Transitions

Obituaries
Dorothy Whitford

whiteford_dorothyDorothy Whitford died on March 9, 2016 at age 96, a life well-lived, well-loved, and an inspiration for all who knew her. Dorothy was born to Sam and Barbara (Zehr) Slagell on May 1, 1919 in Gratiot County, MI. She lived in that area for her entire life. Her family had moved from Illinois to Michigan to farm and were one of the founding families of the Bethel Mennonite Church where she participated her whole life. Dorothy was a person of devout faith, who committed each day to living what she believed. Family, friends, neighbors and strangers were always welcomed at her home where they shared in her kindness, good cooking laughter, and music. Dorothy was an excellent musician from her early childhood and throughout her adult life, a love she passed on to her children. Her infectious sense of humor was always present.

Dorothy also loved gardening, canning and freezing the food she produced. Always adventurous, she learned to clog in her 60’s, wrote her life story in her 70’s, and recorded a CD of her music called “Ma’s Homespun Fun” in her 80’s.
She was married to Gene Whitford, her beloved husband for 78 years and he survives her. They both loved farming and its lifestyle. Together they raised four children on their farm.

Dorothy’s surviving children and grandchildren include: son Leslie and his children, Jose, Luanne and Kelly; daughter Barbara Elaine Slagel (Gene) and her children, Faith and Steve; daughter-in-law, Judy Whitford and her children, Marianne, Kristi, Tim and Jeff; and son Eldon (Ann) and his children, Angi, Michelle and Josh. Dorothy and Gene have 19 great-grandchildren and 6 great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her son, Gary and daughter-in-law, Marilyn, as well as 4 siblings, Earl Slagell, Ralph Slagell, Ollie Slagell and Marie Kindel. Her sister Viola Bontrager and brother Harold Slagell also survive.

The family will receive friends and relatives at Keck-Coleman Funeral Home, St. Johns on Friday, March 11, 2016, 2-4 and 6-8 P.M. Funeral services will be held at Bethel Mennonite Church, Ashley, MI on Saturday, March 12, 2016 at 11:00 A.M. with Pastor Steve Slagell officiating. Burial will be at Collier Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be given to the charity of the donor’s choice.


Maurice Horski

horski_mauriceMaurice (Maury) Horski, 94, died March 4, 2016. He was born to Louis and Mary (Swider) Horski on August 10, 1921, in Locke Township. He grew up in the Owosso area with his siblings Joseph, Edward, Margaret (Sherman), Elizabeth (Figg), and Barbara (Page) who all predeceased him. He graduated from Owosso High School, received a B.S. from MSU, and earned a Masters in Education from Univ. of Minnesota. Maury served as a 1st Lt. in the Army Infantry in WW II. While in the army he met his future wife, Eloda Felber, in La Crosse, WI.

horski_maurice2Together they had four children: David (Millie) Horodynski, Susan (David) Droscha, Sandra, and Jean (Stan) Walker. He spent most of his working life as a high school teacher in Mich. and Minn., his most memorable being in St Johns, MI. Later in life he worked as a pharmaceutical salesman. He also enjoyed spending time and helping out at Riverwood Golf Course in Mt. Pleasant.

Maury is survived by his son and daughters, his good friend Marion Kern, 9 grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren, brothers-in-law, and a host of nieces and nephews.

A viewing will be held 4:00pm Tuesday, March 8, 2016, at Gorsline Runciman Funeral Home, 900 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing, MI; 6:00pm Prayer Services. Remembrances in Maury’s name may be made to St. Mary Cathedral, 219 Seymour, Lansing, MI 48933. Lansing, MI. The family is being served by Gorsline Runciman Funeral Homes, 900 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing, MI.


Paul Edward Droste

droste_paulPaul Edward Droste, age 73, our loving husband, father, and grandfather went home to his Lord on March 3, 2016. Born September 17, 1942 in Fowler, MI. Paul begin his work career at age 9, working in the mint fields in St. Johns, and later at Andy’s IGA. Paul began his 46 year career at M & M Distributing as a truck driver and salesman, then as the warehouse manager, and later became an owner, until his retirement. Paul was an active member of St. Therese Church for 49 years. He enjoyed boating, trips to the casinos, playing cards, and remote controlled boats and cars. Most important to Paul was his family and spending time with his grandkids.

