Category Archives: Citizen Journalism

With experiences as popular holiday gift, West Michigan has a few to fill those stockings

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By Jeremy Witt
West Michigan Tourist Association

See West Michigan from a different side by going behind the scenes. These tours show things you might not see on an ordinary visit, from secret wine cellars to private tastings. You’ll receive the inside scoop on everything West Michigan during these in-depth tours.

Tour Something Unique

Get a behind the scenes look at something fun and unique! These are places that will make your visit truly special. 

Schedule a group visit to Henderson Castle in Kalamazoo: Henderson Castle is the ideal place for groups of all types to gather and tour. Choose one of their tour packages or customize your experience to create exactly what you’re looking for. Tours can be scheduled to be self-guided or guided through the three-story historic castle and the surrounding property. 

Holland is home to a local bowl manufacturer, crafting wooden bowls for over 150 years. Learn about their process and uniqueness of their bowls with a guided tour. 

Head to Chocolates by Grimaldi in Grand Haven for a fun factory tour, and learn about the creation of chocolate, from pod and bean to delicious delicacies! Taste fresh samples right off the line and visit their production area to see where the magic is done. They use a 1950s enrober just like on I Love Lucy! Tours will not be available from November 12th to December 31st due to the holiday season.

A tour of the Kilwins Chocolate Kitchen in Petoskey is a must-see on your next visit to northern Michigan. Tours run Monday through Friday and include a comprehensive review of how Kilwins makes truffles, chocolates, caramel, brittles, and other confections. Of course, there are free samples at the end of each tour!

More Places to Tour in West Michigan


Learn About Your Favorite Breweries

Beer is a way of life in West Michigan. If you have a favorite brewery, odds are that they offer behind the scenes tours. See what goes into making your favorite brews on these specially crafted tours!

Founders Brewing Company in Grand Rapids created the Founders Education Department to give the public fun ways to learn more about their favorite brewery. They offer several in-depth classes to teach you about the brewery, beer and food pairings, and brewery tours. There’s a lot to learn to become a craft beer expert, and Founders is here to set you down the right path.

Bell’s Brewery offers free tours at both their Kalamazoo and Comstock locations. Their original, Kalamazoo brewery is where beers like Amber and Oberon were first brewed. Their Comstock Brewery is home to their 50-barrel and 200-barrel brewhouse, located on 30 acres, and only a short 7-mile drive from Kalamazoo. This facility is designed to allow guests a first-hand look at their brewing process, fermentation, and packaging, and also includes two complimentary samples.

Dark Horse Brewing Company in Marshall has guided tours that will help you discover the process of producing the perfect craft beer, bottling it, and tasting the outcome. The tours are offered every Saturday and Sunday and end with a visit to the VIP lounge for a tasting in your souvenir pint glass.

Great Legs Winery, Brewery & Distillery in Holland is happy to provide complimentary behind the scenes tours of their compact production facility. They produce everything on-site and they’ll be bottling wines again in the near future. Want to observe the bottling experience? Call or email Great Legs to secure your spot!

Every Saturday, Saugatuck Brewing Company hosts Brewery Tours. The cost is $7.50 and includes beer samples, an SBC logoed pint glass or growler, and a full tour of all their facilities. The tour is open to the first twenty paid ticket holders, so get there early!

More Breweries to Tour in West Michigan


Learn About Your Favorite Wineries & Cider Mills

There’s a lot that goes into your favorite wine or cider. Find a whole new appreciation for your beverage of choice with these in-depth tours!

A fall stop at the Wineries of Old Mission Peninsula often offers the opportunity to see the fall harvest in action. Pay attention as you approach the wineries to see the staff in the vineyards picking and gathering grapes for your favorite wines. Some wineries even offer tours and guided tastings, so you can get a peek behind the curtain or learn more about wine from the experts!

Set your sights on Black Star Farms in Suttons Bay in a whole new way! Plan your trip and enjoy a 45-minute guided tour through the breathtaking property, including the exclusive inn, centennial barn, and wine cave, all while learning the history of this iconic 160-acre estate and the incredible journey from grape to glass. The tour concludes with a premium tasting (souvenir glass included), featuring Black Star Farms’ award-winning wine, cider, and spirits.

Visit Traverse City and take a complimentary tour of the Chateau Grand Traverse’s grounds and winemaking facility, taking you through the winemaking process from harvest to bottling. All tours begin on their vineyard overlook deck, where your tour guide will highlight winery history and outline their growing practices. The tour will proceed into the winemaking facilities, where you will see first-hand how their wine is made.

Join Dablon Winery in Baroda on a winemaker led walking tour through their world-class vineyard, winery, and underground barrel cellar. You will experience the many components involved in creating first-class wines. Their winemaker will explain how their grapes are planted and cared for, as well as the barrel aging process. The $20 ($15 for Dablon Wine Club Members) tour also includes a wine tasting of their small-batch, handcrafted wines.

At Fenn Valley Vineyards in Fennville, tours are offered based on the season. Fenn Valley believes wine should be approachable. These tours are pretty in-depth, running an hour and forty-five minutes in length, and involve wine tasting throughout to illustrate the various points being made. During select times of the year, they also offer specially designed tours involving food and wine.

Great Legs Winery, Brewery & Distillery in Holland is happy to provide complimentary behind the scenes tours of their compact production facility. They produce everything on-site and they’ll be bottling wines again in the near future. Want to observe the bottling experience? Call or email Great Legs to secure your spot!

St. Julian Winery’s main location in Paw Paw offers free tours year round. Get more out of your experience by upgrading to a Standard or Enhanced Tour & Tasting. Standard Tours include six samples of your choice and a complimentary logo glass to take home. The Enhanced Tour & Tasting consists of an extended tour and your choice of a cheese or chocolate pairing option. Their wine educators will offer an intimate, in-depth education on the winemaking process from bud-break to bottling.

Take a tour to learn about making proper cider at Virtue Cider in Fennville. From pressing apples into juice to the ins and outs of barrel-aging, you’ll get to know Virtue and the traditional methods they use for their ciders. Virtue Cider offers three different experiences: the Cidermaker Tour, Production Tour, and Family Farm Tour. The Cidermaker Tour focuses on how Virtue Cider crafts the perfect cider, while the Production Tour takes you through the basics of their process. The Family Farm Tour is a tailored experience for families, letting the young ones meet some of the farm animals and taste non-alcoholic cider. Tours can be booked on their website.


More Wineries to Tour in West Michigan


Learn About Your Favorite Distilleries

Distilleries are finding their place in Michigan’s craft beverage scene. To learn more about this exciting industry, take a tour and talk to the experts!

Coppercraft Distillery offers tours at their Holland location, available Thursday through Saturday. These tours take you through the process of creating premium, small-batch spirits by hand using local ingredients. Learn how Coppercraft uses corn and grains from a local Holland farm to make their bourbon.

Gray Skies Distillery, located on the north side of Grand Rapids, began whiskey production in December 2015. Last year, Gray Skies began offering weekend tours to guests looking to learn more about craft whiskey and peek behind the scenes at the distillery. They offer two tours: their Gray Skies Tour and the Craft Whiskey Tour, both offering guests insight and samples.

Drop by and take a tour of the Journeyman Distillery in Three Oaks. See first hand how whiskey is made and explore the history of the Featherbone Factory. Tours at Journeyman Distillery include a general overview of the production process along with a unique historical perspective on the building itself. Journeyman Distillery is located in an 1800s factory building with several unique architectural and historical talking points. Most importantly, at the end of the tour, you’ll have a chance to sample Journeyman’s finest spirits.

Visit Long Road Distillers in Grand Rapids for a tour, where visitors are taken through the distilling process and the principles behind it. You’ll get the chance to know what’s in your glass and where it came from. Each tour is conducted by a distilling expert who is friendly, knowledgeable, and eager to answer any question. Best of all, after learning about the spirits, you get to try them!

Great Legs Winery, Brewery & Distillery in Holland is happy to provide complimentary behind the scenes tours of their compact production facility. They produce everything on-site and they’ll be bottling wines again in the near future. Want to observe the bottling experience? Call or email Great Legs to secure your spot!


More Distilleries to Tour in West Michigan


Tour Entire Cities & Towns

It’s easy to get a behind the scenes look at your favorite places in West Michigan. These tours take you to multiple places, making it easier than ever to get a peek behind the curtain.

Guided tours are a great way to experience the Saugatuck/Douglas area, as many of them are tailored toward specific interests like food, beverage, art, or activities like running or biking. The brewery tour at Saugatuck Brewing Company gives you a look at what goes into your favorite beers, with samples along the way! If wine is more your thing, the Fall Vineyard Tours at Fenn Valley includes a wine tasting, tour of the vineyard, explanation of how the grapes are grown, and a look into their wine-making process. The area offers more tours, ranging from art and fall colors to the lakeshore.

If you want a unique way to tour the Grand Rapids beer scene, take a ride with the Great Lakes Pub Cruiser. Hop on this 15-person party bike with your friends and family as you make your way around Grand Rapids, stopping at bars, breweries, and restaurants along the way. Personalize your tour and choose the stops and route that you want.

Mackinac Island’s Grand Hotel offers Adult Tour Groups. These tours provide an unforgettable setting for any group, with its distinctive dining and accommodations, as well as Afternoon Tea, golf, biking, swimming, and many other activities. In addition, there’s plenty to explore on Mackinac Island. All group tour rates include meals and accommodations.

GVSU rings in the season with a special carillon concert on Christmas Eve

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The Beckering Family Carillon will ring in the season with a special holiday concert on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24.

By Matthew Makowski
GVSU

Grand Valley State University’s Beckering Family Carillon will fill the air above Grand Rapids with the sounds of the season during a special holiday concert.

The concert will take place on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, from 9:30-10:15 p.m. on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus, and will be performed by Julianne Vanden Wyngaard, university carillonneur. The concert will be free and all Grand Valley parking lots will be open to the public.

The Beckering Family Carillon Tower was dedicated in fall 2000 with the support of the Beckering family of Pioneer Construction. The 151-foot bell tower completes the look of a European village square on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus and contains 48 bronze bells cast at the Paccard Bell Foundry in France. The largest bell, called the “bourdon,” weighs 4,500 pounds; the smallest weighs 25 pounds.

For more information, contact the Music, Theatre, and Dance Department at 616-331-3484. Please note that Grand Valley State University will be closed from Dec. 24-Jan. 1.

Three Things You Didn’t Know About Assisted Living

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Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living

Like many adult children, you want your loved ones to live a healthy and happy life. When they need advanced care, you’re left with a tough decision. The idea of moving to an assisted living community is still uncharted territory for many, crawling with misconceptions. A significant portion of what we think we know is influenced by media depictions. How many times did we see Dorothy from the Golden Girls threaten her mother, Sophia with going back to the dreaded Shady Pines retirement home? Too many!

Believe it or not, those who enter an assisted living community are not subject to cruel or unusual punishment. In fact, most seniors have the opposite experience. Assisted living can be the solution you and your loved one have been dreaming about. So, If you are just starting your research or just want to know more, here are three things you didn’t know about assisted living.

It’s Just Like Home. When considering assisted living for a loved one, it’s easy to picture a shared, sterile, hospital-like room. If that’s what comes to your mind, you probably think that’s no place to live a happy, fulfilling life. We agree! That would be a horrible place to live. Luckily, you don’t have to.

It might surprise you to know many assisted living communities encourage seniors to personalize their living arrangements to feel like home. Some even welcome furry friends. They can be similar to apartments regarding privacy, and often include amenities like a personal bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen area.

Vista Springs consists of 11 uniquely themed senior communities in Michigan and Ohio. Check out a few of our location to get a feel for what you can expect here.

Independence. Being a part of an assisted living community has the ability to give seniors a newfound sense of freedom and independence. When seniors have limited mobility, which frequently comes with age, there can be a decrease in their overall well-being. A few vital services assisted living communities provide is access to transportation, housekeeping and laundry services, and meal preparation. Service like these are essential for older adults with cognitive or physical impairments.

Different Levels of Care. Searching for an assisted living community can be overwhelming. With so many care options available how can you be sure you’re making the right choice? It’s important to recognize not all senior communities provide the same level of care. It often depends on the community’s licensing. Many states have a tiered system of licensing whereby communities with a higher degree of licensing are able to provide more care. Being aware of what care options are offered can help you find the perfect place where your loved one can live life to the fullest without worrying about managing care. Compare some of our Vista Springs care services listed here.

A home is more than just the essential amenities. It’s feeling a connection to one’s community. Finding a good fit is important for solidifying that bond. The right assisted living community allows your loved ones to stay healthy while focusing on living their best life.

Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.

