Category Archives: Citizen Journalism

Meijer Gardens, county parks, Mackinac Parks begin reopening trend

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Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. (Supplied by FMG)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

It will take a while for West Michigan recreation and entertainment venues to begin their reopening process, and even longer for them to get back to normal, but local attractions such as Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park and the Kent County park system — as well as tourist destinations including Mackinac Island Parks — this week announced reopening plans.

WKTV brings you a wrap of what’s opening, what will open soon, and what is still up in the early summer air.

Meijer Gardens

Meijer Gardens will reopen Monday, June 8, at 9 a.m., with new and enhanced safety procedures. There will be extensive signage and way-finding icons to help people social distance, according to an announcement made this week.

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is set to reopen on Monday. (Supplied)

“Meijer Gardens first closed our doors to the public on Friday, March 13, due to the global pandemic. It has been an extremely long and painful three months without seeing our facility full of members and guests,” David Hooker, president & CEO of Meijer Gardens said in supplied material. “We are looking forward to welcoming back guests beginning on Monday and can’t wait for people to once again experience our masterpieces of art and nature.”

The planned, but delayed, exhibition “George Segal: Body Language” will open in approximately one week, according to Meijer Gardens. But due to current social distancing and safety guidelines, certain areas within the main building and outside grounds will remain closed for the time being.

“However, the most important part of complying with the rules and guidelines established by Federal and State authorities will be the voluntary compliance of our guests. We sincerely request all our guests comply for the safety and benefit of all,” according to the statement.

For the most current Meijer Gardens information regarding enhanced safety procedures and a map showing areas that are temporarily closed, visit MeijerGardens.org/COVID.

Kent County Parks

Kent County will have a staggered reopening schedule for its beaches, campground, open shelters, picnic areas, public restrooms and splash pad facilities. (Supplied)

The Kent County Parks has started a staggered reopening schedule for its beaches, campground, open shelters, picnic areas, public restrooms, and splash pad facilities, the county announced this week.

“We are excited to welcome visitors back to Kent County Parks and for them to experience the physical and mental health benefits of being outdoors,” Dan DeLooff, county parks superintendent, said in supplied material. “However, it is critical that visitors follow our new rules that prevent overcrowding and support social distancing to ensure our parks are safe for everyone.”

Opening immediately are swimming beaches at Long Lake Park, Millennium Park, Myers Lake Park and Wabasis Park;  all playgrounds; the Kaufman Golf Course; all restrooms, open shelters and group picnic areas. The Millennium Park Splash pad will open on June 8 and the Wabasis Lake Campground will open on June 12.

Enclosed shelters and recreational fields remain closed until further notice from the Governor’s Office. For up-to-date information visit kentcountyparks.org.


The Grand Rapids Public Museum has not announced an opening date yet. (WKTV)

Other Kent County, regional Attractions

Kent District Library

KDL is taking this phased approach to reopening, introducing those services that can be immediately provided while staff make adjustments within the facilities to ensure safety and compliance. All Kent District Library locations will have exterior book drops will open on June 8. Curbside service for picking up items will start June 15 with branches opening with limited service July 6. For details about KDL, visit kdl.org.

Zoos

The John Ball Zoo was scheduled to re-open in May but has postponed those plans with no specific date given on when the zoo might re-open. However, the Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek. For details on Binder Park Zoo, visit binderparkzoo.org.

Museums

None of the local museums, the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, the Grand Rapids Art Museum, or the Grand Rapids Public Museum, have announced opening dates yet. The announcements are expected soon.

Trails

While the facilities at Blandford Nature Center are closed, the trails are open. Actually many of the area parks have open trails.

Gilmore Car Museum

The Gilmore Car Museum, located at Hickory Corners, re-opens to the public on Friday June 12, but guests will “notice several new procedures, all mandated by the State of Michigan, and geared toward the Museum’s top priority of assuring the health and safety of their employees, volunteers and visitors,” according to a June 4 statement.

For details and more information visit GilmoreCarMuseum.organd the museum’s social media.

Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse will open June 13. (Supplied)

State Openings

The state is also starting to open some of its parks. This week Mackinac State historic Parks announced it would be welcoming guests to historic sites and facilities starting June 12.

The first sties to be open in Mackinaw City will be Colonial Michilimackinac, the Colonial Michilimackinac Vistor’s Center, and the Michilimackinc State Park restrooms. Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse will open June 13 and the Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park and the David A. Armour Vistor’s Center will open June 15.

On June 19, the Mackinac State historic Parks will open its buildings and facilities on Mackinac Island. This includes: Fort Mackinac, The Richard and Jane Manoogian Mackinac ArtMuseu, Historic downtown Mackinac (Benjamin Blacksmith Shop and the American Fur Company Store and Dr. Beaumont Museum, the Mackinac Island State Park Vistor’s Center and restrooms, Mission Church, Bark Chapel, Fort holmes Blockhouse, British Landing Nature Center and restrooms, Arch Rock restrooms, and the Station 256 Conference Room. The Biddle House feating the Native American Museum, will be open later due to construction delays during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’re excited to get our historic sites open for the 2020 season and offer the world-class living history programs and activities for our guests,” said Phil Porter, Mackinac State Historic Parks Director. “We have developed, using our Visitor First philosophy, a set of guidelines that will safely welcome guests to our sites while allowing for a fun and educational time.”

For details on the openings and other schedules, visit mackinacparks.com.

WKTV Managing Editor Joanne Bailey-Boorsma contributed to this story.

School News Network: Game changers

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Glenwood Elementary second-grade teacher Lauren Heald leads her class earlier this school year using the Capturing Kids Hearts model (School News Network)

Godfrey-Lee: Gaming club doubles membership its first season

The Godfrey-Lee’s first esports club grew from 18 students last fall to 40 middle and high schoolers competing in games such as Super Smash Bros., Ultimate, Fortnite, Overwatch and Mario Kart. In-person gaming clubs are growing in local districts and beyond. Other area esports teams include Catholic Central, East Grand Rapids, Lowell, Rockford, Sparta, Kentwood, West Catholic and West Michigan Aviation Academy. Aquinas College hosts sports competitions and West Michigan University has built an arena to accommodate esports. For more, click here.

Kentwood teachers are using KPS Remote Learning and Tech Talk as a go-to spot for tech tool instruction (School News Network)

Kentwood: Teachers tap into one another’s knowledge for remote teaching

Kentwood Public Schools educators have been sharing their knowledge and the tools they use in their classrooms with other teachers as the district quickly switched to remote learning due to the state-mandated closure of schools to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Just how did they accomplish this? Click here to learn more.

Director of Dining Services Monica Collier, far right, holds her statewide award for Breakfast Hero given to her by Mindy Grant, Michigan Breakfast Program grant manager, second from right. Lee Middle and High School student council members surround the breakfast cart Collier implemented (School News Network)

Godfrey-Lee: I’ll take that to go, please, for geometry class

With most of the students at Godfrey-Lee receiving free or reduce meals, you would think breakfast would be popular, but turnout was quite low for the morning meal. That is until Godfrey-Lee Dining Services Director Monica Collier created the breakfast cart program last fall, earning a state award for her idea in early March before the mandatory school closure due to COVID-19. To learn more about the breakfast cart program click here.

When life threw us COVID-19, Theatricks decided to make masks

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David Johnson, owner of Theatricks cuts strips of elastic for masks. (WKTV)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

As area theater companies began to cancel productions due to gathering restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic, Theatricks owners David Johnson and Kateri Kline-Johnson went from making costumes to making masks.

“It was an easy switch,” said David Johnson during an interview at his costume shop Theatricks, 2136 Plainfield Ave. SE. “As theaters closed, we just went from making costumes to making masks. We didn’t think much of it. We figured we would probably make about 100 to 200 masks.”

About ten weeks and more than 2,000 masks later, Johnson said the shop has been able to make enough masks to stay open during the pandemic, keep the three employees — himself, his wife, and another employee — employed, plus cover all the building’s utility costs as well as the supply cost for the masks. Johnson owns the building that his business is located in.

Some of the masks available at Theatricks. (WKTV)

“We have not had to take out any government loans or layoff any employees,” Johnson said. 

The group decided to offer up a basic mask, made of two pieces of 100 percent cotton with non-adjustable elastic straps. This mask comes in small, for children 2-11, and adult regular and large. They also make a mask with a pocket to place a filter and adjustable elastic straps.

As surgical and N95 masks became harder to find along with the Michigan guidelines that residents should wear a mask while in public places, cloth masks became the answer. According to the Mayo Clinic, cloth masks can help reduce the spread of the coronavirus by people who have COVID-19 but don’t realize it.

“One of the hardest things we ran into was getting the supplies needed to make the masks,” Johnson said. With only word-of-mouth and social media as advertising for the store’s masks, Theatriks was inundated with requests.

This coupled with the fact that many had taken up making homemade masks, made getting the needed elastic for the masks tough. So the Johnsons innovated and started making masks with a tie made from corset lacing. 

Theatricks owner David Johnson with some the masks that are available at the Plainfield Avenue store. (WKTV)

Johnson said they listened to customers about specific needs such as how the elastic on a mask could start to hurt the ears after long periods of use. So they designed a mask with the elastic going over the head instead of around the ears.

Then a customer came in with the suggestion of making a headband with buttons on either side for the mask’s elastic band, which the store started making as well.

While costs for materials have gone up, Johsnon said the couple made the decision early on to keep the price for the masks low, which start at $3 for a basic mask and goes up for the speciality masks.

“We honestly, really did not think that it would take off as much as it did,” Johnson said, adding that they have had individuals come in to buy a few masks to churches and organizations ordering more than 100.

Having been in business for 39 years, Theatricks is known for building and providing costumes to community, college, and high school theater productions. The store staff also makes period pieces for those who participate in Civil War reenactments and Renaissance festivals.

“We actually have had a few people coming in to have costumes made for the Renaissance fairs for when they start back up again,” Johnson said, adding he usually has a booth at the fairs for costumes and other related items.  Johnson said he is hoping that the Michigan Renaissance Festival in Holly, Mich., will still take place in late August.

Also over the past few weeks, local theater companies have been reaching out as well as they look ahead to their upcoming productions and the possibility of being able to open in the fall, Johnson said. 

Still it is quiet in the store with Johnson spending a portion of his time cutting elastic in the north corner of the shop that is filled with costumes, masks, wigs, make up and jewelry. The actually sewing area is a clean room with only those making the masks allowed in.

“It’s all done by hand,” he said with a laugh as he measured out the elastic strips. We chat for a few minutes and then I gather up my prize — five brand new masks.

The growing melanoma risk

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Melanoma from sun exposure and indoor tanning is most common among teens and young adults. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Steven Reinberg, HealthDay


Cases of deadly melanomas on the head and neck rose more than 51% over two decades among young people in the United States and Canada, a new study reports.


Researchers found that the incidence of head and neck melanoma rose nearly 4% a year from 1995 to 2001 and 1.2% a year from 2001 to 2014 in children and young adults.


Using data from a North American cancer registry, the investigators looked at patients from infancy to age 39 who were diagnosed with head and neck melanoma between 1995 and 2014.


During that time, nearly 12,500 people were diagnosed with the cancer.


Of those, 55% were boys and men, and 91% lived in the United States, the study found.