Surviving are his wife of 49 years, Bernadette M. Droste; daughter, Angela Penner Sevenski; 2 sons, Brian & Paula Droste, and Chris and Marisol Smith; grandchildren Nicole (fiancé, Erik Ragan) Penner, Jared Penner, Anna Sevenski, Bailee Droste, JP Droste, Becket Droste, Braden Smith, and Ava Smith; sisters, Lucille Howard, and Juliane Snater; brothers, Jim Droste, Art Droste, and Richard Droste; many other family members and friends. Paul was preceded in death by his parents, Donald and Laurina; and sister, Donna Karber and brother, Roy.

Visitation is from 2-4, 6-8 P.M. Sunday with a 7:00 P.M. Vigil Service in the Tiffany Funeral Home, 3232 W. Saginaw, Lansing. Funeral Liturgy is 11:00 A.M. Monday, March 7, 2016 at St. Therese Catholic Church, 102 Randolph St, Lansing with Fr. John Fain presiding. Viewing will be from 10 to 11 A.m. Monday at St. Therese. Rite of committal Gunnisonville Cemetery in DeWitt Twp. Contributions may be made to St. Therese’s St. Vincent DePaul Food Bank in memory of Paul.


Floyd Hayden

hayden_floydFloyd Hayden passed away February 29, 2016 at the age of 72. He was born on August 11, 1943 in Sturgis, Michigan, the son of Harold and Jayne (Faust-Stayner) Hayden. Floyd married Nancy Brown on July 11, 1970 in Royal Oak, Michigan and she survives him.

He is also survived by sons, Jonathan (Candace) Hayden, Matthew Hayden and William R. Gerhardstein; grandchildren, Payne, Lara and Tess Hayden, Sarah and Isaiah Cady; his brothers, Bruce (Chris), Myron (Judith) and Maurice (Jackie) Hayden and several nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews. Floyd was preceded in death by his parents.

Memorial Mass will be held at 1:00 p.m.on Saturday, March 19, 2016 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 109 Linden Street, St. Johns, Michigan with Fr. Michael Williams presiding.

The family is being served by the Osgood Funeral Homes.


Marriage licenses filed the week of February 29, 2016

Sergey Olegovich Dashevskiy, 41 of East Lansing and Alicia Ann Hudson, 42 of East Lansing

Michael Matthew Bjorne, 44 of DeWitt and Laura Lyn-Ann Bassett, 46 of St. Johns

James Craig Buddenborg, 33 of DeWitt and Amber Renee Roberts, 33 of DeWitt

David Michael Carnes, 56 of Gadsden, Alabama and Kerry Renee Stock, 51 of St. Johns

Jack William Thompson III, 35 of DeWitt and Amanda Kay King, 33 of DeWitt


Divorce decrees filed the week of February 29, 2016

Carew, Salina Anne and Cody Michael

Freiburger, Kimberly Joy and Lucas Richard

Ockert, Louise Victoria and Stacey Lynn-David

Holmes, Frank Dee and Shara Lyn

St. Johns Independent

160304date
courthouse
In like a lion: St. Johns was buried in another 10 inches the white stuff again on March 1.


Latest News


The view from First Congregational – a video courtesy of Guven Witteveen
Lansing Street to close – beginning March 21
casathFriends of the Fred Meijer CIS Trail to hold Annual Membership Meeting – March 17
Superhero Spaghetti Buffet Fundraiser rescheduled
Welcome veterans home – Saturday, April 2


More News


Limited Spaces Available for Swimming Lessons
wooduckthaDucks Unlimited urges caution
Soup and sandwich outreach resumes April 5
Briggs Library News
Mark Your Calendar
Spring Arbor University Dean’s List for the Fall 2015 Semester
Grand Valley State University Graduate List
MMDHD Calendar – March 2016


Features


This week’s Mystery Photo
A Look Back – Willis Hettler Jr., Richard Duane Tipton, Sr.
Benny and Jessie’s Pet Info – Choosing the Best Dog Food
cornellthMaralyn’s Did You Know? – Food Recalls
Letters – Reader sees herself in A Look Back
Maralyn’s Pet Corner – Are Fish Flavored Cat Foods Causing Hyperthyroidism?