Alternatives to birthday parties

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By Kylie Rymanowicz, Michigan State University Extension

 

Birthday celebrations for children have become grand and often expensive affairs. People share photos of meticulously planned and themed parties for their children and there’s often a lot of social pressure to have the perfect party for your child. These parties can be expensive, difficult to plan and stressful. There are lots of meaningful ways to celebrate your child’s birthday that aren’t big, fancy parties. Michigan State University Extension has some ideas for alternative birthday celebrations for your child.

 

Community service or volunteer project. Encourage your child to spend their birthday giving back. Find a community service or volunteer project that matches your child’s interests. Your animal-loving child can volunteer at an animal shelter, or your nature-loving child could participate in a river clean up.

 

Go on an adventure. Even if you can’t take a big vacation, you could have a mini-getaway for your child’s birthday, even if it’s just a day trip. Hop in the car and take a mini-road trip to visit someplace you’ve never been or visit family or friends.

 

Plan an event. Allow your child to pick an event to attend on or around their birthday. Maybe there’s a play, concert or sporting event they would love to see. You could also offer to bring a few of their closest friends to really make the event special.

 

Make it a day of surprises. You can plan your child’s day and not tell them what will happen—make it a day of surprises. Plan a special meal, trip or activity, something you know your child will love! Surprise them with a list of the reasons that you love them, or with the people they love to be around.

 

Have a day of favorites. Give your child a day of favorites—eat their favorite meals, do their favorite things, see their favorite people, watch their favorite movie. Make their special day all about what makes them special.

 

Make it meaningful. However you celebrate your child’s birthday, you can make it a really meaningful day. Have your child reflect on their last year: What were they most proud of? What were their successes? What friends did they make? What did they accomplish? Ask them to think about what they wish for the next year: What do they want to achieve/get better at/explore?

 

Despite the many Pinterest pages devoted to excessive children’s birthday parties, your child’s celebration does not need to be big, extravagant or expensive to be special. Choose a celebration that works for your family, your budget and what it is you really want to celebrate.

 

For more articles on child development, academic success, parenting and life skill development, please visit the Michigan State University Extension website.

 

To learn about the positive impact children and families experience due to MSU Extension programs, read our 2017 impact report. Additional impact reports, highlighting even more ways Michigan 4-H and MSU Extension positively impacted individuals and communities in 2017, can be downloaded from the Michigan 4-H website.

 

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). Reprinted with permission.

CDC: 1 in 5 high school students vape

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America faces an epidemic of youth e-cigarette use, which threatens to engulf a new generation in nicotine addiction and lung damage. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Steven Reinberg, HealthDay

More than 20 percent of high school students use electronic cigarettes, risking nicotine addiction, lung damage and the temptation to try traditional smokes, U.S. health officials reported.

Between 2011 and 2018, the number of high school teens who started vaping, as e-cigarette use is called, increased from 220,000 (1.5 percent) to just over 3 million (20.8 percent), according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“These new data show that America faces an epidemic of youth e-cigarette use, which threatens to engulf a new generation in nicotine addiction,” Alex Azar, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, said in a news release.

Those startling statistics have prompted federal health officials to take action.

On Thursday, U.S. Food and Drug Administration commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb announced that his agency was seeking to stop the sale of flavored e-cigarettes other than mint and menthol flavors to minors.

His proposals include having stores that sell vaping products make them available only in age-restricted areas. In addition, Gottlieb called for stricter age verification for e-cigarettes sold online.

“By one measure, the rate of youth e-cigarette use almost doubled in the last year, which confirms the need for FDA’s ongoing policy proposals and enforcement actions. HHS’s work will continue to balance the need to prevent youth use of e-cigarettes with ensuring they are available as an off-ramp for adults who are trying to quit combustible [tobacco] cigarettes,” Azar said.

The findings were reported in the Nov. 16 issue of the CDC publication Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

“The youth use of e-cigarettes is at an epidemic level. It’s truly troubling,” said Erika Sward, assistant vice president for national advocacy at the American Lung Association.

E-cigarettes are a gateway to smoking regular cigarettes, she said. Moreover, chemicals in them can cause lung damage and result in addiction to nicotine.

According to the new report, e-cigarette use among high school students increased 78 percent from 2017 to 2018.

During the same year, the use of flavored e-cigarettes among high school students already using e-cigarettes increased from 61 percent to 68 percent.

In addition, the use of menthol or mint-flavored e-cigarettes rose from 42 percent of all e-cigarette users to 51 percent.

Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat

E-cigarette use also increased among middle school students, from less than 1 percent in 2011 to nearly 5 percent in 2018, researchers found.

“FDA has to act, but we also need state and local government to act as well,” Sward said. “This is too big for everybody not to have a role in reducing the use of e-cigarettes.”

Sward said the lung association is upset that the FDA stopped short of banning mint and menthol e-cigarettes. “FDA’s plan is not going to go far enough,” she noted.

Many teens use mint and menthol e-cigarettes, which Sward believes are specifically marketed to attract minors.

“The tobacco industry knows that mint and menthol help the poison go down,” she said. “And they have been using menthol cigarettes to addict millions of people for decades, and that trend has tragically continued with e-cigarettes.”

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Make it a Mediterranean holiday season

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Your meals don’t have to be dominated by meats and sweets. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat

By Irene Franowicz, RD, CDE

Spectrum Health Beat


If you’re looking to eat healthier, but don’t want to give up those deliciously satisfying foods, look no further.


What you want exists—it’s the Mediterranean diet.


The best part of it all: A plethora of research correlates this cuisine with improved health and longevity. A Mediterranean-style diet reduces risk factors for heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and Alzheimer’s, and it also fights inflammation and adds antioxidants.


People who eat this kind of diet live longer with less disease.

Offer a Middle Eastern vegetarian appetizer menu at your holiday events and reap the delicious health benefits. You can buy many of these items at a Middle Eastern deli.

The diet limits red meats, placing emphasis on plant-based proteins and nuts, and promoting seafood and chicken along with legumes, veggies, high-antioxidant fruits and whole grains.


The result is a lower-glycemic diet, which can help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by improving insulin sensitivity and the function of cells in the pancreas, which helps to improve blood sugar control.


Olive oil replaces butter in Mediterranean recipes, and delicious herbs and spices make it easier to reduce salt.


In my series Eating the Mediterranean Way, participants have reported significant reductions in blood sugar with minimal weight loss. Because the cuisine emphasizes good fats instead of low fat, it’s better for weight loss than a low-fat diet.


The Mediterranean diet is more satisfying because people feel less deprived by their meals—they’re getting essential nutrition in a delicious way. They also report reduced cravings for sugar, which makes weight loss easier.


An important thing to keep in mind: Lifestyle is just as important as food.


People from Mediterranean countries enjoy and savor their food, turning every meal into an excuse for a social occasion with family and friends. A little red wine may be part of the menu, too.


Learn more about or sign up for the next Eating the Mediterranean Way class by calling 616.774.7779.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

On the shelf: ‘Grand Rapids—Community and Industry’ by Thomas R. Dilley

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By M. Christine Byron, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch

 

A second book by Tom Dilley, one of Grand Rapids premiere postcard collectors, has just been released by Arcadia Publishing in their Postcard History Series. This volume covers aspects of Grand Rapids History between 1900 and 1960. Intended to supplement the themes developed in Dilley’s first book, Grand Rapids in Vintage Postcards 1890-1940, the book features 116 postcards, most from the author’s personal collection.

 

Dilley gives us glimpses of life in Grand Rapids in the first half of the 20th Century. Postcards portray street scenes, scenic views, recreation and local events, such as the flood of 1907 and John F. Kennedy’s visit to the city in 1960. The book features businesses of Grand Rapids, including formerly prominent establishments such as Herpolsheimers, the Pantlind Hotel and Joppe’s Dairy Company.

 

The earliest postcard views of neighborhoods portray Heritage Hill streets and homes. As the city grew outward, neighborhoods such as Madison Square, Eastown and Ottawa Hills are shown. Ramona Park and Reeds Lake in East Grand Rapids became favorite amusement spots, as evidenced by many postcards.

 

Different types of postcards are reproduced in the book, including rare leather cards and double or panoramic postcards. Dilley also included two collectible series of cards: the Mr. Rover cards and the 1910 Homecoming postcards. Dilley’s book will interest postcard collectors, historians, researchers and anyone who might enjoy taking a stroll down memory lane.

Wyoming police offer tips on avoiding drowsy driving during the holidays

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At approximately 2:45 am on Dec. 20, 2018, an officer from the Wyoming Dept. of Public Safety was traveling southbound on US 131, near 44th St SW, when he observed a wrong way driver going northbound in the southbound lanes. The officer immediately activated his emergency lights and siren to warn other drivers of the possible impending danger and pulled alongside of the wrong way vehicle, which was traveling at approximately 50-60 mph. The officer noticed that the driver appeared to be sleeping and used his cruiser to push the car to a stop. This quick thinking action almost certainly prevented a head-on collision which could have injured or killed someone.

It does not appear that alcohol or drugs were a factor in this incident and there were no injuries to the driver or officer. The driver of the vehicle stated he had been awake for more than 40 hours and was sleep deprived.

The Wyoming Department of Public Safety would like to take this opportunity to remind drivers of the dangers associated with “drowsy driving” or “fatigued driving.” The National Highway Traffic SafetyAdministration (NHTSA) estimates that approximately 90,000 vehicle crashes in 2015 were caused by drowsy drivers in the United States. Additionally, there were 795 traffic fatalities in 2017 due to drowsy driving. Below are some tips from the NHTSA on how to avoid driving drowsy:

How To Avoid Driving Drowsy

1. Getting adequate sleep on a daily basis is the only true way to protect yourself against the risks of driving when you’re drowsy. Experts urge consumers to make it a priority to get seven to eight hours of sleep per night. For more information on healthy sleep, see Healthy Sleep At A Glance (PDF, 1.81 MB) at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute website.

2. Before the start of a long family car trip, get a good night’s sleep, or you could put your entire family and others at risk.

3. Many teens do not get enough sleep at a stage in life when their biological need for sleep increases, which makes them vulnerable to the risk of drowsy-driving crashes, especially on longer trips. Advise your teens to delay driving until they’re well-rested.

4. Avoid drinking any alcohol before driving. Consumption of alcohol interacts with sleepiness to increase drowsiness and impairment. 

5. Always check your prescription and over-the-counter medication labels to see if drowsiness could result from their use. 

6. If you take medications that could cause drowsiness as a side effect, use public transportation when possible. 

7. If you drive, avoid driving during the peak sleepiness periods (midnight – 6 a.m. and late afternoon). If you must drive during the peak sleepiness periods, stay vigilant for signs of drowsiness, such as crossing over roadway lines or hitting a rumble strip, especially if you’re driving alone.

Short-term Interventions

1. Drinking coffee or energy drinks alone is not always enough. They might help you feel more alert, but the effects last only a short time, and you might not be as alert as you think you are. If you drink coffee and are seriously sleep-deprived, you still may have “micro sleeps” or brief losses of consciousness that can last for four or five seconds. This means that at 55 miles per hour, you’ve traveled more than 100 yards down the road while asleep. That’s plenty of time to cause a crash. 

2. If you start to get sleepy while you’re driving, drink one to two cups of coffee and pull over for a short 20-minute nap in a safe place, such as a lighted, designated rest stop. This has been shown to increase alertness in scientific studies, but only for short time periods. 

Snowflake Break Returns to the Grand Rapids Public Museum this holiday

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The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) just announced Snowflake Break activities and additional displays at the Museum for the holiday season. Snowflake Break includes a variety of family friendly programs and activities themed around special exhibits Expedition: Dinosaur and TOYS!

Finny, the finback whale skeleton, greats visitors as the enter the Grand Rapids Public Museum.

By Christie Bender
Grand Rapids Public Museum


During Snowflake Break at the GRPM, visitors can make a variety of crafts including their own themed snowflakes, sock monkey hats, dinosaur kirigami, punch tin, play a variety of over-sized games, and explore Expedition: Dinosaur and TOYS!

Expedition: Dinosaur is perhaps the closest experience to what it would have been like to be in the presence of a living, breathing Mesozoic-era dinosaur, and TOYS! lets visitors rekindle childhood memories as they create new ones. Additionally, the Museum has holiday displays for visitors of all ages to enjoy from additions to the Streets of Old Grand Rapids, the Herpolsheimer’s Child Passenger Train from the Museum’s Collections, historic LEGO® display of Grand Rapid and more.

Snowflake Break runs from Dec. 22 through Jan. 6. General admission includes hands–on activities for Snowflake Break, special holiday displays and the TOYS! exhibit. Expedition: Dinosaur is an additional $4 per person and $2 for Museum members. 

Kent County residents receive reduced admission. Kent County adults are only $5 for general admission and Kent County children 17 and under are FREE general admission. 

