District Court celebrates 50th anniversary
by Maralyn Fink
On Friday I attended the 50th anniversary celebration at the 65th District Court at the Courthouse. The court was open for walk-through viewings of the courtrooms, offices and lockup areas.
The celebration marked the 50th anniversary of the creation of district courts in Michigan as was required by the 1963 Constitution.
“District court is known as the people’s court because millions of citizens interact with it statewide each year,”said Judge Michael Clarizio. “Our team at the 65th District Court is very proud of its service to the people of Clinton County and providing even better service in the years to come.”
This celebration was well attended by our community as well as law officials.
Real Men Wear Pink campaign raises $24,000
In its third year in Greater Lansing, the Real Men Wear Pink campaign raised over $24,000 to support the American Cancer Society’s efforts to save lives from breast cancer. During October, 12 area leaders raised donations and encouraged community members to take action in the fight to end breast cancer.
Local RMWP Ambassador, Curt Keck of Keck Coleman Funeral Home, center front, was one of the campaign’s top fundraisers, raising $2,563 to support the American Cancer Society and those impacted by breast cancer.
“We are grateful to Curt and all our Real Men Wear Pink participants for lending their voices to our cause,” said Katie Jones, Senior Manager for Community Development at the American Cancer Society. “Not only did they wear pink, but they raised awareness about breast cancer and made a huge commitment to raise funds to help save more lives. Those donations help us save lives from breast cancer through early detection and prevention, innovative breast cancer research, and patient support.”
In addition to Curt, the 2018 Real Men Wear Pink candidates were: Dr. Troy Ferguson of McLaren Greater Lansing; Mike Zamiara from Niowave, Will Lemanski from Meiers Lombardini Lemanski Insurance, William Doxie representing Kappa Alpha Psi, Inc., Brandon Currin from Holt Public Schools, Tim Gates from MSU, Zach Krieger from M3 Group, Harold Pope representing Alpha Phi Alpha, Inc., Christian Braun from ReMax, Jazz Musician Jim Alfredson, and Patrick Monroe from Independence Village of Grand Ledge.
For more information about breast cancer or the Real Men Wear Pink campaign in Greater Lansing, call 1-800-227-2345.
Bennie and Jesse’s Pet Info – 7 Human Foods That Are Healthy for Dogs
While you may think that sitting at the table to enjoy a nice meal is a human-only activity, there are several human foods that are healthy for dogs that you can offer your pup.
Within moderation, you can swap out your pup’s regular dog food and use these healthy foods for dogs to create fun meals that you can serve up in a dog bowl. Turkey, pumpkin, cranberries, green beans, carrots, sweet potatoes and apples are all human foods that are not only safe for your dog but also offer nutritional benefits. Check out our infographic on human foods that are healthy for dogs to learn more about how to create yummy and healthy dog dinners.
Infographic by petMD.com
Maralyn’s Pet Corner – How to Calculate How Much Wet Food to Feed a Cat
courtesy of Jennifer Coates, DVM
Sharing your life with a cat is certainly rewarding. There’s nothing quite like cozying up with your four-legged fluffball after a long day’s work.
But being a pet parent carries with it a lot of responsibility, too, especially when it comes to determining how much food to feed a cat. Feeding cats is more complicated than simply ladling out a few kibbles here and there; you need to consider several factors, especially if you choose to give your cat wet food. Determining how much wet food to feed a cat can get complicated, but we’re here to help.
Why It’s Crucial to Calculate How Much Food to Feed a Cat
You might wonder why it’s important to determine the exact amount of wet cat food you should give your cat? As of 2017, an estimated 60 percent of cats in the US are classified as clinically overweight or obese. That’s about 56.5 million cats who are too heavy, and extra weight has a dramatic, negative effect on feline health.
Overweight cats are at an increased risk for congestive heart failure, skin disorders, infections, diabetes mellitus, complications associated with anesthesia and surgery, hepatic lipidosis (a potentially fatal liver disease), and some types of cancer.
Feeding cats wet food is never as simple as just opening up a can and letting them eat until they’re full. Indoor cats, in particular, tend to burn few calories throughout the day, and they become bored, which we all know can lead to excessive eating and weight gain. Pet parents need to take a strategic approach to measuring out cat food to prevent or deal with weight gain in cats.
How Much Wet Food Should I Feed My Cat?
For starters, have your cat evaluated by a veterinarian. He or she will weigh your cat, identify your cat’s ideal weight, and determine the number of calories your cat should take in every day to reach that goal.
A pet calorie calculator can also get you into the ballpark. If your cat is severely overweight, your veterinarian may recommend a prescription cat food for weight loss; otherwise an over-the-counter weight control cat food should suffice.
Next, look at the label of your cat’s wet food. At best, the feeding instructions will be somewhat vague, and they certainly don’t apply to every cat in every situation. It helps do some math. A wet cat food’s caloric content should be listed somewhere on the label.
For example, American Journey minced chicken and tuna recipe provides 73 calories per 3-ounce can. If you can’t find this information, look it up on the manufacturer’s website or give them a call.
Let’s say your veterinarian has determined that your cat should take in 240 calories per day. In this example, you simply need to divide 240 by 73 to determine how many 3-ounce cans of the American Journey chicken and tuna recipe you should offer your cat daily.
240 / 73 = 3.3
Therefore, your cat needs to eat roughly 3 1/3 cans of this food per day.
Cat Food Portions Matter
Cats who have a hard time keeping slim should be fed several measured meals of cat food throughout the day rather than having 24/7 access to food.
How often should you feed your cat? You and your veterinarian can discuss the right frequency based on your situation. But, in general, cats do best when they eat multiple smaller meals throughout the day—two at a minimum, but more might be better.
The math that you just performed can help inform your decision. In the example that we’ve used, the cat should be eating 3 1/3 cans per day. Wouldn’t it make sense to feed three meals of one can each with the extra third of a can added to the last meal of the day? Whatever you decide, simply divide the number of cans you need to feed in a day by the number of meals you want to provide, and you’ll have the right portion for each meal.
If you’re watching your cat’s weight, you’ll also need to subtract the calories provided by any treats you give as well as any dry food you offer. If it helps, keep a log of your cat’s daily caloric intake goals and then track the food and cat treats you give throughout the day to help keep your cat’s weight on track.
Small-Portion Wet Cat Food Trays
Foods that are already divided into meal-sized portions, like Sheba Perfect Portions grain-free multipack and Nutro Perfect Portions grain-free multipack can reduce the chances that you will inadvertently feed too much at any one time.
And if your pet’s food comes in cans and you have leftovers, the Petmate Kitty Kap can cover fits four sizes of cans. It will keep wet cat food fresh in the fridge until your cat’s next scheduled meal.