boys soccer broke open a tight, defensive struggle with two goals near the end of the first half, and then ran their early-season record to 7-0 overall and 3-0 in OK Conference Silver with a 5-1 win over cross-town rival Godwin Heights on Thursday, Aug. 29.
Jesus “Chucho” Cruz.
The game was televised by WKTV Community Media’s high school sports coverage team with special Spanish-language announcing by local soccer instructor and radio host Jesus “Chucho” Cruz. The Spanish language audio game telecast will be replayed Saturday, Aug. 31, at 11 a.m., and then again Wednesday, Sept. 4, at 6:30 p.m. on WKTV cable channels. It will also be available both with Spanish and English announcers on-demand at WKTVlive.org. (See note below for details.)
Cruz is a goalie trainer for GRAS Academy of Grand Rapids and hosts the local La Mejor GR radio program.
In the actual game between Lee and Godwin Heights, Legends junior Gerardo Montañez broke the scoreless tie with about 4 minutes remaining in the first half, then about two minutes later sophomore Edgar Vasquez scored to push the score to 2-0. Lee and Vasquez wasted little time getting on the board in the second as he scored again with only about seven minutes played in the second half.
Lee pushed the score to 5-0 with goals by junior Willi Diaz and senior Michael Esqueda before Godwin sophomore Mario Aguilar tallied late for the final 5-1 score. Senior Godwin goalkeeper senior Eric Truong had several good saves despite the one-sided score. Lee sophomore Jacob Flores faced relatively few threats on goal as the Legends defense played very well.
With the loss, Godwin Heights’ record is now 1-1-1 overall and 0-1-1 in conference play.
In the lead-up to the contest, WKTV interviewed Lee coach Jamie Ramirez on the state of this current team and the school’s soccer program. For a story visit here. For a video, visit here.
WKTV broadcasts on Wyoming and Kentwood cable channels. On Comcast cable, Channel 25 is the Community Channel, where sports events and other community events are shown; Channel 26 is the Government Channel, where local government meetings and events are shown. On AT&T cable throughout the Grand Rapids area, viewers go to Channel 99, and then are given the choice to watch Wyoming (or Kentwood) Community (Channel 25) or Government (Channel 26) channels.
All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.org .
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and feature stories on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/.
Know where to seek medical help quickly on vacation. Immediate care is especially critical in the event of a heart problem. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
Headed out on vacation? Beware of heart attack: It’s the leading cause of natural death among travelers.
If you have heart attack symptoms on the road, getting immediate medical care can improve your odds of long-term survival, according to a study presented Saturday at a meeting of the European Society of Cardiology, in Malaga, Spain.
“If you are traveling and experience heart attack symptoms—such as pain in the chest, throat, neck, back, stomach or shoulders—that lasts for more than 15 minutes, call an ambulance without delay,” study author Dr. Ryota Nishio said in a society news release.
“Our study shows that long-term outcomes after a heart attack while traveling can be good if you get prompt treatment,” added Nishio, who works in the cardiology department at Juntendo University Shizuoka Hospital in Izunokuni, Japan.
For the study, the researchers examined data on more than 2,500 patients who had a heart attack and rapid treatment with a stent (percutaneous coronary intervention) between 1999 and 2015 at the hospital. It’s located on the Izu Peninsula, a popular tourist destination near Mount Fuji, and a regional center for percutaneous coronary intervention.
Patients who were traveling tended to be younger than other patients and had a higher prevalence of heart attacks due to a blockage in a major artery to the heart, the investigators found.
The researchers followed the patients for up to 16 years, comparing death rates among different groups. The median follow-up period was 5.3 years—meaning half were tracked longer, half for less time.
During the follow-up period, local patients had a much higher rate of death from all causes (25 percent) than travelers (17 percent), mainly due to cancer. But the two groups had similar rates of death from heart-related causes.
“It is important that, when you are over the immediate emergency phase, and return home, you see your doctor to find out how you can reduce your risk of a second event by improving your lifestyle and potentially taking preventive medication,” Nishio said.
Research presented at meetings should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said “It’s not the destination, it’s the journey” which holds true for Grand Rapids resident Luis Solis.
Solis has a ticket for a very special flight — one of the last flights of the American Airlines MD-80. American Airlines announced several months ago it would retire the last of its 26 McDonnell Douglas MD-80 aircrafts, also known as the Super 80 or Mad Dog.
“When I first heard about it, I was like they are going to retire the MD-80, too sad,” said Solis, a commercial airplane aficionado who easily admits he sometimes books a flight based on the type of aircraft being used. The announcement came and went but then, American Airlines released the schedule of the final revenue (passenger) flights for the iconic plane.
“When I opened up the schedule and saw that there was a flight leaving from Grand Rapids on Sept. 3, I just began to take a look to see if there were seats and, well I was able to get one.”
The flight is scheduled to leave at 2:25 p.m. Sept. 3 from the Gerald R. Ford International Airport and will land in Fort Wayne, Texas, the final destination for many of the American Airlines’ MD-80s.
Knowing it planned to retire the MD-80, American Airlines did not update the aircraft’s exterior logos. (Wikipedia)
There is some sentimental value as well in taking the flight as the aircraft was an instrumental key to the U.S.’s current air transportation system, Solis said.
A deal in 1982 between the MD-80’s maker, McDonnell Douglas, and American Airlines is credited for saving both the companies from financial ruin. Considered a workhorse, the aircraft was crucial to American Airlines planned growth in the 1980s that included the hub concept with the carrier being able to service smaller markets such as Grand Rapids. Other airlines soon followed American Airlines lead, purchasing the MD-80.
About anyone who flew in the 1980s or 1990s probably has done so on the MD-80, especially if they took an American Airlines flight. American Airlines had the largest fleet of the aircraft, with more than 250. That number grew to around 380 — about 40 percent of the airline’s fleet — when American Airlines acquired TWA in 2001.
Because the aircraft was so common, it was associated with many fond memories for those who piloted it and were along for the ride.
“MD-80 was often the one that was taking me to my vacation or bringing me back from my vacation. It was simple and it had a smooth ride,” Solis said. “It didn’t have all the amenities that new planes have but I loved it. It is one of those planes that when you saw it, you just knew what you were going to fly.”
Time marches on and the global fleet of MD-80s started to age with American Airlines being the first to stop investing in the aircraft. The newer aircrafts are quieter and offer more entertainment amenities.
And while American Airlines is retiring its MD-80s, you still will see them in the sky. Delta, along with several foreign airlines, still utilize the aircraft and the MD-80s also are used as cargo planes.
When a U.S. airline retires an aircraft after decades of service any one of three things can happen: the aircraft can be immediately destroyed and the metal recycled; the aircraft can sit in the dry graveyard in California’s Mojave Desert; or the aircraft can be re-sold to air services in smaller, foreign countries.
The combination that this is one of the last MD-80 flights for American Airlines, which is credited with helping to develop today’s high frequency pattern of air service, and it is leaving from Grand Rapids, a rarity for last flights, makes the Sept. 3 truly an adventure, Solis said.
“It really is about the journey,” Solis said. “To know that sometime in the past I rode this and that this is it, this is the last time; it is like somebody retiring. It’s done.”
Godfrey Elementary teacher Alex Kuiper prepares his classroom for the first day of school on August 19. Kuiper and his colleagues spent many days over the summer prepping for their students and the new school year. (School News Network)
Seating options including exercise balls and cushy chairs, calming decor and tech-ready environments were classroom amenities teachers had in mind long before students arrived for the first day of school Aug. 19.
As they do every August, the educators spent many hours and days preparing their classrooms to create the perfect learning environment. The following four Godfrey-Lee teachers shared how they prepped for opening day and beyond.
From his classroom library and bulletin boards to the seating arrangement and many other details, Godfrey Elementary teacher Alex Kuiper wants his classroom to be a home away from home for his students; one that feels safe and inviting. (School News Network)
Alex Kuiper, third-grade, Godfrey Elementary:
Kuiper, in his fifth-year teaching, said he wanted to make sure the classroom was inviting to his new students.
“I’m making sure when they come in that they feel like it’s a home away from home, and that they feel safe in the classroom,” Kuiper said. “I want my room to be conducive to learning … an environment that is inviting. It needs to be a place where they feel comfortable and cared about.
“I also want to make sure the kids have everything they need in order to have a successful school year; notebooks, folders, crayons, pencils. We’ve had some great community partners who have been able to donate school supplies for us, but that doesn’t mean I don’t spend my own money. I’ve spent at least a thousand dollars on my class library to make sure there’s a good selection for reading. The Guido A. and Elizabeth H. Binda Foundation has generously donated money to help us get more books, and with other grants we’ve been able to get more classroom library books so I don’t feel as pressured.”
After years of helping his mom, Mary Kuiper, set up her classroom as a youngster, his mother now returns the favor.
“I grew up in a family of teachers,” Alex Kuiper said.
There’s a good reason Early Childhood Center teacher Kimberly Radcliff’s classroom looks disheveled a few days before opening day. She was hired one day before open house and is rushing to get things ready with her mom Kathy Sporer (School News Network)
Kimberly Radcliff, early childhood special education (ages 2-1/2 to 5 years old), Early Childhood Center:
After getting hired just a day before open house last week, Radcliff worked overtime to get her room ready for the first day of school.
“It was kind of a rush this year,” laughed Radcliff, as she spoke about her recent hiring. “Right now I’m just organizing and putting toys away and I’ll figure out room space and classroom setup.
“I’m going to take down the bright bulletin boards. A lot of early elementary/special ed kiddos have sensory issues, so I want to do something that’s a calmer, lighter color for them. Classroom environment is huge. They need to feel safe and excited about the environment.”
Similar to Kuiper, Radcliff also had help from her mother, Kathy Sporer.
“I’m looking forward to the impact I can have on the students, not just in the classroom, but with their families. Some of it is helping parents parent as well as teaching kids.”
Eryn Watson’s classroom is well under way (School News Network)
Early Childhood first-grade teacher Eryn Watson gets her class ready for the new school year. (School News Network)
Eryn Watson, first grade, Early Childhood Center:
Entering her sixth year teaching at Godfrey-Lee, Watson is moving up with her kindergartners to first grade.