Holiday Displays

Historic LEGO® Display – See historic Grand Rapids like never before; built from LEGO®s. The 1925-era display, complete with operating trams, will be on display in the Streets of Old Grand Rapids exhibition now through January 18, 2019 and is included with general admission. Built by the West Michigan LEGO® Train Club.

Santa’s Rocket Express is now on display at the museum through Jan. 18.

Herpolsheimer’s Child Passenger Train – Visitors to the Museum can enjoy a community favorite on display – the Herpolsheimer’s Child Passenger Train. The Train is included with general admission to the Museum and will be on display through Jan. 18. 

The monorail train debuted as “Santa’s Rocket Express” when the new Herpolsheimer’s Department Store opened in in 1949. Recognizable to any baby-boomer resident of Grand Rapids, the train chugged along the ceiling of the toy department at the Herpolsheimer’s Department Store, which sat at the corner of Fulton and Division streets in downtown Grand Rapids.

Santa and Elf Hunt – Find 15 historic Santas from around the World in the Streets of Old Grand Rapids, and 12 elves hidden throughout the 3 floors of the Museum. The Santa & Elf Hunt is included with general admission.

Let it Snow Planetarium Show – Let it Snow features a new variety of festive classics from Frank Sinatra and Chuck Berry to Burl Ives and Brenda Lee, and includes a stunning multi-media finale by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. The soundtrack is visually enhanced with thematic animation, laser imagery and special effects. Tickets are $4 each with general admission to the Museum, free to Museum members and $5 each for planetarium only tickets. Let it Snow will run through Jan. 6. 

Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium

The GRPM announced that the Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium recently underwent upgrades introducing the latest Digistar technology! The new Digistar system provides the latest in resolution quality, content features and immersive surround sound for an out of this world experience.

The Planetarium re-opened this November with its newest upgrade since March of 2014 after a major renovation that included new technology, sound system, full dome and seating. 

The Planetarium is named for Grand Rapids native, Roger B. Chaffee, who died with fellow Apollo 1 astronauts Gus Grissom and Ed White during a pre-launch test in 1967. The Planetarium was originally opened in 1994 and has gone through renovations to provide the best experience for Planetarium visitors.

Two happy children are having fun pretending to be in the dinosaur jaw

Expedition: Dinosaur

Expedition: Dinosaur explores the fascinating world of dinosaurs and the hunt for their fossils! From life-sized and lifelike animatronic dinosaurs – some controlled by visitors – to mechanical and electronic learning stations. The exhibit includes a number of hands-on interactives that explain dinosaur movement, digestion, and evolution, and show the life and methods of dinosaur hunters from the 1800s to today.

Expedition: Dinosaur taps into our fascination with these incredible creatures. It is perhaps the closest experience to what it would have been like to be in the presence of a living, breathing Mesozoic-era dinosaur.

Take a trip down memory lane in the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s “TOYS!” exhibit.

TOYS!

TOYS! is an interactive, multi-generation exhibition of toys and games to rekindle childhood memories and spark the creation of new ones.

Baby Boomers loved Paper Dolls, Erector Sets, and Mr. Potato Head, Gen Xers preferred Holly Hobbie and Hot Wheels, and Millennials have never known a world without Super Mario or My Little Pony. Some toys, like Barbie and G.I. Joe, have adapted to appeal to different generations and remain popular today. Toys and games have changed over time, but the desire to imagine, compete, and create has not. 

The exhibit, designed and curated by the GRPM staff, features toys and games from the Museum’s Collections and on loan from community members. Visitors will imagine, compete and create, while going on a journey of toys through generations.

Through the design process of the exhibition, the Museum worked with several experts from the community making sure the design was as inclusive as possible so everyone visiting can enjoy it. The exhibition is being presented in both English and Spanish, and also includes Braille.

For some, holiday memories, traditions centered around the mall

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

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org


There is that nostalgic Christmas image of people walking through downtown looking at the beautifully decorated store windows. But for many who were born in the late 1960s, their holiday memories and traditions centered around visiting Santa at the mall.

The Woodland Mall in the 1970s.

“I grew up in Grand Rapids,” said Cecily McCabe, who earlier this year became the Woodland Mall’s marketing manager. “So it was always a big deal to be able to come here with my family and go Christmas shopping and see all the Christmas décor. We liked to go see Santa every year. So Christmas here was a special time of year.”

In 1954, Northland Mall opened in Southfield, Mich., with a radically new concept: a regional shopping center where people could shop several different stores in one location. Seven years later, the regional shopping concept would come to the Greater Grand Rapids area with Rogers Plaza opening in Wyoming in 1961 followed by Woodland Mall in 1968. What municipality Woodland Mall’s land would be in became such a concern the residents of Paris Township voted to become the City of Kentwood in 1967, keeping the mall in Kentwood.

Construction of Woodland Mall in the 1960s.

By the end of the 1960s, malls had become a staple in American life. This changed holiday traditions that instead of downtown department stores competing to having the best St. Nick and the most lavish decorations to local malls offering an array of holiday experiences. There were indoor ice rinks to a New Jersey mall with a 48-foot Santa. In fact, that Santa was remembered so fondly, the mall brought it out of retirement for this holiday season.

Decorations at Woodland Mall also were special, noted Ann Schlink who has worked at Woodland for 21 years.

The Arctic Forest decorations at Woodland Mall.

“The first one was very elaborate,” Schlink said. “It was throughout the mall, the plaids…There was a big Christmas tree in the mall and then after the redevelopment it got moved down to the Macy’s wing which was nice because it was Hudson’s at the time and it tied into the the Hudson’s theme a lot.”

Eventually those decorations were retired to the Grand Rapids Public Museum. The former mall decorations are now used in the museum’s Streets of Old Grand Rapids.

Woodland also had a Santas around the world display and Schlink said most people will remember the Christmas tree from a couple of years ago, which now stands in the mall’s outside plaza. The current Arctic Forest decorations, which was unveiled in 2017, includes 12 decorated trees and a 12-foot lighted polar bear known as Ursa. Even the Woodland Mall stores get into the holiday spirit with decorated windows just like what the department stores use to do.

Children visit the Rogers Plaza Santa. Picture is from the 1970s. (Courtesy, personal collection.)

Besides having Santa, Malls also hosted a variety of activities. Rogers Plaza has had the Wyoming Gives Back for the past 12 years. After first opening, Woodland Mall had a production of “A Christmas Carol.” Today, Woodland hosts a holiday concert series and RiverTown Crossings, which opened in 1999, has had pop up shops featuring an array of vendors.

“We use to really like Marshall Fields because they had frozen yogurt upstairs so it was a big deal for us to get our frozen yogurt everytime we came to the mall,” McCabe said. “So we had these little family traditions based around our shopping habits as a kid. It was fun.’’

Schlink said she always enjoyed the piano player at Hudson’s with McCabe adding Woodland is excited about having Von Maur open next year as the store will be bringing the tradition of a piano back to Woodland Mall.

Hudson’s, a Detroit-based company, became Chicago-based Marshall Fields, which later was taken over by New York City’s Macy’s.

With the passage of time, things change. Hudson’s became Marshall Fields which became Macy’s. Other stores, such as Gantos, Kinney Shoes, Disney Stores, Florsheim Shoes, and Anchor Blue, and even some malls — Northland Mall was torn down in 2017 — have since faded from the landscape. The places are remembered fondly with sites dedicated to past malls and stores. Geoffrey Hudson talks of visits to the former North Kent Mall, which was located on Plainfield Avenue from 1971 – 2000, in his blog GR Retro.

“I used to go to North Kent almost exclusively to hang out at Aladdin’s Castle, one of the last great old-school game arcades,” Hudson writes on the site. “…Another thing I remember is for a while, NK was the home to the only old-style photo booths. Not the sort that are around today where you can be superimposed in front of the backgrounds and such, but the type where it fires off four takes and you get a strip of (black & white!) photos at the end.”

Along with changing photo booths, technology has changed shopping patterns, but malls like Woodland remain a focal point for many especially during the holidays.

A choral performance at Woodland Mall during the 1980s.

“It’s so busy and full of families excited to see Santa Claus and enjoying all our decor and special events,” McCabe said. “So it’s just really fun to see families gathering here and shopping and enjoying this special time of the year.”

“The people that I have worked with over the years and met through the mall over the years, they comeback at Christmas,” Schlink said. “It’s like a reunion of the people and it’s magical because now they are bringing their children to see Santa Claus and to do  shopping and it just feels like home.”

Santa makes his entrance at Woodland Mall.


Cat of the week: Eros

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Local Business, Local Faces, Pets/Animals, , , ,

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).

Dr. Jen absolutely fell head over heels in love with this engaging and extremely charming FIV+ fella the minute she laid eyes on him, but once she picked him up and nuzzled him close, she was even more smitten! And when it came time to name this fantastic fella (born in October of 2016), she really didn’t have to do much research, as the white heart on his chest and the way he stole hers instantaneously led her to Eros, the Greek god of love.

Even though Eros was quite banged up upon arrival, bearing scars and scabs left over from his days of fighting and fending for himself, Dr. Jen found him to be a breathtaking beauty, with that adorable white locket and ivory tufts of fur between each and every toe! How could one cat be so darned handsome?!

Once at our sanctuary Eros proved to be a boisterous, busy boy who only stopped moving when a bowl of canned food came into sight. Although he was a bit timid around his caretakers at first (we think he was a bit overwhelmed by being indoors and not having to do anything to earn his keep), he took to chumming around with some of the more outgoing guys at Big Sid’s which ultimately helped him gain confidence. In fact, at the writing of this bio two months after his arrival, we can tell you that Eros has become a bit big for his britches and has needed a time out on more than one occasion.

Now that he knows he can play with the others and sometimes get them riled up with his rambunctious behavior, we have to monitor his activity— he can be quite the little instigator. Eros reminds us of that pesky little brother who delights in ruffling the feathers of his siblings simply to watch the reaction it causes; he is a little stinker sometimes but we sure do enjoy him!


We would like to find Eros a home with another FIV+ cat if possible, one that will rough-and-tumble with him when he gets things going. As far as the type of human companionship we feel he is best suited for, we can see him becoming best buds with youngsters in a household as his energy level will certainly rival theirs! Considering that this gorgeous guy is typically in perpetual motion a busy, bustling household beckons him! Come meet our enthusiastic Eros for yourself and fall in love with this social butterfly!

More about Eros:

  • Medium
  • Black
  • Adult
  • Male
  • House-trained
  • Vaccinations up to date
  • FIV+
  • Neutered
  • Not declawed
  • Good in a home with other cats, children

Want to adopt Eros? 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.

Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!

Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming, no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be found.

Santa visits NICU babies

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Holidays, Local Faces, ,

Story and photos by Christopher Clark, Spectrum Health Beat

Gabriel Kulakowski’s grandmother found just the perfect outfit for her 2-day-old grandson to wear for his picture with Santa.

In a twinkle, Santa had a new elf.

Jolly Saint Nick parked his sleigh on the roof of Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital for a special visit with the babies and families at the NICU in the Gerber Foundation Neonatal Center.

“This is a way for the families to take a break from their worries and just enjoy the holiday season,” Santa said.

Santa knew just how to hold the tiny little ones he visited. Behind the beard is Al Jones, MD, a retired neonatal medicine specialist.

He has donned his fur-trimmed red jacket, hat and pants with a broad-buckled belt for the past six years to help create these moments.

Santa’s helper is Amy Nyberg. She is the March of Dimes family support program coordinator at the children’s hospital who makes this visit happen each year.

“Families love it,” Nyberg said. “Santa comes and they are able to hit that milestone and have that memory of baby’s first photo taken with Santa.”

Amy, also dressed in fur-trimmed red, gives candy canes and small toys to young siblings of the NICU babies. She arranges for a professional Santa portrait to be sent to the families.

Raelynn Rhodes wore a special outfit for her photo with Santa. Her mom, Morgan, found the perfect fit, an American Girl doll ensemble complete with ice skates.

Parker Davis’ mom, Megan Alexander, said they woke up bright and early to make sure they didn’t miss Santa’s visit.

“We didn’t expect him until after Christmas,” Alexander said of her little preemie. “He’s our little Christmas baby.”


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Staying safe at college

3-bottom, Area Education, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Education, Health, How-To's, ,

By Tracy Trautner, Michigan State University Extension

 

Safety on and off college campuses should be a major concern for parents. As parents want to ensure a safe learning environment for their children, this is a logical emotion to have. When thinking about college crime these days, statistics show that property crimes far outweigh violent crimes on campuses.

 

Having more burglaries than robberies means kids have to be smarter about protecting their personal property. Campuses across the country have increased security in many ways, including additional training for campus police as well as more video cameras strategically placed around campuses.