“This is an important finding because melanoma in other parts of the body are usually more common in females than males,” said study co-author Nosayaba Osazuwa-Peters. He is an assistant professor in the department of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at St. Louis University School of Medicine.


“It is therefore important that melanoma prevention campaigns do not only focus on young women,” he explained.


The researchers zeroed in on melanoma of the head and neck because, although it accounts for only one in five melanoma cases, its survival rates are worse than for other melanomas.


“In fact, the five-year survival rate of head and neck melanoma is worse than the 10-year survival rates of other regions of the body,” Osazuwa-Peters explained in a university news release.


Also, while melanoma patients are diagnosed at an average age of 63, this type of cancer from sun exposure and indoor tanning is most common among teens and young adults.


Osazuwa-Peters said that the public can help spot melanoma early.


“For example, barbers and stylists might be the first to spot irregular skin on the scalp before the doctors do. It is therefore important to increase awareness about this cancer,” he said.


The report was published online recently in the journal JAMA Otolaryngology—Head & Neck Surgery.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.



2020 Metro Cruise cancelled, WKTV moves forward with Dream Wheels show

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By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

WKTV Community Media does plan to broadcast and live stream its Dream Wheels classic car show in August. (WKTV)

While the 2020 Metro Cruise has been cancelled this year, auto car enthusiasts still will be able to enjoy a host of classic cars as WKTV Community Media will be broadcasting its popular Dream Wheels classic car show in August.

The Wyoming-Kentwood Chamber of Commerce announced today that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it has made the decision to cancel the 28th Street Metro Cruise for 2020.

The event was scheduled to take place for its 16th consecutive year on Aug. 21-22 on the 13-mile long stretch of 28th Street from Grandville to Cascade Charter Township. The central hub of the event takes place at Rogers Plaza in Wyoming, which features the famous Collector Car Row, local bands, event merchandise and more.

“While it is very unfortunate the pandemic has affected our society and events in so many ways, WKTV Community Media is committed to helping to keep the home fires for Metro Cruise burning,” said WKTV General Manager Tom Norton. “We’ve been in the planning stages for the televised coverage of Metro Cruise for the last few months and will be shifting to a live and streamed classic car program for 2020.”

Dream Wheels has become a popular attraction during Metro Cruise hosting a number of rare cars and popular favorites. Norton said plans for this year’s show will again focus on lots of car classics.

“At this stage, we can say that the program will feature many classic vehicles from the region, but without general public attendance,” Norton said. “We encourage everyone to stay with WKTV Journal to get more updates on the program as they develop and we heartily encourage everyone to continue to follow all rules and guidelines so we can see the COVID pandemic in the rear view mirror.”

Metro Cruise was started in 2005 to help drive traffic to 28th Street after M-6 was opened. (WKTV)

Started in 2005 to help drive business to the 28th Street corridor when the M-6 highway system opened on the south end of Grand Rapids, the Metro Cruise has become a known and loved West Michigan’s premiere car event. The Metro Cruise typically draws more than 275,000 people annually from across the United States and includes approximately 15,000 vehicles such as hot rods, low riders, muscle cars, performance cars, classics, antiques and motorcycles, in additional to numerous live events. 

“This event has become a community tradition, and we always look forward to welcoming car lovers from around the country into our communities each year,” said Bob O’Callaghan, president and CEO the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce. “While it appears our state may begin to gradually reopen this summer, the event still poses a potential high risk of spreading COVID-19 in our community and beyond. 

“Out of an abundance of caution, the Chamber agreed it cannot risk a second wave of infection in a state that already has experienced enough loss. This was an extremely difficult decision for the Chamber to make, but the right one in light of health concerns for our community.”

The event is planned to return Aug. 20-21, 2021. For more information on the event, visit 28thstreetmetrocruise.com.

5 things assisted living communities do for you (that you don’t want to do)

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Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living


Summertime means barbecues, lake trips and fun in the sun with family and friends but it can also mean lawn mowing, weed pulling, bug killing and other (not so fun) tasks to keep your home or yard in shape. While they are not fun for anyone, for aging adults these tasks can become increasingly difficult. Moving to an assisted living facility can mean exchanging tedious and arduous home tasks for simply enjoying everything the summer has to offer.


What do you give up when you choose an assisted living community? Things you don’t want to be doing anyway.  

Home maintenance

Never change a light bulb again. Don’t worry about that leaky faucet and definitely don’t climb up on that ladder to clean the gutters. All the stuff you dread doing around the house, repairs, cleaning, leaky faucets, is taken care of when you live in a retirement community with a full of life focus.

Plan trips & activities

It’s great to take trips; it’s not always great to plan them. The effort of searching for something to do, researching parking, finding food in the area and figuring out transportation can often take away the joy of visiting a new place. So, let someone else plan the logistics for you while you simply tag along for the fun. No driving, no parking, no fighting traffic, just a good time.

Watch your house while you’re gone

If it’s always been your dream to travel in your retirement years, you don’t want to be burdened by the requirements of home ownership. Leaving a home behind for extended periods means keeping it safe and locked up, planning for yard maintenance while you’re away and worrying about what might happen while it’s empty. If you’re traveling during the winter, it’s your responsibility to keep your sidewalks clear, and snow build up on your home can often cause damage if not tended to immediately. When you’re traveling, you want to enjoy your time away. When you live in a community like Vista Springs, your home is taken care of, no matter where are.

Cooking

An elaborate meal tastes great, but the before and after can be tedious. Preparation can take hours and doing the dishes sometimes makes the meal more of a hassle than a reward. A luxury living community means a variety of exciting, healthy meals that you can enjoy with friends or family, without the hassle of preparation or cleanup.

Yard work

From raking to snow shoveling, yard work can take its toll on your back and joints and can make owning a home as you age a painful burden. Rather than paying a neighbor kid to shovel the sidewalk every time it snows or watching the leaves pile up while you dread getting out the rake, depend on your community to create and take care of a lush and beautiful landscape.


Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.



Local suppliers, county work to fill PPE gap as businesses begin to open up

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Several local manufacturers are making personal protective equipment such as masks and hand sanitizer. (Public Domain)

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

Before many businesses can open, owners first must secure personal protective equipment with two local agencies stepping up to the challenge to help owners find and purchase what they needs.

This week, Kent County announced the Kent County Back to Work initiative where the Kent County Board of Commissioners has allocated $2 million of the County’s CARES Act funding to provide person protective equipment at not cost to qualifying small businesses and other employers. Available PPE includes eye and face protection, gloves, hand sanitizer and thermometers.

“We need to focus on getting our economy back on track, making sure employers have what they need to safely reopen and employees fee safet to go back to work,” said Kent County Board of Commissioners Chair Mandy Bolter. “Our Board listened to countless business representatives who were concerned about the ability to source PPE. We ant to remove that roadblock and use the County buying power to help where we can.”

To quality, employers must be located in Kent County and must employ 100 people or fewer. Qualified employers may place PPE requests either online or by calling the PPE fulfillment center at (616) 245-3636 between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. Calls will be taken in English or Spanish.

All qualifying requests received by 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, June 4 will be entered into a random selection process. The first-round selection will take place on Friday, June 5, and a third-party fulfillment center will begin filling requests on that date.

Those selected in the first-round selection process will be contacted after their requests are filled, and they will be told where they can pick-up their order. Requests not picked up by employers within five business days of notification will be returned to inventory.

The program will continue accepting employer requests and running daily random selection process as long as program funding is available. If an employer is not selected in the initial drawing, they will remain eligible either until they are selected or until funding is no longer available.

Face shields are another PPE product available from local manufacturers.

Local PPE manufacturers

The Right Place, Inc. has developed and launched the West Michigan PPE Supplier Directory. This directory features West Michigan manufacturers who are producing high-demand PPE supplies, along with contact information to procure the supplies.

As West Michigan begins the process of a phased reopening, including today’s restart of manufacturing operations, companies can use this directory to fulfill their critical PPE supply needs and ensure a safe workplace reopening.

“As the region’s employers begin the process of restarting operations, we are proud to offer this resource to assist them in securing PPE from local manufacturers,” said Birgit Klohs, President and CEO, The Right Place, Inc. “The depth and breadth of the PPE available showcases the manufacturing prowess of our region. We are still a community who makes things, and this expertise has served us well as the community navigates this crisis.”

Companies can use the directory to source a wide variety of commonly needed types of PPE such as face masks and shields, gowns, googles, gloves, sanitization products, thermometers and more. More than 60 local companies are featured in the directory.

The West Michigan PPE Supplier Directory lists several Kentwood and Wyoming business that are making PPE productions. Some of the Kentwood and Wyoming businesses listed and the products they have are:

Kentwood’s 3D Printed Parts is offering this comfort strap for masks.

3D Printed Parts, 4355 Airwest Dr. SE, masks, face shields, and comfort straps for masks

Ladder 34, 4980 Kendrick St SE, masks and face shields

Bluewater Technologies, 4245 44th St. SE, digital signs, face shields

Nutra Foods, 4683 50th St. SE, masks, face shields, gloves, goggles, protective suits (not gowns)

Winners Brand, 5090 Kendrick Ct. SE, masks, face shields

Laird Plastics, 3839 E. Paris SE, face shields

Superior Business Solutions, 3615 29th St. SE, gloves, goggles, safety signage, thermometers

Southern Lithoplate, 4150 Danvers Ct. SE, hand sanitizer

Total Plastics, 1652 Gezon Parkway SW, face shields, medical mobile carts

Rapid-Line, 1475 Gezon Pkway. SW, hand free door pulls

Wyoming’s Metro Health – University of Michigan Health, environmental and health consulting

Additionally, products and manufacturers are being added on a regular basis.

If you are a manufacturer producing PPE and would like to be added to the list, contact The Right Place at PPEequip@rightplace.org​​.

Pack the right footwear for summer vacations

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Excessive foot pronation increases the stress at the knee and hip joints, which can create problems in the foot, ankle, knee, hip and lower back. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Robert Preidt, HealthDay


When packing for your summer vacation, be sure to include the right footwear, a podiatrist advises.


“The type of vacation you go on will determine the type of shoe you need,” Dr. Ronald Lepow, an assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine’s department of orthopedic surgery, in Houston, said in a school news release.


If you’ll be doing a lot of walking, wear shoes with good support and consider where you’ll be going. For example, if you’ll be strolling on uneven cobblestones, the flexibility of your shoes will be more important than if you’re visiting a location with smooth, level walkways.


If you’re going to the beach, bring flip-flops or clogs, Lepow said. Don’t walk barefoot on hot sand because doing so can cause blisters. Be sure to put sunscreen on your feet, he added.


Athletic shoes can be a good choice for evening walks along the beach, and water shoes can help prevent injuries from stepping on objects or uneven surfaces under the water.


If available, use foot showers to wash off any potential contaminants from your feet, Lepow advised.


At pools, wear shoes or flip-flops when not swimming to protect yourself from athlete’s foot, nail fungus and warts, he said.


And if you’re going hiking, you should wear hiking boots. They are well-insulated and provide good heel, arch and ankle support.


Finally, if you buy new shoes, be sure to break them in a couple of weeks before your trip. Walk around the house in them, bend them and use shoe inserts to stretch them, Lepow suggested.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.


