Category Archives: Citizen Journalism

Red is the color of missing souls: Zapatos Rojos | Red Shoes, an installation by Elina Chauvet at GVSU

October 22, 2019Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Upcoming EventsArt, Grand Valley State University, GVSU, Music, Victoria MullenJoanne

*Zapatos Rojos* | *Red Shoes* by Elina Chauvet (Courtesy GVSU)

By Victoria Mullen, WKTV

Grand Valley State University’s 17th annual Fall Arts Celebration features dance that combines movement and technology; art that challenges perceptions; music that captures the power and mystery of the sea; and more — this year’s events at Grand Valley State University are set to bring out ‘all the feels’.

Zapatos Rojos | Red Shoes, an installation by Elina Chauvet

When: Nov. 1, 2019-Feb. 28, 2020
Where: Kirkhof Center Gallery, Allendale Campus

Zapatos Rojos | Red Shoes is an itinerant installation originally organized in 2009 by artist and architect Elina Chauvet in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. Comprising 33 pairs of red shoes donated by the women of Ciudad Juárez — each pair representing a woman who had disappeared in that community — the piece is designed to draw attention to the fact that women were being killed without any consequences.

A bit of back story on the artist’s use of red shoes as the focus of her work: Chauvet researched the disappearances extensively; in the course of her fact-finding, she discovered that many of the women who vanished had worked in shoe stores, had been buying shoes at the time they disappeared, or were looking for a job in a shoe shop.

Chauvet had also used shoes as a metaphor in the past to express her concern for the missing and dead women.

In 2017, Zulema Moret, Grand Valley professor of modern languages, arranged for Chauvet to direct an installation of Zapatos Rojos | Red Shoes in Grand Rapids. This exhibition documents many of the community groups that participated in painting the shoes, as well as the installation at the Richard M. DeVos Center courtyard on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus.

The Fall Arts Celebration shines a spotlight on some of the world’s preeminent artists, poets, musicians, dancers, and scholars. Each fall for the past 17 years, West Michigan audiences have enjoyed a series of six free events that celebrate the positive impact of the arts. For more information, visit gvsu.edu/fallarts.

More art

Art of Today: Contemporary Collections from Chicago

When: Through Nov. 1, 2019
Where: Art Gallery, Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus

Working with Chicago-based artists, gallery owners and collectors, Grand Valley has acquired a collection of contemporary art over the last 15 years.

Curated from Grand Valley’s collection and enhanced with additional loans from Chicago, Art of Today comprises more than 40 paintings, prints, drawings, photographs, sculptures and mixed media works — bold and minimalistic works exploring simplicity in design, society’s relationship to the environment, as well as the intersection of pop culture and art by artists Alex Katz, Ellsworth Kelly, David Nash and Takahashi Murakami.

The challenging imagery of other artists — such as Tony Fitzpatrick, Jane Hammond, Erika Rothenberg and Kara Walker — examines the meaning of identity, race, culture and sexuality.

Lecture

Jill Lepore: American History from Beginning to End

When: Nov. 5, 2019; public reception at 5pm and lecture at 6pm
Where: L.V. Eberhard Center, second floor, Pew Grand Rapids Campus

What do you see when you look at 500 years instead of the last five minutes? Jill Lepore, the leading narrative historian of her generation, offers a different perspective on history. Lepore asserts that the United States is an experiment founded on three ‘truths’: political equality, natural rights, and the sovereignty of the people. Her thesis will challenge your imagination to put yourself in a place in history to help give context to the present.

Lepore is the David Woods Kemper ’41 Professor of American History at Harvard University. She is also a staff writer at The New Yorker. One of her latest books is These Truths: A History of the United States (2018), on The New York Times Best Seller list. Her most recent book, This America: The Case for the Nation, was published in May 2019.

GVSU Art Gallery

For more information about Grand Valley State University art exhibits, call 616.331.2563 or visit gvsu.edu/artgallery.

Mathias J. Alten: An Evolving Legacy

When: Exhibition dates are ongoing
Hours: Friday and Saturday, 1-5 p.m.; closed on holiday weekends
Where: George and Barbara Gordon Gallery, DeVos Center, Bldg. E, Room 103 and 202, Pew Grand Rapids Campus

Often referred to as the ‘dean of Michigan painters’, the German-born American artist Mathias Joseph Alten (1871-1938) worked in a traditional representational style, incorporating the aesthetics and techniques of the Impressionist Movement in his paintings. Based in Grand Rapids, Alten created more than 3,800 works over his more-than-40-year career, including landscapes, seascapes, portraits and florals, all infused with light and punctuated with deft brushwork. Grand Valley State University holds the largest public collection of Alten’s work in the world.

Wandering Seeds: Experiencing and Engaging Haiti Through Study Abroad

When: Through Dec. 13, 2019
Where: Blue Wall Gallery, DeVos Center, Bldg. B, Pew Grand Rapids Campus

In 2018, a dozen GVSU students and three faculty members traveled to Haiti as part of a study-abroad program, led by Peter Wampler, associate professor of geology. Designed to provide an opportunity to experience Haitian culture and gain an understanding of daily life in rural Haiti, students from various backgrounds participated in a variety of service-learning and community-based teaching experiences, allowing them to contribute their energy toward real-world problems in Haiti.

Included in this exhibition are narratives and reflections by both faculty members and students who participated in the trip. Additionally, a number of photographs document their encounters, and a variety of original Haitian works of art attest to the vibrant and diverse artistic culture in the country.

Carnivals, Cognac and Cycling: Works of Art from the Robert L. Haskins and Erwin A. Raible Collection of Fin-de-Siécle Prints

When: Through Dec. 13, 2019
Where: Red Wall Gallery, Lake Ontario Hall, Allendale Campus

At the turn of the century, an explosion in print media occurred in Paris, one of the most vibrant cities in the world. Now-familiar artists — Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Pierre Bonnard, and others — made names for themselves producing items such as posters, journal illustrations, theater programs and advertisements.

Drawn from the Robert L. Haskins and Erwin A. Raible Collection of Fin-de-Siécle Prints in the GVSU Print and Drawing Cabinet, Carnivals, Cognac and Cycling provides a view into the visual culture of late 19th-century France.

In 2019, 14 GVSU students conducted research for this exhibition for the course Modern Art and Modernity. Each student focused on one work of art for in-depth study, produced original research, and presented findings to classmates and now to a wider audience.

José Guadalupe Posada: Calavera Prints from the GVSU Print and Drawing Cabinet

When: Nov. 1, 2019-Feb. 28, 2020
Where: Eberhard Center, Pew Grand Rapids Campus

José Guadalupe Posada (1852-1913) — a printmaker and engraver who illustrated historic scenes, board games and commercial items, religious images, various books and newspapers — is most famous for his use of calaveras (depictions of skulls and skeletons) to satirize and mock the corruption of the wealthy and political elite.

He created La Calavera Catrina, his most iconic image, in 1910 at the start of the Mexican Revolution. The image shows a grinning skeleton wearing a women’s feathered hat, pointing out that death comes to everyone, even those in the upper class.

This exhibition includes 20 reproductions of his prints, from the GVSU Print and Drawing Cabinet. The works were purchased in 2002 from the family of Antonio Vanegas Arroyo, who printed them using the original plates and press.

Performances from the Department of Music, Theatre and Dance

For more information about performances from the Department of Music, Theatre and Dance, visit gvsu.edu/mtd.

Faculty recital — Sookkyung Cho, assistant professor of piano, artist performer

When: Nov. 4, 2019, 7:30pm
Where: Sherman Van Solkema Hall, Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus

Pianist Sookkyung Cho uses a thoughtful expressionist style in her performances. A founding member of the New York-based Almava Trio, Cho has appeared at venues that include Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, and Château de Fontainebleau in France.

Additional recital by Sookkyung Cho

When: Nov. 23, 2019, 4-5pm
Where: Sherman Van Solkema Hall, Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus

The performance will include a variety of piano solo and ensemble music.

ReACT! presents: Difficult Dialogues

When: Nov. 17, 2019, 8-10pm
Where: Kirkhof Center, Room 2263, Allendale Campus

Grand Valley’s anti-violence peer theater troupe will use low-risk, interactive performance and discussion methods to help participants prepare to better engage someone on difficult dialogues about sexual assault and sexual harassment.

Bard to Go: Tossing on the Ocean public performance

When: Nov. 2, 2019, 1-3pm
Where: Keller Black Box Theatre, Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus

A 50-minute program introducing audience members to Shakespeare, Bard to Go takes the audience on a sea-faring journey with Prospero, a powerful magician, and his assistant Ariel, a magical spirit with strange powers. When Prospero and Ariel conjure a storm to shipwreck Prospero’s enemies, their magic spills over from their own play, The Tempest, and causes havoc for many of Shakespeare’s characters. This production includes scenes from The Tempest, Twelfth Night, Pericles, The Comedy of Errors and The Merchant of Venice.

Grand Valley Writers Series

The Grand Valley Writers Series brings in distinguished and emerging writers to read from their work, visit classes, and interact with students. For more information, visit here.

Craft talk and reading with Stephen Mack Jones

When: Nov. 5, 2019; Craft talk 1-2pm, Reading and book signing 6-7:30pm
Where: Kirkhof Center Room 2270, Allendale Campus

The first adult fiction novel by Stephen Mack Jones, August Snow, has received wide acclaim, including the 2018 Nero Award from the Nero Wolfe Society; it was also named a 2018 Michigan Notable Book by the Library of Michigan. Jones has received the Hammett Prize for literary excellence in the field of crime writing from the International Association of Crime Writers.

A poet, award-winning playwright and winner of the Kresge Arts in Detroit Literary Fellowship, Jones lives in the metro Detroit area.

Author Jennifer Armentrout stops by to talk about her new book, zombie movies, celebrity sightings

October 22, 2019Citizen Journalism, EntertainmentJennifer Armentrout, Locally Entertaining, The Burning Shadow, zombiesJoanne

Author Jennifer Armentrout with “Locally Entertaining” host Joanne Bailey-Boorsma. (Video by WKTV)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

A lover of zombie movies, New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Armentrout admitted she was afraid of the walking dead until her teen years.

“As a child I was scared to death of them because my mom, in her infinite wisdom, let us watch horror movies, and my dad would come home and it would always be the worst scene of the worst movie on TV,” Armentrout said during a recent “Locally Entertaining” podcast interview. Armentrout was in town Oct. 10 for a book signing and reading at Kentwood’s Schuler Books & Music.

Some of “those movies were film in Pennsylvania and those areas where they filmed looked very similar to the areas we lived in. It just terrified me, the idea that dead people could just start to come out of graveyards. because of that, I would never live within eye distance of a graveyard.”

Her solution to eliminate her fear was to face it.

“The only way I got over it was by forcing myself to keep watching it,” she said, adding that the would watch such cult classics as “Dawn of the Dead” and “Land of the Dead adding that the process kind of desensitize me from the fear.

“I ended up loving zombie movies then.”

Half angels/half humans, gargoyles, and aliens are creatures that Armentout tends to feature in her books that have an underlying theme of acceptance and working together. Her latest book “The Burning Shadow,” is the second in the second series of the Lux series. This series is about aliens living amongst humans with an underlying theme of just how far people will go to help and protect each other.

“Once [the first] series ended I felt like that really opened the doors in a lot of ways,” Armentrout said. “A lot of times as people, if we don’t understand, we freak out and make things worst. So I really wanted to explore how humans would react to knowing that yes, there is a lot of aliens out there.”

Armentrout is a prolific writer with more than 50 titles all written in the last 10 years covering an array of genres: action, adventure, and romance for both young adults and adults.

In her young adult books, she has the second book in the Harbinger series, “Rage and Ruin” coming out in June. The series follows a half-human, half-angel and her bonded gargoyle proctor working to stop an apocalypse. The next book in the Lux series, The Brightest Night, will becoming out in October.

For more on Jennifer Armentrout, check out the “Locally Entertaining” podcast or visit her website, jenniferarmentrout.com.

Photo of the Week: Dash

October 22, 2019Citizen JournalismJoanne

Meet Dash, a 5-month-old pit bill terrier, who is ready for adoption from the Mosh Pit Rescue, a Grand Rapids rescue organization. He is house trained and good with children and other pets. To learn more about Dash, visit his portfolio by clicking here or visit moshpitrescue.com or go to the group’s Facebook page, Mosh Pit Rescue. This photo was taken and submitted by Julia Beukema.

Do you have a photo you would like to submit for Photo of the Week? Then send it to Managing Editor Joanne Bailey-Boorsma at joanne@wktv.org.

Gaffigan tickets go on sale Friday, Oct. 25

October 22, 2019Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Upcoming EventsGilda, Hilarie Carpenter, Jim Gaffigan, Laughfest, SMGJoanne

By Hilarie Carpenter, SMG

Gilda’s LaughFest, the nation’s first-ever, community-wide festival of laughter, and Outback Presents announced that Jim Gaffigan will bring his The Pale Tourist tour to Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids. Gaffigan will open the 10th year of Gilda’s LaughFest on Thursday, March 5, 2020, at 8pm.

Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, Oct. 25 at 10am. Tickets will be available at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices and online at Ticketmaster.com. A purchase limit of eight (8) tickets will apply to every order. See Ticketmaster.com for all current pricing and availability.

Gaffigan is the first headliner to be announced for the 2020 festival. Tickets for The Pale Tourist will be included in LaughFest ticket packages, which go on sale after LaughFest releases its full lineup on Tuesday, Nov. 19.

The Pale Tourist marks the third appearance for Gaffigan at LaughFest. Both of his previous performances sold out.

One of the nation’s top touring comedians, Gaffigan has proven himself as a major talent beloved to a wide range of audiences while achieving accolades and awards for his stand-up comedy, acting, and writing. He has had an unprecedented number of appearances on late night television and has earned nominations for both a Broadband Emmy and a Webby Award for his writing and voice work on the animated series Pale Force for Conan.