 

Advise your child to lock their door and windows and stay alert when alone or walking around campus. If possible, use the buddy system when exercising or going to parties. Safety experts also recommend avoiding shrubbery and hedges where assailants could hide.

 

Safety messages and warnings seem to be typically directed towards the safety of women, however men can also be victims of a crime. Share the following safety information with both your son and daughter.

 

Michigan State University Extension recommends the following measures to keep college students and their property safe.

  • Keep an eye on belongings when at the library or cafeteria. A quick trip to the bathroom, grabbing copies off the printer or getting another piece of pizza are all great opportunities for someone else to get their hands on textbooks, phones or laptops.
  • Get a lock for a laptop. It is a simple and inexpensive investment to protect college projects, homework and class notes.
  • Load important numbers into your phone such as campus police, roommates and resident advisor, as well as numbers to call to cancel credit cards that might have been stolen.
  • Use a campus escort system if available. They are there for the sole purpose of students making it home safely at night. Use this valuable service when out at night or any time you don’t feel safe.
  • Know where the campus safety office is located. Visit the office and ask campus police if they have:
    • Blue light emergency phone stations.
    • Campus escort services.
    • Safety maps with suggested routes.
    • Support for safety apps like those listed below.
  • Discretely tell a close friend, such as a roommate, where you are going.
  • Trust your instincts. If you think you are being followed, quickly get someplace safe. If you think you are indeed in danger, run and make a lot of noise. Criminals like quiet, distracted guys or girls who will be easy victims.
  • A lot of crimes occur at parties, so go with friends and keep a close eye on beverages and food.
  • Enroll in a self-defense class and learn how to defend yourself. It is empowering and a great exercise. Many campuses offer self-defense classes, and a class will make you feel safe and more confident. A few classes and tips from a professional instructor is really what you need to be able to stay safe—however, still follow the safety tips listed above whenever possible.

The campus of Michigan State University has this statement as part of their safety policy: “MSU is a safe campus, and student safety and security is our first priority. However, students should always keep personal safety in mind. We recommend that students always lock their room doors and never prop or hold exterior doors; walk in groups on campus at night and make sure someone knows where they are going and when they will be back if they are going to be away.”

 

Every college or university is required to submit an annual security and fire safety report. For more information about the safety of the college your child is interested in, review their security and safety report.

 

For more accurate information on on-campus crimes versus crimes in the vicinity of the campus, visit Campus Safety and Security. It is a website that can give you more specific data about crimes at campuses around the country.

 

For very detailed information about a specific college, visit the National Center for Education Statistics, which is handy for researching everything about a potential college, from varsity athletic teams to financial aid and enrollment numbers, not just crime statistics.

 

Parents are always concerned about their child’s safety, but this is especially true as they let go of many of the safety measures they had in place before the child left the home. Check out the following links for great information to discuss with your child on issues they might not have thought about before. Much of the information could be applied to students of all ages, including high school students as well as adults.

To learn about the positive impact children and families experience due to MSU Extension programs, read our 2016 impact report: “Preparing young children for success” and “Preparing the future generation for success.” Additional impact reports, highlighting even more ways Michigan 4-H and MSU Extension positively impacted individuals and communities in 2016, can be downloaded from the Michigan 4-H website.

 

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).

School News Network: Figure this: numbers are like toys in Wyoming High’s Math Circle

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, ,
Senior Becca Hanson poses a possible equation


By Erin Albanese 
School News Network

On the screen in front of them, students considered the day’s math challenge: Which of the following numbers are rollover numbers? 8,612; 4,322; 9,867; and 13,859.

The fun began as students in the Wyoming High School Math Circle used different strategies to figure out the answer. Students computed, erased, tweaked and plugged numbers into different formulas. Excitement grew as they collectively came closer to solving the puzzle, until finally – with the white board covered in numbers and variables – the “aha” moment came.

The word “play” comes up a lot in the new Wyoming High School Math Circle, as students with whiteboards and touch-screen technology have fun with numbers and their limitless possibilities. “It’s a place where you can play with math instead of just solving math or learning about math. It’s applying it to puzzles and games which is the side of math I really like,” said senior Jonathan Driggs, an AP statistics student.

Making Math Add Up – A series on the difficulties students have learning math, and what methods some schools and teachers are using with success.

Senior Karen Ruiz examines the problem

“It’s math for the sake of math – just for fun,” said senior Thomas Oliver, who is in AP statistics and AP calculus BC (second-level AP calculus). “In class you are taught math. Here you experience math.”

Numerous Possibilites

Advanced math teacher Eric Retan began offering Math Circle this fall for an hour after school twice-monthly. Six or seven math-minded students regularly attend, delving into number theory, functions, statistics and more. “It’s for anything math-related. “It’s very wide open.  It’s open-ended exploration of interesting math.”

Retan said the extracurricular option offers students math beyond what he has time for in class. “It’s for all sorts of things that there isn’t room for in the regular curriculum. It offers us a chance to just play without the constraints of having to get through certain (lessons in a set amount of time).

Senior Jonathan Driggs enjoys using math in puzzles and games

Oftentimes, a warm-up problem takes the whole hour. Not knowing where the numbers will end is part of the fun, students said. “Some of the problems take awhile,” said senior Antonio Plascencia, who is in AP statistics and AP calculus.  “When you know where you are going with it and you are going to finally get the answer, it gets you excited.”

Senior Alondra Sot, who is in pre-calculus, likes that even Retan doesn’t know answers to the challenges.

“In Math Circle you are able to explore ideas more,” she said. “I feel like there is a sense of security because you’re not afraid to share answers. Sometimes the teacher doesn’t even know the answer. That’s the point in it being a challenge.”

  • Alondra Soto and Antonio Plasecencia talk numbers
  • From left, Becca Hanson, Thomas Oliver and teacher Eric Retan work to solve the challenge.
  • Junior Tin Nguyen calculates possibilities
  • Advanced math teacher Eric Retan explains the challenge
  • Senior Thomas Oliver works on a formula to solve a challenge while behind him, from left, seniors Alondra Soto, Antonio Plassencia and junior Tin Nguyen offer input.

Tips from GFIA on how to make your holiday travel easier

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, , ,

Alicia Roberts
Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority


The Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GFIA) is preparing for a busy holiday travel season and is offering these helpful travel reminders.

Due to increased passenger traffic, parking lot demands will be greater, and airport facilities are expected to be busy. Also, due to current airport construction, along with the busy holiday traffic, lines could be longer than normal. GFIA encourages passengers to arrive at least 90-120 minutes before their flight and check flight information at www.flyford.com.

In order to expedite the security screening process, passengers should carefully consider the contents of their checked luggage and carry-on bags. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recommends wearing shoes that are easy to remove, having identification and boarding passes ready to present at security checkpoints, removing all items from pockets, avoiding bedazzled and jeweled clothing, limiting heavy jewelry, and ending all cell phone conversations prior to screening. In addition, remove any personal electronics larger than a cell phone from your carry-on bags. 

If passengers are traveling with gifts, do not wrap them with wrapping paper or tape. TSA recommends putting gifts in gift bags or gift boxes instead. Snow globes can be a popular gift during the holidays but they must contain 3.4 liquid ounces or less to comply with the 3-1-1 liquids bag rule. Larger snow globes should be packed in checked baggage or shipped to your destination.

Traveling with food items is okay during the holidays. Removing heavy food items such as cheese and fudge, along with granular and powdered items like sugar, from your carry-on bag, will also greatly speed up security screening. If the food item is a solid (i.e.: ham, turkey, cake, cookies), then it can be packed in a carry-on bag. If the food item is spreadable or pourable, then it must be 3.4 liquid ounces or less to comply with the 3-1-1 liquids bag rule to travel in a carry-on bag. If it is more than 3.4 liquid ounces, it must be packed in a checked bag.

“We are looking forward to another holiday season, which is a busy time of the year. Because of that, it is important for those traveling – especially if you haven’t flown recently – to review TSA’s website,” said GFIA Interim President & CEO Brian Picardat. “Our TSA staff does a wonderful job, and the more prepared travelers are, the smoother the screening experience will be for everyone.”

The TSA encourages passengers to utilize the 3-1-1 rule with liquids, gels and aerosols. Put all liquids in containers with a 3.4 ounce maximum capacity, and place them in a clear, plastic one-quart zip-top bag. Each passenger is limited to one quart-sized bag.

Additional 3-1-1 Information:

  • Deodorant:Stick deodorant is not limited to 3.4 ounces or less, but gel or spray deodorant is.
  • Suntan & Sun Block Lotion:Lotions fall under the 3-1-1procedures mentioned above. As well as the aerosol spray lotions. Sunblock sticks do not fall under this rule.
  • Makeup:Any liquid makeup cosmetics such as eyeliner, nail polish, liquid foundation, etc. should be placed in the baggie. That goes for perfume as well. Powder makeup is fine.
  • Beverages:Wine, liquor, beer, and all of your other favorite beverages are permitted in your checked baggage. You can also bring beverages packaged in 3.4 ounces or less bottles in your carry-on bags in the 3-1-1 baggie.
  • Sporting Goods: Golf clubs, tennis rackets, baseball bats (including the mini slugger bats), cricket bats, lacrosse sticks, bows and arrows, hockey sticks, scuba knives, spear guns, etc. are all prohibited from being carried onto the plane. However, you can have them checked as luggage.

Questions about TSA procedures and upcoming travel can be addressed to the TSA Contact Center at 1-866-289-9673 or @AskTSA on Twitter.

Lamenting the noisy neighbor

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, ,

Living by airports, highways and other noisy environments could lead to adverse heart health, according to new research. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay 

 

Living in noise-saturated neighborhoods might be more than simply annoying, with new research suggesting it seems to raise the risk for serious heart problems.

 

Chronic noise from traffic and airports appears to trigger the amygdala, a brain region critically involved in stress regulation, brain scans have revealed.

 

Noise is also associated with increased inflammation of the arteries, which is a risk factor for stroke, heart attack and heart disease, said lead researcher Dr. Azar Radfar. She is a research fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

 

“We are not the first group talking about noise and cardiovascular disease,” Radfar said. “What we really show here is the mechanism linking noise to major adverse cardiovascular events.”

 

For the study, Radfar and her colleagues analyzed imaging scans of 499 healthy people, looking specifically at their brains and blood vessels.

 

The investigators then used the participants’ home addresses to obtain noise level estimates of their neighborhoods, based on aviation and highway noise data kept by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

 

People in the noisiest neighborhoods had higher levels of activity in their amygdala and more inflammation in their arteries, the researchers found.

 

The research team then followed the study participants for an average 3.7 years, to see if these symptoms of stress would lead to heart problems.

 

The findings showed that people exposed to chronic noise had a greater than threefold risk of suffering a heart attack, stroke or other major cardiovascular event, compared with people who had lower levels of noise exposure.

 

That risk remained elevated even after the researchers accounted for other risk factors, such as air pollution, high cholesterol, smoking and diabetes.

 

But the study could not prove that noise caused heart risks to rise.

 

Still, the amygdala appears to increase heart risk by triggering the release of hormones that fuel blood vessel inflammation, the researchers concluded.

 

Dr. Nieca Goldberg is director of the NYU Langone Tisch Center for Women’s Health in New York City. She said, based on this research, noise is “a link in the chain of cardiovascular risk, and I think it is an interesting question for doctors to ask their patients when assessing their cardiac risk.”

 

Radfar even suggested that people affected by transportation noise might consider soundproofing their homes.

 

On a community level, highway and urban planners can protect the populace by making road-noise barriers a part of road construction, Radfar suggested.

 

And, Goldberg added, if you’re in a noisy neighborhood, you might also want to consider other ways to reduce your stress. These might include yoga, meditation or aerobic exercise.

 

The findings are to be presented at the American Heart Association’s annual meeting in Chicago. Such research is considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

 

Sidestep these menu minefields

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, How-To's, Senior Living, , , , ,

Did you know that the extra calories in a typical restaurant meal can mean a gain of two pounds a year for those who eat out just once a week? (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Len Canter, HealthDay

 

People with food allergies aren’t the only ones who need to be aware of menu minefields when eating out. If you’re trying to lose weight, it’s important that you don’t fall prey to these temptations.

 

It’s not only supersized meals that can be your diet downfall—restaurant meals, in general, have jumped in size. If you’re not careful, the U.S. Department of Agriculture warns that the extra calories in a typical restaurant meal can mean a gain of two pounds a year for those who eat out just once a week.

 

And, year after year, those pounds can really add up.

 

At breakfast, say no to over-the-top omelets. Eggs are healthy options at any meal, but dishes that smother them in cheese, sausage and other high-saturated fat ingredients can turn a simple 80-calorie egg into a dish with more than 1,000 calories.

 

Steer clear of oversized meat portions. A 3-ounce lean filet is a good once-in-a-while choice, but that tempting 16-ounce slab of prime rib delivers 1,400 calories even before you add in all the trimmings.