Got stuff to dump, recycle? Options are becoming available

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Video of Kent County Dump. (Mike Boorsma)
Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

“Hmm, how to purge when you can’t donate, garage sale, and somethings are weird to post on Facebook Marketplace,” a friend posted on her Facebook page.

During the few months of quarantine, I have seen a lot of people, including my own family, cleaning out whether it be the garage, the entire house, or cleaning up the lawn. And now that we may come to the end of the trail — maybe — the question is what to do with all this stuff?

“We’ve seen a lot more stuff coming from the residential area,” said Russ Boersma, general manager for Arrowaste, of collection during the lockdown. Arrowaste is a garbage and trash removal company located in Jenison. “On the flip side of that is that we have seen a lot less from the commercial areas.”

He added that it depends on the commercial route as some of those routes do include apartments.

And most waste haulers like Arrowaste have tried to be accommodating about the extra refuse. Boersma has encouraged customers to leave the lid open with a couple of bags on top.

Arrowaste trucks, like most in the trash haul business, are automated with the driver not having to leave the vehicle to remove trash. An arm comes out of the truck and lifts the waste container upside down so the contents fall into the truck. Boersma said it is up to each hauler’s discretion if they feel comfortable about picking up items that are placed next to the trash container.

“I tell people that if they have a couple of extra bags, they can use leave the lid open and stack the bags on top,” Boersma said, adding that Arrowaste did open its yard waste program in April, which runs through November.

Sticks, yes; Stones, no

According to state law, yard waste such as grass clippings, leaves, and trimmings, must not be mixed in with garbage and many communities, such as the City of Kentwood, do not allow the burning of yard waste. To help residents, both the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming offer yard waste drop off options free to cities’ respective residents.

At the end of April, the City of Wyoming opened its Yard Waste Drop-Off site, located at 2660 Burlingame Ave. SW. There are social distancing guidelines in place with addresses ending in an odd number (1, 3, 5, ,7) may drop off on Monday and Wednesday and those with addresses ending in even numbers (0, 2, 4, 6, 8), may drop off on Tuesday and Thursday. Friday and Saturday are open to all residents. The hours for the site are 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. One thing to remember, if it does not come from the yard naturally, it is not accepted at the Wyoming Yard Waste Drop-Off.

Also remember to bring your ID as the site is monitored.

The City of Kentwood will be opening its brush and leaf drop-offs sites June 6. The sites are located at the Kentwood Department of Public Works, 5068 Breont Ave. SE. The sites will be open for about a month, closing on July 11.

The brush drop-off site will accept brush, sticks, tree limbs and logs. Materials not accepted are plastic bags, trash, dirt, concrete, asphalt, tires, rocks, stones, construction materials, and glass or metal. The leaf drop-off site will accept loose leaves and grass clippings. 

But what to do about that old sofa?

Jill Wallace, Goodwill ow West Michigan’s chief marketing and communications officer, can also attest to the fact that people have been spring cleaning. The first few weeks of the statewide shutdown and most of the Goodwill locations had items stacked in its donation area, all of which the organization had to have hauled away.

“During that time period we were closed and were not accepting items,” Wallace said. “It was so sad because we were really going to need those once we did reopen.”

For the past several weeks, Goodwill of West Michigan has been working to reopen stores. Currently the Kentwood and Wyoming locations remain closed but the organization has open drop off in several areas such as Allendale, Cedar Springs, and Coopersville, according to the organization’s website.

Those planning to donate are ask to do so during business hours, which are 11 a.m. – 5 p.m .Tuesday — Saturday. Because there is a touch-less system in place and all items will be stored for 72 hours, Goodwill is asking that donors bag and box their times and then place the donations inside the provided carts. Many of the stores are not accepting large furniture items right now. For specific details on what is being accepted, call the the individual stores.

Many Wyoming and Kentwood residents have the opportunity during the spring to rid themselves of unwanted trash and junk through community clean-up days. Due to the governor’s State Home, Stay Safe executive order, both cities were forced to delay the popular community events.

The City of Kentwood moved its annual Community Clean-Up Day to June 6. It will run from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Kentwood Public Works facility, 5068 Breton Ave. SE. Residents must have picture identification to bring items to the event and according to city officials, there will be social distancing guidelines to follow.

The City of Wyoming moved its Community Clean-Up Day to the fall, Oct. 6. The popular annual event will be at Grand Rapids First, 2100 44th Street and run from 8 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Residents must provide proof of residency which can be a photo ID or a utility or credit card statement.

If you are really desperate to get rid of items, there is always the South Kent Landfill located at 10300 S. Kent Dr. SW. The landfill is open 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Friday, 7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Saturday.

Recycle, Recycle, Recycle

The Kent County Recycling Center reopened at the beginning of May. This includes curbside recycling services that come to Kent County Recycling Center to be sorted and the residential Recycling Drop-Off Stations. The North Kent Recycling & Waste Center opens 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. for solid waste disposal and residential drop-off recycling services.

Also the county’s SafeChem program has resumed regular hours as of May 18 but the SafeSharps and SafeMeds programs are still closed.



Understanding Social Security benefits

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Courtesy Michigan State University Extension

By Scott Matteson, Michigan State University Extension


A majority of us go to work every day and probably never stop to think about when we are going to retire, let alone if we will ever collect Social Security when we do. According to the Social Security Administration (SSA) there are currently 173.5 million people working and paying social security taxes. Of the money being collected through the tax, 85 cents of each tax dollar is paid to the 62 million people currently receiving benefits of which 46 million are retirees and their families. In addition, 15 cents of each tax dollar goes into a trust fund and less than one penny per tax dollar is spent to manage the program.


How do you qualify for Social Security? First, you should apply for a social security number if you do not already have one; this allows the SSA to track your earnings while you are working and to track your benefits when you start receiving them. Qualification is based on a credit system. You earn one credit for $1,200 in earnings per year up to a maximum of four credits per year. It takes 40 credits to qualify for benefits; in other words, ten years of work.


How do you determine what your full retirement age is? Most people will tell you they think full retirement age is 65 but it’s not quite that simple. According to the SSA if you were born in or prior to 1943, congratulations! You are considered to be at full retirement age and can draw a full retirement. If you were born from 1943 to 1960, your age of full retirement increases gradually as shown in the following chart:

When should you begin taking SSA Benefits? It really comes down to how comfortable you feel and what you can afford to live on. You can elect to begin receiving benefits as early as age 62. For example, if you begin receiving benefits at age 62 and your retirement age is 66 you can expect your benefit to be 30% less than if you would have waited. The opposite is true if you wait until age 70. If you delay receiving benefits, they will increase by a certain percentage depending on date of birth as shown in the chart below.

For further help in determining when you may want to begin taking SSA benefits visit www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount and sign up for a free account. The site will give you estimated figures for early, full and delayed benefits. Along with this you will be able to see disability benefits if you were to become disabled and survivors benefits when you die.


For additional information the Social Security Administration has two great publications they can be found at the following links: Retirement Benefits and When to Start Receiving Retirement Benefits.


Michigan State University Extension offers financial management and home ownership education classes. For more information of classes in your area, visit MI Money Health.


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



Lyme-bearing ticks more widespread in U.S. than thought

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The most commonly encountered ticks—the deer tick, the western black-legged tick and the lone star tick—carry the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay


Think you live in a place that’s free from disease-carrying ticks? Don’t be so sure.


Citizen scientists found ticks capable of transmitting Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses in dozens of places across the United States where the pests had never previously been recorded, a new study reports.


All told, disease-carrying ticks were detected in 83 counties where they’d never been found before across 24 states.


The numbers reflect a rise in tick populations across the country, said study author Nate Nieto. He’s an associate professor with Northern Arizona University’s department of biological sciences.


“People should be aware of ticks and tick-borne disease, even when they may think there’s not a recorded incidence of a tick in a county,” Nieto said. “These things, they’re not obeying borders. They’re going by biology. If they get moved there by a deer or bird or people or pets, they’re going to establish themselves and start growing.”


The massive nationwide study also provides evidence that ticks are born carrying infectious diseases, rather than picking germs up from the animals upon which they feed, said Wendy Adams, research grant director for the Bay Area Lyme Foundation, in California.


All life stages of the most commonly encountered ticks—the deer tick, the western black-legged tick and the lone star tick—carried the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, Adams said.


“That’s important, because that would say that a tick doesn’t need to acquire an infection from a blood meal. It’s born with the infection,” Adams explained.


These findings are the result of an unexpectedly successful effort by the Bay Area Lyme Foundation to collect tick samples from across the country.


Between January 2016 and August 2017, the foundation and Northern Arizona University offered free tick identification and testing to the general public. People were encouraged to send in ticks they found on themselves, their pets or around their communities.


The scientists’ original goal was to collect about 2,000 ticks. They wound up with more than 16,000, sent in by people from every state except Alaska.


“We got such a phenomenal participation,” Nieto said. “Two weeks in May, we got almost 2,000 packages per week. That is just powerful data.”


People found ticks in areas not represented in tracking maps maintained by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the researchers discovered.


Most of these new areas were right next to counties with known tick populations, Adams said.


“Ticks are spreading. Tick populations have exploded,” Adams said. “This is good data to show the extent of that. It’s a message to people that even if you think ticks aren’t a problem, they could be.”


The 24 states that contain counties with newly documented populations of deer ticks or Western black-legged ticks are Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.


Further, ticks were found in states where they simply weren’t supposed to be, Adams said. Lone star ticks were found in California and black-legged ticks were found in Nevada, both for the first time ever.


People also found ticks carrying Babesia—microscopic parasites that infect red blood cells and cause the potentially life-threatening disease babesiosis—in 26 counties across 10 states in which the public health department does not require physicians to report cases of the disease.


The new study “highlights the geographic variability of ticks and the pathogens they carry,” said Dr. Paul Auwaerter, clinical director of infectious diseases at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore.


“Surveillance is increasingly important as we see climate and environmental changes, because we do see expanding ranges of ticks. We’ve seen that with Lyme disease. We’ve seen that with babesiosis,” said Auwaerter, president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America.


Adams agreed, suggesting that more funding should be directed to these sorts of crowd-sourced tracking efforts.


“We have to invest federal dollars to examine the spread of ticks,” she said.


In the meantime, the Bay Area Lyme Foundation suggests that people protect themselves from ticks by:

  • Wearing light-colored clothes to make ticks more visible.
  • Do regular tick checks after being in a tick-infested area, and shower immediately after to wash away ticks that might be crawling on you.
  • Consider using tick repellents like DEET for skin and permethrin for clothing.
  • Talk with your doctor if you develop any symptoms following a tick bite.

The new study was published online in the journal PLOS One.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.


Due to the weather, America’s first rocket launch moved to Saturday

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By Kelly Taylor
kelly@wktv.org

The scheduled Wednesday launch from Kennedy Space Center was canceled due to weather with NASA quickly announcing that it was targeting for Saturday at 3:22 p.m. For the first time since 2011, American astronauts will fly in an American spacecraft launched from American soil to the International Space Station on Wednesday.