“I’m lucky because I was in kindergarten last year and I have the same group of students this year,” said Watson, who first thought of being a teacher in elementary school. “I’m setting up my classroom with them in mind. I want to make it feel cozy, fun and collaborative.
“This summer, I came here every Friday for a full day to prepare, and I spent three days last week and all of this week here.”
Like other teachers, she is using other option than just desk for her students to sit in.
“I am doing a lot of flexible seating this year,” said Watson. “We’re going to be using technology quite a bit, so I want it to be comfortable.”
Alicia Provencal, second-grade teacher at the Early Childhood Center, said she wants her classroom to be clean, organized and simple. She also likes the flexible seating concept. (School News Network)
Early Childhood Center second-grade teacher Alicia Provencal prepares for a new classroom of students. (School News Network)
Alicia Provencal, second grade, Early Childhood Center:
Provencal tries to keep her classroom clean, organized and simple.
“I don’t like a lot of stuff on the walls. I leave my bulletin boards empty so I can add things during the year that they’re proud of and put certain things on display.”
And she’s all in with flexible seating.
“It helps students that are uncomfortable in chairs.”
For more stories about area schools, visit the School News Network website schoolnewsnetwork.org.
GM Components Holdings Planet Manager Troy Comiskey (far left) and UAW Local 167 Bargaining Chair Martin Wood (far right) presented $30,000 in GM Community Impact Grants at the 28th Street Metro Cruise. (WKTV)
As plant manager of Wyoming’s GM Components Holdings, Troy Comiskey can tell you a lot about the facility located at 2100 Burlingame Ave. SW, such as the plant added 330 new jobs last year when it opened its axle department last year.
But the highlights for Comiskey, who has been with the plant for about a year, is the dedication the team has to helping better its community.
“Last year, for the mayor’s river clean-up, we filled a bus with volunteers who worked on both the Buck Creek and the Grand River,” Comiskey said.
Martin Wood, the bargaining chair for Local 167, the union that represents many of the employees at GM Components Holdings, said the team at the plant has had a long history of giving back to its community.
“The members of Local 167 do a lot in the community from working with robotics programs to helping collect school supplies for area schools,” Wood said. “Today it is just great to be highlighting some of the organizations that we work with that give back to our community.”
On Aug. 24, Comiskey and Wood were at the 2019 Metro Cruise to present $30,000 in GM Community Impact Grants, funded by GM Corporate Giving, to three organizations that provide services to the Wyoming and Kentwood communities. The organizations, each receiving $10,000, were the Greater Wyoming Community Resource Alliance, West Michigan Environmental Action Council (WMEAC), and Kids Food Basket.
“Last year, we were able to use the money to bring in the distracted driving simulator to two different high schools,” said the City of Wyoming Chief Kim Koster, who received the check for the Greater Wyoming Community Resource Alliance. The Greater Wyoming Community Resource Alliance has received money from the GM Corporate Giving program for the past several years.
“This year we are planning to purchase several portable speed detectors,” Koster said, adding that these detectors have been helpful in monitoring speeds on local roads.
“They provide a way for drivers to self monitor how fast they are going,” she said. “They have proven to be very efficient in that a driver is able to see the speed they are going and self adjust. They see they are exceeding the limit and slowdown.”
Koster said how many monitors would be purchased and where they would be located still had to be determined.
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Another organization that has received GM Community Impact Grants in the past is WMEAC. The organization uses the funds to support its Teach for the Watershed at Godfrey Lee Public Schools. The program is a hands-on opportunity for students in kindergarten through sixth grade to learn about their watershed, storm water contamination, and what the students can do to prevent pollution. The funs also helped to support WMEAC’s Annual Mayors’ Grand River Cleanup, the largest annual river clean up in Michigan.
Receiving its first GM Community Impact Grant was the Kids Food Basket, which provides sack suppers to at-risk children who are in food-insecure households. Kids Food Basket provides meal to children who attend schools in the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming.
The GM Community Impact Grants program this year will provide nearly $2.3 million in funding to hundreds of organizations in 47 communities where GM employed live and work. Of that amount, $30,000 was awarded to the GM Components Holdings LLC in Wyoming to give to local organizations.
This Labor Day weekend will be filled with music on WKTV 25 as the station runs two marathon events featuring the summer outdoor concerts from both the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood.
A tradition for many years, WKTV has features the City of Wyoming’s Concerts int the Park series on Labor Day, Sept. 2. This year, the station has included a marathon of the City of Kentwood Summer Concert series on Saturday, Aug. 31, giving residents from both communities away to enjoy the past summer before the school year starts.
The Crane Wives were a featured group at the City of Kentwood’s Summer Concert series. (WKTV)
Kick off the Labor Day holiday with the Saturday special of the Kentwood Summer Concerts. The concerts will be shown in the following order:
1:30 p.m. The Cranes Wives, a popular West Michigan band
2:50 pm. That Beatles Thing, hits from The Beatles’ catalog
4:20 p.m. Brena, oldies, top 40 hits, classic rock, R&B and country
5:55 pm. Melophobix, an alternative band with a funky musical outlook
7:05 p.m. Hannah Rose and the Gravetones, funk, blues and rock n’ roll
Brena performed at both the City of Kentwood and the City of Wyoming summer concerts series. (Supplied)
On Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 2, the station will air the City of Wyoming’s Concerts in the Park series. The concerts will be shown in the following order:
9:30 a.m. Midlife Crisis, oldies, classic rock band
11:05 a.m. Brena, oldies, top 40 hits, classic rock, R&B and country
12:40 p.m. Ray Watkoski and Family, polka music
2:10 p.m. Paradise Outlaw, Americana with Motown and Southern rock
3:40 p.m. Jared Knox, country music
5 p.m Jack and The Spare Tires, sixties, seventies, and eighties covers
6:35 p.m. Broadman Brown, country music
8:05 p.m. Daddyz Breakdown, classic rock
9:45 p.m. Shadows of the Night, music from the women of rock ‘n’ roll
11:10 p.m Brena, oldies, top 40 hits, classic rock, R&B and country
For more program information, visit wktv.org or go to the tab WKTV Schedule at the wktvjournal.org.
Nearly half of Americans feel lonely or left out—increasing the risk of early death by more than 45 percent, and doubling the risk of obesity. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
Sleep problems can play havoc with your social life, a new study suggests.
A series of experiments revealed sleep-deprived people feel lonelier and less eager to engage with others. That, in turn, makes others less likely to want to socialize with the sleep-deprived, researchers said.
The researchers also found that well-rested people feel lonely after spending just a short time with a sleep-deprived person, which suggests that social isolation caused by sleep problems may be contagious, according to the investigators at the University of California, Berkeley.
These findings are the first to show a two-way link between poor sleep and social isolation, offering new insight into what the researchers called a global loneliness epidemic.
“We humans are a social species. Yet sleep deprivation can turn us into social lepers,” study senior author Matthew Walker said in a university news release. He is a professor of neuroscience and psychology.
Brain scans of sleep-deprived people watching videos of strangers walking toward them showed heightened activity in networks typically activated when people feel their personal space is being invaded, the researchers found.
Sleep deprivation also reduced activity in brain regions that normally encourage social engagement, the findings showed.
“The less sleep you get, the less you want to socially interact. In turn, other people perceive you as more socially repulsive, further increasing the grave social-isolation impact of sleep loss,” Walker explained.
“That vicious cycle may be a significant contributing factor to the public health crisis that is loneliness,” he added.
Surveys suggest that nearly half of Americans feel lonely or left out. And loneliness increases the risk of early death by more than 45 percent, double the risk associated with obesity, research shows.
According to study lead author Eti Ben-Simon, “It’s perhaps no coincidence that the past few decades have seen a marked increase in loneliness and an equally dramatic decrease in sleep duration.” She is a postdoctoral fellow in Walker’s Center for Human Sleep Science.
“Without sufficient sleep, we become a social turn-off, and loneliness soon kicks in,” Ben-Simon said.
The study did offer a reason for optimism: A good night’s sleep makes a rapid difference.
Walker said that “just one night of good sleep makes you feel more outgoing and socially confident, and furthermore, will attract others to you.”
The study was published in the journal Nature Communications.
Midwest Express revealed the Elite Airways aircraft, complete with exterior Midwest Express branding, that will service initial flight destinations to Cincinnati, OH (CVG), Omaha, NE (OMA), and Grand Rapids, MI (GRR). The plane arrived at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport this afternoon where travelers were treated to the legendary Midwest Express chocolate chip cookie that will be baked onboard all Midwest Express-marketed flights.
“Today is a monumental day in our efforts to return Midwest Express to the air, and we are excited to serve the Milwaukee-Grand Rapids route which has been in demand for some time,” said Greg Aretakis, president of Midwest Express. “We received input from many local businesses regarding their travel needs and this feedback factored into our choice of initial destinations.”
According to Aretakis, Midwest Express is in the process of establishing its flight booking system, and will be hiring key staff positions. Through the partnership with Elite Airways, flight operations will be provided by Elite. In addition, Elite Airways will support Midwest’s efforts to pursue regulatory and operational requirements necessary for Midwest to obtain its own airline operating certificate and aircraft.
The Midwest Express-branded aircraft displayed at the event was a 50-seat Bombardier CRJ 200 jet, one of a number of jet aircraft models flown by Elite Airways.
“The drive from West Michigan to Milwaukee is not an easy one around the lake, and what could take up to six hours in a car, will now be a convenient 40-minute flight, thanks to the relaunch of Midwest Express, and the service they will offer between Grand Rapids and Milwaukee,” said Brian Picardat, Interim President & CEO at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport. “We’re excited about this opportunity to connect our thriving West Michigan business community with our friends across the lake.”
“Bringing back Midwest Express and its special brand of customer service has been something we keep hearing from the business community, and today, that reality has never been closer. In the coming weeks, we will complete our final steps to begin marketing flights before the end of this year,” added Aretakis.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
Gratiot Area Animals in Need (G.A.I.N.) contacted us in early July of 2019 in hopes of us being able to accommodate a FIV+ girl they had in their foster program. Although she had been with them since April, she wasn’t tested until her spay appointment in June, and when her viral status was discovered, they were in need of locating a shelter, such as ours, that caters to their special status. The only way the virus can be transmitted is through bite wounds, so at some point she was injured by another cat.