 

Pasta-and-protein dishes can more than double the calories of either a simply sauced dish of pasta or a broiled chicken breast, and even more when smothered with cheese or cream sauce.

 

A “personal” pizza sounds like a sensible serving, but it can come with far more calories than one gooey slice, especially if topped with an assortment of cured meats.

 

Chicken wings are one of the worst bangs for your buck because 75 percent of the calories come from fatty skin and breading, and provide little protein.

 

If you crave any of these dishes, make them at home where you can control ingredients and portion sizes.

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Hand washing with children

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, How-To's, Kids Activities, , ,

Courtesy MSU Extension

By Ann Arnold, Michigan State University Extension

 

For more information contact Stephanie Ostrenga, ostrenga@msu.edu.

 

Keeping children’s hands clean at home and school is an essential tool in keeping them healthy and stopping the spread of germs. Parents and caregivers can set a good example and teach children the proper way to wash their hands by demonstrating proper hand-washing each time they wash their hands. This may take several times to have the children get the hang of it, although it will improve with practice and age.

How should we teach children to wash their hands?

  • Have clean disposable paper towel available.
  • Turn the water on to a comfortable, warm temperature.
  • Get both hands wet and then remove hands from the water and apply soap.
  • Rub hands together vigorously until the soap turns into lather or is full of bubbles
  • Rub the palms of the hands, the back of the hands, in between the fingers, underneath fingernails and around the wrist. Continue this process for at least 20 seconds.
  • Rinse hands until all the soap and dirt is rinsed from the hands.
  • Dry hands thoroughly with the disposable paper towel as germs like to grow in wet and warm places.
  • Leave the water running while you dry your hands, and then use the paper towel to turn the water off before throwing it away. This prevents germs from getting onto hands from the faucet handle.

When should children wash their hands?

  • Before and after handling food
  • Before and after eating food
  • After using the restroom (after washing hands, use clean dry cloth to open the door when leaving, then dispose the paper towel into the trash)
  • After combing or touching hair
  • After playing with or petting an animal
  • After playing outdoors
  • After coughing, sneezing or blowing their nose

Remember to wash your hands frequently throughout the day and practice proper hand-washing with your children or students. This coloring page is one of many free resources from Fight BAC! that can be used with children to reinforce hand-washing practice at home and at school. Michigan State University Extension recommends that you wash your hands thoroughly and continue to monitor your children’s hand washing techniques to keep them healthy and prevent illness.

 

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).

Chiaroscuro International Film Series returns for its 13th season on Jan. 13

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Upcoming Events,

(L to R) Assa Sylla, Lindsay Karamoh, Karidja Touré and Mariétou Touré in Céline Sciamma’s GIRLHOOD

By Kerri VanderHoff

The Chiaroscuro International Film Series’s 13th season will feature five celebrated films from around the world. The theme for this year’s award-winning roster of films is ‘Fate’. Using a variety of narrative, cinematic and thematic devices, each film explores the idea of fate — destiny, chance, luck, karma, providence, serendipity… what’s the idea of fate?

The programs begin at 2pm on scheduled Sundays, January through March, and include the feature presentation, a panel discussion, and a reception with refreshments. All programs are free and open to the public.

The 2019 films and their screening dates include:

  • Jan. 13 — Phoenix (Petzold, 2014) Germany. After undergoing reconstructive surgery, a concentration camp survivor tries to find out if her husband betrayed her to the Nazis.
  • Jan. 27 — Girlhood (Sciamma, 2014) France. Marieme joins an all-girl gang in the projects of Paris and is slowly turned out of her shell by her three sassy neighbors. As she falls further under their bravado and volatile energy, she begins making brave and foolish choices.
  • Feb. 10 — The Cakemaker (Raul Graizer, 2017) Israel. A German pastry chef travels to Jerusalem in search of the wife and son of his dead lover.
  • Feb. 24 — The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki (Kuosmanen, 2016) Finland. As fiercely talented as he is modest, Finnish boxer Olli Maki is swept into national stardom as he trains for a once-in-a-lifetime fight against the World Featherweight Champion. There’s only one problem: he’s just fallen in love.
  • March 10 — Jauja (Alonso, 2014) Argentina. A Danish settler journeys into the South American desert in a desperate search for his daughter, a solitary quest that takes him to a place beyond time, where the past vanishes and the future has no meaning.

The Chiaroscuro film selection committee considers various criteria during the nominating process of the international films including variety in country of origin, length, critical acclaim, availability, and status as a West Michigan premiere viewing.

The panel discussion is organized with consideration of each film selected. Two experts are invited to sit on the panel; one is knowledgeable in film studies and the other deeply connected to the culture represented in the film. Feedback and questions from audience members are greatly encouraged.

From ‘The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki’ (Kuosmanen, 2016)

The reception that follows the film viewing and panel discussion completes the afternoon immersion in world culture by offering complimentary food and drink and a comfortable space to gather outside the theater. This allows participants a space to mingle with others and build upon the ideas presented earlier in the program, encouraging further dialogue and cultural exchange in a friendly, casual setting.

Everyone is welcome to enjoy Sunday afternoons of film, food, and cultural exchange. The series offers an engaging way to experience the world without leaving town. All films are shown in the state-of-the-art theater at the UICA in downtown Grand Rapids (2 West Fulton). Parking garage is available, entrance is off Commerce Street. Follow us on Facebook and check the website often for update announcements on panelists and other information.

Move your way to the best you

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, How-To's, Recreation, Senior Living, , , ,

Lace up those shoes and get started on your exercise revolution. It will change your life more than you might think. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Kim Delafuente, Spectrum Health Beat

 

Is your best “you” buried under unrealistic expectations, out of control stress and pure exhaustion?

 

You’re not alone. According to recent research, far too many of us are letting stress control our lives and increase the size of our waistlines.

 

When people become stressed, the hormone cortisol really gets to work, making weight control more difficult and it can be a snowball effect on your health.

 

One way to stop, or at least mitigate, cortisol’s dastardly effects is to exercise. Exercise can decrease the levels of cortisol circulating in the blood stream, plus it has the added benefit of giving you a positive boost of feel-good endorphins.

 

Regular exercise could certainly be a great connector to your best self. It helps us think more clearly, reduces stress and puts you in a better frame of mind.

 

Let’s take a poll. When was the last time you said:

  • “I am confident.”
  • “I am strong.”
  • “I am taking charge of my health.”
  • “I feel happy and healthy.”
  • “I have my stress level in check.”
  • “I feel in control of my life.”
  • “I am the best me.”

Has it been a while?

 

Now, let me ask you this: When was the last time you said “I get to exercise” (and meant it)?

 

Get to exercise, really? Does anyone honestly feel that way?

 

Yup, it’s true. I would say that most everyone who has managed to sustain an active lifestyle says that every time they work out. They have truly found something they enjoy about moving.

 

Maybe it’s the sense of accomplishment, the camaraderie, the endorphin boost, or the results that keep them going. Or maybe, underneath the sweat, they have discovered better versions of themselves.

 

When we tell ourselves (and anyone else listening) that “I have to exercise” it sounds like one more chore on the never-ending to-do list.

 

So what if we thought of exercise as something special like getting a pedicure, going shopping, or taking a weekend getaway? All of a sudden it sounds like a gift and it becomes something we look forward to each day. You even might find yourself saying “I get to exercise.”

 

The time to start is now. Arrange a walk with a friend, join a group exercise class, or find a good workout on YouTube. These are all manageable starting points.

 

There is no need to take on a hard core workout at the get-go. Even 10 minutes several times a day can make a difference. The more you exercise, the more you will feel confident, stronger, less stressed and happier.

 

Your best “you” might even start to surface.

 

Can’t wait to get started? Great, but don’t forget your new mantra “I get to exercise!”

 

Now get on those shoes and get going! What are you waiting for?

 

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Employment Expertise: 5 easily forgotten job search tips

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, How-To's, ,

By West Michigan Works!

There are many moving parts to a job search: research, networking, writing, applying, following up. The list goes on and on. It’s easy to get overwhelmed. Here are five easy, yet important tasks that are easily forgotten:

Consider job search your job. Set a daily schedule. Wake up at the same time you would when you were working. Shower, get dressed and eat breakfast. Block off times for online job searching and informational interviews. End your day by making a to-do list for the next day. 

Google yourself. Look at the first three or four pages to see what an employer will see. A search that brings up negative or inappropriate content could land you in an employer’s reject pile. Having no information is almost as bad; recruiters may see this being out of touch or lacking skills. Combat this by creating or updating your LinkedIn profile.

Choose strong words for your resume. Use words that show employers real activities with measurable results. Words like “was” or “became” do not say much about what you actually did. Instead, choose verbs that lead to questions such as “how,” “how many,” “how much,” “when,” “where,” “who” and “why.” Good words should make the reader want to know more.  

Keep references current. Don’t forget the 4 P’s: prepare, professional, permission and progress. Double-check the contact information for your references before your interview; you wouldn’t want the hiring manager to call a disconnected phone number. Outdated contact information also shows the employer you haven’t kept in touch with that person.

Send a thank you note. One out of three employers think less of a candidate who doesn’t send a thank you note. One in ten wouldn’t hire someone if they don’t send a thank you note, according to Career Builder. Keep it short and professional. Hand-written is best, but emailing works too. 

Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.

Leaders of the Pack: Wyoming hosts fall Alpha Wolf awards

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org


The Saturday after homecoming, this Wyoming High School student showed up to help a teacher clean her room. Another works to find a way to make every person smile. And a third is such an inspiration that his peers and the high school staff all agreed he needed to be named an Alpha Wolf

On Thursday, Dec. 7, the Wyoming High School hosted its fall Alpha Wolf 11 Champion of Character program. This is when the school recognizes six students in the fall and another six in the spring, for treating others by “being kind, compassionate, and gracious.” Those words are part of the school’s motto. The award has nothing to do with what a student does in extracurriculars after school but instead focuses on what they do during school hours, as people, to make the school a better place, according to Principal Nate Robrahan, who added that on a scale from one to 10, these students are an 11.

The 900 high school students were joined by high school faculty and staff; city officials including Wyoming Mayor Jack Poll and Mayor Pro Tem Sam Bolt; members of the Wyoming Board of Education and other school officials including Superintendent Craig Hoekstra; and community members at the Thursday assembly. 

“It is different this year,” Robrahan said to those in attendance. “You know we always try to make the assembly fresh.”

Junior Alpha Wolf Kimberly Burhans gets a hung from a family member after her name is announced.

To kick off the event, the school celebrated its diversity showcasing the 32 different countries represented in the school with an Olympic-style Parade of Nations (pictured above) with students carrying cards and flags of the different nations. The parade made a circle through the gym and then finally circled around the large United States flag that had been unfolded by the Wyoming High School’s Varsity Dance Team.

Guest speaker Dr. Mulonge Kalumbula, originally from the Congo and who graduated from the former Wyoming Rogers High School (now the Wyoming High School), talked about how the kindness of strangers allowed him to become a better person and in turn Kalumbula is now in a position to help students like himself. Kalumbula is the the supervisor for the Social Studies, Career Technical Education, World Languages and Advanced Placement Program at Grand Rapids Public Schools. 

Sophomore Alpha Wolfs

Ann Salvador with a friend.

From there, teacher John Doyle took the stage, describing each Alpha Wolf before announcing the person who was then congratulated by friends and family. 

It was sophomore Anna Salvador who came to her teacher’s aid one Saturday morning to help clean the room after a homecoming event. She came alone but cheerfully did the task at hand, Doyle said. “She is kind to everyone,” Doyle said, adding it might be the reason she broke records when it came to voting among her peers and the staff.

Sophomore Alpha Wolf Sawyer VanDyke with a family member.

The second sophomore Alpha Wolf is one who is making an impact in both the school and the Wyoming community, Doyle said. Sophomore Sawyer VanDyke is known for having “a smile that lights up a room,” Doyle said, adding that VanDyke has been described as a great role model, has high expectations of himself, has tremendous balance in his life, is kind, polite, a hard worker, a great leader, and most of all, is humble. 

Junior Alpha Wolfs

Junior Alpha Wolf Kimberly Burhans with family.

Having experienced dark times in her own life, junior Kimberly Burhans has worked to help others find the silver lining in life’s challenges, according to Doyle. She works to make “connections with other kids” and has volunteered at Parkwood Elementary. She has been a part of Key Club and Student Council not because it looks good on a resume but because she wants to make Wyoming “a more loving and kind place.”

Junior Alpha Wolf Kim Nguyen

Positive, caring, modest, genuine, humble, sweet, gracious, respectful, polite, honest, compassionate, a great friend, a team player and a good heart was just some of the descriptions given of the other junior Alpha Wolf, Kim Nguyen. “She definitely bleeds a purple heart,” Doyle said, adding that Nyguen demonstrates peace, calm and serenity while having a fire within that has sparked others. 