In recent years, Gaffigan has also become a mainstay on the big screen with roles in Going the Distance, Away We Go, and It’s Kind of a Funny Story. He appeared alongside Jennifer Connolly, Ed Harris, Pierce Bronson and Greg Kinnear in Salvation Boulevard, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2011. Further broadening his career, Gaffigan starred in the Broadway production, That Championship Season.

More information about Gilda’s LaughFest and ticket packages is available at laughfestgr.org, or by calling 616-735-HAHA (4242).

About Gilda’s Club

Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids is a free emotional health support community of children, adults, families and friends on any kind of cancer journey or those grieving a death due to any cause. Its comprehensive program, delivered by professionals, includes education, structured sharing times, networking, lectures, workshops and social activities. Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids is one of the largest and busiest of the 42 affiliates in North America. The organization runs entirely on charitable donations and currently serves more than 10,000 individuals each year at its clubhouses in Grand Rapids and Lowell, Mich., in various schools and community centers. For more information, visit gildasclubgr.org.

About Gilda’s LaughFest

Gilda’s LaughFest, the nation’s first-ever community-wide festival of laughter, has quickly earned a reputation for being one of the nation’s marquee events for both participants and artists. This major 10- day Midwest festival is based in Grand Rapids and includes events throughout West Michigan. Created by Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids and launched in March 2011 to celebrate laughter for the health of it, the festival features stand-up, improv, showcases, and a variety of seriously funny stuff.

The importance of parent education

October 22, 20193-bottom, Citizen JournalismMichigan State University Extension, Parenting, Tracy TrautnerJoanne

*Courtesy Michigan State University Extension*

By Tracy Trautner, Michigan State University Extension

Parenting, for many, is the most important and challenging job to ever have and a role that gets little recognition. Parents and other primary caregivers of all types (foster parents, grandparents, adoptive parents, etc.) can all use an opportunity to learn tips and new strategies to relate with our children and enjoy being with them. It also allows an opportunity to engage with other parents that may be having similar issues and struggles.

Today, there are new parenting challenges to overcome. Skills, routines and values were passed from generation to generation and parents could rely on networks of support to help them parent. Compared to past generations, many parents and families have become isolated and are raising children in silos. These parents are trying to figure it out alone. The skills a child needs to be successful have changed as well.

Over the years, each generation sees a change in what society considers parenting issues. Currently, families struggle with behavior management issues including lack of expectations, child supervision and excessively severe and inconsistent punishment on behalf of the parent. According to John Geldhoff, an Oregon University assistant professor of behavioral and health science, all parents—high income, low income, mandated and non–mandated—can benefit from evidence-based parenting education. Parents who have attended classes and learned effective discipline and parenting techniques report having children with higher grades, fewer behavior problems, less substance abuse issues, better mental health and greater social competence.

Parenting education programs offer support and education that can address issues and make parenting easier, more enjoyable and can strengthen a child’s ability to thrive. Building Early Emotional Skills in Young Children is one of many parenting programs offered by Michigan State University Extension. Many other reliable sources of information for parents are available to meet their needs. Resources are readily available online through YouTube videos, research-based websites, in person, podcasts, blogs and books that are readily accessible. Before you engage with a parenting resource, check the source of the information to be certain it is research based and reputable.

Your child’s childcare center or school, community center, local library and local county MSU Extension may offer in-person trainings. In-person parent education allows parents the options to ask pertinent questions to their situation and potentially meet other parents to share stories with. A frequent issue that is brought up is relatable to everyone in the class, quality discussions begins, and ideas are shared. Online classes may also offer valuable opportunities to explore materials at your own pace and connect virtually with other parents.

Parenting education can be seen as something negative, like it is a reflection on your ability to parent. Parenting education is not just for parents who are struggling or having severe problems with their children’s behavior—it can be an opportunity for parents to feel more confident as a parent, prevent future problems, enjoy being with their children and help their family get along.

We may invest time and money to take our new puppy to obedience class, take golf lessons or practice our swing, or take our family out to eat or on vacation as a way to invest in ourselves and our families. Similarly, parenting classes are an investment in our personal growth and our children’s future ability to build healthy relationships, make and retain friends, get a job and keep it, and become great parents themselves.

To find more valuable, research-based information about parenting, check out the following resources:

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
Michigan Association for the Education of Young Children (MiAEYC)
Zero to Three
Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University
MSU Extension’s Family

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

Pay attention to your colon

October 22, 20193-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, Senior LivingColon cancer, Colorectal cancer, Diana Bitner, Spectrum Health BeatJoanne

Stop colon cancer in its tracks, early, with lifestyle changes and preventive screening. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Diana Bitner, MD, Spectrum Health Beat

Did you know your lifestyle choices could tip the scale for whether or not you experience cancer in your lifetime?

It’s true.

No one purposefully acts to increase their cancer risk, however, not everyone knows which lifestyle choices will make a negative—or positive—difference.

Take colon cancer, for instance. Colon cancer risk is affected by lifestyle habits and can be detected early if people are aware of their risk, get timely screenings and watch for early symptoms.

Studies show there are ways we can proactively reduce our chances of developing colorectal cancer.

People who exercise daily, eat a diet high in fiber, fruits and vegetables, take adequate vitamins B6 and D, and eat fish regularly (not deep fried) have a lower relative risk of getting colorectal cancer.

People who smoke, drink more than two alcohol drinks per day and are obese have a higher risk. Hormone replacement therapy, statins and daily aspirin are also shown to be associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer.

Many women I have cared for never thought they would get colorectal cancer. Some women think it is an older person’s disease or that only men are at risk.

Risk factors for colorectal cancer

• 50 years or older

• HPV infection

• Family history of colorectal cancer

• History of Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis

• Diet high in saturated fats and low in fiber

• Diet low in vitamins D and B complex

• More than one alcoholic drink per day

• Lack of exercise

• Obesity

How cancer develops

Cancer happens when cells start to grow out of control either from exposure to a cancer-causing agent like cigarette smoke, or damage in the process of growth control like with BRCA gene mutations.

If there is both exposure and a gene mutation, the risk is even higher. When cells grow out of control, they group together in a lump or mass and then can break free of the organ boundaries, and spread.

The earlier a cancer is caught, the easier it is to treat. Once cancer spreads, it is much harder to cure.

A cautionary tale

A patient I’ll call Susan never thought colon cancer would affect her. In her case, there was no family history, no inflammatory bowel disease, and she lived a healthy lifestyle. She is active, rarely drinks alcohol, eats low fat and takes her vitamins.

But Susan had symptoms. She ignored those symptoms, thinking it must be a yeast infection, constipation, or simply not important. Like many of us, she was so busy caring for her family she didn’t make the time to get checked out.

Her pain worsened, the discharge worsened and her bowel habits started to change more dramatically. She finally had no choice but to pursue testing. Susan learned she had Stage 4, metastatic colorectal cancer.

Susan underwent aggressive surgery and chemotherapy with a good result. Her story is one that should make us all pause and remember to seek care when something does not seem right. Another takeaway: Get your colonoscopy.

Be proactive

Donald Kim, MD, is a Spectrum Health Medical Group colorectal surgeon and cares for patients with colorectal cancer.

“Colorectal cancer is not only treatable but preventable with proper colon cancer screening,” Dr. Kim said. “Unfortunately, most patients present without symptoms, so it’s essential that you have your recommended screening colonoscopy.”

If you have risk factors for colorectal cancer, it is important you not only get an early screening, but also follow a healthy lifestyle to reduce your chances of getting cancer.

Risk factors include being 50 or over (45 and over if African American), have a first-degree relative with colorectal cancer, have a family history of colorectal cancer or genetic syndromes such as familial polyposis syndrome or Lynch syndrome. It also matters if you have a personal history of colon polyps or inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn’s colitis or ulcerative colitis, or if you have had abdominal radiation.

The symptoms of colorectal cancer depend on the location of the tumor. They include a change in bowel habits such as new constipation or diarrhea, consistent new bloating and gas, rectal bleeding or dark tarry stools, a feeling of incomplete emptying, or persistent cramps and pain. Another sign of cancer is iron-deficiency anemia.

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Resident shares his passion for growing Aspen trees

October 21, 20193-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of WyomingOpen Forest Group, Pat McGovern, short rotation woody crops, WKTV JournalJoanne

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

People have all kinds of hobbies from refurnishing furniture to quilting. For resident Pat McGovern, it is growing trees.

McGovern, who lives on the northwest side of Grand Rapids, is a private nurseryman and Aspen tree breeder. He currently has about 1,000 saplings growing at his home.

“I planted about 1,800,” McGovern told WKTV’s Donna Kidner Smith during a recent WKTV Journal interview. “Of those, about 1,000 survived of which I might keep about 150 trees.”

McGovern participates in a short rotation woody crops program. This is when a woody tree species has been bred and selected to have extremely high rates of growth, allowing the trees to be harvested after a short growing period.

Hybrid poplar or willow are the two species most commonly adapted for short rotation management. Poplars are planted using cuttings or “sticks” that are about eight inches long. The trees are cut back to ground level which helps to stimulate growth. The trees typically remain productive for three harvest cycles before replanting, which is about 15- 20 years.

Pat McGovern, co-founder of the Open Forest Group (Photo by WKTV)

McGovern, who is the co-founder of the Open Forest Group, primarily uses Aspens, a populus tree that is found in Michigan. Aspens are known for their quaking leaves and brilliant colors. While white and soft, Aspen wood is fairly strong and has low flammability. It is used for a number of items such as timber to heat homes, to make paper and matches, and to make veneer.

McGovern said over the years he found one rare Aspen tree that has a curvy, wavy figured grain and has incorporated into the breeding of the trees on his property. McGovern grows the saplings in his backyard, planting in April and then harvesting them in November, around Thanksgiving.

During harvesting, he determines which trees to keep and which to discard based on a number of factors. From there he cuts each sampling up into eight inch pieces — a root with a stem — which are stored in the refrigerator. In April, the pieces, which are soaked in water for about 24 hours, are then taken to a planting site to grow.

Short rotation woody crops such as the one McGovern does, have shown promise as an economically viable strategy for producing a sustainable supply of fuel for power stations. Fast growing species can be planed at relatively low costs and harvest in less time than traditional species.

There are a number of websites dedicated tp short rotation woody crops, such as the wood-energy.extension.org or generainc.com. Also you can visit McGovern’s website, open4st on Gogle Sites or his YouTube channel, Patrick McGovern.

How to enjoy fall as an older adult

October 21, 20193-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, How-To's, Senior LivingFall Activities, fun, Vista Springs Assisted LivingJoanne

*Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living*

By Vista Springs Assisted Living

As the weather gets colder and the leaves begin to change, it’s time to start celebrating the fall season! While you may not be jumping in leaf piles or going trick-or-treating anymore, there are still plenty of activities to fill your days and get you in the spirit of the season as an older adult. From decorating to baking delicious treats to visiting an orchard, here are some amusements that will keep you occupied for the entirety of autumn.

Indoor activities

If cold weather isn’t your thing, there’s no need to miss out on all the fall fun! Here are four great indoor activities that will help you celebrate no matter what the outside temperature is!

Create a knitted masterpiece

Not only has knitting been proven to be good for your mental and emotional health, but it helps get you in the mood for fall with cozy yarns in fall colors. Whether you are a beginner or a master, there is a knitted craft for you! Give your masterpieces away as gifts to your family and friends to help spread the fall spirit, or keep them for yourself as a reminder of your hard work!

Watch movies

From spooky Halloween classics like Nightmare on Elm Street to heartwarming fall romcoms like You’ve Got Mail, there are movies from every genre that will be a fit for everyone’s tastes! Gather your friends together and have weekly movie nights where you eat delicious snacks and watch all your fall favorites.

Start decorating

Decorating your home is one of the best ways to bring the fall atmosphere indoors! Surrounding yourself with decorations helps you stay in the right mindset for fall, no matter which direction you look! Pick a theme like Halloween or the outdoors, or just have fun adding in touches of everything you like. Examples of decorations can include:

Displays of pumpkins and gourds
Festive fall centerpieces
An autumn wreath on the front door
Leaf and pinecone table displays
Decorative candle holders for candles with fall scents
Additional pillows and throws in fall colors like orange, brown, and red

Make some baked goods

Baking not only lets you make tasty treats, but it will also fill your home with good smells and warmth from the oven. There are the classics like pumpkin and apple pies, but try pushing yourself with new recipes for baked goods you haven’t made before! Think of ways to use in-season fruits and veggies to make mouthwatering foods for family and friends—or to keep for yourself!

Outdoor activities

Want to get outside to see all that autumn has to offer? Take a look at these four ideas for outdoor activities that will help you experience the true beauty and some of the best joys of the fall season.

See the changing colors

Getting outside doesn’t have to be a big ordeal—just taking a simple walk and enjoying the fall foliage is a great way to experience the natural beauty of autumn. Breathing in the crisp air and taking photos of the prettiest trees can be both relaxing and good for your health. If you are artistically minded, try sketching or painting some of the sights you see!

Get ahead on gardening

Gardening may traditionally be a spring activity, but fall can be the best time to get prepped for next year! Planting perennials in fall ensures you have beautiful blooms come spring—without having to do the work then! You can also try container gardening and plant some late-blooming flowers in containers that can be outside until it gets too cold, then can be brought inside to enjoy!

Visit an orchard

There are orchards abound in the midwest, and now is the perfect time to visit one! Plan an outing with the grandkids, or just go with friends your own age. Orchards have many activities, from classic apple picking to pumpkin patches to hay rides. Many have homemade treats for sale, like donuts and fresh pressed apple cider. Make a whole day of visiting the orchard, and take your spoils home to either decorate or bake with!