Lyanna hasn’t a mean bone in her lovely three-year-old body (born in the summer of 2016); in fact, she has proven to be one of our most outgoing, gregarious girls. In the words of our volunteers:
“Lyanna definitely goes against the “torti rules” by being the sweetest little thing. She enjoys gazing through the French doors to the lobby just waiting for one of the volunteers to pop in, scoop her up, and give her the attention she adores so much. She loves to follow us around and watch everything that is going on. I’ve seen her sass a few of the bigger boys and stand her ground when challenged, but she is not at all physically aggressive. She’d make the perfect companion for a home with kids, maybe a smaller dog, (she was fostered with dogs) and access to plenty of playtime. I’d worry a little about her trying to get outside because she does try her darnedest to sneak in to the lobby on occasion, so that should be taken into consideration.”
That. Face.
“Lyanna is the perfect mix of sweet and sassy. She loves people, but doesn’t have a ton of time to be held or sit in laps, as there is just too much to do! She is very playful and loves to chase bell toys around. She will sometimes play with other cats, but other times she wants nothing to do with them. She has one of the biggest appetites of all our residents—probably to fuel her high level of energy!”
We firmly believe that being FIV+ is not going to hinder her from finding a home as her charming personality, pawsitively stunning looks, and non-torti temperament (they are typically quite opinionated and, shall we say, less than agreeable) make her an awesome candidate for companionship. A word of friendly advice: don’t miss out on the chance to make lovely Lyanna yours!
More about Lyanna:
Tortoiseshell & Domestic Short Hair Mix
Adult
Female
Medium
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
FIV+
Spayed
Good in a home with other cats, dogs, children
Want to adopt Lyanna? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Grand Rapids-based Pasta Per Trio, the Michigan franchisee of Noodles & Company, announced today that it will partner with No Kid Hungry® for the fourth consecutive year to help end childhood hunger in America.
By donating $2 to the nonprofit campaign at participating Noodles restaurants through Sept. 24, guests will receive a coupon for a free Shareable item to enjoy on their next visit. In addition, Noodles will match every $2 donation made on August 28. Each $2 donation helps supply 20 meals to kids in need. There are two Noodles locations near the Wyoming/Kentwood area, 3871 Rivertown Pkwy SW, Grandville, 5070 28th St. SE, and 2289 East Beltline, Grand Rapids.
Locally, the No Kid Hungry® campaign supports children who attend Grand Rapids Public Schools and Kelloggsville Public Schools.
There are two Noodles and Company restaurants in Grand Rapids, the one above is located in Grandville and there is another on the East Beltline and one on 28th Street.
Studies by No Kid Hungry® indicate that one in six kids experiences hunger on a regular basis and that 95 percent of teachers believe hunger impacts their students’ ability to succeed. In addition, 77 percent of teachers directly correlate hunger with poor academic performance. With the start of the academic year, Noodles believes there is no better time than now to support families struggling to afford enough food for their families.
“In 2018, Noodles & Company guests in Michigan donated more than $25,000 to make an impact on childhood hunger,” said Tom Shephard, vice president of Pasta Per Trio, the Michigan Noodles & Company franchisee. “We’re proud to serve great food and believe there is no reason any child in Michigan should be hungry. With the help of our guests, we’re committed to doing our part for families in need in our state.”
With the help of its guests, Noodles has donated nearly $1.7 million, or approximately 17 million meals, to No Kid Hungry® since 2016. This year, the company hopes to raise more than $550,000 nationally.
On Wednesday, Sept. 4, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., Noodles will also participate in ‘No Kid Hungry Live with Busy Philipps,’ a livestreamed variety show. The show will feature funny moments and games, interviews, and a special money-can’t-buy giveaway experience offered by No Kid Hungry/Dine at Noodles & Company to one lucky viewer. The 90-minute show will stream on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Viewers must visit NoKidHungry.org/Dine to enter for a chance to win the sweepstakes and to find participating restaurants. The sweepstakes will run Sept. 4 – 30.
Swithina Mboko is a professor at the Seidman college of business at Grand Valley State University. In this interview, she discusses the culture differences between Zimbabwe and the US, the trials of teaching in a foreign country, and her qualitative research surrounding refugee entrepreneurs.
Research has shown that strength training leads to a significant reduction in risk of developing cardiovascular disease. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
Americans have long been told that heart health depends on activities like walking, running and cycling.
But as experts continue to sift through piles of research about the relative heart health benefits of cardio versus strength training or flexibility, the conclusion about any so-called best exercise is rather surprising.
Essentially, it’s up to you.
“It all comes down to discovering your own internal motivation,” said Hannah Wright, certified exercise physiologist with the Spectrum Health Preventive Cardiology program.
“People don’t like being told what to do,” Wright said. “But when they start to see exercise in the context of their long-term health goals—whether they want to get off medication, chase after their kids and grandkids, or just feel better—they can start to see exercise as something that is in their self-interest, not just something they’re supposed to do.”
It’s not about doling out treadmill prescriptions or mandating weightlifting sessions. It’s about building solutions that suit lifestyles.
“We ask them what kind of life they envision for themselves,” Wright said.
And this hinges on a simple question: What do you want to do most?
The answer to that, when based on true inner wisdom, will invariably recognize that real motivation is derived from the “joy of living” as opposed to the “fear of dying,” Wright said.
Exercise as medicine
To understand what exercise is best for you, it may help to get a refresher in just how powerful a medicine exercise can be to begin with.
“The amount of activity we do isn’t just good for our hearts,” said Thomas Boyden, MD, cardiologist with Spectrum Health Medical Group. “It reduces risks for many things, including cancer. The more time you put into being active each week, the more likely you are to stay healthy.”
Thirty minutes of moderate exercise each day—even a brisk walk—will lower the risk of cardiovascular disease by 45 percent and lower cancer risk by 34 percent, Dr. Boyden said.
And the more you do, the bigger the benefit.
“Even moderate amounts of regular exercise can be enough to reverse some chronic diseases and help people get off medications,” he said.
If moving more and sitting less is the general goal, you should start by sketching out what your typical exercise week might look like.
Ideally, adults should strive for least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week, or about 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
You can also opt for an equivalent combination of the two.
Does everyone achieve this? Not by a long shot.
According to the CDC, only about 23 percent of Americans actually meet these recommended standards.
Moderate intensity means you’re still able to speak in short sentences while working out, but you shouldn’t be able to sing or speak in a normal conversational voice.
In vigorous activity, you’d likely only get a few words out without pausing for breath.
The CDC also recommends adults engage in moderately challenging strength-training muscle activities twice a week.
Research continues to show weight training isn’t just good for building muscle and improving bone health—it builds heart health, too. In fact, it could be just as helpful as cardio.
In a 2018 study of 4,000 American adults, researchers tracked cardiovascular outcomes in two groups: those who engaged in a static activity, such as weight training, versus those who pursued dynamic movements, such as walking or running.
Both exercise styles were linked to a 30 to 70 percent decrease in cardiovascular disease risk factors, but the most significant declines in risk factors were seen in the static-activity group.
Build your best
If you don’t have access to fancy equipment, fret not. You can still structure workouts to suit your needs, whether you’re looking to become more active, create a structured exercise routine—or both.
“You don’t need to go to a gym for strength training,” Wright said. “There are plenty of bodyweight exercises like wall push-ups, squats or leg raises that can be done anywhere for short bouts.”
Those seeking more of a challenge can add resistance bands.
If you’re looking to try something new at home, experiment with working in some weight exercise using household items like soup cans or water bottles, walking up and down stairs, or repeatedly rising and sitting from a chair, which builds muscle.
She suggests trying to make these moves habitual—and imagine how they’ll help achieve your goals. For example, try doing calf raises while brushing your teeth and think about how it will help you walk on the beach this summer.
You can also experiment with combinations of cardio and strength training. YouTube has videos for all levels. (Wright likes HASFit.)
For maximum benefits, consider high-intensity interval training.
These workouts involve exercises performed at high speed for very short periods—20 seconds of planks or step-ups, for example, followed by 10 seconds of rest.
Just seven minutes of interval training can have a powerful impact. One of the best aspects of these types of workouts is the abundance of free programs and apps.
Flexibility is also essential, particularly if you’re looking for something that makes you feel better fast.
“It prevents injury and increases range of motion,” Wright said. “It’s amazing the changes people see in a short amount of time. People who are gaining flexibility are able to move more freely, which aids in everyday activity and structured routines.”
Softer forms of fitness, such as yoga, are also beneficial.
“Yoga is a lot more challenging than many people give it credit for,” Dr. Boyden said. “It raises your heart rate, uses big muscle groups and lowers stress. That reduces inflammation. And it improves mental health.”
Finally, while a mix of cardio, strength training and flexibility workouts is ideal, there is one exercise that stands out above all others.
And only you will know what it is.
“The best exercise is the one you’re most likely to stick with,” Dr. Boyden said.
Is your body clock out of whack? Not only might you not be sleeping right, you may have other medical problems. What you need to know to stay in time. Visit here for the story.
My heart will go on
It only makes sense, but a blood test can help you and your doctor gain information on your susceptibility to heart attack or stroke. Visit here for the story.
Behind the wall of sleep
Its OK to feel a little tired after a busy day. But if you’re drowsy in the middle of the day, it could be a sign of a deeper problem. Visit here for the story.
Fun fact:
21 (maybe only 20)
How many song titles in the Old Dominion song “Song for Another Time”? Depends on if the song itself is one of the titles. Source. (Ps. Did you notice all the headlines were song titles?)
Jake Cabada had a mighty start to kindergarten. While visiting his Gladiola Elementary classroom for the first time, he stood up tall, a serious look on his face, flexed his arm muscles and proclaimed, “I’m strong!”
Around him, his new classmates looked around curiously, chatted with new friends and some even fought back a few tears. It was a practice run for their first day of school, and the beginning of their K-12 journey.
The Wyoming Public Schools’ four elementary schools — Gladiola, West, Oriole Park and Parkview — hosted the two-hour Kindergarten Smart Start on the Friday before school started Tuesday, Aug. 20 to help the little ones feel comfortable with their new school.
Students Josiah Kink and Christian Aleman play together
After arriving by bus, they met their teachers, toured the building, sat “criss-cross applesauce” on the classroom rug, ate breakfast and visited the cafeteria.