Transitions


Obituaries – Jerry Harold Weaver
Marriage licenses filed the week of February 22, 2016
Divorce decrees filed the weeks of February 22, 2016

Latest News

The view from First Congregational – a video courtesy of Guven Witteveen


Lansing Street to close – beginning March 21

streetworkPlease be aware that north Lansing Street, between Higham Street and Lewis Street, will be under construction from March 21, 2016 until June 30th, 2016.

This area will be open to residents that live on this street, but there will be a detour plan in place for all other traffic.

Please contact the city offices at 989-224-8944 if you live in this area and have any questions or concerns.


The Friends of the Fred Meijer CIS Trail to hold Annual Membership Meeting – March 17

Get your green on this St. Patrick’s Day to support your local greenway. The Friends of the Fred Meijer Clinton-Ionia-Shiawassee Trail will hold their annual membership meeting in the auditorium of the Memorial Healthcare Hospital at 826 W. King Street in Owosso on Thursday evening, March 17, 2016 at 7 pm.

This year’s featured speaker will be a trail planning specialist from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. In addition, Nancy Krupriarz, Executive Director of the Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance, will be giving us updates on trails throughout the State of Michigan.

Board elections will take place for 3 three-year positions with terms ending in March, 2019. Members that paid dues in 2015 are eligible to vote in these elections.

This meeting is open to all current, past and potential members of the Friends group and anyone else interested in the promotion and maintenance of this newly completed trail that follows the former railroad corridor running through the counties of Clinton, Ionia and Shiawassee. Admission is free.


Superhero Spaghetti Buffet Fundraiser rescheduled – March 9th

casaSt. Johns Big Boy will host CASA – The Voice for Clinton County’s Children for a Spaghetti Buffet Fundraiser on Wednesday, March 9th from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m..

This event was re-scheduled from Wednesday, February 24th due to a winter storm. All tickets already purchased will be honored.

Join us for an evening of great food which includes full salad bar and different kinds of pasta and sauces. CASA anticipates seeing Superheroes serving you dinner and guests are encouraged to wear their favorite Superhero attire.

Adult tickets are $12, children ages 10 to 3 are $8, and children 2 and under are free. Tickets will be available at the door.

They hope to see many Superheroes as they kick off our 2016 Superhero 5K Run, Walk, or Fly! which will be on April 30th. For more information, please call 517-599-7145, e-mail clintoncountycasa@gmail.com, or visit our website ClintonCountyCASA.org.


Welcome veterans home – Saturday, April 2

It’s that time again; please invite your favorite veteran.

Come spend an afternoon honoring our veterans. Please join St. Johns American Legion Post 153 in welcoming veterans home on Saturday, April 2 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

legion

More News

Limited Spaces Available for Swimming Lessons

The City of St. Johns Recreation Department is offering spring swim lessons. Lesson will take place on Tuesday and Thursday Nights at the St. Johns High School Pool. Classes will start April 12 and run through April 28 with class times of 4:15 – 4:45 p.m., 4:55 – 5:25 p.m., 5:35 p.m. – 6:05 p.m., 6:15 p.m. – 6:45p.m., and 6:55 – 7:25 p.m. Each class time is limited to 12 kids. Cost is $20 for City of St. Johns residents and $25 for non-city of St. Johns residents. Registrations for all youth activities are available at the City Offices and website at http://cityofstjohnsmi.com/Departments/ParksandRecreation/YouthPrograms.aspx. For additional information contact the recreation department at 224-8944 x 227 or 228.

The City of St. Johns Recreation Department also offers swim programs that take place at the St. Johns High School Pool. Please enter the building using the Activities Entrance. All activities are cancelled if St. Johns Public Schools are closed due to weather, the high school is closed for any reason, or if a school related function is scheduled. These programs include:

Morning lap swim is held Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 5:00 – 6:00 a.m. Cost is $5.00 per visit or you can purchase a 12 visit punch card for $50.00. This program runs year round.

Aqua Therapy/Lap Swim is held Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. Cost is $5.00 per visit or you can purchase a 12 visit punch card for $50.00. This program runs year round.

Evening lap swim is held on Monday and Wednesday nights from 8:15- 9:15 p.m. Cost is $5.00 per visit or you can purchase a 12 visit punch card for $50.00. This program runs through April 28, 2016.