Build a bonfire

Fall fun isn’t just limited to the daytime! After the sun sets is a perfect time to grab a bunch of blankets and warm up in front of a bonfire. You can roast marshmallows, tell scary stories, or just enjoy the company of others and those you love—all while feeling cozy, even as the weather grows colder around you.

There are lots of ways to enjoy autumn, even as an older adult. With all these activities and more at your fingertips, there’s no way you won’t have a wonderful fall and get into the spirit of the season everyday! At assisted living communities like Vista Springs, we plan fun fall activities on each day of the calendar. Come visit Vista Springs and see the Full of Life experience for yourself!

Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.

America’s migraine problem

October 18, 20193-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, HealthAllan Adler, migraine, Spectrum Health BeatJoanne

The migraine is listed by the World Health Organization as a Top 20 illness that causes a disability. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Allan Adler, Spectrum Health Beat

If you want to know where someone’s priorities lie, take a look at how they spend their money.

Take, for instance, the federal government.

In 2018, the National Institutes of Health spent $303 million on asthma research and $989 million on autoimmune disease studies. That same year, the agency allocated $23 million to the study of migraines.

This, despite the fact that migraines are 50 percent more prevalent than both of the other illnesses. Migraines affect more than 39 million Americans, and about 4 million of them suffer from the chronic form of the disease (15 or more migraine days a month).

There is indeed a gross inequity in funding migraine research compared to other illnesses, said Jared Pomeroy, MD, a headache specialist with Spectrum Health Medical Group Neurology.

In pointing out the federal data, Dr. Pomeroy said one of the main reasons for the lack of funding is stigmatization—migraine patients are more stigmatized than patients who suffer from more diagnosable diseases such as asthma.

Medical tests can help determine the presence and severity of diseases such as asthma. There are no such tests for migraines.

“A lot involves patients reporting their symptoms,” Dr. Pomeroy said. “If someone is missing an arm or a leg, you can see the problem. It’s obvious there’s a disability.

“But headaches are harder to see and diagnose,” he said. “Doctors must rely mostly on what a patient reports, as opposed to relying on their own observations.”

The human condition

Migraines aren’t just an American issue—they’re a human issue.

The World Health Organization lists migraines among the Top 20 illnesses that cause a disability.

The disorder has a disproportionate economic impact as well, typically affecting people in the prime of their lives.

A bout with migraines can cause an otherwise healthy person to miss work or school, and in some cases it can lead to job loss. It can also cause a person to miss out on precious family time.

It’s truly an ailment that knows no social or economic boundaries, striking the rich and famous just as often as it strikes everyday people.

People with migraines can sporadically—and temporarily—escape the battle.

When they seek treatment, however, they sometimes find it difficult to gain understanding from people who have never suffered a migraine, Dr. Pomeroy said.

“A lot of people who don’t suffer from migraines see them as a character flaw, not as a physical ailment,” the doctor said.

Society’s conventional knowledge of migraines doesn’t always mean the public, or even employees in the medical field, will understand the nature of the beast.

Generally, migraines can be accompanied by nausea, vomiting or pulsating on one side of the head. Routine activity can aggravate them.

A migraine patient is often sensitive to light and sound.

Some patients will also experience numbness in their face or body, and the headaches may cause weakness in an arm or leg. Seeing a flashing light, experiencing tunnel vision or even temporarily losing sight are also symptoms.

Treatments

While science is still pursuing a full understanding of migraines, there are treatments available.

They usually entail over-the-counter or prescription drugs. For more severe pain, doctors have used injections or other specialized drugs to provide immediate relief.

“In the 1990s, Triptan medications were developed for acute treatment of migraines,” Dr. Pomeroy said. “Since then, we haven’t had any new classes of pharmaceutical agents developed specifically for migraines.”

Researchers have developed new drugs within existing pharmaceutical classes, the doctor said, and some medicines meant for unrelated disorders have been used effectively for migraines.

Botox has become a godsend for some, although it involves 31 tiny injections that must be repeated every 12 weeks. Others may find relief simply by placing an ice pack on the back of the neck, or on the primary location of the pain.

Patients may also see symptoms improve by changing lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise, Dr. Pomeroy said. Cutting out caffeine and nicotine can be a big help.

Interestingly, the migraine sufferer’s keen intuition is often one of the best defenses.

People who frequently experience migraines can sense when a new one is approaching.

When it strikes at work or at school, they’re better prepared—even if they know their best course of action means returning home to rest in a dark, quiet room.

Some experts think migraines may be hereditary. This much is certain: There’s typically no known cause, and there is no cure.

And until there’s enough funding to help researchers develop a cure, migraine suffers must muddle through the attacks. With guidance from a good doctor, their outlook can improve.

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Snapshots: Wyoming, Kentwood things to do this weekend

October 18, 2019Citizen JournalismEast Kentwood High School, EKHS Falcom Marching Band Invitational, Grandville High School, Trunk or TreatJoanne

It was a beautiful bright autumn day, with air like cider and a sky so blue you could drown in it.
Diana Gabaldon, “Outlander”

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

Seventy-six trombones

Flutes, drums, and more will be filling the field at East Kentwood High School as the EKHS Falcon Marching Band Invitational, which takes place Saturday, Oct. 19. Twenty-six bands from across the state will be competing including bands from Kelloggsville and Wyoming. The event opens at 10:30 a.m., with awards being presented at 7 p.m.

Did someone say treats?

The City of Kentwood will be hosting its annual Trunk or Treat Saturday, Oct. 19, from 10 a.m. to noon. Held at the Kentwood Department of Public Works facility at 5068 Breton SE, kids can dress up in their favorite costume and collect treats from a number of decorated trunks. There also will be a bounce house, hayrides, and face painting. If you have time this evening, Encounter Church, 4620 Kalamazoo Ave. SE, will be hosting a Trunk or Treat from 6 – 8 p.m. Also, next Sunday, Oct. 27, Kentwood Baptist Church, 2875 52nd St. SE, will host its Trunk or Treat from 6 – 7 p.m. All events are free and open to the public.

Getting Crafty

The holiday craft shows are now up and running. This weekend, Grandville High School will be hosting its Fall Harvest Craft Show from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the high school, 4700 Canal Ave. SW. Breakfast and lunch offerings will be available. For a list of upcoming craft shows, click here.

Fun Fact: Cathelepistemian

Michigan was the first state to establish a university, which was called Cathelepistemian, which means university. It was established in 1817 in Detroit. The name was later changed in 1821 to the University of Michigan. The university moved to Ann Arbor in 1841.

Holding steady: Steps you can take to prevent falls

October 18, 20193-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, How-To's, Senior LivingArea Agency on Aging of Western Michigan, Emily ArmstrongJoanne

By Emily Armstrong, Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan (AAAWM)

As we get older the chance of our suffering a fall increases, in fact according to the National Council on Aging (NCOA) 1 in 4 Americans aged 65+ falls each year. Relying on your body to catch you and keep you steady, and then losing this ability, can be a serious downfall to your mobility and morale.

Sometimes the fear of falling can be such an all-consuming worry that you may start retreating from doing the things you used to love. However, just because you may notice a drop in your confidence, movement levels, and strength, it does not mean that you can’t improve upon these things and live a fulfilling life. The key to fall prevention is that because we know which factors contribute to falls, we can work to prevent them. The National Council on Aging recommends a number of steps you can take to prevent a fall and build your confidence along the way.

1. Find a good balance and exercise program. This is vital because building up your body’s flexibility, strength, and balance enables you to avoid falling in the first place; if you do happen to fall, you’ll have the ability to get up safely. The AAAWM offers a variety of evidence-based fall prevention classes through its Healthy Aging programs such as A Matter of Balance and EnhanceFitness. There are also a number of evidenced-based programs available throughout West Michigan. Check out your local Council on Aging and Area Agency on Aging as resources to learn more about these Healthy Aging programs. You can also find a class locator here: https://www.aaawm.org/classes

2. Talking to your health care provider is the second step to fall prevention. It is helpful to go over your medical history and if you’ve experienced falls in the past. Your provider also has the ability to assess your risk level for a fall and what can be addressed to lower this risk.

3. Regularly review your medications. Some medication’s side effects can increase your risk of falling, and of course, you should take medications only as they are prescribed by your doctor.

4. Get your vision and hearing checked annually. Proper sight can help you avoid trip hazards and obstacles, and abnormalities in your inner ear can also negatively impact your balance. Treat your health as a top priority to fall prevention and check in with your doctor on these three steps to ensure your well-being.

5. Keep your home safe by removing hazards that are commonly overlooked, but easy to fix. A few things to look for: Do you have a clear pathway through your rooms? Look for rugs, cords and wires, and bulky furniture that may be in your way. Assess your stairs; if steps are uneven or broken this can cause you to fall, and make sure that your stairway is well-lit and has a handrail. In the kitchen, it is best if items are not on kept high shelves, and that your step stool is sturdy if you must use it. In your bedroom, you should have a light close to the bed within easy reach, as well as a well-lit path to the bathroom. Lastly, your bathroom should have some sort of support for you to rely on when using the toilet and bathtub, and if you have a slippery shower floor, add a non-slip rubber mat. All helpful things to keep your home safe!

6. Enlist the help of your family and friends. Let them know that you are worried about falling and would appreciate their help in making your home a safe space. They can provide an extra set of eyes and hands to rid your house of obstacles. They are also likely to help you navigate talking to your doctor, checking your vision and hearing, and reviewing your medications. Having their help will make the process less overwhelming for you. Often those around you are eager and willing to help, you just need to ask!

These six steps come together to help you avoid falls, so you can continue to do the things that you love. Getting older doesn’t mean a loss of independence; it simply means adapting your environment to best fit your needs so that you can flourish. Be sure to use the resources around you; from your doctor to a family member or friend, to help you take these preventative measures. For more information, visit the National Council on Aging’s website at www.ncoa.org.

GVSU economist: Marginal growth continues

October 17, 20193-bottom, Citizen JournalismDottie Barnes, Grand Valley State University, GVSUJoanne

By Dottie Barnes
Grand Valley State University

The growth rate of the West Michigan industrial economy improved again for September, said Brian G. Long, director of Supply Management Research in Grand Valley State University’s Seidman College of Business.

Long surveyed local business leaders and his findings below are based on data collected during the last two weeks of September.

The survey’s index of business improvement (new orders) edged up to +6, from +3. The production index moved down to +6, from +9. The index of purchases dropped to -6 from +2 and the employment index rose to +8 from +1.

Long said after three months of pessimism, there is a note of encouragement in September’s local index of employment.

“Numerous headlines proclaimed the national unemployment rate fell to 3.5 percent in September, a 50-year low,” he said. “However, the UAW strike and the apparent softening auto market has brought Michigan’s August (latest month available) unemployment rate up to 4.2 percent from 3.9 percent in August 2018.”

Long said cities where General Motors plants are located are feeling most of the heat from the UAW strike, but a few local firms who sell to GM could begin to see layoffs if the strike continues into November.

Looking ahead, Long said despite economic trouble spots all over the world, he doesn’t see an obvious event that would trigger a recession; an exception is the U.S. trade war with China.

“Although the industrial markets are squirming because of falling exports and tariff-related price increases, the current signs still point more toward stagnation rather than a recession,” he said. “A sudden announcement that the U.S. and China have reached a long-term trade deal could spark a new round of growth, but the Chinese government may be holding out until after the 2020 election for a better deal.”

The Institute for Supply Management survey is a monthly survey of business conditions that includes 45 purchasing managers in the greater Grand Rapids area and 25 in Kalamazoo. The respondents are from the region’s major industrial manufacturers, distributors and industrial service organizations. It is patterned after a nationwide survey conducted by the Institute for Supply Management. Each month, the respondents are asked to rate eight factors as “same,” “up” or “down.”

MTM Thrift adds two new stores to support Mel Trotter Ministries

October 17, 20193-bottom, Citizen JournalismJoanne

By Abbey Sladick, Mel Trotter Ministries

Mel Trotter Ministries is adding to its fleet of thrift stores in the greater Grand Rapids area. MTM Thrift currently has stores in Jenison and Sparta and will open two more stores this fall. A location in Lowell, Michigan opened Oct. 16. This location includes over 10,000 square feet of retail space full of gently used clothing, furniture and household items. MTM Thrift Stores are accepting donations in this new location.

In addition to the Lowell location, MTM Thrift will re-open a store in Belding, Michigan in November. The store was most recently occupied by Goodwill.

“The continued growth of our thrift store operations means the ministry will receive additional funding for the programs and services that help individuals and families get the job and housing support they need to overcome homelessness,” said Dennis Van Kampen, CEO of Mel Trotter Ministries. “Our ministry is blessed by the support from the communities of Jenison, Sparta, Belding and Lowell.”

One hundred percent of the profits from MTM Thrift Stores go directly to Mel Trotter Ministries to help sustain its annual budget for services like job training, housing readiness, addiction recovery, ministry, rental housing, clinics and more. MTM Thrift also has partnership opportunities with local churches where they provide gift cards to the churches for their members in need.

MTM Thrift provides dozens of easy drop off sites throughout greater Grand Rapids and also has a free and easy donation pick up service at www.pickupmydonation.com. Store job opportunities, donation and shopping information at www.mtmthrift.com

School News Network: Practicing your escape plan is key

October 17, 20193-bottom, Citizen JournalismE.S.C.A.P.E, Fire Prevention Week, Fire Safety, National Fire Protection Association, School News NetworkJoanne

By Fire Lt. Michael McLeleer of E.S.C.A.P.E., Fire Safety

At E.S.C.A.P.E. Fire Safety, an organization that provides fire safety education and training to children and adults, we want to remind readers that seconds can mean the difference between a safe escape and a tragic injury or death.

Fifteen to 20 years ago, homes had more “natural” materials in them such as cotton, wool and untreated wood. Because of this, you had 15-20 minutes to escape in the event of a fire. With all of the synthetic materials in homes today, you may have as little as one to two minutes to escape from the time the smoke alarm sounds. Escape planning and practice can help give everyone enough time to get out.