They also received words of encouragement from their parents. “Can you go look for your name?” dad Victor Cabrera asked a shy Jaden Cabrera. Moments later, Jaden located the owl-shaped name tag on his new cubby and stood by it smiling.
Longtime kindergarten teacher Rebecca Schaffer said Smart Start serves as a great warm-up for beginning full-day school.
Teacher Karen Ward meets her new kindergartners
“The first day is chaos, so it’s a little more calming,” she said. “It acclimates them to their new environment. They meet their teacher, so it’s a familiar face on the first day.”
Schaffer is ready to start a new year with her pint-sized pupils. “The kids are so fun,” she said. “They are funny and they are so smart. You might think they are just kindergartners, but they are geniuses.”
Several fourth-graders worked as crossing guards and helped their younger peers. Fourth-grader Kaleah Lacy had some sage words for kindergartners: “It’s going to be OK. I went to kindergarten at this school too and it was good.”
For more stories on the local schools, visit the School News Network website, schoolnewsnetwork.org
Teacher Amber Middlemiss reads the book, “My New School,” to her new class.
Researchers believe that Alzheimer’s disease may be a double-prion disorder in which two rogue proteins destroy the brain. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
With findings that might alter the path of Alzheimer’s research, scientists say misfolded forms of two proteins appear to spread through patients’ brains similar to an infection.
The findings suggest that Alzheimer’s is a “double-prion” disorder. This discovery could help lead to new treatments that focus directly on prions, according to researchers from the University of California, San Francisco.
A prion is a misshapen protein that can force other copies of that protein into the same misfolded shape and spread in the brain.
It’s best known for its role in bovine spongiform encephalopathy—”mad cow” disease—and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a degenerative brain disorder.
In the new research, the university team analyzed the brains of 75 Alzheimer’s patients after death and found self-propagating prion forms of the proteins amyloid beta and tau. Higher amounts of these prions were associated with early-onset Alzheimer’s and younger age at death.
Alzheimer’s patients have amyloid plaques and tau tangles in the brain, but efforts to treat the disease by clearing out these inactive proteins have failed.
These new findings suggest that active amyloid beta and tau prions could drive Alzheimer’s and offer targets for effective treatment, according to the researchers.
“I believe this shows beyond a shadow of a doubt that amyloid beta and tau are both prions and that Alzheimer’s disease is a double-prion disorder in which these two rogue proteins together destroy the brain,” said study senior author Dr. Stanley Prusiner, director of the UCSF Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases.
Prusiner won a Nobel Prize in 1997 for discovering that prions were responsible for mad cow disease and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
Prion levels also appear linked to patient longevity, he noted.
“We need a sea change in Alzheimer’s disease research and that is what this paper does. This paper might catalyze a major change in AD research,” Prusiner said in a university news release.
For this study, the researchers used recently developed laboratory tests to rapidly measure prions in human tissue samples. They can reveal infectious prion levels in just days.
These tests “are a game-changer,” said study co-author William DeGrado, a UCSF professor of pharmaceutical chemistry.
In order to develop effective therapies and diagnostics, scientists must target the active prion forms, rather than the large amount of protein in plaques and tangles, DeGrado said.
The researchers hope that measuring the prion forms of amyloid beta and tau might lead to the development of drugs that either prevent them from forming or spreading, or help remove them before they cause damage.
The study was published recently in the journal Science Translational Medicine.
WKTV will be premiering the Eclipse Award-winning short film “The Acorn” as its Midnite Movie on Friday, Aug. 30.
“The Acorn,” which was produced by Kyle Misak, Reid Petro, and Don Chase, won 12 Eclipse Awards including best director (Kyle Misak), best cinematography, best editor, best original score, best actress in a lead role (Brit MacRae), best screenplay, best actress in a support role (Chandra Michaels), best actor in a leading role (Gavin Velez), best short film, best sound design, best actor in a support role (Richard Riehle) and best production design.
“The Acorn” is a story about a stage theater owner named Graham and a young woman named Charlotte. Both of them possess something that’s very important to each of them. For Graham, it’s a theater that his father passed down to him, and for Charlotte, it’s a ring that her mother passed down to her. But when Charlotte loses her ring, Graham is ultimately put in a position to make the choice of whether or not he will give up his theater, the thing that’s most important to him, for Charlotte’s ring to be returned to her.
Following the premier, there will be a 10-minute Behind the Scenes special.
The Eclipse Awards honor excellence in film, television and on-line content from content creators in Michigan. Each year judges, all industry peers in Michigan and the United States, screen entered works and vote for the recipient of the Eclipse Award for Excellent in Craft. Entries for 2020 Eclipse Award will be accepted starting in November.
You have health insurance, but not all expenses are included in the insurance premium. Doctor visits, medicine, braces and glasses are some expenses you may have to pay. The good news is there are ways to manage your health care costs to save money. This article will focus on health Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs). Also, look for related articles on reasons to have health insurance (Part 1) and health savings accounts (Part 4).
Setting money aside to manage health care expenses helps reduce your need to use credit to pay medical bills and reduces your concerns that you can cover a bill, according to the University of Maryland Extension. You can save money in your emergency fund. You might qualify for a health Flexible Spending Account (FSA).
Health Flexible Spending Accounts allow you to contribute pre-tax dollars and then be reimbursed for qualified medical expenses based on IRS code. FSA accounts are only offered through employer’s benefits plan packages; you cannot open one as an individual consumer. Typically, you enroll once a year during your employer’s open enrollment season. The amount you choose is automatically deducted from your paycheck and is placed in an account managed by a third-party agency.
You choose the amount to save, up to certain dollar limits. It is important to plan carefully and not put more money in your FSA than you think you will spend during the year on things like co-payments, coinsurance, prescriptions and other allowed health care costs. Otherwise you may lose any money left over in your FSA.
How do you figure out how much to contribute? A good place to start is to calculate your out-of-pocket expenses for the past year. You can get this information from receipts, looking at your explanation of benefits, or obtaining a print out from your doctors’ offices and pharmacy for all visits and prescription purchases. Use the worksheet or online health care cost calculator.
Toes may well be the most neglected parts on our body, but when something goes wrong they can generate plenty of pain.
And for those who like a good workout—running, hiking, soccer, walking and the like—these peanut-sized digits take it on the chin.
While a variety of things can go wrong with your toes, there is a single preventive solution to almost all of them: The right shoe in the right size, said John Harris, DPM, a foot and ankle surgery specialist with Spectrum Health Medical Group Orthopedics.
“You should wear the appropriate shoe for your activity and it needs to fit well,” Dr. Harris said. “There should be a thumb’s distance between the end of your longest toe—whether that’s the big or second toe—and the end of the shoe.”
A general athletic shoe is OK for low-level participation in any sport, but Dr. Harris recommends upgrading to a sport-specific shoe the moment you become serious about a workout.
Ill-fitting shoes are the source of many problems.
With every step, you wind up bashing the front of your toe into the shoe, causing micro-injuries that soon add up to significant issues.
This causes two of the most common toe woes: injured toenails and callouses.
Injured toenails
They go by the not-so-catchy name of subungual hematoma—a collection of blood under the nail. These wounds stem from some kind of insult, often from poorly fitting shoes.
If they are painful, have a doctor check them out.
“Sometimes, we can drain the blood out and reduce pain,” Dr. Harris said.
Even when these toenail injuries don’t hurt, healing requires some patience. It can take eight months to a year for a toenail to replace itself.
Callouses
People often accept callouses as inevitable because of the shape of their toes.
Dr. Harris said underlying conditions, such as hammertoe, certainly make callouses more prevalent.
But properly fitting shoes can prevent this problem.
Treatment for painful callouses includes modifying the style and fit of the shoe. In some cases, surgery is needed to straighten the toe. (Wondering what the difference is between a callous and corn? Nothing—a corn is just lay terminology.)
See a provider about any stubborn toe pain and rethink the way you shop for shoes. Check and double-check the fit, keeping in mind that sizes can vary from model to model.
Runners and soccer players are particularly prone to the smaller-is-better myth, resulting in plenty of toe problems.
According to Nike, the behemoth shoe manufacturer, about 60% of Americans are walking around in shoes of the wrong size.
If you’ve got growing kids, Dr. Harris suggests using the same fit-test on them at least twice a year.
“Kids’ sizes change so fast that parents have to be vigilant,” he said. “I do the thumb test on my kids at the start of every sport season. If their toes are smashing against the end of the shoe, they need a new pair.”
“Only one is a wanderer; two together are always going somewhere.”
Madeleine Elster/Judy Barton from ‘Vertigo’
The cars are here! The cars are here!
Ladies and gentlemen, the days you’ve all been waiting for — this year’s Metro Cruise is Friday and Saturday, Aug. 23 and 24, and it’s packed with more to do and see, according to organizers. Started 15 years ago by the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce to encourage businesses and patrons to travel the “Sunset Strip of Grand Rapids,” the annual event has become a two-day car extravaganza with more than 100,000 people attending. Go here for the scoop.
Pick out your partner and join in the fun
Admission is free to the Dozynki Polish Harvest Festival at Rosa Parks Circle, 135 Monroe Center, this weekend Friday-Sunday, Aug. 23-25, and there will be plenty of inexpensive parking in Parking Lot Areas 7, 8, and 9 for those who don’t mind a short walk. Fun activities during the festival include music, dancing, authentic Polish food, the paczki eating contest, crowning of the busia queen and more. Learn all about it here.
Who’s the Faire-est one of all?
Courtesy Grand Rapids Public Museum
Part science fair, part county fair, and part something entirely new, Maker Faire is an all-ages gathering of tech enthusiasts, crafters, educators, tinkerers, hobbyists, engineers, science clubs, authors, artists, students, and commercial exhibitors. It happens Saturday, Aug. 24 from 10am-5pm at the GRPM. More info here.
No Alabama tonight
Courtesy Alabama
Hey, they really wanted to continue their 50th Anniversary Tour at the VanAndel Arena tonight, but lead singer Randy Owen’s ongoing complications with cluster migraines and vertigo have laid him low. The group had hoped to continue its record-breaking 50-city tour, however, doctors have advised more time is needed for Owen to fully recover. Rescheduled dates for the tour will be announced in the coming weeks.