Open Swim is held on Monday nights. Cost is $4.00 Adult $3.00 Children or $10.00 Family (Parents and Children Only). This program runs through April 28, 2016.


Ducks Unlimited urges caution

wooduckClinton County Michigan Chapter of Ducks Unlimited is urging the public to be very careful this winter if you are working on wood duck boxes on ponds. The ice is not very thick or good good this year.

They say they are skipping their nest box clean-out this year and will try again next year.


Soup and sandwich outreach resumes April 5

Good food for all starts in a few weeks beginning on April 5.

The leaders for His Cup Runneth Over are scheduling their food service and outreach each Tuesday, in sync with the Baby Pantry.

They will hold an open house to collect bowl, cup, and other donations around that time too.

Meanwhile “like” the FB page at http://tinyurl.com/hiscuprunneth Help spread the word among your own FB friends, too. Fellowship like this is golden and meant for one and all.


Briggs Library News

March is Reading Month – Briggs Library is celebrating March is Reading Month with crafts, games, and snacks inspired by your favorite characters and stories! Readers ages 3-5 can get their groove on with “Pete the Cat” Tuesday, March 8; readers ages 6-8 can “Shel-a-brate” Shel Silverstein’s “The Giving Tree” Tuesday, March 15. Both programs will run from 6:30-7:30p.m. Registration is required and is now open.

Last in the Library Book Club – There is still time to read the next selection for the Last in the Library Book Club before we meet on Saturday, March 12 at 3:00 p.m. For this session we are reading “The Locked Garden” by Gloria Whelan. This parent/child book club is recommended for children in grades 4-8, though any who can read the material and would like to discuss it are welcome. Copies of the book and registration are now available.

Comic Book Presentation – Did you know that Michigan State University houses the world’s largest library comic collection? Randy Scott, Assistant Head of Special Collections at MSU, will be at Briggs Library for a special March is Reading Month presentation on Tuesday, March 29 at 7:00p.m. to discuss this collection, the work that goes on at a comic art library, and will even bring examples of the interesting and rare items the collection houses. All ages are welcome, but the program format may not suit young listeners. Registration for this program is now available.

Toddler Storytime – “Toddler Tails” Join in the fun with tales about animals with “tails”. Sessions are Thursdays, 10:30-11 am or 6:30-7 pm, March 24 – April 28. We will enjoy music, games, crafts and creative movement throughout the 6 week sessions. Ages 2-3 with a participating adult. Registration is required and open at this time. We will have a tail waggin’ time!

Easter Bunny – Celebrate Easter at the Library with the Easter Bunny! On Tuesday, March 22 from 6:30-7:30p.m.
the Easter Bunny will be hopping into the Library. There will be a snack, game, stories and a craft. Bring your own camera and take a picture with the Easter Bunny. Registration is required and opens for kids of all ages on Tuesday, February 23.

Tween Program – Youth ages 10-12 are invited to the Library on Tuesday April 5 from 7:00-8:00p.m. for a tween program. Program includes snacks, crafts and other activities. Registration is required and opens March 15.

Bookaholics Book Club – The March selection of the Bookaholics is now available. We will be reading “Me Before You” by Jojo Moyes, the story of ordinary girl Louisa, who takes a job working for recently wheelchair-bound Will. Will has always lived a huge life, and now he is not sure he can live the way he is, but Louisa refuses to treat him with kid gloves, and soon his happiness means more to her than she expected. We will meet Thursday, March 17 at 6:30p.m. at the Library. Ours is an open club that is always accepting new members, so stop in and join us!

Retired Teachers Reading – Retired teacher Mary (Rainsford) Shelton will be reading some favorite stories at the Library on Wednesday, March 16th at 6:30 to 7pm. Registration is required and open now. Join us for some fun!

Library Closure – The Library will be closed on Friday March 25 in observance of Good Friday and on Saturday March 26 for the Easter Holiday. The drop box on the Library porch will be available for returns throughout this closure.

Great Michigan Read – The Michigan Humanities Council has selected Emily St. John Mandel’s “Station Eleven” as this year’s Great Michigan Read. The novel shares the story of a group of traveling Shakespearean actors in post-apocalyptic Michigan. That sounds dark, but the Council describes the book as being one that is “set in a world turned upside down, but is ultimately an exploration of people surviving and remaking their lives by preserving the qualities that make us human: culture, art, and the humanities.” The Library’s Bookaholics Book Club will be reading this title as their April selection, but would like to invite any other interested individuals or book clubs to join us on Thursday, April 21 at 6:30p.m. More details and registration information will follow. Contact Brett at the Library at 989-224-4702 with any questions.