Dubbed Launch America by NASA, this is the first time since 2011 American astronauts will fly in an American spacecraft launched from American soil to the International Space Station. Astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken will be aboard for this history making flight which will be lived broadcast on the WKTV Government 26 channel and AT&T U-verse 99 Government Channel 99. Coverage starts at 11 a.m. Saturday with live views of the Space X/ Falcon 9 rocket on Launch Pad 39, with the launch scheduled for 3:22 p.m. Saturday. Residents can also watch the live stream by clicking here.

The launch is the first in the NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, where NASA has been working with the American aerospace industry that are developing and operating a new generation of spacecraft and launch systems capable of carrying crews to low-Earth orbit and the International Space Station. Commercial transportation to and from the station will provide expanded utility, additional research time and broader opportunities for discovery on the orbiting laboratory.

Demo-2 will be SpaceX’s final test flight to validate its crew transportation system, including the Crew Dragon, Falcon 9, launch pad and operations capabilities. During the mission, the crew and SpaceX mission controllers will verify the performance of the spacecraft’s environmental control system, displays and control system, maneuvering thrusters, autonomous docking capability, and more. 

Astronaut Robert “Bob” Behnken (NASA)

Live coverage continues on Sunday with the 10 a.m. for the docking of the SpaceX//DM-2 Crew Dragon to the International Space Station.

The hatch opening will at around 12:45 p.m., followed the welcoming ceremony for the Space X/DM-2 Crew Dragon crew at 1:05 p.m. Behnken and Hurley will be welcomed aboard station and will become members of the Expedition 63 crew. They will perform tests on Crew Dragon in addition to conducting research and other tasks with the space station crew.

Although the Crew Dragon being used for this flight test can stay in orbit about 110 days, the specific mission duration will be determined once on station based on the readiness of the next commercial crew launch. The operational Crew Dragon spacecraft will be capable of staying in orbit for at least 210 days as a NASA requirement. 

Astronaut Doug Hurley (NASA)

Upon conclusion of the mission, Crew Dragon will autonomously undock with the two astronauts on board, depart the space station and re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere. Upon splashdown just off Florida’s Atlantic Coast, the crew will be picked up at sea by SpaceX’s Go Navigator recovery vessel and return to Cape Canaveral.

The Demo-2 mission will be the final major step before NASA’s Commercial Crew Program certifies Crew Dragon for operational, long-duration missions to the space station. This certification and regular operation of Crew Dragon will enable NASA to continue the important research and technology investigations taking place onboard the station, which benefits people on Earth and lays the groundwork for future exploration of the Moon and Mars starting with the agency’s Artemis program, which will land the first woman and the next man on the lunar surface in 2024.

Warmer weather brings cold water safety to the forefront

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By Deana Jerdee
Paddler Antrim

Paddler safety is of the upmost importance at Paddle Antrim. Northern Michigan is expected to see air temperatures in the range of 70 degrees this week but the water is still extremely cold. During this strange time of social distancing, many are relying on nature for entertainment which means paddlers are likely itching to get out on the water. Now more than ever it is important to keep in mind the danger of cold water.

While the air may feel more like summer, the many lakes are much cooler, some only 40-60 degrees. At these temperatures a wetsuit or a full immersion dry suit with insulating layers is necessary. Sudden immersion in cold water can cause gasping and inhalation of water and hypothermia, resulting in unconsciousness or swimming failure as muscles become numb. Wearing a life jacket may keep your head above water and support your body should your swimming ability fail or you become unconscious. Paddle Antrim wants everyone to know the risks of cold water. If you don’t have the right equipment to take the necessary precautions, please stay off the water until it warms.

“We encourage people to get out and enjoy the water but we also want to make sure people are safe at all times,” says Paddle Antrim Executive Director, Deana Jerdee. “While the air might be 70 degrees the water is still very cold, ensuring that you are taking the right precautions could save your life.”

Cold water claims of lives of many experienced and inexperienced paddlers each year. Please take the extra precautions to ensure your safety. Here are the steps paddlers need to take before heading out on the water for any period of time:

  • Always wear a properly fitted life jacket. Simply stated, life jackets save lives;
  • Dress for the water temperature;
  • Avoid boating alone and always let someone know where you are going and when you expect to return. Have a cell phone or VHF radio accessible, in a watertight bag, should you need to call for help;
  • Carry essential safety gear, signaling devices and whistles; and
  • Refrain from using alcohol.

The link below is a cold water safety PSA featuring Paddle Antrim Executive Director, Deana Jerdee.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBgMgG4bWGI&feature=emb_title

City of Wyoming releases Memorial Day video

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By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

The City of Wyoming cancelled its traditional Memorial Day program, instead releasing a Memorial Day video featuring staff singing “God Bless America.”

“Things are different this year,” said Mayor Jack Poll in the video. “We have traditionally always met at Veterans Memorial Park on this great day in our city to remember those who have given the ultimate sacrifice, their lives for our country.

“But today, these recent events we are a part of today, I am here in my office but my thoughts are still the same and this is what a privilege we have to live in a country that is free and that we have all the freedoms that we have to enjoy, especially today we can think of that.”

5 assisted living benefits you won’t find in a nursing home

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Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living


We all know the horror stories about nursing homes—they are dreary and dull, and the people who live there are unhappy and lifeless. While a lot of that is just a bad rap, it’s true that nursing homes are very different from other kinds of senior living communities, like assisted living.


Assisted living provides seniors with many great advantages, most of which you won’t be able to find in a nursing home. Take a look at five of these different assisted living benefits, and see how assisted living can be a better option for most senior loved ones.

1. Different levels of care 

The number one difference between nursing homes and assisted living communities is the level of care that is provided. A nursing home provides dedicated, intense care to seniors who have serious medical needs, usually far beyond what a caregiver can manage. 


While this level of care is important to have as an option, assisted living can cover everything from limited services like simple medication management, to skilled nursing for memory care and dementia, to even end-of-life care like hospice and palliative care. This provides seniors with a lot more options than just the type of care offered at a nursing home.


As the population of aging seniors continues to grow, many families prefer to have their loved one age in place at a community that can cover all their care needs, even if those needs change as a resident grows older or has a new health concern. And assisted living does that with a continuum of care.

2. Help with only the necessary ADLs

ADLs, or activities of daily living, can include things like:

  • Bathing
  • Dressing
  • Grooming & personal hygiene 
  • Mobility (getting out of bed or moving from room to room)
  • Housekeeping
  • Maintenance work
  • Meal planning and cooking
  • Financial management assistance

Not every senior is going to need help in all of these areas. Some seniors might only need help with one or two ADLs. At an assisted living community, a resident only gets help with the tasks they need, and can make plans with the staff accordingly.


A nursing home, on the other hand, doesn’t offer much choice in what ADLs are taken care of for residents. All of these are usually taken care of automatically, due to the high level of care that residents in nursing homes need—even if a senior is capable in a particular area. 

3. Options for room plans, layouts, & decor

Assisted living apartments are made to have a homey and comfortable feel to them, and can be decorated and set up to the preferences of a resident. An assisted living room can include a kitchenette, living room, or even a dining area, and rooms can be studios, one-bedrooms, or have multiple separate bedrooms for friends who want to live together.


A nursing home will typically only be a bedroom, often shared with another resident. They won’t include kitchenettes or different layouts. Most won’t even have an attached bathroom, but will have a communal bathroom and shower so residents can have help from staff during those tasks, rather than allowing community members to have more privacy and choice of living arrangements. 

4. New activities and engagement opportunities

The activities and opportunities for engagement are more varied in assisted living than in a nursing home. It’s common for residents to leave the assisted living building and get out to different areas of the local community for events or performances. 


Even in-home activities tend to be more cognitively engaging and fun for all the residents, and there are exercise and other types of activities not found in nursing homes. Nursing home activities are much more limited, due to the limited physical activity that residents can partake in. Assisted living works to create an environment that is stimulating and entertaining for your senior loved one.

5. Independence 

One of the most significant differences between assisted living and nursing homes is the level of independence that the residents have. In assisted living, community members are in charge of their daily plans and activities, can choose who they engage with and the friendships they make, and have freedoms that aren’t found in nursing homes.


In luxury assisted living, like Vista Springs, there’s even more ways for residents to live their best lives as they age, with gourmet dining, spas, salons, cafes, and beautiful grounds. Overall, assisted living can provide more benefits and opportunities for the good life than a nursing home. 


Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.



Snapshots: Memorial Day and more

Citizen Journalism

Hero is someone who understands the responsibility that comes with his freedom.

Singer/Songwriter Bob Dylan



By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

City of Wyoming cancelled its 2020 Memorial Day program. (Photo by Harriet Sturim)

Full Day of Memorial Day Programs

WKTV will be offering a full schedule of previous recorded Memorial Day programming. The day starts with the Crafty Ladies Memorial Day Floral Arrangements at 9:30 a.m. Special highlights of the day are the USS Silversides Lost Boat Ceremony at 11 a.m. and 8:30 p.m., the 2019 Kentwood Amvets Memorial Day Ceremony at 12:30 p.m. followed by the Arlington National Cemetery program at 1 p.m. Other programs feature special tributes to Vietnam such as the Vietnam Moving Wall and Return to Vietnam. All programming will be aired on WKTV Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99.

Starting at 6:30 p.m., the WKTV Government Channel 26 will be featured the 2019 Kentwood Amvets Memorial Day Celebration. At 7 p.m. will be the USS Silversides Lost Boat Ceremony and at 8:15 p.m. will be the Arlington National Cemetery presentation. For complete schedules, visit wktv.org.

A Little Positivity

Saturday, City of Kentwood Commissioner Emily Bridson will host a casual conversation to “Celebrate the Small Victories” during the global pandemic. The Facebook Live Event will start at 10 a.m. on the WKTV Community Media Facebook Page and Emily Bridson’s Facebook Page.

The discussion is expected to include topics such as the local economy, personal growth, practices of local businesses that prioritize people’s safety and needs, and facilitating the sense of belonging in our community. 

Census Numbers Climb

Both the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood learned this week that the number of self responses for the 2020 Census already has exceeded the cities’ overall response rate for the 2010 U.S. Census, and there is still five months to go!

Area residents have until Oct. 31 to answer the nine questions about who lived in their home on April 1, 2020. Census fieldworkers are scheduled to go out Aug. 11 to Oct. 31. Interestingly, the response rate for online has been high. (The 2010 Census did not have an online component.) Check out all the details by clicking here. 

Fun Fact: Poppies and Memorial Day

After World War I, the poppy flourished in Europe. Scientists attributed the growth to soils in France and Belgium becoming enriched with lime from the rubble left by the war. From the dirt and mud grew a beautiful red poppy. The red poppy came to symbolize the blood shed during battle following the 1915 publication of the wartime poem “In Flanders Fields.” The poem was written by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, M.D. while serving on the front lines. The poppy was adopted by the American Legion and in 1924, poppies were distributed by the American Legion as a way to honor the fallen soldiers. Today Poppy Day, usually the Friday before Memorial Day, is observed in several countries.

How to recognize early signs of dementia in seniors

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Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living


As a sizable percentage of the population reaches old age, many families worry about the health of their loved ones. A common fear is that a senior family member will be diagnosed with dementia. Dementia, which is a name given to describe a large number of specific memory diseases, affects about 10% of Americans, although the anxiety surrounding dementia makes many people think that the numbers are higher.