Alabama’s lead singer, Randy Owen joins roughly 69 million people—nearly one-third of people over the age of 40 in the U.S.—who experience vertigo at least once in their lives. Curiously, dancing can make it better. Hey! Hie thee down to the Dozynki Polish Harvest Festival this weekend and put it to the test.
The high school soccer season has already started with football close behind.
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
WKTV’s high school sports coverage truck will all over our local Wyoming and Kentwood football teams this season, but with a change of schedule for Wyoming Lee High School’s football team, we have switched our coverage to the other “football” — we will be at Godwin Heights as the Wolverines host the Lee Legends for a boys soccer game Thursday, Aug. 29.
As far as the Lee football game is concerned, after the originally scheduled home game against White Cloud was cancelled by the visiting school, Lee added a second game against Grandville Calvin Christian, which will be at Lee on Thursday, Aug. 29, at 7 p.m.
And, there is no shortage of high school sports action all over the Wyoming and Kentwood area, so check out something live if you can.
Where and when to see featured games
Featured games are broadcast the night of the contest and then at least once later in the week.
WKTV broadcasts on Wyoming and Kentwood cable channels. On Comcast cable, Channel 25 is the Community Channel, where sports events and other community events are shown; Channel 26 is the Government Channel, where local government meetings and events are shown. On AT&T cable throughout the Grand Rapids area, viewers go to Channel 99, and then are given the choice to watch Wyoming (or Kentwood) Community (Channel 25) or Government (Channel 26) channels.
All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.org .
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and feature stories on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/.
Following is this weeks’s schedule:
Saturday, Aug. 24 Girls Volleyball Tri-Unity Christian vs TBA – WMVOA Invitational @ MSA Fieldhouse Godwin Heights vs TBA – Officials for Kids Tourney @ MSA Fieldhouse Potter’s House vs TBA – Official for Kids Tourney @ MSA Fieldhouse Zion Christian vs TBA – WMVOA Invitational @ MSA Fieldhouse South Christian @ Grand Haven Boys Tennis South Christian @ East Kentwood – EK Invite TBA @ Wyoming – David Bentley Tournament Boys / Girls Cross Country South Christian @ East Kentwood Wyoming Lee @ Muskegon Catholic Central Boys Soccer TBA @ Zion Christian – Zion Soccer Invite Boys Water Polo East Kentwood @ Ann Arbor Pioneer – Pioneer Invite Girls Volleyball East Kentwood @ Grand Haven – Lakeshore Classic
Monday, Aug. 26 Boys Soccer Tri-Unity Christian @ NorthPointe Christian South Christian @ Grand Rapids Christian Wyoming @ FH Eastern Hudsonville @ East Kentwood Girls Golf South Christian @ Muskegon Mona Shores Boys Tennis Holland Christian @ South Christian Girls Volleyball Wyoming Lee @ Algoma Christian
Tuesday, Aug. 27 Boys / Girls Cross Country South Christian @ St. Joseph Girls Swimming South Christian @ Grand Rapids Christian Central @ East Kentwood Boys Soccer NorthPointe Christian @ Godwin Heights Hopkins @ Wyoming Lee Ottawa Hills @ Wyoming Zion Christian @ Saugatuck Boys Tennis Wyoming @ Zeeland East TBA @ East Kentwood – EK Quad Girls Volleyball Ottawa Hills @ Wyoming Zion Christian @ Martin – Quad TBA @ East Kentwood – EK Early Bird Tournament
Wednesday, Aug. 28 Girls Golf South Christian @ Kent Country Club – OK Jamboree Boys Tennis Unity Christian @ South Christian Girls Volleyball Caledonia @ South Christian – Sailor Invite Boys Soccer East Grand Rapids @ South Christian Wyoming @ Wayland Rockford @ East Kentwood Boys / Girls Cross Country Godwin Heights @ Saranac Wyoming Lee @ Saranac Wyoming @ Wayland
Thursday, Aug. 29 Girls Swimming South Christian @ East Kentwood Boys Football Greenville vs South Christian @ Byron Center Godwin Heights @ Hamilton Grandville Calvin Christian @ Wyoming Lee Holland @ Wyoming Boys Soccer Wyoming Lee @ Godwin Heights – WKTV Featured Event Potter’s House vs West Michigan Heat – @ Hudsonville Christian Zion Christian @ Kalamazoo Christian Plainwell @ East Kentwood Girls Volleyball TBA @ East Kentwood – Lady Falcon Invite Boys / Girls Cross Country East Kentwood @ Milford – Invite
Friday, Aug. 30 Boys Football Tri-unity Christian @ Climax-Scotts East Kentwood @ Muskegon Mona Shores
You use your hands nearly every minute of the day, so any time they hurt it’s important to find out why.
Certain conditions can affect people who do the same hand movements for hours every day. Repetitive strain injury can cause pain in muscles, nerves and tendons.
Carpal tunnel syndrome swelling compresses a key nerve. The lesser known de Quervain’s tenosynovitis typically affects tendons on the inner sides of the wrist.
An autoimmune disease like rheumatoid arthritis often causes joint pain. Without treatment, it can lead to deformities in your hands. The wrist and finger joints are common targets of osteoarthritis, which occurs over time from normal wear-and-tear.
Treatment might start with an over-the-counter or prescription NSAID to temporarily relieve pain, but their long-term use has been linked to side effects such as liver or kidney damage and elevated heart attack risk.
Stronger medications may be needed to stop a degenerative disease like rheumatoid arthritis. Corticosteroid injections are an occasional option to reduce inflammation.
Heat can ease stiffness while a cold pack can relieve soreness.
If you have a chronic condition, an occupational therapist can teach you how to limit stress on joints when using your hands. During a flare, he or she might suggest a splint to stabilize your hand.
Sometimes surgery is needed.
Dupuytren’s contracture, a thickening under the skin on the palm of the hand, can develop into firm lumps that cause fingers to bend inward. Unless lumps are removed early, it may be impossible to straighten fingers later on. If other options don’t help carpal tunnel and de Quervain’s, surgery might be the answer.
Many conditions worsen without appropriate treatment, so don’t delay in seeing your doctor or a hand specialist.
Rosanne Cash and her husband, musician/composer John Leventhal in concert. (Supplied by the artist)
By K.D. Norris ken@wktv.org
The pending arrival of September means the busy October beginning of St. Cecilia Music Center’s 2019-20 concert season is just a few weeks away. And while the impressive Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and jazz series lineups have been set and on sale for months, there have been two recent additions the Acoustic Café Folk Series you might have missed.
The Infamous Stringdusters. (Supplied/Aaron Farrington)
After a busy October for the folk series — with Lee Ann Womack opening the fall season on Oct. 3 followed by an encore visit by Judy Collins on Oct. 20 — the folk series has added nights with The Infamous Stringdusters and Rosanne Cash to an already busy February 2020 folk feast on the Royce Auditorium stage.
After the Stringdusters on Feb. 6 and Cash on Feb. 20, Chris Thile will visit on Feb. 25 and Raul Midón on Feb. 27 — and doesn’t a night of folk music sound perfect for a midwinter escape from the weather?
St. Cecilia also says “additional folk series concerts may be announced for the 2019/2020 season.”
While the Stringdusters are a good get for St. Cecilia, the addition of Rosanne Cash is a sure sell-out.
“We are delighted to feature Rosanne Cash and her husband, musician/composer John Leventhal in concert,” Cathy Holbrook, St. Cecilia Music Center executive director, said in supplied material. “With both of their many achievements and personal work together, this will be a very special evening.”
Cash is touring in support of her most recent release, “She Remembers Everything”, which is described as “a poetic, lush and soulful collection of songs of personal songwriting and reflection.”
Rosanne Cash (Supplied by the artist)
“There is a woman’s real life, complex experiences and layered understanding, in these songs,” Cash said in supplied material. “I could not have written them 10 years ago …time is shorter, I have more to say.”
“She Remembers Everything” was produced by collaborator and husband Leventhal and Tucker Martine (who has worked with The Decembrists, My Morning Jacket, Mavis Staples, Neko Case).
One of the country’s pre-eminent singer/songwriters, Cash has released 15 albums of that have earned 4 Grammy Awards and 11 nominations, as well as 21 top 40 hits, including 11 No. 1 singles. In 2015, she was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters’ Hall of Fame. She also currently writing the lyrics for a musical “Norma Rae” with Leventhal serving as composer and John Weidman as book writer. (More about the artist at rosannecash.com .)
In addition to the folk series, the jazz series will open in October as well, with Fred Hersch featuring special guest Julian Lage coming on Oct. 17, followed in the new year by Emmet Cohen’s Master Legacy Series featuring Benny Golson on Jan. 16, Luciana Souza on March 5, and The Clayton Brothers — a must-hear for jazz fans — on April 16.
We will have to wait for November for St. Cecilia to raise the curtains on the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center series, with a program titled “Great Innovators” on Nov. 21. The final two concerts will be “French Enchantment” on Jan. 23 and “From Prague to Vienna” on April 30.
Tickets to all shows are still available and can be purchased by calling St. Cecilia Music Center at 616-459-2224 or visiting the box office at 24 Ransom Ave. NE. Tickets can also be purchased online at scmc-online.org. Many concerts have a post-concert “Meet-the-artist” party with a cash bar will be offered to all ticket-holders.
Misaligned body clocks have been tied to a wide range of illnesses, including diabetes, obesity, depression, heart disease and asthma. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
No matter what your watch says, your body may be on a whole other schedule. Now, scientists say they’ve created a blood test that pinpoints the timing of your own internal clock.
The TimeSignature test evaluates dozens of genes to reveal an individual’s “circadian rhythm”—the crests and troughs that occur throughout the day as your body and brain cycle between sleepiness and alertness.
“Everyone’s clock ticks at a different rate. If you want to do personalized medicine, knowing the clock time of the patient is very important,” said sleep expert Dr. Mark Wu, of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.
Two blood samples taken about 12 hours apart could provide a solid estimate of your internal clock, said lead researcher Rosemary Braun.
“By looking at a set of 40 different genes that are expressed in blood, we can pinpoint a person’s internal clock to within an hour and a half,” said Braun. She’s an assistant professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University School of Medicine in Chicago.
Easy and accurate assessment of a patient’s body clock could potentially help doctors treat more than just sleep disorders, experts said.
For example, cholesterol-lowering statin drugs work better when a person is winding down, because the enzyme they block is more active in the evening, said Wu, who wasn’t involved in the current study.