******

Contact Information:

Library Director: Sara Morrison
Phone: 989-224-4702 * Fax: 989-224-1205
E-mail: smorrison@briggspubliclibrary.org
Street address: 108 E Railroad * Saint Johns, MI 48879


Mark Your Calendar

Helping You to Move Through Your Grief

Grief Recovery is a bereavement support group that will start meeting on the 1st, 2nd, and 4th week of March. The first meeting will be on March 3rd from 7-8 pm at Sparrow Clinton Hospital, 3rd floor Conference Room.
If you choose to, you may bring a friend to help support you during your healing process. We encourage you to utilize and participate in the therapeutic value of this group.
For more information, call Maralyn at 989-224-7963 or Dick at 989-224-7237.

******

Leonard to hold office hours

State Rep. Tom Leonard today encouraged people to join him for office hours scheduled on Friday, March. 11.

· In St. Johns at the Big Boy, 1408 S. U.S. 27, from 8 to 9:30 a.m.

******

Cooking Matters/Parenting Matters

Tuesdays, March 15 – April 26, 2016 (no class on April 5) from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Smith Hall on the Clinton County Fairgrounds. Space is limited so call 989-224-5241 to register. There is no cost to participate.

******

The Friends of the Fred Meijer CIS Trail to hold Annual Membership Meeting – March 17

Get your green on this St. Patrick’s Day to support your local greenway! The Friends of the Fred Meijer Clinton-Ionia-Shiawassee Trail will hold their annual membership meeting in the auditorium of the Memorial Healthcare Hospital at 826 W. King Street in Owosso on Thursday evening, March 17, 2016 at 7 pm.

******

Kindergarten Registration – March 15 – 17

St. Johns Public Schools offers all day, everyday kindergarten. Children who will be 5 years old on or by September 1, 2016 are eligible to attend school in the fall.

Please visit the web page www.sjredwings.org to get school updates and information.

******

Feast and Raffle

The 2nd annual St Joseph Feast and Raffle Dinner is March 19. For more information check out their Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/St.josephfeastandraffle99/

******

Annual Spring Wetlands Conservation Banquet – April 15, 2016

The Clinton County Chapter of Ducks Unlimited (DU) will host it’s 35th Annual Wetlands Conservation
banquet on Friday April 15, 2016. The event will once again be held at Smith Hall on the 4-H Fairgrounds in St Johns.


Spring Arbor University Dean’s List for the Fall 2015 Semester

Saint Johns: Amy Babinski, Junior, Special Education, Cum Laude. She is the daughter of Edward and Tammy Babinski.


Grand Valley State University Graduate List

More than 1,000 Grand Valley State University students participated in commencement ceremonies on December 12, 2015 at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids. A list of the names of Grand Valley’s most recent local graduates follows.

Saint Johns: Justin A. Bria, BS and Holly R. White, MPAS

Dewitt: Michael A. Drabek, BBA

Elsie: Kaitlyn B. Bush, BS

Ovid: Caitlin E. Montague, MS


MMDHD Calendar – March 2016

Family Planning Clinic Schedule

The Mid-Michigan District Health Department’s Family Planning Clinics provide confidential care to men and women in need of contraception and reproductive health services. Charges for services and supplies are based on income. The Family Planning Clinics are scheduled as follows:

Mid-Michigan District Health Department
1307 E. Townsend Road
St. Johns, MI 48879

March 1: 8 a.m. to Noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
March 8: 8 a.m. to Noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
March 15: 8 a.m. to Noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m
March 22: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m
March 29: 8 a.m. to Noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
..
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call (989) 224-2195, Option 5, Monday through Friday.

Hearing & Vision Screening Clinic

Vision screening is required for all children entering kindergarten. The Mid-Michigan District Health Department offers free vision testing, as well as hearing screening tests for all children ages 3 to 21. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call (989) 227-3125, Monday through Friday.