According to a National Fire Protection Association survey, 71% of households have a fire escape plan, but only 47% of those have practiced it. This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Not Every Hero Wears a Cape. Plan and Practice Your Escape,” shines a spotlight on the importance of practicing the plan.

You may see or hear firefighters and other community advocates throughout October teaching the community about the dangers of fire and smoke, the importance of having working smoke alarms, along with creating and practicing a home escape plan.

Why home escape planning and practice matter:

This ensures everyone knows what to do in a fire and is prepared to escape quickly and safely.
When the smoke alarm sounds in a real fire, it’s too late to start the plan.

What should be included in an escape plan:

Draw or map out the layout of your home, marking two exits from every room (typically a door and a window) and a path from each exit to the outside.
Pick a meeting place outside in front of your home where everyone will meet upon exiting (examples include a sidewalk, fence, driveway, or neighbor’s house).
Mark the location of all smoke alarms in your home (there should be a least one on every level, in each bedroom, and near all sleeping areas).
Make sure everyone knows how to call 911 from their phone or a neighbor’s phone once they’re safety outside.

It’s essential to practice the escape plan with all members of your household at least twice a year so everyone knows what to do if there is a fire.

At E.S.C.A.P.E. Fire Safety, we want to remind readers that seconds can mean the difference between a safe escape and a tragic injury or death. And fire safety education isn’t just for school children. Teens, adults and the elderly are also at risk in fires, making it important for everyone to take the time every October to make sure they understand how to stay safe.

About Fire Prevention Week

Since 1922, the National Fire Protection Association has sponsored the public observance of Fire Prevention Week in October. In 1925, President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed Fire Prevention Week a national observance, making it the longest-running public health observance in the United States. During Fire Prevention Week and all month long, children, adults and teachers learn how to stay safe in case of a fire. Firefighters provide lifesaving public education in an effort to decrease casualties caused by fires.

East Kentwood to host the largest scholastic marching band competition in Michigan

October 17, 20193-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of KentwoodEast Kentwood High School Falcon Marching Band Invitational, EKHS, marchingJoanne

The East Kentwood Band takes the field. The band and high school will host the EKHS Falcon Marching Band Invitational on Saturday. (Supplied)

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

There will be plenty of music and moves on the field of Falcon Stadium, at East Kentwood High School, Saturday, Oct. 19, when the school hosts Michigan’s largest scholastic marching band competition, the EKHS Falcon Marching Band Invitational. An astounding 26 marching bands from across the state will perform and compete for top honors. Gates open for the event at 10:30 a.m., with awards being presented at 7 p.m.

Someone who has never attended a marching band competition can expect to see many performances like one sees at football game halftime shows. Bands are classified according to school size and compete in their respective classes (AA-D). Each band has its own chosen performance theme with related music.

The music runs the whole gamut of genres, from rock to classical, and they perform it with synchronized, choreographed movements, most of the time, integrating color guard performers with props too. This is no small task, when you consider some of these bands are in excess of 200 members. That’s a lot of moving parts and instruments! It’s so complex that many of the bands start rehearsing their show during summer vacation, in order to be ready in time for the competition season. The result is an elaborate, dynamic performance that is impressive to hear and watch.

Twenty-six bands will compete this Saturday at East Kentwood High School. (Supplied)

The view should be spectacular too. East Kentwood boasts the highest vantage point of any high school stadium in West Michigan. A very important factor, considering when it comes to marching bands, the higher a person is in the stadium, the better the view of the performance.

People should plan to come out and spend the whole day at this family-friendly event. There will be plenty of food and drinks available at the concession stand, so spectators will not have to miss a single performance. Admission is just $8 for adults, $6 for students and seniors, and age five and under are free.

East Kentwood High School is located at 6230 Kalamazoo Ave. SE in Kentwood. All spectators should enter campus from the Kalamazoo Avenue entrance.

All proceeds from this event benefit the Kentwood middle and high school instrumental music programs.

Below is the performance line up for this huge event.

EKHS
Falcon Marching Band Invitational

11:00 Reading (D)

11:15 Decatur (D)

11:30 Dowagiac Union (D)

11:45 Bridgman (D)

12:00 Gobles (D)

Break

12:30 Oakridge (C)

12:45 Montague (C)

1:00 Brandywine (C)

1:15 Parchment (C)

1:30 Kelloggsville (C)

1:45 Lakewood (C)

2:00 Whitehall (C)

Break

2:45 Fremont (B)

3:00 Kenowa Hills (B)

3:15 Charlotte (B)

3:30 Spring Lake (B)

Break

4:15 Troy Athens (A)

4:30 Three Rivers (A)

4:45 Loy Norrix (A)

5:00 Kalamazoo Central (A)

5:15 Wyoming (A)

5:30 Vicksburg (A)

5:45 Portage Central (A)

Break

6:15 Grand Haven (AA)

6:30 Grand Ledge (AA)

6:45 East Kentwood (EXH)

7:00 Awards Ceremony

Tobacco’s latest casualty: Vision

October 17, 20193-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, HealthHealthDay, Robert Preidt, Smoking, Spectrum Health BeatJoanne

As if there aren’t enough ailments associated with smoking, we can now add vision damage to the list. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Robert Preidt, HealthDay

If life looks gray and cloudy when you smoke, you might not be imagining it.

Heavy smoking may actually damage color and contrast vision, researchers report.

They looked at 71 healthy people who smoked fewer than 15 cigarettes in their lives and 63 people who smoked more than 20 cigarettes a day. The participants were aged 25 to 45 and had normal or corrected-to-normal vision.

But the heavy smokers showed significant changes in their red-green and blue-yellow color vision and also had greater difficulty discriminating contrasts and colors than nonsmokers.

“Our results indicate that excessive use of cigarettes, or chronic exposure to their compounds, affects visual discrimination, supporting the existence of overall deficits in visual processing with tobacco addiction,” said co-author Steven Silverstein, director of research at Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care.

“Cigarette smoke consists of numerous compounds that are harmful to health and it has been linked to a reduction in the thickness of layers in the brain, and to brain lesions, involving areas such as … the area of the brain that processes vision,” he added in a university news release.

He also noted, “Previous studies have pointed to long-term smoking as doubling the risk for age-related macular degeneration and as a factor causing lens yellowing and inflammation.”

Nicotine and smoking harm the body’s circulatory system. These findings indicate they also damage blood vessels and neurons in the retina, according to Silverstein.

He said the results also suggest that research into vision problems in other groups of people, such as those with schizophrenia who often smoke heavily, should take into account their smoking rate.

About 34 million adults in the United States smoke cigarettes, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and more than 16 million have a smoking-related disease, many of which affect the cardiovascular system.

The study was published recently in the journal Psychiatry Research.

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

GM workers were ‘surviving’ on pay, hoping for better

October 16, 20193-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of WyomingGM Components Holdings, strike, UAW Local 167, Willie HolmesJoanne

Governor Gretchen Whitmer meets up with UAW Local 169 President Willie Holmes. (Video by WKTV)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Donte Granison, of Wyoming, easily admits that being part of the GM family was just in his blood, after all he comes from a family of GM workers.

“It was just something that was rooted in me,” Granison said. “I just felt I needed to try it at least.”

Chad Fox, a UAW Local 167 member (Photo by WKTV)

So he left his $20-plus an hour job at Steelcase to work at Wyoming’s GM Components Holdings as a temporary worker making $15.62.

“It was tough but I live with my fiancé, who also works, so we are able to split the bills,” Granison said.

Chad Fox, of Grand Rapids, had no interest in returning to the auto industry. He had been on the bargaining team that had to negotiate the closing of a Lear Corp plant, so Fox admitted he had just moved on.

But friends and colleagues encouraged Fox to return, so he too joined the ranks of the temporary employees at the GM Components Holdings.

“It took longer than it should,” said Fox of his finally becoming a full-time GM employee. “I really didn’t think it would take that long because at first they took 50 but then the numbers started shrinking to 10, then 6, then 4.”

UAW Local 167 member Myron Brewer talks to Governor Gretchen Whitmer about the plight of the GM worker. (Video by WKTV)

With no guarantee on when they might get hired in as full-time employees, both Granison and Fox worked as many hours as they could to make ends meet. Granison said he worked 12 hours a day, juggling family responsibilities and schedules with his fiancé.

“She works in the evening, so I was able to add a couple of hours before I had to be home,” Granison said. “It’s a lot of coming and going and working on weekends, but you do what you have to survive.”

“I was working seven days a week, 12 hours a day,” Fox said. “There were weeks that I would put in 78 hours but most of the time it was 65-75 hours a week.”

After waiting a year to be hired in, Granison said he only received an .82 per hour raise, bringing his hourly wage to just more than half the estimated livable hourly wage that a family of four in Kent County needs, according to the United Way’s ALICE (Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed, Simply) According to ALICE, for Kent County, the needed livable hourly wage is $32.39 for a family of four. It is $10.81 for a single adult.

For the past four weeks, both men have been surviving on $250 in strike pay, about 38 percent of their weekly salary, which Donate said has helped to cover the basics, food, shelter, etc.

“My daughter was doing gymnastics which was $70 and we had to cut that out,” Donate said. “We also had one in band, learning different instruments and one in swimming, which was $60-$70, but we can’t afford that right now.”

UAW Local 167 president Willie Holmes and bargaining chair Martin Wood. (Photo by WKTV)

On Oct. 13, the UAW increased strike pay to $275 per week — workers at the GM Components Holdings receive the strike pay if they walk the line at least one-day a week — and allowed for strikers to get part-time jobs that would not have any impact on their strike pay. Before, workers receiving $250 a week in strike pay and could not receive more in part-time pay than the strike pay amount.

The relief from UAW about part-time work comes as good news for both Fox and Granison. Both men have considered part-time work especially if the strike continues.

There was more good news as according to reports GM and the UAW have been working intensely in negotiations with numerous UAW leaders called to meet in Detroit on Thursday. GM officials have stated that “We continue to negotiate and change proposals, and it remains our goal to reach an agreement that builds a stronger future for our employees and our company.” For more information, visit the company’s website, buildingastrongerfuture.gm.com.

Ford Airport records 24th consecutive month of growth

October 16, 20193-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of KentwoodFord Airport, Gerald R. Ford International Airport, GFIAJoanne

An American Airlines MD-80 preps for its final departure from Grand Rapids (GRR) to Dallas-Forth Worth (DFW). (Supplied)

By Tara Hernandez
Gerald R. Ford International Airport

The Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GFIA) has recorded its 24th consecutive month of passenger growth as September passenger numbers topped 10-percent. The month also goes down as the busiest September in airport history.

Through September 2019, 2,690,043 passengers have traveled through the airport — more than 2016’s total annual passengers. Overall traffic is up 10.59-percent from 2018 — the busiest year in GFIA history.

September 2019 saw 283,709 passengers compared to 255,888 in 2018. It also makes the busiest third quarter ever, beating out 2018 by nearly 81,000 passengers.

The Ford Airport has seen passenger increases in 74 of the last 81 months straight.

“The growth our airport has seen is just tremendous, and it is a testament to our stimulating community and vest airline partnerships,” said GFIA president and CEO Tory Richardson. “We still have three months to go in 2019 and we’re already close to topping our 2018 record. We look forward to seeing what’s to come as the year concludes, and we hope to continue delivering great service, more nonstop routes, and improved amenities and options for our travelers.”

With the growth, GFIA has invested in its facilities and is currently underway in Phase Two of its Gateway Transformation Project which includes updates to the baggage claim area, airline ticket counters, flooring and lighting; along with new restrooms and concessions. Updates on construction at the airport can be found here: https://www.grr.org/construction.php.

As passenger numbers continue to grow at GFIA, those traveling are advised to arrive at the airport at least two hours before their flight. Updated security screening information, tips on what to pack/not pack, and more information to make security screening smoother are available atwww.tsa.gov.

GFIA monthly passenger statistics are available on our website: https://www.flyford.org/history.php.

Feel Like You Belong: Melissa Giraud & Andrew Grant-Thomas: Embracing Race

October 16, 20193-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Local FacesAlan Headbloom, Andrew Grant-Thomas, Feel Like You Belong, Melissa GiraudJoanne

By Alan Headbloom, Feel Like You Belong

As lifelong educators and parents of biracial children, Melissa Giraud & Andrew Grant-Thomas are uniquely qualified to examine the country’s most skittish conversation: race. Together they share personal observations as well as tips for parenting while Embracing Race.

5 Fun indoor senior activities

October 16, 20193-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, How-To'sVista Springs Assisted LivingJoanne

By Vista Springs Assisted Living

Every year, once the calendar reaches the second half of October, it becomes clear that the Midwest’s colder seasons are well and truly here. While autumn, winter, and early spring are all beautiful and fun in their own ways, getting outdoors can be a hassle for aging adults. When the sun sets earlier, days get chilly, and we trade our beach towels for cozy blankets, indoor senior activities are the perfect way for everyone to enjoy any weather.

Staying active and entertained during fall and winter is very important for an aging person’s health — both physical and mental. Seasonal affective disorder is a mental health condition caused by a drop in exposure to the sun, and is much more common in northern states than sunnier southern latitudes. Symptoms manifest as a mild depression, causing sufferers to sleep more, lose interest in previously enjoyed activities, and withdraw from social interaction. Encouraging seniors to engage in activities such as games and crafts helps draw them out of depressive episodes, capturing their interest and stimulating their minds and bodies. Here are some great activities that are perfect to try indoors:

1. Work on hobbies or try new ones

Nurturing favorite hobbies is a fun and engaging way for aging adults to stay active during the winter. Cooking, knitting, woodwork, and sewing are all excellent activities that require concentration and hand-eye coordination. If a senior has interests that lean more towards the outdoors, try introducing them to relevant documentary films or crafts they can utilize when it gets warm, such as bird houses or garden decorations.