Dementia has many stages and forms, but most people are only aware of the late-stage symptoms that can be the most frightening and upsetting. Because these are the more well known symptoms, it can become difficult to understand what the early signs of dementia actually are. 


It’s important to try and get a dementia diagnosis as soon as possible so the best treatment plan can be put in place, meaning it’s equally important to know what the earliest signs of dementia are and how to recognize them in your loved ones.

Memory loss

The most well-known and obvious sign to spot for dementia is memory loss. After all, dementia is another name for memory disease. But memory loss can mean different things, and it’s important to know when something could be a sign of dementia, and when a behavior is part of the normal aging process.


Simple forgetfulness, such as blanking on a name or word but then remembering it later, isn’t necessarily the type of sign you need to be on the lookout for. Something that might be a more significant sign of memory loss would be forgetting the name of a close relative or friend, and not being able to recall it later.


A good indicator of whether memory loss is a simple brain lapse or a serious sign is if the memory loss is interfering with the daily life of your loved one. For example, if they can no longer hold a conversation because they forget names, dates, and events, it could be an early dementia warning sign.

Confusion

Another important indicator of oncoming dementia is confusion. While not as unmistakable as forgetting names of relatives, confusion can often be the result of other, less obvious, characteristics of memory loss. If an elderly family member is having more confusion than normal, such as not understanding where they are, what day or time it is, or who they are talking to, it could be pointing to a more serious problem than a simple senior moment.

Changes in attitude

If you notice abrupt changes in attitude from senior family members, then it could be another early sign of approaching dementia. Sometimes people who are suffering from early dementia symptoms will become angry, irritable, aggressive, scared, or anxious. Usually these behavioral changes are because they are afraid of what’s happening to them, and are either lashing out or withdrawing from confusion. 


A major shift in overall personality is another warning sign to be aware of, such as a normally social person becoming reclusive, or a usually shy person suddenly becoming more outgoing and reckless.

Cognitive difficulty

Dementia affects more in the brain than just memory, and a person’s cognitive thinking and mental abilities are often damaged by dementia. Early dementia symptoms can be represented by difficulty with things like:

  • Puzzle-solving
  • Organizing
  • Scheduling
  • Complex thinking
  • Following directions
  • Simple math 

Problems with speaking or writing

If your loved one stumbles over words occasionally as they continue to age, there probably isn’t a reason to get overly concerned. However, if your extremely well-spoken relative is struggling to remember even basic words and is forgetting what simple phrases mean, it could be a sign of something more severe.


Similarly, if you notice that a loved one can no longer write the way they used to and is using increasingly poor grammar and spelling, it could be another early dementia warning sign.

Remember:

In today’s world, we can sometimes be hyper-vigilant when it comes to searching for signs of dementia. While it’s important to get an early diagnosis, we can also be a little paranoid with our loved one’s health. 


It’s normal for seniors to have a few lapses in memory and some mood changes as they age, so not every dropped word and misplaced item is a reason for alarm. However, if you notice a possible symptom getting rapidly worse, or a number of signs presenting together, you may want to consider talking to your loved one.


Always keep your senior family members informed about your suspicions, and don’t exclude them from any decisions you make. If you think that a trip to the doctor is necessary, go with your loved one to show support. Working together as a family is always the best way to approach serious health issues, including dementia.


Reprinted with permission by Vista Springs Assisted Living.




Both Wyoming, Kentwood already have higher 2020 Census response than overall 2010 results

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U.S. Census is keeping track of how many people are filling out the 2020 Census online. (U.S. Census Bureau)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Since people are at home and have the time, the one thing that appears residents are doing is filling out the 2020 U.S. Census.

At least in the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming with the U.S. Census reporting through its interactive response rate map that both cities have already surpassed their 2010 U.S. Census overall response rate. As of May 18, 2020, the City of Kentwood is at 74.1 self-response rate. In 2010, its overall response rate was 73. The City of Wyoming’s 2020 self-response rate is 72.5, just slightly over its 2010 overall response rate of 72.4.

According to recent reports, about 59.5 percent of the U.S. households in the United States have self-responded, meaning that residents have either mailed, called in or gone online to answer the nine questions that center around who was living in the home on April 1, 2020. 

This is about 88 million households that have responded. For the 2010 census, it was about 74 percent mail in rate (the 2010 U.S. Census did not have an online component) with about 116.7 million households responding to the census. The total population report for the 2010 U.S. Census was 308.7 million of which about 300.8 million were living in homes and the remaining 8 million lived in group quarters such as school domentories, nursing homes, and military barracks. 

Michigan ranks fourth in self-response to the 2020 U.S. Census.

So where does Michigan stand?

Michigan ranks fourth with 66.2 percent or 3.2 million households responding. In the 2010 U.S. Census, the state had a total of 67.7 percent response. Despite having cities with some of the highest participation rates in the 2010 U.S. Census, Michigan had a population drop of about 54,000 going from 9.938 million in 2000 to about 9.883 million in 2010. 

Due to the population drop, Michigan lost a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, going from 15 to 14. According to state officials, the goal for the 2020 U.S. Census is for its population to be enough to maintain its current 14 U.S. House of Representative seats.

“The state has been growing, but not growing as quickly as Texas, Florida, or North Carolina,” said Michigan Statewide Census director Kerry Ebersole. “So we have the opportunity to maintain which we have in congress but it is unlikely we will pick up an additional seat.”

Keeping those seats are even more important as Michigan goes against other states for relief funding from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s important that Michigan voices are heard,” Ebersole said, “that we have a voice and representation at the federal level especially as policies are developed that may impact our state.”

And it is not just policies related to COVID-19 relief, but also for programs for the Great Lakes, Medicare, literacy, the elderly and city infrastructure such as the parks and roads.

As of May 18, 2020, the National response rate has been 59.5 percent.

It is all about the numbers

“The two things that the census influences are dollars and how many U.S. Representatives the state will have in Washington D.C.” said Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley in an interview about the U.S. Census before the statewide COVID-19 state of emergency order.

Funding dollars are largely determined by a municipality’s population and while looking at how the Michigan Department of Transportation determines funding, Kepley noted that 50,000 seemed to be a magic number that would increase a municipality’s funding for roads. The U.S. Census currently estimates that the City of Kentwood’s population is around 51,868 which means Kentwood needs to do a “good” job in getting residents to respond to the 2020 Census.

Which according to the 2020 U.S. Census Interactive Map, Kentwood residents have done quite well in self-responding. As of Monday, May 18, 2020, the City of Kentwood has had 74.1 percent self-response of which 65.7 have been online responses. Of course, there are still a number of factors in determining the overall funding any municipality will receive.

“If we do better in getting the word out and showing an increase, it could be that we are taking money away from another city that may not have done as well doing that,” Kepley said, adding if everyone does well then, it also will have an impact on the dollars Kentwood could receive.

But having residents fill out the U.S. Census is important, Kepley said as it impacts what the city can provide in city infrastructure such as roads and parks, low and moderate housing, and even attracting future businesses which use census information as a component to determining where to locate.

More numbers

Along with the City of Kentwood and the City of Wyoming. which has a self-response rate of 72.5 of which 63.5 were online (as of May 18, 2020), the overall Kent County self response rate has been above the U.S. average of 59.5 percent. As of May 18, 2020, it was at 73.3 percent total of self-reporting of which 64.1 percent were online. In 2010, the county had a total response rate of 73.6 percent.

Some other municipalities numbers as of May 18, 2020:

City of Grand Rapids: 65.6 percent of which 54.5 were online. In 2010, it had a response rate of 69.7.

City of Grandville: 81.1 percent of which 73.4 were online. In 2010, it had a response rate of 79.8.

Caledonia Township: 81 percent of which 73.6 were online. In 2010, it had a response rate of 81.2.

Byron Township: 79.9 percent of which 72.5 were online. In 2010, it had a response rate of 76.3

Still time to respond

Due to the COVID-19 and a majority of the nation placed on lockdown to help prevent the spread, the U.S. Census Bureau announced it has delayed the counts. U.S. lawmakers still need to sign off on the new schedule.

According to the U.S. Census website, residents will have until Oct. 31 to self-respond. Non-response follow-up with census fieldworkers going out will be Aug. 11 to Oct. 31. The U.S. Census Bureau is pushing back the 2020 U.S. Census report to the president from Dec. 31, 2020 to April 30, 2021 with the president delivering the counts to Congress within 14 days. States would receive numbers for redistricting by July 31, 2021 instead of April 1, 2021. 

Why socialization is important for aging adults

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Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living


As you age, it can be difficult to be as socially active as you once were. You might find yourself making excuses or giving friends a rain check on social gatherings. However, this kind of social avoidance can lead to serious consequences for your physical and mental health. Take a look and see why socialization is so important for aging adults.

Why don’t seniors socialize?

It’s very common for seniors and older adults to avoid socializing at the same rates they did when they were younger. But why? For some, it’s because of the decreased mobility they have as they age. When it’s hard to drive or get in and out of vehicles, or if you need to use a walker or wheelchair to get around, going out and socializing becomes a demanding and laborious task.


In addition to struggling with mobility, seniors can find themselves having much less energy throughout the day and becoming exhausted quickly—making evening dinners and events tiring rather than invigorating. It also becomes more difficult to navigate unknown environments, so staying at home becomes a preferable option to going out. 


For some seniors, there are more than just physical barriers between themselves and socialization. As adults age, it can become more and more challenging to be emotionally available for family and friends. Seniors may be upset at their condition or frustrated in general, and want to avoid interactions and isolate themselves thinking that will be the better option. However, the opposite is often true.

Socialization lowers rates of depression

Depression is unfortunately a common mental health problem among seniors. Senior depression is usually brought on by the loneliness or guilt seniors feel when they isolate themselves as they age. Symptoms include:

  • Lack of energy & motivation
  • Feelings of sadness or despair
  • Difficulty sleeping (or sleeping much longer than normal)
  • Feelings of self-loathing
  • Sudden weight loss or gain
  • Slower movement & speech
  • Increased abuse of alcohol
  • Neglecting personal care (like showering, grooming, or eating)
  • Loss of interest in hobbies
  • Thoughts of suicide

While older adults who feel this way might not want to socialize, isolation always makes depression worse. Socialization provides opportunities to learn, converse, laugh, and be stimulated—all of which can make depression more bearable for seniors. Socialization can also decrease the odds of getting senior depression at all.


Remember, if you are at all concerned that you or a loved one is suffering from depression, get help and speak to a professional right away.

Socialization improves memory and can help prevent dementia

Over the years there have been countless studies that have linked a lack of socialization to an increased risk of dementia and other memory diseases. As adults age, it’s important that the brain remains stimulated and engaged. Socialization can help seniors maintain proper cognitive function by exercising their brains in different ways then it works while someone is alone.


In fact, a very recent study suggests that interactions with friends (who are not relatives) can decrease dementia risk by as much as 12%. Socialization decreases the stress on the brain that can slow down mental functions, and well as create a “reserve” of mental energy, all while promoting healthy behavior and interaction.


Want to learn more about dementia? Download the FREE eBook here!


It’s important that your brain doesn’t just sit in your head as you age, and socializing with others can challenge your cognitive thinking and functions in helpful ways that build brain strength and endurance.