Senior Alpha Wolfs

Senior Alpha Wolf Mouahinde “Terry” Almame

The first senior Alpha Wolf is one who is an inspiration to many and determined to make the world a better place. Quoting Wyoming High senior Mounahinde Almame’ s own words, Doyle said “‘I’ve come a long way in the last few years, from Africa to the United States. I’ve learned that even when life is hard a person needs to keep going. We need to keep moving forward in life because we all can improve who we are, become better people whose world can change and they themselves also learn how to change the world like me.’

Doyle added “All I can say is thank you for showing Wyoming High School what it truly means to be a dreamer who never gives up.”

Senior Alpha Wolf Taina Rodriguez

The other senior Alpha Wolf is one who is inherently kind, compassionate and gracious, Doyle said. “She always enters a classroom with a smile,” he said, adding that peers and teachers alike have noted she approaches everything with a positive attitude. According to Doyle, a teacher said “This Alpha Wolf inspires me to be a better human being.” A member of the Wyoming High School choir and cheerleading team, the final Alpha Wolf named was senior Taina Rodriguez. 

Shout Outs

At the program, teachers are able to give Shout Outs to students for showing the traits of kindness, compassion, and graciousness. 

Students recognized were Jahna Beechem, Josh Anesty, Hannah Martinez, Rohim Mohamid, Anacristina Torres, Rush Bash and Devin Jones. 

Equanimity is yoga for the brain

3-bottom, Area Education, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Education, Health, How-To's, Senior Living, , ,

By Tracie Abram, Michigan State University Extension

 

Are you about to send your last child to college, the military or into the work field? How is this soon-to-be separation affecting you? Do you have friends or co-workers that will be empty-nesters or have entered this phase who seem to be managing better or are more emotionally calm?

 

When a child leaves the house in search of independence, it can be an emotional time for all involved. To make this transition easier, it may help to focus on the positives and what you will gain and practice equanimity.

 

In the book, Buddha’s Brain–The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love & Wisdom by Rick Hanson, PH.D. and Richard Mendius, MD they describe that the human mind defaults to negative emotions and suffering, but with practice, you can re-wire the brain to develop equanimity. The word equanimity comes from the Latin roots meaning “even” and “mind”. The definition of equanimity is mental calmness, composure and evenness of temper, especially in a difficult situation.

 

In a sense, equanimity is your brains circuit breaker. It breaks the chain of suffering by separating the feeling tones of experience from the machinery of craving, neutralizing your reactions to those feeling tones. The authors also state that psychologists have a term they call “demand characteristics” for the aspects of situations that really pull at you. With equanimity, situations have only characteristics, not demands.  When you have equanimity, you do not grasp after enjoyable experiences or push against undesirable ones, you have space, or a buffer zone, between you and your feeling zones and are able to not react impulsively.

 

How do you train your brain to not react but to maintain calm? In the book there are five stages to developing the factors of equanimity:

  1. Understanding–Develop an ability to recognize that rewards and painful experiences are transient, meaning both do not last that long or are that awful. Life is a continuum of change and that most of the factors that shape the future are out of your hands.
  2. Intention–Keep reminding yourself of the important reasons for equanimity, you want more freedom from craving and suffering it brings.
  3. Steadiness of Mind–Pay particular attention to the neutral feeling zone. Through sensitizing yourself to the neutral aspects of experiences, your mind will become more comfortable staying with them, and less inclined to seek rewards or scan for threats.
  4. Spacious Awareness–The space of awareness allows every content of the mind to be or not to be, to come and to go. Thoughts are just thoughts, sounds are just sounds, situations are just situations and people are just being themselves.
  5. Tranquility–Do not act based on the feeling tone. Set aside a period every day, even just a minute long to start with then increase or extend that time, to consciously release preferences for or against anything. Your actions will be guided more by your values and virtues rather than your desires that are reactions to positive or negative feeling tones.

In closing, Buddhism has a metaphor for the different conditions in life. They are called the Eight Worldly Winds:

  • Pleasure and pain
  • Praise and blame
  • Gain and loss
  • Fame and ill repute

As you gain equanimity, these winds have less effect on your mind. When managing the emotions of separation, think of the gains your child is striving for rather than the loss to you. Michigan State University Extension offers social-emotional health development programming throughout the state that are designed to help participants navigate feelings and stress. Peruse their website to find a Stress Less with Mindfulness or RELAX: Alternatives to Anger series event in your county.

 

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).

‘This is the good stuff’

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Local Faces, , , ,

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

By Sue Thoms, Spectrum Health Beat

Photos by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat

 

Emma Warner lay on the couch, sleepily watching a TV show on a tablet as her mom mixed water into a small vial of powder.

 

A tray appeared beside the couch, spread with syringes and a pair of gloves. Nine-year-old Emma didn’t even look up.

 

Her mom, Becky Warner, applied an orange antiseptic solution to the spot on Emma’s chest where a port lay beneath the skin. Into the port, she poked a needle connected to an intravenous line.

 

With a syringe, she injected saline into the line. Then came the medicine for hemophilia.

 

“This is the good stuff,” Becky said, as she slowly pressed the plunger on the syringe.

 

That good stuff—clotting factor—prevents uncontrolled bleeding that could damage Emma’s joints and cause other injuries.

 

Another shot of saline, followed by heparin to prevent clots, and the treatment was done.

 

Emma set down the tablet, yawned, and headed to the kitchen to eat breakfast with her 7-year-old brother, Gage.

She has a quick smile and charm. She is so easy to treasure.


Dr. Deanna Mitchell
Pediatric hematologist

The school-day routine, performed with a calm, antiseptic precision born of years of practice, gave no hint of the extraordinary nature of these treatments, of Emma herself.

 

To be born with severe hemophilia A puts her in a select group. And to be a girl with hemophilia is rarer still, said Deanna Mitchell, MD, a pediatric hematologist-oncologist at Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital who sees children with hemophilia at the coagulation disorders clinic.

 

Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat

“We follow about 100 boys and young men with hemophilia, and she is my only female (patient),” she said.

 

Emma, a sandy-haired girl with a spray of freckles across her face, has made an impression, and not just because she’s the only girl in a group of boys. Her calm, easygoing nature wins over her medical team.

 

“She has a quick smile and charm,” Dr. Mitchell said. “She is so easy to treasure.”

 

The chronic condition requires vigilance and monitoring by specialists, parents and the children themselves. But research has led to improved treatments, and there is hope on the horizon, as researchers test a gene therapy for hemophilia.

Shock and fear

For Emma’s parents, Becky and Luke Warner, the diagnosis of hemophilia came without warning. They have no family history of the disorder.

 

Their first hint of a problem arose when Emma, at 13 months old, started to crawl. Large, dark bruises covered both knees, extending down into her lower leg.

 

“We knew something was not right,” Becky said.

 

Their family doctor ran blood work and Becky learned the diagnosis in a phone call: hemophilia A, or classic hemophilia.

 

Their reactions?

 

“Shock,” Luke said.

 

“Fear,” said Becky. “We didn’t know a lot about hemophilia.”

 

Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat

Meeting with Dr. Mitchell, they learned the disease puts a child at risk of prolonged bleeding after a cut or injury. A blow to the head could cause bleeding.

 

And often, children with hemophilia experience spontaneous bleeding in their joints, even when there is no noticeable injury. If not treated, it could cause irreversible damage to the joints over time.

 

“At 1, Emma couldn’t tell us what was happening,” Becky said. “So that part was scary.”

 

In years past, children with hemophilia often suffered such damage to their joints that, by adulthood, they needed a wheelchair or a pair of crutches for mobility. But improvements in treatments have made it possible to minimize the impact on the joints.

 

“Emma was born at a time when she has safe factor available that is completely synthetically made,” Dr. Mitchell said.

 

For Emma, a fourth-grader at Northeastern Elementary School in Hastings, Michigan, hemophilia means avoiding contact sports and activities that might lead to injury.

 

“I cannot go on trampolines,” she said. “I cannot go on snowmobiles.”

 

“She can’t do gymnastics or cheerleading,” Becky said. “At a young age certain sports are fine, like soccer. But if they become competitive when she gets older, that’s when the danger kicks in.”

 

Even with those activities off the table, Emma does plenty.

 

She golfs, swims and shoots hoops on the driveway with her brother and parents. She plays piano and recently started guitar lessons.

 

At school, she likes music class best.

 

“This year in fourth grade, we get to play recorders,” she said.

The genetic mystery

Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat

Through genetic testing, the Warners learned how Emma became one of the few girls with the disease.

 

About 1 in 5,000 newborn boys have hemophilia A, which is caused by a defect in a gene that codes for a protein needed for blood clotting, called factor 8.

 

The gene is carried on the X chromosome. Because girls have two X chromosomes, a girl with the genetic mutation on one chromosome usually does not have the disease. A functioning backup gene on the other X chromosome allows her to create factor 8.

 

A girl with the genetic defect is a carrier, and may pass the disease on to her sons. That’s how most cases occur.

 

But with Emma—and 30 percent of people with hemophilia—a spontaneous mutation caused the disease.

 

And in her case, the backup gene on her other X chromosome is inactive. Although rare, this issue occurs occasionally in X-linked genetic conditions, Dr. Mitchell said.

 

Kids with mild or moderate hemophilia A have low levels of factor 8. But Emma’s blood test showed no detectable amount of the protein, which means she has a severe form of the disease.

Getting used to pokes

For the first few years, Emma received infusions of clotting factor only when needed. Her parents watched for signs of bleeding in her joints.

 

Her mom recalled an incident when Emma was a toddler. She slept on a mattress on the floor, with a railing, to minimize risk of falls.

 

One morning, she woke up excited about going to day care. She jumped up eagerly, and then suddenly dropped back to the floor.

 

Worried she had a bleed in her ankle, the Warners took her to Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. Emma got an infusion.

 

Once, when she was 3, Emma got a bump on her cheek. It swelled to the size of a tennis ball.

 

How did she handle the pokes as a small child? A shy smile spread across Emma’s face.

 

“The first couple of times, I was scared. Once I tried to bite someone,” she said. “But I got used to it.”

 

The bleeds happened more frequently as Emma grew and became more mobile. At 5, when she started kindergarten, she began to get infusions regularly, as a preventive treatment.

 

Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat

“I feel better sending her to school knowing she has protection,” Becky said.

 

She and Luke give the infusions to Emma every Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings.

 

“Parents are just heroes in the world of hemophilia,” Dr. Mitchell said. “They have made it so children don’t have joint disability. They can grow up to be strong and healthy.”

 

The Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital clinic treats kids who have a variety of bleeding disorders. In addition to hemophilia A, they see children with hemophilia B, which affects 1 in 30,000 boys, and von Willebrand disease, which occurs in both genders and affects 1 percent of the population.

 

To help combat complications of the disease, the team hosts comprehensive coagulation clinics every month that allow children to see a number of providers in one visit.

 

The kids come in once a year and meet with a hematologist and review their medication doses and adjust if needed. They also see nurses, research coordinators, a psychologist, a physical therapist who measures joint mobility, and a dental hygienist who addresses ways to prevent bleeding gums.

 

Eventually, kids like Emma learn to give intravenous infusions to themselves.

 

Treatment options may change dramatically in Emma’s future, Dr. Mitchell added. Researchers are developing new medications and holding clinical trials to test a gene therapy treatment.

 

Because hemophilia often affects multiple family members, the clinical team forms ties with multiple generations of extended families.

 

“That’s very gratifying to follow families for many years and to see the progress being made,” Dr. Mitchell said.

 

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Work on 56th shows what can be accomplished when residents, city officials work together

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

Now open: 56th Street reconstruction between Ivanrest and Byron Center avenues opened on Oct. 31.

By Catherine Kooyers

Community Contributor

In November, many gave thanks and many in the Bayberry Farms/UM-Metro Hospital corridor in Wyoming, who gave thanks for significant upgrades and changes that have happened to make a great community even better. And a special thanks goes out to those who worked hard in all weather conditions to make those changes, especially to the detention pond and 56th Street. It has taken years to identify issues accurately, get necessary approvals and funds, contracting, and much more to make all this happen. But, it was with total elation that we received the message from the City of Wyoming advising the work would be finished on Oct. 31, 2018 — and it was.

You see, a few years back, the area had a Master Plan. Over the years though, a change here and a change there added up. Collectively, those small changes resulted in the need for big changes and redirection. We recognized that development of the corridor east of Byron Center Avenue meant more buildings and parking lots. That in turn, changed absorptive rain catching fields into nonporous, concrete/asphalt patches. In turn, that resulted in massive water runoff crossing Byron Center Avenue into the Bayberry area. That all came home when the Gezon Fire Station was shuttered and falling into disrepair resulting in  response times being high. Also around that time, we started noticing problems with the area’s detention pond…it simply was  too small for the new growth.