2. Make seasonal crafts and decorations

One wonderful thing about fall and winter is the holiday season. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, and Valentine’s Day, just to name a few, all have fantastic themes that you can use for art projects, crafts, and decorations. Here are a few of our favorites: these leafy candle holders, these lovely waterless snow globes, and these candy jars.

3. Play games with others

Playing games is a great way for everyone to connect with friends and peers, especially for seniors. Games help to keep minds sharp and spirits up! Group games like charades are a fun way to get the laughter going, and board games like Scrabble, cribbage, and chess make players think strategically and use language and math skills.

4. Show off your green thumb

It can be depressing when there’s not much greenery outside. Green is a symbol of life, and can even have calming effects. So what better way to bring green back into a senior’s life during drab months than indoor gardening? Try making planters or decorating pots with them in addition to maintaining beautiful indoor flowers or plants for an extra personal touch.

5. Make gifts for loved ones

In the seasons of thankfulness and giving, sometimes a small gift goes a long way. Photobooks, cookies, clothes, and decorations are all wonderful, personalized gifts for friends and loved ones. While making gifts, talk about who they’re going to be given to, and any special memories that the senior has of them. This engages them creatively and socially, making it a great bonding activity.

Though there may be bad weather on the horizon, that doesn’t mean fun has to end! Indoor senior activities are versatile and engaging, and suitable for any age or ability level. Keeping seniors engaged all year round is critical for their health, and keeps them loving life to its fullest.

Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.

Cat of the week: Gendry

October 16, 20193-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Local Business, Local Faces, Non-Profits, Pets/AnimalsCat of the week, Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic, Gendry, Sharon WylieJoanne

By Sharon Wylie, Crash’s Landing

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 Aug. 22, 2019, Dr. Jen received an email plea from a Caledonia gal who came across this scruffy old guy wandering around her neighborhood. Her efforts to locate his owner or someone to take him in failed, but he was in need of medical care, so she took him in to her vet; sadly, the senior citizen (born in 2009 perhaps) tested positive for FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus). Having two cats of her own—and the new guy not really being a fan of others of the feline kind—the rescuer sought our help, lest he have to be euthanized.

Even though we really didn’t have the extra room at our free-roaming facility, Dr. Jen took him in and got to work on his health issues. Gendry (with a hard ‘G’) had suffered a mangled left ear and a tongue laceration some time ago, along with many broken teeth; he was in dire need of a dental, treatment for a bilateral ear infection and general plumping up.

The good doc and Gendry spent a few days together at the clinic where Dr. Jen discovered just what a gentle old soul he was, appreciative of chin scratches and gentle pets as much as the endless bowls of food presented to him. She knew it was going to be a bit of challenge to send him down to our sanctuary and ask him to get along with the 49 other cats, but he really had no other choice.

After a few days with us, it was evident that Gendry was LOVING the indoor life and all of the perks that came with being a Sid’s Kid:

“Gendry loves his one-on-one time with volunteers so much so that he frequently sneaks into the cat care office to ‘help’ with paperwork. He is a bit temperamental at times and is having a little bit of a tough time being around so many other cats, but he’s getting better as time goes on and he becomes more comfortable in the shared space (with the aid of anti-anxiety medication and a pheromone calming collar). He’s not physically aggressive but does tend to not back down during confrontations with some of the others; he may be little, but he is mighty. He’d definitely prefer to be an only cat, and to repay his adopters for their kindness he would eagerly express his gratitude by dropping the attitude and showering them with kitty head butts, purrs and total devotion. We feel that this old guy surely does deserve a comfy, cozy home all of his very own.”

And then Gendry started exhibiting some concerning symptoms that brought him back to the clinic. Digital radiographs of his spine showed significant bone spurs on the underside of his spinal vertebrae, which were causing him quite a bit of pain, an abnormal gait, and severe spasms that almost appeared seizure-like. The condition, known as spondylosis deformans, is somewhat rare in cats and typically isn’t present diffusely as his is.

So our old guy had every right to be a bit cranky since his arrival, but now that we have made the diagnosis, we can treat him accordingly with anti-inflammatory medication. There is no cure for this, but with the right cocktail of drugs, we can keep him comfy and agile—and hopefully lift his spirits in the process!

More about Gendry:

Domestic Short Hair
Tabby (Gray/Blue/Silver)
Senior
Male
Medium
House-trained
FIV+
Vaccinations up to date
Neutered
Prefers a home without other cats

Want to adopt Gendry? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.

Interested in volunteering at one of the cat shelters? Email volunteer@crashslanding.org.

Creeping threat: Kratom

October 16, 20193-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Food, HealthDennis Thompson, HealthDay, Kratom, Spectrum Health BeatJoanne

Kratom is often marketed as a safe alternative to opioid painkillers, but this unregulated substance poses a significant health risk. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay

Calls to U.S. poison control centers related to the herbal drug kratom have skyrocketed, increasing more than 50-fold in a matter of six years, a new study shows.

Back in 2011, poison centers received about one call a month regarding someone who’d taken too much kratom, a plant that is purported to produce mild opioid-like effects.

These days, nearly two calls a day are received concerning kratom exposures, researchers report in a recent issue of the journal Clinical Toxicology.

“We’re now getting literally hundreds of cases a year versus 10 or 20,” said researcher Henry Spiller, director of the Central Ohio Poison Center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus. He noted that kratom reports underwent a “relatively big spike” sometime between 2015 and 2016.

The researchers identified 11 deaths associated with kratom use, including two in which kratom was used by itself and nine where kratom was used with other drugs.

Unfortunately, kratom is being promoted as a safe alternative to opioid painkillers for people with chronic pain, Spiller said.

“Because it’s a plant and it’s natural, at this point it’s unregulated,” Spiller said. “A lot of people have been Google-searching it for use in chronic pain and other things and we’ve started to see a really significantly increased use and, in many cases, abuse of it.”

But taking too much kratom can cause some unintended health problems, including agitation, seizures, rapid heart rate and high blood pressure, Spiller said. In extreme cases, kratom overdose can put a person into a coma, stop their breathing or cause kidney failure.

“Just because it’s natural doesn’t mean it’s harmless,” Spiller said.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning to consumers against using kratom and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency has listed it as a “drug of concern.”

Kratom has not been approved for any medical use by the FDA.

For this study, researchers analyzed calls to U.S. Poison Control Centers between 2011 and 2017, finding more than 1,800 reports related to kratom use.

The annual number of calls increased dramatically, going from 13 calls in 2011 to 682 calls in 2017, researchers found.

About two of every three of these calls occurred recently, in either 2016 or 2017.

About a third of the calls resulted in a person needing hospitalization and more than half resulted in serious medical outcomes, the researchers said.

“The belief that kratom is harmless because it is classified as an herbal supplement is directly challenged by the findings in this report—and policy efforts need to address this knowledge gap,” said Dr. Harshal Kirane, director of addiction services at Staten Island University Hospital.

Most dangerous kratom exposures occurred among males (71 percent), adults aged 20 and older (89 percent), in a home (86 percent) and involving intentional abuse or misuse (60 percent), findings show.

Although kratom appears confined to adult use for now, children and teenagers could be exposed to the herb if its popularity keeps increasing, said Kirane, who wasn’t involved with the study.

“The dramatic increase in the rate of reported kratom exposures in recent years suggests a growing demand for this substance,” Kirane said. “Increasing prevalence of kratom use may place young children in dangerous situations, particularly if regulatory measures are not in place to ensure childproof packaging and consistency in quality of kratom.”

Idaho and Oregon are the states with the most reported kratom poisonings, while Delaware and Wisconsin had the lowest rates.

Using kratom with another substance significantly raised a person’s chances of poisoning, nearly tripling the odds that they’d land in a hospital and more than doubling the risk of having a serious medical outcome.

Of the nine deaths involving a mixture of kratom with another substance, kratom was the first-ranked substance in seven, researchers said. The deaths involved kratom used alongside antihistamines, alcohol, benzodiazepines (such as Valium or Xanax), caffeine, fentanyl or cocaine.

“Though the drug claims to cure anxiety and depression, there are very few ‘cure-alls’ in the medical world and anything that claims to alter an individual’s mental state should be taken with the utmost seriousness,” said Dr. Teresa Amato. She is chair of emergency medicine at Northwell Health’s Long Island Jewish Forest Hills in New York City.

“We, as doctors, are unable to tell patients how this ‘medication’ might affect them and cannot in good conscience advise the use of this medicine without a thorough FDA investigation,” said Amato, who had no part in the study.

People should be aware that kratom can interact with medications or illicit drugs in harmful ways and could exacerbate existing health problems, Spiller said.

There’s also a concern that because it’s unregulated, people may be getting kratom that either varies in potency or is mixed with other substances, he added.

“I’d be cautious,” Spiller said. “At this point, we’re not sure of everything kratom does.”

Pregnant women in particular should be careful with kratom.

The researchers identified seven babies who had been exposed to kratom in the womb, three of whom required admission to a critical care unit after birth.

Five of the babies experienced withdrawal symptoms from their mothers’ kratom use and four of those had been exposed to kratom alone.

“I would very much caution pregnant women,” Spiller said. “You can have a real impact on your child.”

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Presale Tickets for Alice Cooper’s April 3, 2020, concert available online Oct. 17, 10am-10pm

October 16, 2019Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Upcoming EventsAlice Cooper, SMGJoanne

By Hilarie Carpenter, SMG

Following on his just-concluded, wildly successful UK arena tour, Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famer Alice Cooper has just announced his Spring 2020 tour plans. He will extend the Ol’ Black Eyes Is Back show, which debuted in Summer 2019 to the delight of fans, into the new year, including a stop in Grand Rapids on Friday, April 3, 2020, at 8pm in DeVos Performance Hall. The tour will feature special guest Lita Ford.

Presale Alice Cooper tickets available online only Thursday, Oct. 17 from 10am-10pm while supplies last. Presale Password: ROCK. GO HERE TO PURCHASE.

Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, Oct. 18 at 10am, and will be available at the DeVos Place® and Van Andel Arena® box offices as well as online via Ticketmaster.com. A purchase limit of eight (8) tickets will apply to every order.

In other Alice Cooper news, the artist released his The Breadcrumbs EP, a tribute to some of the garage rock heroes from his hometown Detroit, on Sept. 13 via earMUSIC. Inspired by the city’s punk scene in the late ’60s and early ’70s, the Detroit-born icon returned to his roots and the raw garage sound his fans love. The Bob Ezrin-produced EP consists of six brand-new recordings, featuring legendary Detroit musicians, including Johnny “Bee” Badanjek from the Detroit Wheels, Grand Funk’s Mark Farner, and MC5’s Wayne Kramer. It was recorded at Rust Belt Studios in Detroit. The opener Detroit City 2020 is an updated rewrite of Detroit City from 2003’s The Eyes of Alice Cooper and it sets the tone for the EP. Along with Cooper’s own take on Detroit rock classics such as Suzi Quatro’s Your Mama Won’t Like Me, Bob Seger’s East Side Story, the MC5’s Sister Anne, and Shorty Long’s Devil With a Blue Dress On, as well as The Dirtbombs’s Chains of Love, the EP also features the brand-new Alice Cooper original Go Man Go.

Check out Detroit City 2020 here. Check out East Side Story, which premiered at Billboard with an exclusive interview, here.

It’s time to make donuts: Catching up with Marge Wilson

October 15, 20193-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of WyomingColleen Pierson, donuts, Marge's Donut DenJoanne

Marge Wilson is always a welcoming figure at her shop, Marge’s Donut Shop. (Photo by Colleen Pierson).

By Colleen Pierson
WKTV Contributor

The time is 2 a.m. and Marge Wilson, owner of Marge’s Donut Den on 28^th Street in Wyoming, wakes up ready to make the donuts, cakes, cookies, and muffins. She turns 80 in December, but that doesn’t stop this sweet dynamo from giving her all to community and business.

“I will always support this community through loyalty, and hard work—I try to give back every way I can,” Marge said.

And give back she does: Take the 222 wells campaign she has supported to provide drinking water to residents of southeast Nigeria or the countless amounts of non-profits she has helped.

“She’s first of the first class, and has a heart bigger than life,” said Vince Portelli at a recent AMBUC community event.

Donuts and cookies and more are available at Marge’s Donut Den. (Photo by Colleen Pierson).

Marge’s Donut Den, open for 44 years, is a fixture in West Michigan. She arrives to her donut shop at 4 a.m., 365 days a year since she established her business in 1975. Everything is made fresh from dough and batter to fillings and icings. Customer favorites are apple fritters and long johns.

A selection of gluten free treats from Marge’s Donut Den. (Photo by Colleen Pierson)

“When we first started, we had about 14 different types of donuts,” she said. “Now we are at 60 different varieties. My favorite is anything with chocolate or cinnamon sugar.”

On a daily basis, hundred of customers enter through the doors where the slogan, “Be kind. Be good.” is placed. You definitely are treated like family here.

Amy Mead, an employee at Marge’s, said it well: “There is no place I would ever want to work than here. So much joy and fun to be had on a daily basis.”

When I asked Marge Wilson what her future plans are, she hesitated, then said with a great chuckle…

“It used to be people would ask me, ‘What’s next for you Marge?’ I would tell them, ‘Wait until I am 80 and ask.’ Now, I have to say, ask me when I’m 85.”

She has always believed that if you make a quality product, people will keep coming back. And that belief should continue for many years to come.

The author Colleen Pierson with Marge Wilson, owner of Marge’s Donut Shop. (Photo by Colleen Pierson).