Socialization makes seniors happier and healthier

It’s not just mental health that can be improved with socialization—it can also help boost your physical energy as well. Studies have made connections between lowered social activity and high blood pressure, and some new theories are suggesting that high rates of social interaction can lower the chances of osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and cardiovascular disease in older adults.


Most importantly, social interaction makes people happier. Seniors who are socially active are more likely to be physically active as well, and they are less stressed, have longer lifespans, and have greater self-esteem than seniors who are isolated. 

Social opportunities near you

There are plenty of ways for you to be social, or to help a loved one stay social as they age. Opportunities for socialization include:

Senior living communities like assisted living give people plenty of opportunities to grow socially without needing to find ways to leave home or travel to other locations. Because of the group environment and daily activities in senior living, there are plenty of ways to cultivate new relationships and meet people socially without dealing with stress.


Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.





School News Network: Looking at Fall and Beyond

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By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

All Districts: School leaders working together to plan fall and beyond

Now that school districts have distance learning up and running, local education leaders are turning their attention to the next urgent concern: the future of schooling. An ad hoc committee of 13 Kent ISD school leaders — which includes Wyoming Superintendent Craig Hoekstra and Godfrey-Lee Superintendent Kevin Polston — are working on contingency plans to prepare for the next school year and beyond. To learn more about the discussion, click here. 


Tara Jones plays with son, Cole, during a Bright Beginnings playgroup. (School News Network)

All Districts: Supporting parents as teachers

Bright Beginnings, which offers parents support and services to help them become the best first teachers for their children, recently received a Blue Ribbon accreditation from the Missouri-based Parents as Teachers program. Free to families in the Kent ISD, to learn more about the program and the accreditation, click here. 


Cast members from Godfrey-Lee’s production of ‘The Wiz’ prior to school building closures (courtesy photo/School News Network)

Godfrey-Lee/Wyoming: The show might go on

Last year it was snow days, this year it was COVID-19 that caused area schools, such as Godfrey-Lee and Wyoming, shutdown with school productions left in limbo. And while the show may not happen – some directors remain hopeful – there still is the story of community that brought everyone together. To learn more, click here. 

How resilient are your brain connections?

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Findings provide a target for drugs designed to support and maintain dendritic spine health. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Robert Preidt, HealthDay


The conclusion of a recent study suggests possible new ways to prevent or slow the memory-destroying disease, Alzheimer’s, researchers said.


For the study, the researchers analyzed brain samples from patients at memory clinics and found that the presence of healthy dendritic spines (connections between neurons) provide protection against Alzheimer’s in people whose brains have proteins associated with the disease.


The findings, published in the Annals of Neurology, are the first of their kind, the study authors said.


“One of the precursors of Alzheimer’s is the development in the brain of proteins called amyloid and tau, which we refer to as the pathology of Alzheimer’s,” said the study’s lead author, Jeremy Herskowitz.


He’s an assistant professor with the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine’s department of neurology.


“However, about 30 percent of the aging population have amyloid and tau buildup but never develop dementia. Our study showed that these individuals had larger, more numerous dendritic spines than those with dementia, indicating that spine health plays a major role in the onset of disease,” Herskowitz said in a university news release.


Neurons, which are brain cells, are constantly sending out dendritic spines in search of other neurons. When they connect, a synapse—an exchange of information—occurs between neurons. This is the basis for memory and learning, the researchers explained.


“One obvious culprit in Alzheimer’s disease is the loss of dendritic spines and thus the loss of synapses,” Herskowitz said.


“This would impair the ability to think, so the assumption has been that those without dementia had healthy (dendritic) spines and those with dementia did not. But no one had gone in to see if that was true,” he noted.


Healthy dendritic spines could be genetic, or the result of beneficial lifestyle habits—such as good diet and exercise—which are known to reduce the risk of dementia, Herskowitz said.


The findings provide “a target for drugs that would be designed to support and maintain dendritic spine health in an effort to rebuild neurons or prevent their loss,” he added.


“This data suggests that rebuilding neurons is possible. And as we are better able to identify the increase of amyloid and tau early in the progression of the disease, even before symptoms arise, we might be able to one day offer a medication that can contribute to maintaining healthy dendritic spines in those with the Alzheimer’s pathology,” he concluded.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Photo of the Week: Flying By

Citizen Journalism

Byron Center Avenue and 64th Street were aligned with people on Tuesday, May 12, as the Michigan National Guard’s 127th wing flew over Metro Health – University of Michigan Health. The event was part of salute to healthcare workers on the frontline. The planes had come from Traverse City and were making their way to Battle Creek.

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

Residents line Byron Center Avenue on May 12 to see the Michigan National Guard 127th wing fly over Metro Health – University of Michigan Health. (WKTV)

School News Network: Creative classroom learning

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By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

Note: some of these stories took place before the governor’s official closing of schools with education moving online. These are just some of the unique and interesting ways are teachers are working to bring creative ways to the classroom. For more stories on local schools, visit the School News Network website, schoolnewsnetwork.org.


Dawt Khun focuses on letters (School News Network)

Kentwood: Fancy F’s and elegant L’s

Some have put cursive writing in the category of lost arts. Not true at Kentwood’s Crestwood Middle School, where language arts teacher Anne Brown is keeping the the flow of writing alive. For more, click here. 


Dominic Russell and Quaa Doxie work together on their wheel

Kelloggsville: Working from concrete to abstract in Algebra 2

Kelloggsville High School Rick Jackson puts a new spin on trigonometry by having his students get hands on in the construction of a popsicle Ferris wheel. To learn more, click here.


Maggie Santos and Elijah Brown embellish the busts they’ve made. (School News Network)

Godwin Heights: A look in the mirror cures self-expression

Before the mandated school closure, the classroom was in the middle of a 10-week artist residency offered by Artists Creating Together (ACT). Each week Annalise Hammerlund, the artist-in-residence who worked with Lisa Kotarski’s Godwin Heights class, visited the classroom to lead students in an art lesson that challenged them to learn a bit more about themselves and to express themselves through art. To learn more about this program, click here.


From left, Craig Thompson, from the city of Grand Rapids, and Aleka C. Thrash, owner of Naturally ACT, talk to students during Student StartUp Day. (School News Network)

All District: Getting down to business

In the first-ever Student StartUp Day, which took place the week before the school shutdown, area students got a lesson in what it takes to start your own business and a chance to pitch ideas to area business leaders. To learn more, click here.

‘Happy calls’ help connect elderly to the world

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Care Resources PACE staff member makes on the 400-plus “Happy Calls” to program participants. (Supplied)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Two days a week Kentwood resident Beverly Artlip, 82, would visit the Care Resources PACE (Program of All Inclusive Care for the Elderly)  day care program, meeting up with friends, participating in activities, and checking in with staff.

That all abruptly ended when the governor’s executive Stay Home, Stay Safe order went into effect on March 24. Artlip’s connection to the world became the television and her activities centered more on reading.

That was until the phone rang a few weeks ago and a friendly voice from Care Resources PACE asked how she was doing.

“It is very comforting to know that someone cares and that they are concerned,” Artlip said.

What started as welfare calls to check on its nearly 250 elderly program participants has become what Care Resource PACE staff refer to as “happy calls,” where staff reach out to the members simply to chat.

“You talk to them about different things,” said Sue Pence, a transportation coordinator for Care Resource PACE, who joined the team to help make the “happy calls.” “You talk to them about different hobbies, what they are doing and how things are going.”

For Pence, the calls also have provided an opportunity to connect with those in the adult daycare program, where she worked before she became a transportation coordinator.

“It is nice to be able to reconnect with people I have not talked to in awhile,” she said, adding that some of the conversations can be pretty funny.

“There was one person who had this bird and it kept pooping on everything and she was talking about making it diapers and then we started talking about if you could even make diapers for a bird,” Pence said with a laugh adding others have asked about her finding a man for them — preferably a millionaire.

Care Resources is a community-based program with the PACE program being federally and state funded. The PACE program is designed to keep residents within their community for as long as possible, helping residents with medical and emotional needs. During the Stay Home, Stay Safe order, the “happy calls” provide a way for staff to check on the overall medical and emotional needs of each of its participants.

 

“Many of these people don’t have family or a connection into the community so this is a way for them to feel connected and, secondly, we are family to them,” Pence said.

 

Pence estimates that she makes about 15 to 25 calls a week, adding that the entire staff makes about 400 to 600 calls a week. The average call is around 35 minutes. “Sometimes it is shorter because the person just wants to check in and other times it is a little longer,” Pence said, adding that some of the people she will call two to three times a week.

Artlip said she receives about four calls a week, all from different people which makes it fun.

“We talk about different things,” she said. “It is just plain nice to have somebody to talk to.”

Care Resources PACE staff member gets ready to deliver activity packets to program participants. (Supplied)

Along with the calls, Care Resources PACE also has been providing activity packets filled with puzzles and word searches, which Artlip said have been a nice break in her routine. 

And while receiving the calls and packets are nice, Artlip said she can’t wait to get back to the center to see her friends, but as a former nurse, Artlip also recognizes the need for caution as the world deals with COVID-19.

Pence agreed she too can’t wait to see all the friendly faces as well, since now through those “happy calls” they have a few stories to share and laugh about when they do get the chance to have that face-to-face meet up again.

What is holistic care for seniors?

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Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living


There are new advancements being made in medical fields everyday, which can mean great things for seniors who are in need of medical treatment. Even as scientific progress continues to make a significant impact, it’s just as important to meet the needs of a patient that go beyond medical care at the same time. A person’s physical, emotional, and mental states are just as important as their physical condition. 


So how do we meet those needs? Holistic care is an approach to healing that works to include all areas of a person’s wellbeing in their treatment plan. Most people are confused about what holistic care means and how it can apply to them — and in the case of seniors who need care, how it can improve their lives. Let’s take a look at what holistic care is and how it can apply to your loved one’s care plan. 

What is holistic care?

Holistic care is centered around a philosophy of healing the whole person. This means looking at a patient as a person first, not as a diagnosis or set of care needs. Holistic care takes into consideration other aspects of a person beyond the physical, including their feelings, emotions, and overall state of mind throughout their care journey.


In addition, holistic care tries to fix the cause of a condition instead of just managing the physical symptoms of sickness. Holistic treatments include not only the traditional remedies that you would receive from a regular doctor, but also different ways to help treat conditions that go beyond traditional medicine. 


Take, for example, migraines. If someone complained of migraines, a holistic medical practitioner would give the patient medication to manage pain just like most doctors. However, they would also look at what could be behind the headaches, such as a bad diet, poor sleep, or high stress levels. They would then suggest additional treatments for those factors, like a new diet plan, different habits for better sleep, or a massage or meditation course to help decrease stress.


Holistic care practitioners try to make patients feel dignified, respected, and heard by considering the physical, emotional, intellectual, social, and spiritual needs of a patient. Common examples of holistic care include:

Holistic care & seniors

As people age and become seniors, they generally find themselves struggling with more and more health problems. This can be incredibly difficult to handle, especially if pain is a daily symptom. Many seniors look to avoid having an overwhelming amount of prescriptions and medications, many of which come with serious side effects.