There’s also some evidence that chemotherapy works better when administered at specific times of day when cancer cells are actively dividing, added Wu, an associate professor of neurology.
Your internal biological clock orchestrates processes in nearly every organ system throughout the body. Anyone who has worked a night shift or flown overseas can tell you the entire body is thrown off kilter when your internal body clock doesn’t match the timing of the external world.
Until now it’s been extremely cumbersome to precisely determine an individual’s circadian rhythm, said Dr. Steven Feinsilver, director of sleep medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. He played no role in the new research.
Doctors can take urine or saliva samples from a patient every hour for a day or two and measure levels of melatonin or cortisol, hormones closely related to the sleep/wake cycle, Feinsilver and Wu said.
The other option is to use a rectal probe to monitor core body temperature for a day or so, the experts said.
“The current approach clinically is impractical and costly,” Braun said. “It requires multiple samples across the day and night. That makes it really burdensome to the patient and expensive to do.”
Northwestern University researchers evaluated about 20,000 genes to determine which ones are most closely linked to the rhythms of the body, Braun said.
They pared their test down to 40 genes that told internal time most accurately. Then they developed a computer process that reads those genes to establish an individual’s circadian rhythm.
“Some of them are known clock genes. Others are genes that are not directly related to the clock, but we know they’re under circadian control,” Braun said. “Between 30 and 40 percent of genes fluctuate over the course of the day, in keeping with that clock. That’s the signal we’re picking up.”
Blood samples for the test can be taken any time of day. And the test is accurate whether or not you’ve had a good or poor night’s sleep, researchers said.
Northwestern has filed for a patent on the blood test. The test will need more validation before it’s put on the market for clinical use, but it’s now available for free to other researchers for use in scientific studies, Braun said.
Misaligned body clocks have been tied to a wide range of illnesses, including diabetes, obesity, depression, heart disease and asthma, researchers said.
“We might be able to predict ahead of time who is at risk of getting sick before they develop symptoms,” Braun said.
This test also could have applications outside medicine. For example, employers could use it to design the best shift schedule for their workers by sorting out early birds and night owls, Feinsilver said.
The study is in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
If you are searching for an extremely hardy, salt-tolerant and durable perennial that can withstand many different site conditions, then the daylily is for you. As I travel across Michigan’s Upper Peninsula in my role as a consumer horticulture educator for Michigan State University Extension, the daylily continues to amaze me. Frequenting busy curbsides to countryside mailboxes, it returns year after year. From curbsides battered by heavy snow loads, salt spray and sometimes compacted conditions, we applaud their resiliency. Consider daylilies as a smart choice for your difficult site.
What is a daylily?
Providing both colorful blooms and green foliage, the daylily can provide a nice backdrop for other perennials and annuals, or it can stand alone. Each bloom only lasts a day, hence the name “daylily.” Many different colors, sizes, heights and time of bloom are available. There are even some night blooming ones that are fragrant.
Deer do enjoy eating the blossoms, so be sure to use deterrents or fencing to keep your plants safe. The blossoms are edible for humans too.
Why are daylilies a smart choice?
Close up of daylily ‘Swallow tail kite.’ Photo by Rebecca Finneran, MSU Extension.
Daylilies prove adaptable to many soil conditions although they prefer moist, well-drained soil with organic matter. If your soil is droughty, they will benefit from a layer of organic mulch such as shredded bark or ground leaves. Daylilies perform best with at least six hours of direct sun, but they will tolerate light shade.
In honor of the 40th anniversary of its annual Dozynki Polish Harvest Festival, the Polish Heritage Society of Grand Rapids has turbocharged the free event this upcoming weekend with top-notch entertainment and demonstrations of Polish cooking, dance and crafts.
Demonstrations on how to make pierogi (dumplings), chrusciki (cookies), beet soup, haluski (fried cabbage and noodles), mizeria (cucumber salad), crepes and canning peaches;
Presentations on Polish pottery and the fine art of creating pysanky eggs;
Explanations of Polish folklore such as how to tell a person’s future from hay straw and the meanings behind the Wigilia feast on Christmas Eve; and
Crafting treasure boxes for children.
Courtesy Polish Heritage Society
“A lot of the activities will center around our demonstration tent, which we liken to a visit to your busia’s (grandmother’s) kitchen — the place where all the fun stuff is going on,” said Marilyn Lignell, past society president and demonstrator of the Wigilia feast.
In addition, the Polish Heritage Society is bringing the internationally known Lenny Gomulka & Chicago Push band to play two nights of the three-day event, along with other well-regarded polka bands, including Gerry Kaminski’s Polka Network, Dave Slivinski & The Noteables, Gary Szotko’s GPS Polka Band, the Polski Chix Polka Band and Ray Watkoski’s Family Band.
Gomulka is considered a living legend in the polka community; he’s developed a huge base of followers in the United States and Canada since he formed the Chicago Push in 1980. Nominated for 12 Grammy awards in the polka genre, he was inducted into the International Polka Music Hall of Fame & Museum in his hometown of Chicago in 2016.
Admission is free to the Dozynki Polish Harvest Festival at Rosa Parks Circle, 135 Monroe Center, from Aug. 23-25, and there will be plenty of inexpensive parking in Parking Lot Areas 7, 8, and 9 for those who don’t mind a short walk.
Courtesy Polish Heritage Society
Other fun activities during the festival include the paczki eating contest, crowning of the busia queen and a performance by the P.R.C.U.A. Malbork Dance Ensemble, a dance group for youth ages 3-18 that teaches traditional Polish folk dances with authentic garb.
The Polish Heritage Society also selects a local not-for-profit group for special recognition during the festival as a way to build awareness and support for the organization, and this year the society is highlighting the Wolverine Worldwide Family YMCA in Belmont. Representatives of The Y will be present during the afternoons of the festival to educate visitors about the offerings and mission of the organization.
The Dozynki Polish Harvest Festival is the major fundraiser for the Polish Heritage Society of Grand Rapids, a non-profit organization founded in 1963 to perpetuate and advance the Polish culture that has been so integral to metro Grand Rapids. Among a number of its activities, the society awards scholarships annually to students of Polish descent who attend Aquinas College, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids Community College, and Davenport University.
For a full calendar of events for the three-day Dozynki Polish Harvest Festival, please view the society’s website at Polish Heritage Society of Grand Rapids.
Business owners and employers do no have to permit marijuana use or possession on their property was the main takeaway for a recent Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce meeting.
The program, which was this past spring at the Express Employment Professional offices in Wyoming, was focused on helping local business owners understand the impact of the November-approved marijuana act. The act, which allows for the use of recreational marijuana, went into effect in December.
The reason business owners can restrict marijuana is that federal law still deems it as an illegal drug.
“The federal law does supersede the state law,” said Heather Merrick, a professional/technical recruiter for Express Employment Professionals. “From an employer standpoint, we can stick to the federal guidelines. We can still have a drug enforcement policy within our organization and say we are 100 percent drug free and marijuana can be included in that even though it is legal under state law.”
Kent County Prosecuting Attorney Christopher Becker talks to local business owners about the Michigan Marijuana Act. (WKTV)
The bigger challenge is proving that a person is under the influence of marijuana when running equipment or at the job site, according to Kent County Prosecuting Attorney Christopher Becker.
“Proponents were like lets treat this like alcohol and we can, but there is no per se limit for marijuana,” Becker said. For alcohol that limit is .08. The other issue is that alcohol has a bell curve where as marijuana does not, he said.
“You have five beers at eight o’clock in the morning…you are going to have a high alcohol content in your blood stream and that is going to go down by four or five o’clock and you are going to be fine, probably,” Becker said.
“Marijuana stays in for days. So one of your employees can go out on a Friday and smoke marijuana, come to work on Monday and still have marijuana in their system. Now is he impaired? Depends on the person and how it is impacting him.”
For an employer, they need to be able to show that marijuana is affecting the employee’s ability to operate a motor vehicle in a safe manner, not that it is just in the person’s system.
“Legally, you can not operate, navigate or be in physical control of any motor vehicle, aircraft, snowmobile, off-road vehicle or motherboard while under the influence of marijuana,” Becker said. “We can do a blood test to say marijuana is in their system but just because marijuana is in their system does not mean they are operating under the influence.”
The prosecutor’s office may not be able to charge criminally because it can not show the person is under the influence but civil liability may attach because a company has got an employee driving a motor vehicle or a hi-low while having marijuana in his/her system, Becker said, adding that some of these issues may have to be litigated in the courts.
Heather Merrick, from Express Employment Professionals, talks to local businesses about updating their drug testing policies. (WKTV)
With these gray areas on what is considered “under the influence,” now is the time for employers to take a look at any existing drug testing policies or create new ones, Merrick said.
There are three options that employers have. The first is to maintain a drug-free workplace. Those who are federally contracted or under specific federal guidelines must maintain a drug-free workplace because the federal government views marijuana as illegal, she said.
Those who are not under federal rules have some factors to consider such as employment in Kent County is low, around 2.9 percent. Also, it is estimated that about 33 percent of workers will use marijuana in 2019. Statistics show that about 20 percent of people who are 26 or older are or will use marijuana, which could greatly reduce the possible pool of candidates for a business with a drug-free policy, Merrick said.
Option two would be to continue doing pre-employment drug screening, continue doing accident injury drug screening but take marijuana out of that mix. Merrick said that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, OSHA, recommends that employers do not conduct any test if an accident would have happened regardless if the employee had taken drugs or alcohol.
“Say someone gets stung by a bee and they go to the med center and they are under the influence of alcohol, marijuana or whatever it is, they would have been stung by that bee whether they have it in their system or not,” Merrick said. “But you test them, they come up positive and now you are terminating the employee. So OSHA says not to test in that scenario because it discourages people from reporting accidents and injuries if they know they are going to get terminated because they are going to come up positive on the drug screen.”
Now if the accident involves a hi-low and it was caused by an employee who potentially was impaired, then do the testing, she said, adding “OSHA wants people to report accidents, so that is how they are looking at it.”
The last option is to completely stop drug testing. This move could save money on drug testing but could cause some safety issues, Merrick said.
Merrick did agree with Becker that until it is determined “what is under the influence” and how that is tested, businesses will be operating in somewhat of a gray area on the marijuana issue which makes it even more important for businesses to make sure that the company’s drug policy is in place and specifies what you will be testing for.