Halloween fun around West Michigan

October 15, 20193-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Kids ActivitiesAdrienne Brown-Reasner, HalloweenJoanne

By Adrienne Brown-Reasner, West Michigan Tourist Association

From costume contests to fall festivals, spooky performances to trick-or-treat events, West Michigan is celebrating Halloween all month long. You’ll find family friendly events, adult only parties, pumpkin carving, haunted trails, and more.

Trick or Treat Events

South West Michigan

The 12th Annual Spooky Science Saturday, a free trick-or-treating event, will be held Saturday, Oct. 19th from 11am to 3pm on the grounds of the Kingman Museum and Leila Arboretum and Kaleidoscope Garden in Battle Creek. The event–held rain or shine–is aimed at children 6 to 12 years old, but whole families are welcome. Don’t forget to dress up in your favorite costume and enjoy $1 hayrides through the Arboretum. Parking available at Northwestern Middle School (176 Limit St) or the Kaleidoscope Garden at 928 W. Michigan.

Pierce Cedar Creek Institute in Hastings hosts the Candlelight Trails: Trick-or-Treat on the Trails on Saturday, Oct. 26 from 6-9pm. Dress up your little “boos” and “ghouls” and come out for Halloween fun on candlelit trails. After hiking the trails, head inside the Visitor Center for hot chocolate, warm coffee, snacks, and fall-themed activities around a crackling fire. Members $6, Non-Members $8, Family $25.

Join the Michigan Maritime Museum in South Haven on Halloween for a free Trick-or-Treating family event from 4-6pm. This event is for kids ages toddler to 10 years old. Children must be in costume and be accompanied by an adult.

Spooky decorations and family-friendly fun await you this Halloween at the downtown South Haven Trick-or-Treating event, Oct. 31st beginning at 5pm.

Central West Michigan

Come to Downtown Holland Saturday, Oct. 26th, 10am-noon, and spend the morning trick-or-treating with your children at participating stores along 8th Street.

Enjoy Halloween fun at the Holland Museum, with trick-or-treating in the exhibits, flashlight tours of the Dutch Galleries, fun games, and spooky crafts at “Monsters at the Museum”, Saturday, Oct. 26th, 11am-4pm. Come prepared with a flashlight and camera. Not recommended for children 8 years old and under.

Zeeland’s Main Street Trick or Treat event presented by West Michigan Community Bank will take place Oct. 31st from 3-5pm in downtown Zeeland; Main Street will be closed between Elm Street and Church Street. Held rain or shine, this event invites children to participate instead of or in addition to the city-wide Trick or Treating, which is scheduled from 5-8pm.

Put on your costume and celebrate Halloween at the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum. Trick-or-treat your way through two floors of hands-on exhibits, featuring special spooky crafts and activities, Oct. 31st, with $1.75 admission from 5-8pm.

Zoo Goes Boo is six days of trick-or-treating, costumes, entertainment, cool decorations, games, and fun at John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids–and the animals get treats, too! Wear your costume, the Zoo will provide the candy. Please bring your own reusable bag for trick-or-treating, or purchase one from the gift shop. Zoo Goes Boo runs Oct. 18th-20th and Oct. 25th-27th, 10am-4pm. Tickets are $12.00 for adults, $10.00 for children, college students, and seniors, and free for zoo members.

Bring the kids for free trick or treating at Muskegon’s South Pierhead Light on Oct. 26th. Kids who come in costumes (safe for climbing) can stay and climb for free in the company of an adult (admission fees apply to adults). Join in games and prize giveaways for best costume, chosen every hour by a different Lighthouse Keeper.

Attention all Monsters and Goblins, Mermaids and Super Heroes, and all the ghosts in between: Grand Haven Main Street’s Annual Trick or Treating night is Thursday, Oct. 31st. Local businesses will provide treats for all those brave enough to endure the mystical streets of Downtown Grand Haven from 4-5:30pm on Washington Ave. from 3rd Street to Harbor Drive.

Bring the kids to Mt. Pleasant in their costumes Oct. 31st from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm for trick-or-treating at downtown businesses at the Pumpkin Promenade.

Halloween Tours & Trails

Get in the Halloween mood with a spooky West Michigan Beer Tours Halloween Beer Tour on Oct. 25th in Kalamazoo to try some great fall seasonal beers and enjoy a night of frights, flights, and fun.

Discover the magic of Victorian Halloween traditions and superstitions this fall at the Holland Museum’s Cappon House. Tour the dimly lit rooms of the Cappon House to learn how Halloween was celebrated 100 years ago, then partake in spooky parlor games and broom races, listen to classic ghost stories, have your fortune told, and carve a mini pumpkin to take home. Visit the Halloween Haunts Oct. 18th and 19th, 6-8pm; tickets $8.00 per person for members, $10.00 for non-members, and children ages 5 and under are free.

Performances & Exhibitions

Our Town Players present Harvest Horror, a collection of psychological thrillers, Oct. 18th and 19th at the Masonic Temple in South Haven. Performances begin at 7:30pm, box office opens at 7pm.

The Barn Theatre School in Augusta just announced two special weekend performances of The Rocky Horror Show, on stage Oct. 18th through 20th and Oct. 25th through the 27th.

The Grand Rapids Public Museum hosts a special Halloween-themed Mighty Wurlitzer Organ Concert by Dale Zieger accompanying the 1920 silent film “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” Oct. 18th at 7pm and Oct. 19th at 2pm.

Costume parties & parades

Get creative at the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s Hallo-Wee Ones event in Grand Rapids, a special event designed for the youngest visitors, Oct. 25th, 10am-noon. Dress your child as a sculpture, mammal, fish, insect, bird, tree, flower, geologist, or any other way that highlights something about the Children’s Garden and participate in one of two costume parades, held at 10:15am and 11:15am.

Save the date for one of the most popular parties of the year! Just Wicked will be held Saturday, Oct. 26th in the International Ballroom at the JW Marriott Grand Rapids. The first 50 guests at the door will be greeted with a specialty cocktail crafted for the event. Costume contest for cash prizes and indulgent extras will bring out the competitive spirit in you. Costume contest winners to be announced at approximately 10:45pm. Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door (if tickets are still available). Must be 21 years of age to attend.

*Courtesy Saugatuck-Douglas Convention & Visitors Bureau*

There’s really no better place to be during Halloween than in Saugatuck/Douglas. While you will find many family friendly events, the show-stopper is the Adult Halloween Parade in downtown Douglas. This year’s parade will take place Oct. 26th. No sign-up required to join the parade, just come in costume and line up starting at 9:30pm to wait for the Pumpkin King to start the parade at 10pm.

Bring your furry friend to downtown South Haven all dressed up and ready to show off for the Pet Costume Parade 11am Oct. 20th. Prizes for the pet costumes that are the scariest, funniest and matching their owner.

Escape Rooms & Murder Mystery Dinners

Looking for a night filled with suspense, entertainment, and a fabulous meal? Take a crack at solving a ‘murder mystery’ while you feast on a meal that’s to die for Friday, Nov. 1st, at the W.K. Kellogg Manor House in Augusta. Guests may arrive at 5:30pm for a docent-led tour of the Manor House and the dinner and program will begin at 6:30pm.

Festivals, Races, and Other Special Events

Mark your calendar for Spooky Sip and Paint with Star Buxum, Oct. 16th at 7pm at Stella’s Lounge in Grand Rapids. Join local drag queen and artist Star Buxom as she takes over a paint and sip class you will not forget. Get ready for crude humor, vulgar language, messy sing-alongs, strong drinks, and fabulous art with a Halloween theme. Your $35 ticket includes an 11×14 canvas board, a well drink or draft PBR, an appetizer, painting instruction, and a good time. Reserve your spot today

It’s a date night for the whole family at the Lakeshore Museum Center in Muskegon, Oct. 18th, featuring extended museum hours with fun stations and themes. Smashing Pumpkins Friday Family Fun Night will feature the museum-built trebuchet.

It’s that time of year for all things pumpkin — pumpkin donuts, pumpkin pie, pumpkin chucking, and of course, the pumpkin patch, at The Great Pumpkin Festival, Oct. 19th and 20th at Lewis Farms & Petting Zoo in New Era. Come back the next weekend, Oct. 26th and 27th, for Halloween Extravaganza with wagon rides, apple cannons, U-pick pumpkins, and “Disc Dogs Live”.

Prepare yourself for fall flavors and fright-filled nights at Haven Harvest! Taste the flavors of fall as hayrides roll, pumpkins fly, and headless horseman ride. Experience a true South Haven harvest with apple orchards, bonfires, pumpkin chunkin’, and delicious good-as-grandma’s pies. Grab some cider, dance to live music, and see South Haven transform during Haven Harvest, Oct. 18th through 20th.

BOO on Your Bike will take place Oct. 20th, 1-3pm, on the Kal-Haven Trail in South Haven. This free annual event invites riders of all ages to dress up in costume and get out for a scenic fall bicycle ride on the Kal-Haven Trail starting at the South Haven trail head.

Experience the magic of science this Halloween season at the Air Zoo in Portage. Visit Oct. 26th from 10am-3pm for the first-ever Ice Cream Challenge event, where West Michigan teams will use the power of liquid nitrogen to transform flavors and ingredients into frozen treats to taste. Your votes decide the winner of this epic culinary battle, powered by spooky science.

Come to the Stella’s Lounge in Grand Rapids Nov. 1st at 10pm as they kick off their Halloween party in the front bar. Terrified of clowns, toys and dolls? Head to the back bar with DJ Chowdur and dance your fears away. $5 cover and food and beverage specials throughout the night.

Recognizing depression in older adults

October 15, 20193-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, How-To's, Senior Livingdepression, Linda CronkJoanne

By Linda Cronk, Michigan State University Extension

According to the Geriatric Education Center of Michigan at Michigan State University, depression in older adults can seriously affect their quality of life and health. Stress, depression and anxiety can contribute to physical ailments including digestive disorders, sleep disturbances and lack of energy. Older adults who are depressed can also have an increased risk of substance abuse, reduced cognition, higher risk of suicide and a higher incidence of heart attacks.

Older adults can experience different reasons and risk factors for depression than younger adults. HelpGuide.org, a research-based website in collaboration with Harvard Medical School, says that common reasons and risk factors for depression in older adults can include:

Health problems – Illness and disability, chronic or severe pain, cognitive decline, damage to body image due to surgery or disease.
Loneliness and isolation – Living alone; a dwindling social circle due to deaths or relocation; decreased mobility due to illness or loss of driving privileges.
Reduced sense of purpose – Feelings of purposelessness or loss of identity due to retirement or physical limitations on activities.
Fears – Fear of death or dying; anxiety over financial problems or health issues.
Recent bereavements – The death of friends, family members, and pets; the loss of a spouse or partner.

Michigan State University Extension says that ways you can help are to learn about and recognize the signs and symptoms of depression in older adults and the elderly. Common symptoms include sadness, fatigue, abandoning or losing interest in hobbies or other pleasurable pastimes, social withdrawal and isolation (reluctance to be with friends, engage in activities, or leave home), weight loss or loss of appetite, sleep disturbances, loss of self-worth, increased use of alcohol or other drugs, or a fixation on death, suicidal thoughts or attempts.

Is it depression or dementia? According to Harvard Health Publications, here are some signs to watch for:

With depression, mental decline can happen quickly, but with dementia, mental decline happens more slowly.
When someone is depressed, they still know things like the correct time, date and where they are, but with dementia, they become confused and disoriented and sometimes lost in familiar locations.
With depression, people have a hard time concentrating, and they may worry about memory problems. People with dementia have short-term memory loss and don’t notice memory problems or seem to care.
When someone is depressed, language and motor skills are slow, but normal, whereas someone with dementia has impaired writing, speaking and motor skills.

There is good news! According to a study published by Harvard Medical School’s Harvard Health Publications, for those who stuck with treatment, depression resolved in seven out of 10 people. Completing a treatment regime can increase positive mood, strengthen personal relationships, increase satisfaction in activities of daily living and help people feel like themselves again.

If you are concerned that your loved one is suffering from depression as an older adult, help them connect to their primary care provider to assess the situation and to identify health and community resources to help them restore their quality of life.

For more information on depression read Depression Symptoms and Warning Signs.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://expert.msue.msu.edu, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

Uptick in female homelessness creates need for more beds at Mel Trotter Ministries

October 15, 20193-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Going Local, Local Faces, Non-ProfitsAbbey Sladick, homelessness, Mel Trotter MinistriesJoanne

By Abbey Sladick, Mel Trotter Ministries

Single women comprise one of the fastest growing homeless populations in greater Grand Rapids, and Mel Trotter Ministries (MTM) has experienced a 40 percent increase of single women seeking emergency shelter over the last year. Many of the women seeking shelter are living with mental illness or are survivors of domestic violence or other traumatic situations.

Typically, the 25 beds designated for single women at Mel Trotter Ministries are enough to accommodate the need, however, MTM has been using an overflow gym with mattresses placed on the floor to accommodate the increase in numbers. The need for additional beds will become even more urgent as the weather turns colder and MTM serves upwards of 500 men, women and children each night in winter.

Mel Trotter Ministries is asking for community support to raise $25,000 by Oct. 31. The funds will help build and purchase custom wooden beds, replace old mattresses, and supply new linens and pillows.

“It is difficult for a woman who is suffering to … believe that they are loved and valued while sleeping on a mattress on the cold floor,” said Dennis Van Kampen, CEO of Mel Trotter Ministries. “As winter approaches … we’re asking our generous community to join us in this effort.”

Next Step of West Michigan — a nonprofit that provides work for individuals coming out of prison and rehab — is building 54 beds for the Mission. The beds will be delivered to the Mission at the end of October.

“All of us at Next Step are thankful for the good work Mel Trotter is doing in our community,” said Scott Jonkhoff, Founding Director. “The opportunity to build bunks beds for the women’s shelter is a great encouragement to us and we pray for those who will use these beds, that they may find rest for both body and soul.”

Donations can be made at www.meltrotter.org/beds.