While the benefits of medical science have undeniably come a long way, it’s also important that seniors feel valued as people. Holistic care can be a great supplemental option for seniors who want to maintain their dignity, feel valued and respected, and have different options for treatments and pain management alongside traditional remedies. 


Holistic care can have additional benefits that make a big impact on seniors, including:

  • Opportunities for socialization
  • Healthy relationships with long-term caregivers
  • Cognitive development and maintenance
  • An increased sense of self-worth and self-respect
  • Staying independent for longer
  • Spiritual and religious comfort 

Seniors don’t want to feel like a burden on their caregivers, and a brusque attitude can make them feel as though they aren’t being valued as people first and foremost. Seniors with serious illnesses can quickly become depressed if they aren’t treated with compassion and respect. Therefore, it makes sense that holistic care can go a long way in helping seniors mentally, emotionally, and physically.



Snapshots: Kentwood, Wyoming news and things to do

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Life imposes things on you that you can’t control, but you still have the choice of how you’re going to live through this.

Musician Celine Dion



By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

The Farmers Markets are Opening!

Metro Health Farm Market opens May 14. (WKTV)

The Metro Health Farm Market kicks off the summer season by opening Thursday, May 14. Due to COVID-19, the market will be a little different in that social distancing guidelines will be adhered to and those attending are asked to where masks and leave the personal shopping bags at home. The market will be open form 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. For more on the Metro Health Farm Market and other farmers markets, click here.

Music for Quarantine

Now on Blue Lake Public Radio: the Grand Rapids Symphony (Supplied)

Every Sunday in May, area residents can tune into a previously recorded Grand Rapids Symphony performance. Performances are on at 1 p.m. at WBLU-FM 88.9 in Grand Rapids or click here to access Blue Lake Public Radio online. For the complete line up, click here.

Remembering the Heroes of WWII

May 7 marked the 75th anniversary of when the Germans surrendered to the Allied Forces. This week’s KDL Staff picks features a selection of World War II books from Michael Bornstein’s “The Survivor’s Club to “They Called Us Enemy” by George Takei (of “Star Trek” fame). For the complete list, click here.

Fun Facts

A botanist running around like Rambo? Well according to Tim Evans, a GVSU professor of biology, if that’s what it takes to get people to discover Michigan’s amazing natural beauty, well why not? We’re all for it. Here is Evans’ first in a series on “Dangerous Botany.” To check out Evans’ other videos, click here.

Know the warning signs of suicidal thoughts

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The sharpest rise in suicide rates has occurred among men aged 45 to 64 and girls aged 10 to 14. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Robert Preidt, HealthDay


Family, friends and acquaintances can play a key role in suicide prevention by being alert for signs and taking action to help someone who may be struggling, a mental health expert says.


Nearly 43,000 Americans commit suicide each year, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. For the past two decades, suicide rates have been rising in the United States, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.


The sharpest rises in suicide rates have occurred among men aged 45 to 64 and girls aged 10 to 14, according to the CDC.


“There remains a lot of stigma associated with people who seek help for mental health, which prevents them from getting the assistance they need. We need to pay more attention to suicide prevention,” said William Zimmermann. He’s a clinician supervisor of New Jersey Hopeline, a suicide prevention hotline operated by Rutgers University’s Behavioral Health Care.


Many people mistakenly believe that suicides happen without warning. But most people who attempt suicide try to communicate their distress or suicide plans to someone, Zimmermann said in a Rutgers news release.


The problem is the suicide plans or thoughts may not be clearly stated, so asking direct questions about suicide can start the conversation and help-seeking process, he said.


Asking someone about suicide won’t put the idea in their head, Zimmermann said.


Warning signs of suicide attempts include increased substance abuse, anxiety, agitation, difficulty sleeping, dramatic mood changes, a feeling of hopelessness and being trapped, having no sense of purpose, social withdrawal, uncontrolled anger and reckless behavior.


If a person talks about wanting to hurt or kill themselves, threatens to hurt or kill themselves, or talks about looking for a method to kill themselves, get them immediate help or guidance by contacting a mental health professional or a suicide prevention hotline, Zimmermann said.


If you’re concerned about someone, ask them directly if they are thinking about suicide, Zimmermann said. He suggested saying things like: “I care about you. Some of the things you’ve said or done have made me wonder. Are you thinking about killing yourself?”


If they say they are considering suicide, don’t judge, don’t deny and don’t promise to keep it a secret, Zimmermann said. Get support for the person talking about suicide and for yourself, he said.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.




Metro Health Farm Market, others set to open as scheduled

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The Metro Health Farm Market is set to open on May 14. (WKTV)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Among the announcements of cancellations and/or delays in programming comes some good news: many area farmers markets such as the Metro Health Farm Market and the City of Kentwood Farmers Market will open as scheduled.

“We’re very excited,” said Metro Health Farm Market Manager Michelle Rademacher. The Metro Health Farm Market is scheduled to open May 14 and run until Oct. 8 at the Metro Health Village, 5900 Byron Center Ave. SW. The market is on Thursdays from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., rain or shine.

“There has been a lot of planning for this to take place so as to follow all of the stipulations for COVID-19,” Rademacher said.

Farmers markets have been deemed essential by the state but even with this classification comes limitations with only food vendors able to sell at the markets. Like many of the area farmers markets, the Metro Health Farm Market and the Kentwood Farmers Market will be following Center for Disease Control and Michigan Farmers Market Association COVID-19 guidelines.

Along with only essential items such as food being offered, vendors will be six feet apart and required to wear masks. Patrons will be encouraged to wear masks and to leave their personal shopping bags at home.

“There is going to be less out with vendors restocking,” Rademacher said. “Hopefully customers will say, ‘I would like three corn, one lettuce,’ and the vendor will pick and bag the items so as to reduce the amount of touching the items.”

“Everybody loves to pick up a tomato to see if it is the perfect one for their meal,” said Fulton Street Farmers Market Assistant Manager Dana Eardley. Being open year around, the Fulton Street Farmers Market, 1145 Fulton St. SE, was able to gradually institute procedures for social distancing and reduction in contact. This included a policy that only the the vendors are allowed to touch food and produce.

The Fulton Street Farmers Market had its official main (summer) season opening this past weekend, where the hours were increased to 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday through October. From November to April the market is only open for a few hours on Saturday.

Area farmers markets have been deemed essential by the state with vendors only able to offer food items such as diary, meat, and produce. (Free Domain)

Kentwood Farmers Market

To encourage vendors to follow the guidelines, the Kentwood Farmers Market is offering a Vendor Scholarship, which will cover 100 percent of the vendor fees. To qualify for the scholarship, a vendor who sells food products, needs to demonstrate a commitment to customer safety such as offering pre-packaged items or pick-up.

The Kentwood Farmers Market returns for its sixth season, June 4 and running through Aug. 27. The market will take place on Thursdays from 4:30 – 7:30 p.m. in front of Kentwood City Hall, 4900 Breton Ave. SE. For more information on the Kentwood Farmers Market or the Vendor Scholarship, visit the market’s website. 

Get It and Go

The implementation of customer counts with the Fulton Street Farmers Market only being able to allow 66 customers in the market at onetime did prove to be a challenge. The market was required to close off all its side entrances and increase its volunteers to get the customer counts along with help at the handicap entrance, Eardley said.

“The market is a place that people come to stroll or have a family outing, letting the smells and produce call to them as to what they might want to add to their meals,” Eardley said. “We have had to really make a shift in having people get in and get their food and leave.”

Advance planning is encouraged with the Fulton Street Farmers Market instituting a “roll call” on its Facebook of vendors planning to be at the market so shoppers could plan.

 

The Metro Health Farm Market also will have traffic arrows to direct the market flow and some of its entrance points will be closed but there are no plans to track the number of people in the market.

“There is some fear that a farmers market can turn into a social gathering, “Rademacher said. “Hopefully people will follow social distancing guidelines and only send one person from a family to help with the crowd control.

Rademacher added staff will be keeping an eye on the first day to see if adjustments need to be made.

Making Their Dollars Count

Eardley remarked that attendance for opening weekend was lower than usually, but she did have good news for other farmers markets.

“Some of our vendors have told us that they have had record-breaking sales,” she said. “So while the volume was down, those who were coming are very serious about making their dollars count toward the local food farmers and not the big box stores.”

Rademacher concurred with Eardley, saying “I think people are acknowledging that farmers are small businesses and spending local wherever they can.”

What About Non-Food Items?

Most markets usually have a mix of food and non-food items. Fulton Street Farmers Market also has an artist market on Sundays starting in June. Because crafters and non-food vendors do not fall under the essential category, for now they will not be at the markets. Both Radamacher and Eardley said they remain hopeful that as guidelines change, non-essential vendors will be able to be added.

High voter turnout leads to good news for Kelloggsville, Godwin Heights

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City of Wyoming offered curbside voting. City Clerk Kelli VandenBerg said they had about 40 people cast votes at city hall on May 5. (Supplied)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

It was a good morning for every school district in Kent County that had a millage or bond issue in yesterday’s election — they all passed including Kelloggsville’s request for a 1.0 mill sinking fund and Godwin Heights $13.9 million bond request.

The May 5 election was the first time in the state’s history that was totally absentee ballot. All registered voters within school districts with a proposal were mailed absentee applications and local municipalities had voting stations — and in the case of the City of Wyoming, curbside voting — set up on the day of the election.

“We saw a higher turnout then we normally see for a special election,” said Wyoming City Clerk Kelli VandenBerg, who added that there was about a 14 percent turnout for the May 5 special election with the city usually having about a four to six percent turnout for similar elections.

VandenBerg said there could be a number of factors that contributed to the increase such as absentee applications were direct mailed and since people were home, they had more time to complete the ballot. 


“We really weren’t sure what to expect,” VandenBerg said, adding that the entire process went very well. Most of the voting did happen through the mail, with about 40 voters come to city hall to vote, she said.

Playground at Southeast Elementary will benefit from the recently approved 1.0 mill sinking fund. (WKTV)

For the May 5 election, Kelloggsville sought a 1.0 mill sinking fund request over 10 years to help with technology and safety improvements and the repair and construction of school buildings. In the first year, the district would receive $371,073 with West Elementary slated to receive the first round of funding for new carpet, lockers, playground upgrades and repaving the parking lot. Over the next 10 years, about every building within the district would benefit from the sinking fund by receiving roof replacements, classroom updates and parking lot repaving.

Kelloggsville encompasses a portion of the City of Wyoming and the City of Kentwood. With about 15.54 percent of the 8,307 registered voters within the district voting, the measure passed 710 to 576.

“We want to say ‘Thank You’ to our community,” said Eric Alcorn, Kelloggsville’s auxiliary services director. “We truly appreciate the trust they have in us even in these trying times. This is really exciting for our kids, parents, staff, community, and everyone connected to Kelloggsville. The passing of the sinking fund will allow us to make the necessary improvements in our classrooms and facilities throughout the district. We look forward to seeing the results of the annual improvements for the years to come.”

Godwin Heights Public Schools sought a $13.9 million bond proposal for structural, technological, and transportation upgrades. The bond would not increase taxes but would extend the current millage rate and constitute the second phase of a vision that started with a bond proposal approved by voters in 2015, according to a School News Network article.