“Whether you have a policy or not, it is a good time for employers to look at what they have, revamp or put one together,” she said.
You sometimes hear it said that America’s love affair with cars peaked in the 1960s and has since started to fade. Anyone who believes that has probably not ventured a trip down 28th Street during the annual Metro Cruise, because if they had, they would be quick to discover that America’s love affair with cars is stronger than ever.
Started 15 years ago by the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce to encourage businesses and patrons to travel the “Sunset Strip of Grand Rapids,” the annual event has become a two-day car extravaganza with more than 100,000 people attending. This year’s Metro Cruise is Friday and Saturday Aug. 23 and 24, and it’s packed with more to do and see, according to organizers.
New this year will be a 4 p.m. Official Cruise along 28th Street. (WKTV)
“The stars are the cars,” as Chamber President /CEO Bob O’Callaghan likes to say. There will definitely be plenty of cars with the Main Event, located at Rogers Plaza, 972 28th St. SW, featuring nearly 400 stationary collector cars, which does not count the cars that will be cursing 28th Street or featured at other business along the road such as Berger Chevrolet.
Berger Chevrolet, 2525 28th St. SE, again will be hosting its All GM Show on Saturday, Aug. 24. The free event, which is open to the public, will feature NHRA drag racer and 2017 NHRA Drag Racing Series Top Fuel dragster champion Brittany Force and her father, drag racer John Force.
WKTV Community Media will produce a one-hour special live broadcast at Metro Cruise scheduled to air at 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 23, on WKTVLive.org as well as on WKTV Comcast Cable Channel 25 and AT&T U-Verse Channel 99, and, later on demand at WKTV.org.
There are a host of activities taking place at The Main Event located at Rogers Plaza: Those activities include:
A Blind Donut TasteTest is at 10 a. m. Saturday. The first 100 people will get the opportunity to blind taste test donuts from Wyoming’s Marge’s Donut Den and Kentwood’s Cindy’s Donuts and Ice Cream and then tell judges which donut they felt was the best.
Dynamometer, or Dyno, will return, allowing cars to rev up to more than 160 mph. There is a fee to participate in the Dynamometer. Visit 28thStreetMetroCruise.com for more information.
Metro Cruise Tours is new this year. Five different times at the Main Event at Rogers Plaza, an expert in the car world will be leading walking tours down Collector Car Row. The tour, which is free, is an opportunity to see some very special cars, meet the owners, and hear their stories.
Official Cruise Time is another new addition. Any collector car owner participating in the 2019 Metro Cruise is invited to participate in the official Cruise, which is at 4 p.m Saturday. Cars may enter or exit anywhere along 28th Street as there is no lead car. The goal, according to organizers, is to create a one- to two-hour concentration of collector cars along 28th Street.
The final round for the Miss Metro Cruise contest will take place at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Main Event stage. The field of contestants was whittled down at the June preliminaries to 10 finalists who will compete on Saturday for the title of 2019 Miss Metro Cruise.
The final round of the Miss Metro Cruise contest takes place at 2 p.m. on Saturday. (WKTV)
Also at the Main Event will be 26 food vendors, including 16 food trucks, 35 local vendors, and official Metro Cruise souvenirs. There also will be music featuring five area bands. On Friday will be Flexadecibel (funk soul, rock) and Onager (rock, pop, country), and on Saturday will be Stolen Horses (country), La Aria del Ritmo (Latin) and Azz Izz (pop, R&M, Top 40). Activities at the Main Event at Rogers Plaza are from 4 – 10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23, and 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24.
Through a partnership with The Rapids, there will be a free shuttle service. The shuttle will pick up and drop off attendees at the Wyoming High School, 1350 Prairie Parkway, and the Wyoming library, 3350 Michael every 20 to 30 minutes during the peak times on Friday, Aug. 23 and Saturday, Aug. 24.
There are other Metro Cruise-related activities happening on Thursday, Aug. 22, as well. The Cascade Metro Cruise Warm Up, Cascade Road and 28th Street, will feature more than 200 cars, a live DJ, food vendors, and activities for the children. This event runs from 4:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Also, the Blessing of the Cars, at Wesley Park United Methodist Church, 1150 32nd St. SE. The event runs from 6-7 p.m. More than 100 show cars are expected. No registration is required.
Making a health insurance plan choice can be confusing. You may be tempted to select the lowest premium you can find. However, it is important to look at more than just the monthly premium. This article will focus on some positive actions you can do to evaluate your current needs, finding the right plan for you, and affordability.
Many people enroll in the marketplace in silver and bronze plans with the lowest premium. But for patients with regular health care needs, much of their annual health expenses are also determined by the cost-sharing structure of the plan they select. AARP has created a free, online calculator, which is easy to use, helps people have a better understanding of their health care costs to decide about insurance marketplace options, and find coverage that meets their individual health care and budget needs. The free calculator shows how an individual’s total annual health care spending can vary based on plan selection.
Depending on your household income and health needs, a plan that has a higher monthly premium but offers better coverage could be a smarter choice. That is why it is worth the effort to accurately review the last year’s medical expenses. Next year may be different, but some needs can be projected.
In the marketplace, you may be eligible for tax credits or cost-sharing premium discounts. Tax credit subsidies are available to eligible individuals and families with incomes below 400 percent of the federal poverty level. Use this calculator from the Kaiser Family Foundation to estimate your subsidy.
But the cost-sharing discount applies only if you buy a silver plan. This is another reason the cheapest plan isn’t always the best. People buying a silver plan with incomes below 250 percent of poverty lower the amount they pay out of pocket for deductibles, coinsurance, and co-payments with a cost-sharing reduction discount. Go to Healthcare.gov to check out the plans in your area.
Doctor visits, medicine, braces and glasses are some expenses you have to pay for beyond an insurance premium. The good news is there are ways to manage your health care costs to save money. Also look for related articles on reasons to have health insurance (Part 1) and special health savings accounts (Parts 3 and Part 4).
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
On March 2nd and again on March 17th, we had what we believe to be an entire family of terrified cats dumped off in carriers. ‘The Shy Seven’ were the first to arrive and then three more joined us, rounding things out to ‘The Timid Ten’.
Needless to say it was a HUGE ordeal for all involved, from the stunned volunteers who kept pulling cat after cat out of cramped carriers, to the traumatized kitties who had no idea what was going on, and finally to Dr. Jen, who spent the greater part of two weekends at the clinic getting them program-ready. The latter was no small feat, as every single cat (yup, all 10 of them) were intact; 4 of the 5 girls were pregnant, and all 10 were clearly out of their element and having major trust issues.
Adding various medical issues to the mix, like fleas and a variety of internal parasites, dental disease and chronic herpes virus—suffice it to say that we ended up having a heaping handful of kitties who needed a great deal of help, not only physically but probably more importantly, mentally.
It was clear from the onset that the family had been neglected and lacking human contact for quite some time given their poor body condition, painfully long nails, and a shyness that went beyond anything we have seen before—and we have seen a lot. We have no idea where they came from, or why someone thought it was a good idea to displace them as they did without regard for our space or financial capabilities, but Dr. Jen believes a kindhearted, elderly person owned them and, for whatever reason, let them breed and multiply, running rampant in the house and growing wilder and more wary as the days wore on. This person could have then passed away (or moved away) and the cats were left to fend for themselves until a family member (or landlord) came in and booted the entire lot of them out—and onto our doorstep.
Plays well with others
Regardless, we’d like to think they were loved by someone at some point, as this helps us believe in the goodness of people, enough so as to offset the stupidity and callousness of others.
Let’s just say that for the most part, the journey we have all been on together is ever evolving—and it is going to be a long road full of bumps, setbacks and yes, triumphs along the way. It is now a few months since the arrival of this family, and we are just now able to share their stories, as it has taken a great deal of time (and patience) to get to this point.
Although we can’t verify their twisted family tree, Dr. Jen believes they were all born in late 2016. In any case, we have learned who is independent, who absolutely needs to be part of a duo (or trio), and who is going to be our most challenging and in need of the most convincing that we are good and that we will do no harm.
Quiet Ann is blossoming before our eyes, becoming much more accepting of being petted, but we’re still not able to physically pick her up for more than a few minutes, or panic ensues. She is, as her name states, a soft-spoken (meowing) little lady who is as stunning as she is sweet. She’d pair up well with Roller who needs to go with another one of the 10 who will complement him nicely as the more self-assured dame of the duo.
Potential adopters should be aware that it will more than likely be a tough transition for any of them, but once they settle in, get themselves familiarized with their new surroundings, and develop a new routine, they are going to be amazing cats. They are 100% worth the effort, but they will require more patience, time and energy than your average shelter cat.
Honestly though, we feel each and every one of our cats is above average, especially this family, who have come so far since they day they were dumped on our doorstep. Their transformation has been nothing short of remarkable.
We want to reiterate that at our free-roaming facility, cats like these have all the time in the world to acclimate and adjust—at a snail’s pace if that is what is necessary. We have no cages, no time limits, no rules or regulations—each individual cat gets to stretch his legs at his own speed; each kitty gets to spread her furry little wings and fly when she is ready to leave the nest. We offer a peaceful, secure environment to each and every cat in our care as long as they need it—and us. Slow and steady wins the race, and we firmly believe that with love, all things are possible; we surely can see endless possibilities and bright futures full of promise for this family of ours.
To help potential adopters see what we do, if you are interested in meeting one or more of the family members, we’ll set up special ‘quiet times’ for you to come visit them. They really thrive in calm surroundings, so we want to showcase them at their best!
More about Quiet Ann:
Domestic Medium Hair & Domestic Short Hair Mix
Buff/Tan/Fawn; Tabby (Gray/Blue/Silver)
Adult
Female
Medium
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Spayed
Good in a home with other cats; no children
Want to adopt Quiet Ann? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
An artist’s rendering Woodland Mall’s new Von Maur wing, expected to open later this year. (Supplied/Woodland Mall)
By Woodland Mall
After retiring its well-loved “Bacon and Eggs” earlier this year, Woodland Mall is ready to unveil a new play area in the JCPenney wing.
Featuring fun forest themes, accents and features, the new play space is expected to intrigue a variety of ages from young children to pre-teens. Shoppers of all ages will be able to celebrate the new and improved play area during a grand opening event with music, giveaways and games from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Aug. 24.