The project included a new traffic signal at the intersection of Ivanrest Avenue and 56th Street.

Then, on Sept. 9, 2013, disaster did hit HARD. The area was hit with a measured 5.5 inches of rain in a very short, record-breaking time. The pond could not hold that much water and disaster was inevitable. The Bayberry Farms Village senior apartments were surrounded by deep waters…looking like an island as seniors were moved to higher floors. Several cars were flooded and lost as they tried to navigate deep waters on 56th Street. Runoff from 56th Street into the senior village was so intense it looked like flowing rivers and waterfalls. The Bayberry Farms condos and family homes were hit hardest. For example, the force of the rushing water knocked out slider doors and pushed heavy furniture across lower levels.  Another home, had more than six feet of standing water in its finished basement.

Fortunately, no one was sleeping in those areas at that time or some fear they would not have made it out — it all happened so fast. Trails of debris from construction of the Veterans’ Clinic, garden mulch and Metro complex traveled quite a distance towards Ivanrest Avenue, clogging drains. And, as we tried to open drains, in addition to removing normal clogging materials, we were stunned when an albino boa constrictor came out of a drain!

A new widen sidewalk was added to the north side of 56th Street.

But  there was little time for self-pity, this could not continue. So, the residents, businesses and City began working together for positive changes. We learned a valued lesson: No one wins by fighting City Hall, but we all win when we put differences aside and work together for a greater common good. The City not only listened, the City worked hard to make the needed changes not only happen, but that they were done correctly. It took millions of dollars and a few years, but Oct. 31 was the closing date of a special chapter in the Metro/Bayberry history books:

  • The small detention pond was dramatically increased in size and surrounded by protective fencing. After a few storms knocked down the new fencing, a different material was used that allowed for more air flow and has worked beautifully this year. This should meet the storm water needs of the area for quite some time.
  • The big changes came to 56th Street between Byron Center and Ivanrest avenues.  The area was widened with more drain catchers and basins added to hold and collect runoff and rain. The old street materials, which were failing, left potholes and sinkholes. That entire stretch of 56th Street was totally torn up and replaced.  Turning lanes were created. Residents endured months of construction and noise, but say the finished product is safer, better, and worth every bit of it.
  • Also included were much requested sidewalks and more connections to the Kent Trail system. Before, without sidewalks, the bikers, walkers, seniors, families crossing to the daycare center or stores had to walk against fast moving traffic, in traffic lanes.  We knew that had to change as the area grew.  Now, it is safer and easier for bikers, walkers and disabled in motorized scooters to get to and from the trails, shops, and restaurants. This is a vibrant, active community.
  • In the interim, new business entities came in or upgraded – like the U of M/Metro partnership and ReMax. The UM/Metro Foundation had generously provided significant monies and support for our Gezon Fire Station — like the heliport — training and equipment.
  • Working with Wyoming Public Works Director Bill Dooley and his team as well as ReMax, a much needed shortcut sidewalk was finished by the pond. This allows seniors with walkers and scooters as well as residents in the apartments, cottages, homes and condos more independence and access to local businesses.

So this month, the Bayberry/Metro area has much to be thankful for in addition to the normal things:  City officials, like Mayor Jack Poll and Dooley, who let us talk, who listened, who worked with us; the many dedicated people who did the planning and hard work, the road crews, the landscapers…; the residents who worked together for positive changes; our special partners and  businesses who give and do so much for our community.  And, it would not be Bayberry if we did not extend a special “thanks”  and gratitude for all our area first responders, UPS drivers, FedEx drivers, U.S. Postal carriers — all those people who quietly support this special area daily. So, this week, we give special thanks for significant upgrades and changes that have happened to make a great community extraordinary.

What Seniors Should Know About the Winter Blues

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, Senior Living, , , ,

Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living

When fall and winter roll around, it’s not uncommon for people to get a little blue. You or someone you know may feel more tired, unmotivated, and sad — but just because it happens every year doesn’t mean it’s normal. What’s commonly known as the “winter blues” could be something more. Especially during the cold and dark months, attention to senior mental health is critical for overall wellness.

It’s not just “feeling down”

Sadness and anger are part of a healthy spectrum of emotions, so feeling down or upset once in a while is totally normal. However, if a mood change lasts for a week or more, it could be a bigger problem than the blues.

Seasonal Affective Disorder, often abbreviated as SAD, is a mental health condition that affects sufferers during certain seasons. While it’s usually associated with winter, SAD can actually occur at different points of the year for different people. The disorder is more common during winter in the northern states, as our northern latitudes receive less sunlight than the south.

Aging adults may be at higher risk of depression and SAD, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Senior physical health and senior mental health go hand in hand – depression is more common in people with other illnesses, such as heart disease and cancer, and around 80% of older adults have at least one chronic health condition.

Another condition that could be the cause of winter blues is vitamin D deficiency. While vitamin D deficiency is something that should be addressed no matter what age, the condition is particularly serious in aging and elderly adults. Symptoms of a vitamin D deficiency are easy to overlook, and include:

  • Muscle aches
  • Bone pain
  • Fatigue
  • Depression symptoms

If left undiagnosed and untreated for too long in seniors, a vitamin D deficiency can lead to a higher risk of osteoporosis, so be sure to talk to a medical professional if you’re concerned.

It’s treatable

The good news about the different causes of winter blues is that they’re pretty well understood by the medical community and they’re totally treatable.

There are a variety of treatments for SAD that have been tested and proven to work in almost all cases. Here are a few:

  • Antidepressants
  • Increased sun exposure
  • Light box therapy
  • Cognitive behavior therapy
  • Regular exercise
  • Mindfulness practices

If you think you might be suffering from SAD, talk to your doctor about what treatment is best for you.

For vitamin D deficiency, the treatment is a little more cut and dry. Incorporating vitamin D-rich foods into your diet is the most natural way to tackle a deficiency. Great foods include:

  • Egg yolks
  • Cheeses
  • Fatty fish
  • Beef liver
  • Fortified dairy products

A doctor may also recommend nutritional supplements, but remember to never begin taking vitamin supplements without first consulting a medical professional, as they may interfere with other treatments and medications.

If you or someone close to you goes through the winter blues, there’s a chance that treatment can help. Regardless of whether you feel the effects of SAD or vitamin D deficiency, be sure to pay close attention to your physical and mental health this winter. Spend time with family and friends, get plenty of exercise and nutrition, and make the cold months just as enjoyable as the rest of your year!

Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.

‘Sharenting’: The downside to posting about your children on social media

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By Kylie Rymanowicz, Michigan State University Extension

 

Social media can help you connect to friends and family across the globe and it can help you feel connected when things get tough. ‘Sharenting’, or “parenting and sharing,” is a relatively new term used to describe parents using social media to share photographs, videos and information about their children.

 

Studies have shown that parents use social media for a variety of reasons and in a variety of ways. A Pew study found that social media is being used as a parenting tool and resource. They found that 74 percent of parents reported receiving support on social media, including social emotional support. Parents are using multiple platforms like Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter. A poll conducted by C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital found that parents commonly shared about getting kids to sleep, nutrition, discipline, child care/preschool and behavior problems. This survey also indicated that social media helps many parents feel like they aren’t alone.

 

“Oversharenting” refers to those parents who overshare on social media about their children. While a parent may not see any problem with what they are posting about their children, older children have expressed concern and frustration. In a 2016 study, Alexis Hiniker, Sarita Schoenebeck and Julie Kientz surveyed parents and children about family rules and perceptions regarding technology use. They found that many children were concerned about their parents oversharing content on social media and sharing without the child’s permission. They reported feeling embarrassed and frustrated that their parents made decisions about their online presence without consulting them.

 

Should you be consented about sharenting or oversharenting? The overall consensus is yes. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, there are risks associated with posting about your child online.

 

Your child doesn’t get a say. We give children choices about all sorts of things. To empower and protect children, we teach them to take ownership of their bodies by letting them choose if they want to kiss or hug relatives and teaching body safety. We teach them to respect privacy, like knocking before you enter a room. However, when we post about them without their consent, we are not respecting their self-ownership, privacy or opinions.

 

You do not have control. Once you post something on social media, it belongs to the world. You cannot control who has access to it or how someone might use it. Even when your profiles are kept private or locked down, you do not have control over what someone you gave access to it might do with it. Many parents have faced digital kidnapping, when someone on the internet “steals” a picture of your child and uses it on social media to claim that it’s their own child.

 

There are very real safety concerns. When you post specific information about your child online, like their full name, age, where they go to school or child care, you risk someone you don’t trust being able to gain access to your child. Innocent photos and videos have also made their way to explicit adult-oriented and other unsavory sites.

 

For more articles on child development, academic success, parenting and life skill development, please visit the Michigan State University Extension website.

 

To learn about the positive impact children and families experience due to MSU Extension programs, read our 2017 impact report. Additional impact reports, highlighting even more ways Michigan 4-H and MSU Extension positively impacted individuals and communities in 2017, can be downloaded from the Michigan 4-H website.

 

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). Reprinted with permission.

On the shelf: ‘The Commissario Guido Brunetti Series’ by Donna Leon

Books, Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, , , ,

By Bill Hill, Grand Rapids Public Library

 

Your plans for a trip to Italy fell apart? Until you can visit Rome or glide through Venice’s canals, do this: Take up with a policeman.

 

Donna Leon, an American living in Italy, has just brought out the 15th book, Through a Glass Darkly, in her mystery series set in Venice. Commissario Guido Brunetti is patient, principled and long suffering in the pursuit of justice in a bureaucracy often corrupt. He is married to Paola, who cooks wonderful meals and provides shrewd commentary. You finish a book feeling you’ve had a privileged homestay and seen sites for from the tourist track.

 

It’s best to begin the series with the first book, Death at La Fenice, since the author often refers to earlier incidents. Here, in the celebrated opera house, the world-famous conductor Maestro Helmut Wellauer, is poisoned during a performance of La Traviata. Brunetti, accustomed to the mazey corruptions of Venice, is surprised at the number of enemies Wellauer has made on his way to the top. That title is followed by Death in a Strange Country, in which the body of an American soldier is found in a canal. Next in the series is Uniform Justice, in which a cadet from Venice’s elite military academy is found hanged. The investigation leads to a wall of silence and hostility.

 

The series is very popular throughout Europe and is gathering lots of fans in the U.S., many of whom also couldn’t vacation in Venice this year.

School News Network: 6Cs and project-based learning gain international attention

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International Reporter Felix Kwon interviews student Jayden West


By Bridie Bereza
School News Network

The district received some international attention this month when a film crew from South Korea shot a segment for an upcoming documentary at Lee Middle and High School.

South Korea’s Educational Broadcasting System, a television and radio network that is analogous to Public Broadcasting Service in the U.S., is creating a three-part series that will air later this year called “The Future of Education.”

Felix Kwon is an international reporter and researcher who worked on the documentary for EBS.

“We had such a wonderful time (at Godfrey-Lee),” he said. “When we talk about future of education, we always think of high-tech, coding, programming — that more techy stuff, right? But I don’t think that’s everything about the future of education. Tech stuff can be helpful, but there are some other elements that we need to prepare the next generation.”

EBS films Lee Middle School student Ethan Ryon

Seeing the “Cs” in Action

Kwon found those elements at Godfrey-Lee, which was recommended to him by Roberta Michnick Golinkoff and Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, co-authors of “Becoming Brilliant.” The book lays out principles of education known as the “6Cs” (collaboration, communication, content, critical thinking, creative innovation, and confidence). Godfrey-Lee has adopted these principals throughout the district.

Kwon and the crew filmed an English Language Arts class, a Spanish market created by students in the media center, and a seventh-grade STEAM class.

“It was a wonderful experience,” said Carol Lautenbach, assistant superintendent of teaching and learning design for Godfrey-Lee Public Schools. She appreciated how the questions from the interviewers helped school staff clarify and articulate what they’re doing.

“It helps you think through the decisions that have been made, and think about why you’re doing what you’re doing. The team was very interested in hearing the ‘why.’”

EBS interviewed Lautenbach, Superintendent Kevin Polston, Board of Education President Eric Mockerman, and teachers Kim Plum and Katherine Merriott.

Felix Kwon of EBS chats with Lee High School students Crystal Gonzalez and Erick Chavarria

Education Innovation

Kwon said that in South Korea, almost every primary school is public, and falls under the ministry of education.

“In some senses, it’s a very good model. Wherever you are, you get equal funding under the ministry of education,” said Kwon, noting that you wouldn’t see huge disparities in the educational system from one region to another.