Godwin Heights is in the City of Wyoming. With about 13.69 percent of its 8,130 register voters voting, the bond proposal passed, 653 to 457.

Will there be absentee voting in the fall? That is something the state will have to decide. (WKTV)

The City of Wyoming also has a small portion of voters in the Byron Center Public Schools, which was seeking a bond proposal. With one of the highest turnouts, 37.82 percent of its 20,252 registered voters, the proposal passed 4,805 to 2,830. Interestingly, according to the Kent County election results, none of the 10 City of Wyoming registered voters voted in the May 5 special election.

 

As to whether the absentee balloting should be done for August and November, which has been mentioned by state leaders, VandenBerg said that the fall elections are a different scale. In the special election, the city was dealing with about 12,000 voters, she said, adding that in the August and November elections, the number of voters is more than 52,000. 

“I think there are elements from this election that are worth looking at but as to whether the fall elections should be absentee will be guided by decisions from others,” VandenBerg said. 

KDL Staff Picks: World War II

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism

Seventy-five years ago on May 7 the Germans officially surrender to the Allied Forces. In honor of that historic day, the KDL Staff Picks focus on a few books about World War II.

Adult

Survivor’s Club
By Michael Bornstein

I enjoyed the first person account by Michael Bornsein, one of the youngest survivors of Auschwitz. I wanted to engross myself in this survival story as I anticipate the Holocaust survivor Guest Speaker, Lowenberg, who is coming to WYO on Nov 13th. Like the boy in this book, it is about surviving but most importantly about overcoming hate.


– Jules at Wyoming

The Medallion
By Cathy Gohlke

I found myself sitting on the seat of my chair, I was caught up in the lives of the characters, the suffering, sorrow, pain, turmoil and hate, especially during the war against the Jewish people and anyone who dared assist them in any way. I knew the story would be hard to read, because of what people suffered, especially the children. But I loved the power of love, sacrifice, and forgiveness that shines bright in this book.


– Kelly at Nelson/Sand Lake

Mr. Churchill’s Secretary
Susan Elia MacNeal

Mystery readers who enjoy books in series will want to consider Mr. Churchill’s Secretary. Maggie Hope, a whip-smart, educated, and beautiful young woman with a background in mathematics and a talent for breaking codes, chafes at her role as secretary, but her talents don’t remain undercover for long. Readers will want to start with this, the first in the series, which introduces the many characters and which so accurately conveys the atmosphere of London during the war.


– Mark at Krause Memorial

The Librarian Auschwitz
Antonio Iturbe

This was a very inspiring Historical Fiction novel based on the 14 year old girl Dita Kraus who risked her life to protect a selection of 8 books smuggled in by prisoners of Auschwitz. It is a story about bravery and strength of a young female main character as she navigates herself through the Nazi concentration camp bringing hope and the love of learning to the children of Auschwitz.


– Jules at Wyoming

Teen

The Called Us Enemy
By George Takei

A graphic memoir recounting actor/author/activist George Takei’s childhood imprisoned within American concentration camps during World War II. Experience the forces that shaped an American icon — and America itself. An excellent graphic novel about a part of American history not often spoken of.


– Shaunna at Alpine

For more KDL Staff Picks, visit the Kent District Library, kdl.org, and click on the “Recommendations” table on the left side of the page.

Study: Active body shapes agile mind

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Physical activity is one of the leading factors in determining brain health in middle age and later years. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Robert Preidt, HealthDay


Want to reduce your risk of dementia? Take care of your heart.


That’s the takeaway from a new study that suggests good heart health in middle age could lower your odds for problems with thinking and memory later in life.


The study included nearly 7,900 British adults who did not have heart disease or dementia at age 50. Over an average 25-year followup, 347 cases of dementia were diagnosed among participants. Average age at diagnosis: 75.


After taking other factors into account, researchers linked a higher score at age 50 on seven healthy habits outlined in the American Heart Association’s “Life Simple 7” with a lower risk of dementia later in life.


The Life Simple 7 assesses smoking, diet, physical activity, fasting blood sugar, blood cholesterol, blood pressure and body mass index (a measure of body fat based on height and weight).


Dementia rates were 1.3 per 1,000 person years among participants who had high scores on heart healthy habits, compared to 3.2 per 1,000 for low-scorers, according to the study published recently in the BMJ.


A better score at age 50 was also associated with higher overall brain and gray matter volumes in MRI scans 20 years later.


Though the study could not prove that heart-healthy living actually caused dementia risk to drop, the researchers said their findings support public policies to improve heart health in middle age. They pointed out that dementia is a progressive disease that can start 15 to 20 years before symptoms appear.


“Our findings suggest that the Life’s Simple 7, which comprises the cardiovascular health score, at age 50 may shape the risk of dementia in a synergistic manner,” the study team wrote. “Cardiovascular risk factors are modifiable, making them strategically important prevention targets.”


The lead author is Severine Sabia of the French National Institute of Health in Paris and University College London.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.



Anxious? Distressed? You’re not alone

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Hundreds of thousands of Americans live with serious psychological distress. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay


More Americans than ever before are stressed, depressed and anxiety-ridden, and many are unable to get the help they need, a study suggests.


An estimated 8.3 million American adults─about 3.4 percent of the U.S. population─suffer from serious psychological distress, an evaluation of federal health data concluded. Previous estimates put the number of Americans suffering from serious psychological distress at 3 percent or less, the researchers said.


“Mental illness is on the rise. Suicide is on the rise. And access to care for the mentally ill is getting worse,” said lead researcher Judith Weissman. She’s a research manager in the department of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City.


This increase is likely a lasting after-effect of the Great Recession that began in late 2007─a stress-filled time that caused long-term emotional damage to many Americans, Weissman suggested.


Many people psychologically affected by the Great Recession haven’t been able to get the help they need, either because they can’t afford it or because their condition hampers their ability to seek out treatment, she said.


As a result, hundreds of thousands of Americans live with serious psychological distress, an umbrella term that runs from general hopelessness and nervousness all the way up to diagnosable conditions such as depression and anxiety, Weissman explained.


“The recession seemed to have pushed the mentally ill to a point where they never recovered,” she said. “This is a very disturbing finding because of the implications of what mental illness can do to a person in terms of their ability to function and their life span.”


The study included national health data from a survey conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 35,000 households nationwide participate each year.


The investigators found that between 2006 and 2014, access to health care services deteriorated for people with serious psychological distress, compared to people without emotional distress.


Comparing self-reported psychological distress symptoms across nine years, the research team estimated that nearly one in 10 distressed Americans in 2014 did not have health insurance that would give them access to a psychiatrist or mental health counselor.


In 2014, people with serious psychological distress were nearly three times more likely to experience delays in getting professional help due to insufficient mental health coverage than people without serious distress, the study findings showed.


Approximately 10 percent of people with serious psychological distress could not afford to pay for their psychiatric care in 2014, up from just under 9 percent in 2006.


The economic turmoil caused by the Great Recession struck at the heart of the American dream, rattling some to their core, Weissman said.


“Earning and sustaining a living is getting harder for people, especially for men,” Weissman said. “The loss of jobs could mean there’s a loss of community and a loss of role as wage earners and providers.”


Dr. Harsh Trivedi is president and CEO of Sheppard Pratt Health System, a Maryland mental health provider. He said constant noise from the internet and social media likely serve to amp up people’s anxiety and angst.


“In the past, you may go out and meet with your friends and talk about something, but when you got home you’d go to sleep,” Trivedi said. “The difficulty now is you can’t really turn things off. We don’t necessarily have downtimes to recharge and get our bearings straight again.”


Weissman pointed out that psychologically distressed people already struggle to deal with the health care system, and on top of that there are national shortages of mental health professionals.


And, Trivedi added, the ongoing debate over the Affordable Care Act isn’t doing distressed individuals any favors.


“If you are in a more distressed state, how easy is it for you, from a psychological perspective, to seek care?” Trivedi said. “If the overall market is shifting, and you are more psychologically distressed, how are you going to have the faculties to keep track of your access to health care?”


Weissman said insurance companies should pay for mental health services, which need to be more fully integrated into primary care for people.


“We need to increase access to care for the mentally ill,” she said. “We also need to put trained psychiatrists and mental health providers within the primary care setting. If you have linkages of care within primary care, then the mentally ill patient can be helped even if they’ve come in for some other reason.”


The study was published in the journal Psychiatric Services.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.




Photo of the Week: Cookie As Art

Citizen Journalism,

There has been a lot of baking going on during the Stay Home, Stay Safe order and Kentwood resident Gerald DeMaagd benefited from these special delights that were a gift from Kentwood residents Ray and Kris Bizon. The technique used for the cookies was royal cookie icing.

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

Metro Health relies on virtual care to continue seeing patients safely during COVID-19

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Dr. Renee Elderkin conducts a virtual visit with a patient. (Supplied)

By Jamie Allen
Metro Health – University of Michigan Health

Social distancing precautions are important, but so is a patient’soverall health. Metro Health is here for patients and their families and wants to keep everyone safe during the COVID-19 outbreak. This means finding innovative ways to continuing seeing patients at a safe distance.

Metro Health’s virtual care options allow for patients to stay in regular contact with their providers and care team amid COVID-19, while keeping both the patient and provider safe. Delaying care can be often be dangerous to a patient’s health when ongoing care needs are significant. In addition to primary care for annual check-ups and medication checks, all 14 Metro Health specialties are seeing patients through phone calls, emails and video visits.

“Virtual care has always been a part of our patient access strategy, but COVID-19 has rapidly shifted our focus from in-person care to virtual care in our primary and specialty care settings,” said Josh Wilda,Chief Information Officer, Metro Health – University of Michigan Health.”

Video visits are safe, secure and use a high-quality connection. When in-person visits are not possible, a video visit is the next best thing. This option provides a connected experience for the patient and provider, by supporting nonverbal cues like body language and facial expressions. Metro Health’s virtualcare options have been very well received by patients.

“Our patients’ response to virtual care has been one of relief,” said Wilda. “When our office connects with patients, they have been grateful to be able to continue their care without having to come into the office or the hospital during these times of recommended social distancing.”

Dr. Ghali Taling discusses care with a patient through a virtual meeting. (Supplied)

“Our endocrinology patients are simply happy that their physicians can see them from the safety of theirown homes,” said Metro Health Endocrinologist, Dr. Edward Kryshak. “Many of our higher risk patientsare afraid to leave their homes and virtual care options make continued care for this vulnerable population possible.”

New mothers are also among those grateful that they can stay connected to their OBGYNs without having to expose their newborns to unnecessary germs during traditional post-partum office visits.

“I had a patient last week that I did a video visit with who was six weeks post-partrum,” said StevenLown, OBGYN, Metro Health – University of Michigan Health. “It was a beautiful day outside and shewas walking with her baby in a stroller. She said she loved it and commented how nice it was that she could be out walking her infant and do a visit at the same time.”

Since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, Metro Health has conducted 6,700 video visits. In addition to video visits, patients can take advantage of asynchronous visits for emailing their providers questionsand concerns through Metro Health’s digital platform, MyChart.

To schedule a visit using one of Metro Health’s virtual care options, patients should reach out to their Metro Health provider. If you do not have a provider, please visit https://metrohealth.net/find-a-doc/