Any money raised beyond the designated goal will help replace and upgrade other beds throughout the Mission and support operations and expenses for the Mission.

‘A little bit of hope’

October 15, 20193-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Healthdepression, Jason Singer, Spectrum Health BeatJoanne

*Spravato may provide a dose of hope to people who struggle with treatment-resistant depression. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)*

By Jason Singer, Spectrum Health Beat

For the first time in decades, doctors have a new weapon to fight serious cases of depression.

Of the 16 million Americans adults living with depression, as many as four million have treatment-resistant depression, which means current treatments such as talk therapy, anti-depressants and electro-convulsive therapy have given them little or no relief.

But recently, the Food and Drug Administration approved ketamine, a fast-acting drug that differs significantly from Prozac, Paxil and other anti-depressants that have been on the market since the 1990s.

Even when antidepressants work, it often takes four to six weeks to kick in, while ketamine only takes several hours to begin showing positive effects, drug trials have shown. The approval is “welcomed news,” said David Franzblau, MD, a psychiatrist with Spectrum Health Medical Group.

“The prospects for ketamine as a long-term treatment remains to be seen,” said Dr. Franzblau, the site chief of the Spectrum Health Integrated Care Campus at East Beltline.

“Trials have shown that the duration of time before symptom-relief is generally much shorter compared to current antidepressants so it at least represents a promising bridge, if not a long-term treatment.”

A stubborn illness

Depression is a mood disorder that affects the way people feel and interferes with their ability to function at home and at work.

It can be associated with the loss of appetite, sleep disturbance, difficulty concentrating, memory impairment, and a loss of motivation and productivity, Dr. Franzblau said.

“Everybody experiences sadness and anxiety,” he said. “It’s the length of time and number of episodes, along with a constellation of other symptoms, that determine whether somebody has clinical depression.”

About one in 16 American adults suffer from clinical depression at any given moment.

“Depression is the most prevalent mental health disorder in the population,” Dr. Franzblau said. “I believe the adverse impacts of even the treatment-resistant variants can be substantially decreased, and thereby improve the quality of life (of all patients), with enough time and a systematic approach.”

The first step in combating depression is consulting with your primary care physician. First-line interventions that a mental health professional might recommend include counseling and medication.

Antidepressants regulate neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine. But the results have been mixed, especially for the up to 33 percent of patients who have treatment-resistant depression.

One current intervention for treatment-resistant depression is electro-convulsive therapy. The benefits of electro-convulsive therapy “were observed accidentally,” Dr. Franzblau said, “like many scientific discoveries.”

The symptoms of depression among patients with epilepsy improved after a seizure.

“The brain is an electrical apparatus: brain activity, thinking, memory and mood regulation like arousal or anxiety, those are all electrical or electro-chemical events,” he said. “So ECT is basically inducing a seizure” in a controlled environment (often in an outpatient setting), helping severely depressed people who haven’t responded to medication.

There are misconceptions about the procedure, and suitable patients have to be chosen, but it can be effective in bringing about a recovery, Dr. Franzblau said. Sometimes one course of this treatment will suffice, or a patient may require periodic maintenance treatment.

From the club to the doctor’s office

Despite $12 billion a year spent on antidepressants globally, suicide rates have increased 25 percent nationally in the last two decades, and are rising in 49 of 50 states.

That’s why any new treatment is welcomed news.

Interest in ketamine—an anesthetic used frequently in hospitals and the battlefield—has grown steadily since the early 2000s.

In 2000, researches at Yale reported that doses of ketamine provided quick relief to seven people with depression.

In 2006, the National Institute of Mental Health documented 18 people with treatment-resistant depression who received the drug intravenously and reported their issues had disappeared almost immediately.

“What seems remarkable is that the drug also seems to help domains other than depression, like anxiety, suicidal thinking, and anhedonia”—the inability to feel pleasure, noted Dr. Carlos Zarate Jr, chief of the National Institute of Mental Health’s experimental therapeutics branch who led the 2006 study.

“It seems to have more broad effects, on many areas of mood,” shared in a New York Times article about ketamine.

Ketamine does have side effects. Ketamine was once a popular drug in the 1980s and 1990s known as Special K, and can cause hallucinations and psychotic episodes in people who are high risk for them. The drug also was less effective in drug trials for people over 65.

The drug maker, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, said the non-generic medication form esketamine, which will be marketed as Spravato, would have less dramatic side effects. Like with all new drugs, Dr. Franzblau said he’ll proceed cautiously because the benefits and costs become clear only after a medication has been used for some time.

“I anticipate I will use it,” he said. “I want to make sure that the benefits outweigh any complications and side effects.”

Esketamine will be administered as a nasal spray. Patients who receive it will have to be monitored for at least two hours, and won’t be allowed to drive on days they receive the drug.

The recommended course will be two days per week for four weeks.

In one drug trial, Janssen reported that those taking esketamine only relapsed into depression 25 percent of the time, as opposed to 45 percent with a placebo. All the people in the study had previously been diagnosed as having treatment-resistant depression, and had failed with other types of treatment.

“Clinical depression represents considerable suffering for the patient and their families,” Dr. Franzblau said. “At worse, it’s a lethal condition, as demonstrated by the rising suicides in our country. New treatments are needed and offer hope.”

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Experience Grand Rapids announces economic impact of beer tourism has tripled

October 14, 20193-bottom, Citizen JournalismBeer City, Experience Grand RapidsJoanne

A recent study shows that the economic impact from the beer tour industry has more than tripled since 2015.

By Stephanie Bradley
Experience Grand Rapids

Experience Grand Rapids (EXGR), the area’s official destination marketing organization, has released an updated study, The Economic Impact of Beer Tourism in Kent County (2019) which says that the economic impact more than tripled from $12.23 million to $38.5 million since 2015.

In 2015, EXGR commissioned the first Economic Impact of Beer Tourism in Kent County, Michigan. This year, EXGR hired Anderson Economic Group to conduct the study. The methodology remained similar to the 2015 study to provide comparable results such as the same questionnaire and random survey sampling. Beer tourists were defined as those respondents who said that craft beer was the primary reason for their visit and who either live outside of West Michigan or live in West Michigan but were choosing to stay at a local hotel/motel for the night.

“In 2015, we discovered a measurable outcome of beer tourism in our region,” explained Kate Lieto, Director of Marketing at EXGR. “We have since invested in promotions like the Beer City Brewsader® Passport and mobile app as well as Beer Month GR. We are thrilled that the recent study’s results have proven these efforts are attracting tourists.”

Key outcomes from The Economic Impact of Beer Tourism in Kent County include:

Economic impact tripled from $12.23 million to $38.5 million
The numerous breweries in Grand Rapids and Kent County are popular tourist attractions, attracting over 94,000 beer tourists in the study year.
During the study year, beer tourists spent $23.9 million in Kent County on craft beer, accommodations, food, transportation, and other spending.
This spending by beer tourists generated a net new economic impact of $38.5 million in Kent County during the study year.
25.3% of beer tourists came from outside of Michigan.
40% of beer tourists stayed in a hotel/motel in the Grand Rapids area.
Beer tourists supported 378 jobs and $9.9 million in earnings in the county, which is an increase from 2015 study that showed 171 jobs and $3.3 million in earnings were supported in the county.

Breweries consider EXGR to be a key driver of beer tourism in Kent County.

“The idea of ‘Beer City USA’ didn’t just happen overnight,” said Max Trierweiler, Owner of The Mitten Brewing Co. “Experience Grand Rapids has helped take an idea that there was great beer being brewed in GR and made it into a movement. First, they helped push for the literal recognition which came from Examiner.com and then they nurtured it by creating promotions like the Beer City Ale Trail, Beer Month GR and the Brewsader Passport program.”

Alongside marketing efforts, Experience Grand Rapids has utilized its brewery partners to help with convention promotion.

“It’s been a pleasure exhibiting with the EXGR sales team at the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) over the years,” said Dave Engbers, Co-Founder of Founders Brewing Co. “I’ve watched firsthand how the association executives from all over the US have positively responded to Grand Rapids as a craft beer destination. The way EXGR has embraced ‘Beer City’ in all aspects of their work, from leisure travel to convention business, is definitely something we commend and will continue to be a part of in the future.”

Additionally, hotels have embraced the moniker of ‘Beer City’.

“We’re excited to greet visitors to the Country Inn & Suites East Beltline that are here to explore the beer scene,” said Ed Wilson, General Manager of the Country Inn & Suites East Beltline. “We applaud the efforts Experience Grand Rapids has put towards ‘Beer City’, and we do our best to align with them such as selling Beer City merchandise at the front desk and offering a Beer City Ale Trail to guests.”

Overall, this study reinforces the idea that craft beer is an economic driver as well as a reason people view Grand Rapids as a destination they want to visit.

For more information on how to plan your craft beer adventure in Grand Rapids, visit: https://www.experiencegr.com/things-to-do/beer-city/

More information on The Economic Impact of Beer Tourism in Kent County, Michigan study visit: www.experiencegr.com/beer-report

Chaffee documentary premieres on WKTV, filmmaker, artist discuss the film

October 14, 2019Citizen Journalism, EntertainmentAd Astra, Daniel Joel Deal, Michigan Military Preservation Society, Roger B. ChaffeeJoanne

Filmmaker Daniel Joel Deal and sculptor J. Brett Grill talk about the documentary “Roger B. Chaffee: Aviator Ad Astra,” which airs on WKTV Channel 25 at Oct. 16 and 18. (Photo credit: WKTV)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

When constructing a statute like the one of former astronaut Roger B. Chaffee on the corner of Sheldon Boulevard and Fulton Street in downtown Grand Rapids, the most difficult part is trying to figure out what the person looked like from behind.

“When you think about it, people never take pictures of people from behind, it is always from the the front,” said filmmaker Daniel Joel Deal, whose documentary, “Roger B. Chaffee: Aviator Ad Astra” will premiere on WKTV Channel 25 Wednesday, Oct. 16, at 4 p.m., and Friday, Oct. 18, at noon. The film follows the story of Chaffee’s life and the construction of the statue in his honor.

Astronaut Roger B. Chaffee (Photo supplied by NASA)

Sculputor J. Brett Grill, who was commissioned to create the Roger B. Chaffee sculpture, agreed.

“Figuring out how the [astronaut’s] suit is going to lay, where the folds should be to create the movement, it’s all important to the piece,” Grill said during a recent Locally Entertaining podcast.

The Michigan Military Preservation Society (MMPS), together with the Lowell American Legion Post #152, raised the funds for the statue. The statute was the swan song for the MMPS, a non-profit organization of veterans whose vision was to honor historical contributions made by West Michigan vets. The group officially disbanded after the statute of Chaffee was installed by the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum in May.

The Locally Entertaining podcast with Daniel Joel Deal and J. Brett Grill.

As part of the project, the MMPS hired Deals to create a documentary about Chaffee and the construction of the statute. Chaffee was a NASA astronaut who was part of the Apollo 1 crew. The crew, which included Gus Grissom and Ed White, all died in a flash fire during a launch pad test at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center.

Chaffee was from the Grand Rapids area, having graduated from Central High School in 1953. His parents moved to the Wyoming area after his death. The City of Wyoming’s Roger B. Chaffee Boulevard is named after Chaffee and is the former landing strip of the Kent County Airport which became the Gerald R. Ford International Airport.

“He was definitely up and coming,” said Deal of Chaffee. Deal spent about 18 months researching Chaffee’s life, visiting the National Archives and other sources for video. Through that process, Deals said he was able to find quite a bit of video on Chaffee including funeral footage and video of Chaffee talking about his life and career.

“So Chaffee narrates his own story, which was important to me because I wanted people to know who he is and leave some mystery as to what was going to happen,” Deal said.

Deal said having access to a facility like WKTV is vital to a person like himself who pretty much handles all the aspects of film producing.

“I am just a single producer, director, photographer and editor, so you know to have lights, cameras, and even some of the post-production stuff in the editing suites for mixing sound effects and stuff like that is important,” Deal said.

“All the rocket sounds are silent, so we added that,” he said, adding with a laugh, “I think we shook the building and someone came and told us that that rocket is too loud.”

For both Deal and Grill, the reason they wanted to work on this project was the opportunity to preserve a piece of history that was starting to fade.

“I like projects that I can keep the story alive,” Grill said. “This was one of those stories which was what drew me to being a part of this project.”

Other showings of the documentary “Roger B. Chaffee: Aviator Ad Astra” are planned, so check out the WKTV schedule on the wktvjournal.org and on wktv.org.

Gene therapy targets prostate cancer

October 14, 20193-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, Senior LivingAmy Norton, HealthDay, Prostate cancer, Spectrum Health BeatJoanne

*Researchers say new drug therapies can target certain genes that play a role in the growth and spread of prostate cancer. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)*

By Amy Norton, HealthDay

A drug that targets faulty gene repair may buy more time for some men with advanced prostate cancer, a new clinical trial finds.

Experts called the study “landmark,” because it zeroed in on men with particular gene mutations that can be targeted with newer drug therapies.

It’s an approach that is already used in treating breast, ovarian and lung cancers.

Specifically, the trial tested a drug called Lynparza (olaparib), which is currently approved to treat certain patients with breast or ovarian cancers linked to mutations in the BRCA genes.

When BRCA is working properly, it helps repair damaged DNA in body cells that can lead to cancer. When the gene is altered, those repair mechanisms go awry.

BRCA mutations do not only lead to breast and ovarian cancers, though. They also help drive some cases of prostate cancer.

In the new trial, researchers recruited men with advanced prostate cancer who had alterations in BRCA or certain other genes involved in DNA repair.

The investigators found that, compared with standard hormonal therapy, Lynparza delayed patients’ cancer progression for a median of about three months. That means half the patients saw a longer delay and half a shorter one.

Along with that delay, the drug slowed down patients’ pain progression.