The colorful play structure is positioned in front of a forest mural and has “friendly monsters” to meet, “rocks and vines” to climb and tunnels to crawl through. A cargo net and balance beam across the upper level lets kids pass over the lower level and see friends playing below. The new play area also includes “EZ access climbers,” an ADA-accessible feature that provides caregivers an easy way to take children up and into the playground area.
For parents and caregivers, the space will now include bar-style seating with charging stations facing the play area. Newly renovated restrooms, including nursing rooms, are being installed nearby.
“While we will miss our beloved bacon and eggs, we’re excited to have a new play area that’s even more inclusive and accessible to everyone,” said Cecily McCabe, Woodland Mall marketing director. “With the new climbers, nearby nursing rooms and charging stations, we hope families will find both fun and convenience when they stop by our new play area.
“As our major redevelopment project continues, we are so excited to share our transformation and improvements with the community. Kids can play in a fun and convenient space with their friends and family.”
It will be an exciting fall as the redevelopment of Woodland Mall continues. High-end department store Von Maur will open its first location in the region in October, occupying 90,000 square feet in the former Sears space.
Following close behind will be Black Rock Bar & Grill, an award-winning steakhouse and first-to-market experiential dining experience, and a number of other retailers.
The Cheesecake Factory will open late fall, with its first location in West Michigan and second in the state.
For more information about the grand opening events, visit here.
Children are increasingly specializing in just one sport, such as basketball, a more popular choice among youth. It’s leading to a rise in burnout and injuries. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
Playing team sports is a great way to teach kids life lessons about leadership, teamwork and how to socialize with peers.
Sports are also a great way to build self-esteem and gain physical skills. Most important, they’re fun.
But too many—nearly three-quarters of young athletes—are specializing in just one activity as early as 7 years old, even playing on numerous league-level teams.
This puts them at risk for injury, stress, burnout and eventually abandoning sports, according to a report from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
About 70% drop out by age 13 for such reasons as pressure to perform or, conversely, not getting enough playing time.
And at least half of athletic injuries are related to overuse. On the other hand, playing multiple sports offers benefits such as fostering a love of different activities that can last their entire lives.
To keep kids in the game, the the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests encouraging them to play multiple sports until at least age 15. To lessen the risk of injury, they need one or two days off every week.
If the decision has been made to specialize in a single sport, both parents and child should have a discussion with the child’s pediatrician to evaluate whether the young athlete’s goals are appropriate and realistic. Keep in mind that barely 1% of high school athletes get scholarships and only a fraction make it to the pros.
Kids who do specialize should take one-month breaks from their sport, ideally at three different times each year, while pursuing other activities. Parents should watch out for too much pressure being placed on those in elite sports programs.
In the wake of recent mass shootings, state and federal efforts to introduce and pass so-called “Red Flag” laws — which would allow persons with access to guns to be investigated as being possible dangers to themselves and others, and to give authorities the ability to seize that person’s guns — was one topic discussed as part of a wide-ranging inter-governmental leaders meeting Monday, Aug. 12, at the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce’s Government Matters Committee’s monthly forum at Wyoming City Hall.
With bipartisan bills being introduced both in Lansing and in Washington, D.C., Peter Dickow, West Michigan Regional Director for U.S. Sen Gary Peters (D-Mi.) echoed other leader at the meeting by saying: “There is room for common sense legislation” on this issue.
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.
The next meeting will be Sept. 9 at Wyoming City Hall, 1155 28th St. SW, from 8 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.
The intergovernmental discussion hosted by the chamber focuses on issues that effect residents and businesses in the two cities.
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 .
A test that measures the protein troponin could one day help your doctor identify if you’re at high risk of heart attack or stroke. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
Imagine getting a simple blood test to help doctors predict your risk for having a heart attack or stroke.
That test exists—and that scenario could become reality, according to a new study.
The test is often used now to help hospital medical staff diagnose heart attacks in people who come in with chest pain or other symptoms. It involves analyzing blood samples for specific proteins released by the heart muscle when damaged.
In recent years, these tests have become so refined that some can detect very low levels of these proteins, known as troponin.
Researchers determined that troponin levels in healthy middle-aged to older adults could help predict their risk for eventually developing cardiovascular disease.
Their findings were published recently in the American Heart Association journal Circulation.
“What we’re finding out is that these tests can be used in the general population to give us information as to who is most likely to have a future problem, whether it be a heart attack, stroke or heart failure,” said Dr. Christie Ballantyne, the study’s senior author and cardiology chief at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.
Researchers examined a group of 8,121 people, ages 54 to 74, with no history of cardiovascular disease. Troponin levels were detected in 85 percent of the group. Higher levels of the protein were associated with a greater chance of developing cardiovascular disease, particularly heart failure.
The study found that highly sensitive troponin tests were especially good at predicting cardiovascular events when added to the results of a special equation commonly used to calculate a person’s 10-year risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
While the troponin tests have been used to diagnosis heart attack in the United States, Ballantyne said they have not been approved as a risk assessment strategy. The report said additional studies on troponin tests could help pave the way for using them as part of a globally accepted formula on assessing risk for cardiovascular disease.
“Research in this area is leading us toward individualized care more and more, so we can better predict who’s at risk for developing adverse cardiovascular outcomes,” said Dr. Rebecca Vigen, assistant professor of internal medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. She was not involved in the research. “This study is a step in the direction of personalizing care.”
Ballantyne said the ability to use the results from a simple blood test to help predict cardiovascular disease could help people avoid “the number one cause of pain, suffering, death and medical expenses” in the country.
People might be more inclined to work harder to reduce their cholesterol level, keep their blood pressure under control, and exercise, he said.
“If you can treat someone much earlier, before you have symptoms, you will be far more effective in preventing events,” Ballantyne said.
“Our major problem is that we do too little too late. If the first time you find out that you’re at risk for heart failure is when you actually start getting short of breath and you end up in the hospital, you probably have advanced heart disease already, and it is going to be harder to treat than if that person took steps years earlier.”
The squash bee, Peponapis pruinosa, is a great pollinator of squashes, gourds and pumpkins. Squash blossoms are a source of food for foraging female bees and provide pollen for the young in their underground nests. For the male bees, squash blossoms act as a bed and breakfast—the male bees actually sleep in the flowers of squash plants. They spend so much time in the blossoms that the male bees are efficient pollinators along with the females (in most bee species the females do all the heavy lifting for pollination).
Squash bees have a long history with squash plants since both are native to North America. The spread of the squash bee seems to be linked to the spread of farmers and gardeners growing squash. You can learn more about the history of their spread in a great video by Margarita Lopez-Uribe.
Researchers are trying to determine the range of squash bees in the United States and are counting on citizen scientists to help. If you have vine crops in your garden, you can help us survey for these pollinators. Two labs are looking for data, so you can help by filling out two data sheets:
To send information to the USDA Agricultural Research Station (ARS) in Logan, Utah, use this paper form.
Summer is the worst season to deal with hot flashes.
In the winter, you can get at least some relief by cracking open a window to let in the arctic air.
In the summer, not even air conditioning is enough. The days and nights are hot enough already—you shouldn’t have to face hot flashes, too.
If this has become your reality, it’s time to learn what to do to make these hot flashes go away.
Too hot, too cold
First, it’s important to understand why a hot flash happens.
A hot flash or night sweat is the body’s way of cooling off. The blood vessels in the skin are commanded to open, or dilate, and blood rushes to the surface, allowing heat to escape.
Sweating goes along with this, of course, further allowing the body to cool.
Women will say they glow or radiate heat during a hot flash. That’s exactly what’s happening.
Hot flashes often happen in the years before menopause, in the days before a period, and then more frequently in early menopause because estrogen levels are low.
Estrogen is a powerful regulator of temperature regulation. When estrogen levels drop, the thermostat gets very sensitive.
The comfort zone changes from a comfortable 4 degrees to a narrow range of 0.4 degrees. This is why many women in perimenopause or menopause say, “I’m always too hot or too cold—never just right.”
The body’s air conditioning—hot flashes—can also be triggered by sudden stress. The adrenaline rush can flip the switch.
High blood sugar, even after eating something as simple as a little cookie, can also trigger it. It can also happen 30 minutes after that cookie, when the blood sugar crashes.
Alcohol can trigger a hot flash, too. Many women will agree that drinking wine at dinner can cause night sweats.
Failing to drink enough water can cause hot flashes to increase in frequency and intensity. Weight gain can also make the body warmer and harder to cool.
Sleep-deprived women may experience hot flashes more frequently. Fluctuations in brain chemicals—brought about by situations involving chronic stress, for example—can also increase the frequency of hot flashes.
Finding hope
By understanding why hot flashes occur, women can avoid the suffering and begin to find solutions.
The most effective treatment for hot flashes and night sweats is estrogen medication.
It’s not compounded, but available by mail-order or from your local pharmacy.
Estrogen medication is safer than most people think.
We have many good studies to back that up.
Even a low dose of estrogen—much lower than normal ovary function back in the day—can reduce hot flashes within seven to 10 days.
If a woman has a uterus, she needs to take a progesterone with the estrogen. This can often help with sleep, too.
Safety comes first—and for some women, estrogen is not safe. We go through a checklist before prescribing it.
If estrogen is not the treatment of choice, the next best medication is the same class of drugs used for depression and anxiety.
This is used not because the woman has depression or anxiety, but because the medications can increase serotonin.
Serotonin makes the thermostat less sensitive and reduces the frequency of hot flashes, almost as effectively as estrogen.
Ultimately, you have to build the right foundation for treating hot flashes. This entails a healthy lifestyle and maintaining a healthy weight.
About 80% of women have symptoms that interfere with their quality of life.
But there is hope.
SEEDS (Seven Essential Elements of Daily Success) is the best place to start.
It begins with water—80 ounces per day—and 50 hours of sleep each week.
It also involves daily activity and exercise, a multivitamin and vitamin D and a healthy diet rich with complex carbs, smart protein and healthy fat. Limit yourself to just one treat per day and make sure you get all the fiber you need.
Practice metered breathing and gratitude.
As you do more SEEDS each day, you’ll experience fewer hot flashes.
The SEEDS approach can help in everyday life, too.