However, he said, some things about the uniform nature of the educational system can act as a barrier when it’s necessary to act fast and tailor teaching to the students and the changing employment landscape.

Kwon said that education often focuses heavily on artificial intelligence, coding and technological advances that rely on costly devices. While Godfrey-Lee has incorporated technology where necessary, he said, they’re preparing the next generation overall by adapting the curriculum to apply the 6Cs and project-based learning, which is an innovative way of educating.

Lee Middle School teacher Kim Plum talks to Felix Kwon

“At Godfrey-Lee, they’re really trying to build on the students’ perspective,” said Kwon. “More than 75 percent of students there are receiving free or reduced lunch. Still, in that environment, they’re seeing very dramatic results. It’s pretty impressive.”

Godfrey-Lee staff will get a chance to see the documentary when it airs, with English subtitles.

Lautenbach said that gaining international interest in what the district is doing has been an honor. The students were excited to participate.

“It was a pretty good feeling to show them what it is we’re trying to create here —  a joyful learning experience,” she said.

A crew member from South Korea’s Educational Broadcasting System films in Jessica Lewakowski’s classroom at Lee Middle and High School

Snapshots: Wyoming, Kentwood news you need to know

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By WKTV Staff

joanne@wktv.org

Quote

I’m a frustrated actor. My…goal is to beat Alfred Hitchcock in the number of cameos. I’m going to try to break his record.

- Stan Lee

Books and the Bus

Now available on The Rapids: Books.


If you are taking The Rapid anywhere, you will now be able to grab something to read. The Rapid and the Kent District Library have partnered up for the program Books on the Bus. The program provides a collection of books for all ages that are conveniently placed on buses for riders to enjoy.

Our Favorite Toys 

Lincoln Logs were created by John Lloyd Wright, the son of fame architect Frank Lloyd Wright.


As an experiment, imagine six to seven people gathered at a holiday social event people who don’t know each other and from the forced, polite conversation you could probably tell each of them would rather be someplace else. Now, in this polite conversation, introduce the subject of toys and in particular, favorite toys and within 60 seconds you would sense the atmosphere around this group changing.



Shoot, Score

East Kentwood High School’s girls basketball team in action game at Wyoming last season. (WKTV)

WKTV has also started early to bring local audiences a full slate of games began with the final varsity game to be played at South Christian High School’s current location when the Lady Sailors entertained Hamilton on Dec. 4. But we will also showcase the new location on Kalamazoo Avenue just north of 84th Street, as WKTV will bring the opening night games as both the boys and girls initiate the new gymnasium when they host Unity Christian on Friday, Dec. 21.


35 Film Appearances

That is how many cameos Stan Lee made in the Marvel films before his death. It does not technically beat Alfred Hitchcock’s 39 cameo appearances, however; if you add in all the non-Marvel appearances and his animation work, Lee definitely beat Hitchcock. Also, posthumously, Lee will make cameos in Captain Marvel and Avengers: Endgame, both set to be released in 2019.

Essay: Our Favorite Toys

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, , ,
Lincoln Logs were created by John Lloyd Wright, the son of fame architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

By Tom Norton

tom@wktv.org

Mention those three words in any (and I mean any) group of people and you’ll get an immediate response. As an experiment, imagine six to seven people gathered at a holiday social event people who don’t know each other and from the forced, polite conversation you could probably tell each of them would rather be someplace else. Now, in this polite conversation, introduce the subject of toys and in particular, favorite toys and within 60 seconds you would sense the atmosphere around this group changing. It would be like a light switch was thrown. Suddenly there would be interest and growing engagement, the conversation would become animated and within a few minutes, it is likely everyone would be involved and sharing something deeply personal about their lives growing up.

And chances are they wouldn’t be sad stories. Even kids growing up on the lowest rung of the economic ladder have a memory of the “go to” place that a toy, any toy, transported them to. 

Hot Wheels were introduced in 1968 by Mattel.

If during the holiday season, we talk of peace on earth and good will to all, then our shared sentiment about our own experience with our favorite toy is probably the best place to get people talking, sharing and communicating. I won’t go so far as to suggest that world leaders open negotiating sessions by talking first about their favorite toys, but after so many centuries of war and strife, who wouldn’t be willing to try?  Can you imagine that the first item on the agenda at the next global summit is talking about Tinkertoys or Hot Wheels?

Yes, toys have a power and psychologists have researched, written, theorized and even argued over the extent and meaning of that power. While as we leave adolescence and become teenagers, toys diminish dramatically in importance, at the same time, few objects have such far reaching implications with the development of our psyche. Researcher Etienne Benson with the Association for Psychological Science notes in her article “Toy Stories” that virtually no culture is entirely without toys and that children will turn any and everyday objects into toys and games. All of it proof of that perfectly human need for play, social interaction, and exploration.

Inspired by watching children play with pencils, sticks and empty spools of thread, Charles Pajeau and Robert Petit created Tinker Toys in 1914.

But toys, since the industrial revolution of the mid 1800s have gradually become more than that. Some argue that it’s the commoditization of a child’s imagination. Toy manufacturers spend billions on development that employs color, lights, sounds, and tactile feel to draw a child into making this or that object a plaything. Yet why is it that we all know from personal experience of at least one occasion that the cardboard box became the biggest source of pleasure?  

More than two billion cans of Play-Doh has been sold between 1955 and 2005.

Andrew Meltzoff, a developmental psychologist at the University of Washington, sheds some light on the cardboard box phenomena. He writes, “This interest in playing with everyday objects may reflect a desire to imitate adults and, by imitating, to explore the social values and roles of their societies. Through imitating adults,” he says, “children learn who they are. Toy manufacturers strive mightily to make toys that attract infants and young children with lights and sounds, buzzes and whistles. They can make things that grab the child’s attention, but the children’s hearts lie with the pots and pans, the tea cups and telephones that they see their parents use.”

Play-Doh become so popular that play sets such as the salon above were created.

But toys as it turns out, any toy made of anything; can have far reaching effects on any child’s development. And like anything, it starts with mom or dad and ideally, with both. Tamis-LeMonda and colleagues recently did a study of two- and three-year-old children in low income families. Her research found that supportive joint play of parents for just 10 minutes predicted a child’s performance on standardized tests of cognition and language a year later.  

And toys and playtime may be even more than that. Jerome Singer and Dorothy Singer, co-directors at Yale University Family Television and Consultation Center, have argued that imaginative play is not only fun, but also crucial for development of decision making, keeping things in context and or course, creativity. 

Mr. Potato Head was the creation of Brooklyn toy inventor George Lerner in 1940. It took 12 years for him to get it on the market.

The way we toss away the idea of our favorite toys by our teenage years implies they just aren’t that important. But they have to be. I have to admit that in writing this, I realized that I have my own favorite. It’s a classic car that I own and that I interact with psychologically the same way I did with my favorite toys when I was ten. Driving the classic car, maintaining it, dreaming of doing more with it; is really adult play, giving me those same feelings that inspired me to play with those favorite toys when I was 8-years-old. I don’t know whether to be embarrassed or proud that I can still be a kid.

Our toys are the transports of our imagination to places we want to be, things we want to become or the way we want to feel about ourselves. It seems like an awful lot to expect from something as simple as a toy. But toys, however, work. They were created by humans in order to unlock and build imagination, healing, and comfort and have been perpetuated through millennia because of that. Not convinced? Just ask any teddy bear whose presence helped a small child through what psychologists call separation anxiety. However, just make sure they don’t catch you talking to teddy bears because if you did, well, you might just be getting in touch with your inner child all over again. 

And that like the earlier suggestion for world leaders to start talking about their favorite toys, may not be such a bad idea.

Citations of the research data found in this article can be found in The Association for Psychological Science article, “Toy Stories” by Etienne Benson published, December 2006.

Are you behind on property tax or mortgage payments?

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By Brenda Long, Michigan State University Extension

Some homeowners are still having financial difficulties even though the foreclosure rate in Michigan has significantly declined in recent years with the economy and employment rates improving. All it can take is one large unexpected expense, unemployment or life change. Fortunately, nearly $19 million in funds are still available for eligible delinquent homeowners to get caught up and keep their home.

Bill Hendrian and I have written previous articles about Michigan’s Hardest Hit Fund program, also known as Step Forward Michigan. This federally funded loan program started in 2010 and is designed to help eligible homeowners who are struggling with their mortgage, condo association fees, and/or property taxes to retain ownership of their primary residence. As of September 2018, nearly 37,000 Michigan households in all 83 counties received more than $39 million in assistance, according to MSHDA.

Currently, this is the only statewide assistance program to get caught up on delinquent property taxes. If homeowners are behind three years, on 2016 taxes, they have started receiving notices from their county treasurers about facing foreclosure if those 2016 taxes are not paid by Mar. 31, 2019. Last year, my experience was that homeowners needed to apply to Step Forward Michigan by January to allow for processing time. Situations are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Most homeowners who procrastinated or did not apply until February or March were not approved in time for this assistance earlier this year. The lesson learned was to apply this fall if you are facing foreclosure with delinquent 2016 property taxes.

Watch a short video for guidance about the Step Forward Michigan application process. The online application can be completed in three ways:

  • Go to the Step Forward Michigan website and complete the application yourself plus email, fax or mail the signed application and supporting documents to Step Forward Michigan.
  • Call Step Forward Michigan at 866-946-7432 to apply by phone.
  • Michigan State University Extension Housing Counselors or other local housing counselors can help homeowners fill out the online application, submit all the required documents, and follow-up until a decision is made. During the past eight years, thousands of Michigan homeowners who worked with our counselors have received assistance to save their homes from foreclosure.

If approved, up to $30,000 is paid directly to the participating mortgage servicer or county treasurer for application directly to the household’s mortgage loan or property taxes. No interest and no payments are required from the homeowner. As cases are reviewed, a lien is placed on the property for five years and 20 percent of the loan is forgiven per year. At the end of the five years, the loan is forgiven. During the five-year period, if the property is transferred, sold, or is no longer the principal residence, the non-forgivable portion is due.

For further information or to see if you qualify for assistance you can go to Step Forward Michigan for a list of frequently asked questions and access an online application and a list of documents that are required to submit an application.

If you do not qualify for Step Forward Michigan, helpful resources are provided to consider other options available.

Facing foreclosure is a difficult financial situation for homeowners. Fortunately many are getting back on track to become current with their payments and keep their homes and stay living in their communities. Find fact sheets and more information about mortgage and property tax foreclosure at MIMoneyHealth.org.

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).

Eyes could be the window to predicting Alzheimer’s

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Eye tests could one day make it possible to screen people in their 40s or 50s for early signs of Alzheimer’s, and begin treatment to delay further progression of the disease. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Robert Preidt, HealthDay

 

An eye exam might spot people with Alzheimer’s disease before they show any symptoms, researchers report.

 

“All of us have a small area devoid of blood vessels in the center of our retinas that is responsible for our most precise vision. We found that this zone lacking blood vessels was significantly enlarged in people with pre-clinical Alzheimer’s disease,” explained co-principal investigator Dr. Rajendra Apte. He is a professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

 

Previous studies have found that the eyes of people who had died from Alzheimer’s showed signs of thinning in the center of the retina and deterioration of the optic nerve.

 

In this new study, Apte’s team used a noninvasive technique called optical coherence tomography angiography to examine the thickness of the retinas and fibers in the optic nerves of 30 people, average age mid-70s, who had no symptoms of Alzheimer’s.

 

A form of the test is available at many eye doctors in the United States.

 

After the eye tests, PET scans and cerebrospinal fluid analyses revealed that about half of the study participants had elevated levels of the Alzheimer’s-related proteins amyloid or tau. So, even though they didn’t have any Alzheimer’s symptoms, these people were likely to develop the disease.

 

“In the patients with elevated levels of amyloid or tau, we detected significant thinning in the center of the retina,” Apte said in a university news release.

 

According to study first author Dr. Bliss O’Bryhim, “This technique has great potential to become a screening tool that helps decide who should undergo more expensive and invasive testing for Alzheimer’s disease prior to the appearance of clinical symptoms.” O’Bryhim is a resident physician in the department of ophthalmology and visual sciences.

 

“Our hope is to use this technique to understand who is accumulating abnormal proteins in the brain that may lead them to develop Alzheimer’s,” she added.

 

It’s believed that Alzheimer’s-related plaques can accumulate in the brain two decades before symptoms appear, so scientists are trying to find ways to detect the disease earlier.

 

Currently, PET scans and lumbar punctures are used to help diagnose Alzheimer’s, but these methods are invasive and expensive.

 

Further research is needed, but this eye test could one day make it possible to screen people in their 40s or 50s for early signs of Alzheimer’s, and begin treatment to delay further progression of the disease, the study authors suggested.

 

The study was published in the journal JAMA Ophthalmology.

 

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum HealthBeat.