“Delaying the cancer from growing is meaningful,” said Dr. Maha Hussain, who led the trial, which was funded by drug makers Astra Zeneca and Merck.

“At the end of the day, patients want to live longer—and also better,” added Hussain, a professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, in Chicago.

She was to present the findings at the annual meeting of the European Society for Medical Oncology, in Barcelona. Studies reported at meetings are generally considered preliminary until they are published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Lynparza is one of a newer class of drugs called PARP inhibitors, which block a protein that cancer cells need to keep their DNA healthy. Without it, those cells may die. Cancer cells with defects in DNA-repair genes are especially vulnerable to PARP inhibitors.

The drug class is part of a wider trend in cancer treatment, toward “targeted therapies”—where medications are tailored to target certain molecules in cancer cells that help them grow and spread.

A range of targeted drugs are available for common cancers, such as breast and lung, but prostate cancer has “lagged behind,” Hussain said.

Dr. Eleni Efstathiou, of MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, described the new trial as landmark.

“Overall, these data show that, like breast and lung cancers, prostate cancer is not one but many different diseases,” Efstathiou said. “We need to start identifying different groups of patients and treating them with targeted therapy.”

She noted that only a fairly small percentage of prostate cancer patients would have alterations in DNA-repair genes—which can be inherited or arise as the cancer progresses.

And doctors do not routinely screen cancers for all those gene flaws.

Screening for inherited mutations is “becoming part of guidelines,” Efstathiou noted, but screening for non-inherited alternations is not yet done.

For the latest trial, the researchers screened 4,425 men with advanced prostate cancer that had spread to distant sites in the body and was not responding to standard hormonal therapy.

The investigators ended up with 245 patients with alterations in either BRCA or another gene called ATM. A second group of 142 patients had alterations in any of 12 other genes tied to flawed DNA repair.

Patients in both groups were randomly assigned to either take Lynparza tablets or start one of two newer hormonal therapies.

Overall, Lynparza patients saw their cancer advance more slowly, with the difference being clearer in the group with BRCA or ATM defects.

For those men, cancer progression was delayed by a median of 7.4 months, versus 3.5 months among patients on hormonal therapy. A preliminary analysis suggested their overall survival was also better—a median of 18.5 months, versus 15 months.

Lynparza does have side effects, including anemia and nausea, Efstathiou pointed out, which can make it difficult to stick with the drug. Just over 16% of Lynparza patients in the trial stopped treatment due to side effects.

The drug is not yet approved for prostate cancer, though some doctors use it “off-label” for certain patients, Hussain noted.

At this point, Efstathiou said, doctors may want to screen for DNA-repair mutations in the tumors of men with advanced prostate cancer, since “we now have evidence it can be successfully targeted.”

Like other targeted drugs, Lynparza carries a hefty price tag: Researchers have estimated that it costs more than $234,000 to extend a patient’s life by one year.

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Up next: Cognitive corrosion?

October 14, 20193-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, Senior LivingDennis Thompson, HealthDay, Spectrum Health BeatJoanne

Long spells in front of the television may give rise to cognitive declines, according to researchers. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay

The old saying, “TV rots your brain,” could have some validity for folks as they age.

In a new study, middle-aged people who watched television for more than 3.5 hours a day experienced a decline in their ability to remember words and language over the next six years, British researchers found.

What’s worse, it appears that the more TV you watch, the more your verbal memory will deteriorate, researchers said.

“Overall, our results suggests that adults over the age of 50 should try and ensure television viewing is balanced with other contrasting activities,” said lead researcher Daisy Fancourt. She’s a senior research fellow at University College London.

For the study, researchers relied on data from a long-term study of aging involving more than 3,600 residents of England.

Participants reported the amount of hours of TV they watched daily. They also had their thinking and reasoning skills regularly tested as part of the study.

People who watched less than 3.5 hours of TV a day didn’t seem to suffer any deterioration in their brain power, Fancourt said.

But more than that amount, people became increasingly apt to struggle with words or language in tests conducted six years later.

The decline in language skills is similar to that experienced by the poor as they age, Fancourt said.

“We already know from a number of studies that being of low socio-economic status is a risk factor for cognitive decline,” Fancourt said. “If we compare the size of association for watching television for greater than 3.5 hours a day, it has a similar-sized association with verbal memory as being in the lowest 20 percent of wealth in the country.”

The worst deficits occurred in those people who watched more than seven hours of television daily, researchers found.

While only an association was seen in the study, there are a couple of potential reasons why this might happen.

“Due to the fast-paced changes in images, sounds and action, yet the passive nature of receiving these—i.e., television does not involve interaction as gaming or using the internet does—watching television has been shown in laboratory studies to lead to a more alert, but less focused, brain,” Fancourt explained.

Some TV viewing is also stressful and stress has been associated with a decline in brain power, she added.

The specific effect on verbal skills indicates that avid TV viewing could be replacing other activities that would be better for the brain, said Rebecca Edelmayer, director of scientific engagement at the U.S.-based Alzheimer’s Association.

“You’re spending more time not engaging with your family, your friends and having social conversations, because they’re specifically reporting a decrease in verbal recall,” Edelmayer said. “We know engagement with others in conversation is something that supports and protects verbal recall.”

People who want to protect their thinking skills need to socialize often and engage in other activities that “stretch” their brain, Edelmayer said.

In fact, a long-term study published just last week in the journal Neurology found that exercising both the brain and body during middle age may guard against dementia. Such mental exercise includes reading, playing music, sewing or painting, according to the report.

“The recommendation would always be to stretch yourself and stay as engaged as you can be, whatever the connection is,” Edelmayer said. “We’re asking you for best brain health to go outside your normal passive box.”

The new study was published recently in the journal Scientific Reports.

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

PACT needs 600 volunteers 65+ for Alzheimer’s clinical trial

October 12, 20193-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, Senior LivingPACT, Victoria MullenJoanne

By Victoria Mullen, WKTV

The numbers are staggering, the financial and societal costs exorbitant. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, an estimated 5.7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s today. By 2050, the number is expected to increase to nearly 14 million.

And here’s a sobering thought: Cognitive decline begins at the age of 25. Dementia — the deterioration of memory most often seen in aging adults — takes hold early on and starts gradually, but then accelerates when we are in our 70s and 80s.

But what if solving brain games and puzzles on a computer could reduce the chances of developing dementia and delay the debilitating loss of function?

That’s the premise behind a new clinical trial, which is seeking volunteers for a three-year study. The PACT (Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease with Cognitive Training) Alzheimer’s clinical trial needs 600 people of all ethnicities from the West Michigan area to play computer games. Overall, the study needs 7,600 people to enroll and will be conducted at 15 locations across the U.S.

The study is spearheaded by David Morgan, Ph.D., Professor of Translational Neuroscience at Michigan State University, who relocated here in late 2017 from the University of South Florida in Tampa.

The study began in East Grand Rapids this past July, and a second study location just opened this Fall in South Grand Rapids.

Specifically, participants will be provided free access to a series of computer games designed to increase your brain’s processing speed. If you qualify to help, you will complete three study visits of one hour each at the PACT Research study location nearest you. You will then complete 45 one-hour sessions on your own, in your own home, over the next three years.

“This study will definitely prove if computer games can (or cannot) reduce the risk of developing cognitive impairment leading to dementia,” said Morgan. “A critical piece is that everyone who declines cognitively during the study will receive a medical diagnosis, something not done in the earlier study.”

Participants must be over 65 years old, free of severe neurological or psychiatric illness, and able to play computer games. You may qualify if you:

are 65 years of age or older
do not have any neurological disorders
have not had a stroke or brain injury
do not have mild cognitive impairment or dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease

What’s in it for you? There’s no monetary compensation, but research has shown that brain games may:

protect against dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease
enhance mental quickness and visual attention
improve gait speed and balance
improve driving safety
maintain health and well-being
allow you to perform everyday tasks more efficiently
protect against depression

In short, all the things that money can’t buy.

If the researchers can enroll enough older adults in the trial, they will apply for a larger grant to train and monitor a cohort of participants for five to seven years. That study will include genetic testing and neuro-imaging of the brain to gain a better understanding of who is more likely to develop dementia and would benefit from this training.

Interested? Call 616.234.0952 or email msupact@gmail.com.

Metro Health – University of Michigan Health promotes active lifestyles through race weekend sponsorship

October 11, 20193-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of WyomingGrand Rapids Marathon, Greg Meyer, Metro Health - University of Michigan HealthJoanne

The Grand Rapids Marathon takes place Saturday, Oct. 19. This year, it i includes a family walk. (Supplied)

By Jamie Allen
Metro Health – University of Michigan Health

Metro Health – University of Michigan Health welcomes runners and walkers of all ages and abilities to participate in the 2019 Metro Health Race Weekend. For the 13thconsecutive year, Metro Health is the title sponsor of the Grand Rapids Marathon, and for the first year Metro Health has extended their sponsorship to include Run Thru The Rapids 5k, 10K and Family Walk.

“Metro Health continues to sponsor this event year after year because it encourages health and wellness in our community,” said Greg Meyer, Chief Community Officer, Metro Health – University ofMichigan Health. “This weekend is a culmination of athlete’s hard work and training, and Metro Health is happy to help participants celebrate and cross that finish line safely.”

All of the weekend’s races start and finish at the David D Hunting YMCA, located at 475 Lake Michigan Dr. NW in downtown Grand Rapids. The timeline for the weekend is as follows:

Saturday, Oct. 19

9 a.m. Metro Heath Run Thru The Rapids 10k, 5k and Family Walk

9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Health and Fitness Expo

1:30 p.m. Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Kids Marathon

Sunday, Oct. 20

7:30 a.m. Metro Health Grand Rapids Marathon Wheelchair and Handcycle Division

8 a.m. Metro Health Grand Rapids Marathon
Foster Swift Half Marathon
Pepsi Max Marathon Relay

Metro Health’s Sports Medicine team will be providing on-site medical attention throughout the entire weekend. They will be on the course prepared to assist runners with medical issues and help them safely reach the finish line. Metro Health volunteers will also be running several aid-stations, supporting runner safety and giving back to the community.

Leading up to the race weekend as well as race day, both Greg Meyer and Metro Health Sports Medicine physician, Dr. Ed Kornoelje, will be available for interviews. Whether it’s advice from an expert marathon runner or running safety tips, Metro Health experts have it covered.

Money talks that you should be having with your aging parents

October 11, 20193-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, How-To's, Senior LivingFinances, Michigan State University Extension, Money, Scott MattesonJoanne

By Scott Matteson, Michigan State University Extension

“Silence is golden” or so the saying goes, but is it always a good idea? Silence is not golden when it comes to the subject of your parents’ living expenses, healthcare and elder care costs. According to the Fidelity Intra-family Generational Finance Study (FIGS), 4 out of 10 families have not had a conversation with their elderly parents about living expenses, healthcare, and elder care costs. One reason, as stated in the study, is that parents worry that their adult children are counting too much on a future inheritance, while children don’t want to upset their parents.

Because of this reasoning, the subject of money becomes taboo and needed conversations are not happening.

According to the FIGS study, children and parents didn’t believe having a conversation about living expenses, healthcare, and retirement was difficult to start. The difficulty comes with the depth and the detail of the conversation and when to start having the conversations. The important thing to remember is don’t wait until an emergency to have the conversation.

Below is a list of topics and ages when discussing retirement issues that can help avoid future emergency conversations:

Age 50	AARP Eligible, Senior Discount Programs, Catch up contributions of $1,000 for IRA and $5,500 for 401k, 403b and TSP
Age 55	401k or retirement withdrawals without 10 percent early penalty
Age 59 ½	Take from any retirement account without 10 percent early penalty including Roth IRA, as long as it’s been held for 5 years.
Age 62	Earliest age to collect Social Security. Eligible for reverse mortgages.
Age 65	Eligible for Medicare (Apply 3 months before 65^th birthday) – otherwise Medicare part B and prescription drug coverage part D may cost more money
Age 66	Full retirement if born between 1943-1954 Can collect Social Security without reduction and no offset on amounts earned.
Age 70	Maximum Social Security accrual – time to start.
Age 70 ½	IRA and 401k contributions must stop. Must begin taking required minimum distributions

Before beginning a conversation on a sensitive subject such as money, you have to realize that the conversation is not a democracy; your parents have made decisions about their money all of their life and they are not about to stop now. Remember, it is your parents’ money and their decision. Below are 10 suggestions to aid in having a conversation concerning retirement, living expenses, healthcare, and elder care.

Start Discussions Early. Do not think that it will only take one talk. The earlier you begin discussions, the more time will be on your side and the easier the discussions will become.
Include all family members. Make sure all siblings are included in the discussions. This way, everyone in the immediate family is fully aware of all decisions made and are not getting information passed on to them that may or may not be accurate.
Explain the purpose of your conversation. Communication is integral. Explain your concerns about how your parents will be cared for and how they feel about their financial future.
Understand your parents’ need to control their own lives. The conversation is not about preserving your inheritance. It is about your parent’s right to be able to live their life how they want to live it.
Agree to disagree. It is okay to disagree; the conversation is not about who is right or who is wrong.
Use good communication skills. Listen to understand not to reply. If you don’t understand, then ask for clarification.
Ask about records and documentation. Do not be afraid to ask where pertinent records are located and who would need to be contacted concerning them are.
Provide information. If you come across information you deem to be useful in helping to make appropriate decisions, provide it to everyone involved in your ongoing discussions.
Re-evaluate if things aren’t working well. Do not be afraid to take some steps backwards if conversations are not being productive.
Treat your parents with respect. Always respect your parent’s wishes regarding decisions concerning their living expenses, healthcare and elder care.

For more in depth information about talking with aging parents about retirement please click on the following links: Aging and Money and When to Start Receiving Retirement Benefits. Additional information can also be found here.