WIC Benefit Pick-Up Schedule

Pregnant and breastfeeding women, infants and children up to 5 years old may be eligible for free food through the WIC (Women, Infants & Children) program. The Mid-Michigan District Health Department WIC Benefit Pick-up Clinics are scheduled as follows:

March 2,
March 14
March 30: at Mid-Michigan District Health Department, 1307 E. Townsend Road in St. Johns, from 9 a.m. to Noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call (989) 224-2195, Option 5, Monday through Friday.

“In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) policy, this institution is prohibited from discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.”

Immunization Clinics

The Mid-Michigan District Health Department Immunization Clinics are to be held as follows:

Mid-Michigan District Health Department
1307 E. Townsend Road
St. Johns, MI 48879

March 7: 8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

March 9: 8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m

March 14: 8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

March 17: 8 a.m to noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

March 21: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

March 28: 8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Immunizations will be available for adults and children eight weeks of age through adulthood, appointments are preferred. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call (989) 224-2195, Option 5, Monday through Friday.

Features

This week’s Mystery Photo

Where is this?

mystery255

Can you tell us where this is located? Drop us a line at mail@sjindy.com.

203 Floral Ave.

mystery254

The current owners are Steven and Jane Cleland. Previous owners include John Anderson, and Germaine Rehmann.


A Look Back – Willis Hettler Jr.

by Barry Bauer

hettler

Willis Hettler Jr. (right) pointing out some things to Keith Shafley. I think the car was a Ford Model T.

You never saw Junior, as he was called, without a cigar. He worked for his father, Willis Hettler Sr. at Willis Hettler Auto Sales on E. State St. that sold Chrysler products.

He also drove their wrecker which was a popular wrecker to call to get you out of bad places. I was fortunate to have him pull me out of a creek after I went off the road in 1962. They carried me “on the books” until I could afford to pay for the tow bill.


Benny and Jessie’s Pet Info – Choosing the Best Dog Food

By T. J. Dunn, Jr., DVM

“What is the best food to feed a dog?” Every day veterinarians are asked that question by dog owners. It’s a sincere question because most dog owners want to feed the very best to their furry friends. Good health begins with proper nutrition, regardless of price or convenience of acquisition.

Please understand that the entire discussion on this page relates to healthy dogs with no kidney, thyroid, food allergy or other abnormal conditions. Also, the content of this page is my opinion regarding the “best” dry dog food and how to determine what you think is “best” to feed dogs.

A big reason why it i is strictly an opinion, there is no single answer to the question “What is the best diet to feed a dog?” Or if there is an answer it is, “It depends”.

Over the past 37 years I have been examining dogs and cats in my practices I have made it a point to ask the owner “What diet are you feeding?” I have gotten all sorts of answers but in every case I relate the owner’s response to what I am seeing in the patient. And over the years my suggestions regarding what to feed have changed.

Originally I took the pet food manufacturer’s declarations as fact — that an assortment of “Complete and Balanced” pet foods were perfectly nourishing because that wording was not legally permitted on pet food labels unless feeding trials demonstrated its veracity. I eventually discovered I was mistaken in the belief that any “Complete and Balanced” dog food was appropriate to feed.

It was in 1978 that I had an awakening. A number of owners were presenting dogs to me that had coarse hair coats and slightly greasy and flaky skin; and often these dogs (and cats!) had chronic itchy skin, hot spots, ear infections and seemed overweight.

So they were over-caloried but under-nourished. Their calorie intake was up but the food they were consuming simply — no matter that the pet food label indicated “Complete and Balanced” –was not providing a proper nutrient spectrum to the dog. Sometimes I would simply say that some fatty acid supplements “might help”. I was a believer in those “Complete and Balanced” diets. One of the reasons I couldn’t see what was going on regarding these dogs with poor health signals relating to diets was that some of the “Complete and Balanced” diets were resulting in well nourished dogs, partly because the owners were feeding table scraps as well.

I’ll jump ahead a bit and tell you the defining element that separated the good “Complete and Balanced” diets from the poor ones was this: The poor diets were based on corn — meaning, corn was listed as the first ingredient in the ingredient list on the label — and the good diets were based on chicken or some other meat source — lamb, beef.

was always instructed, and learned in the few nutrition courses in veterinary school (nutrition is much better covered in veterinary school these days) that an imbalance of calcium and phosphorus in a dog’s diet would lead to health disasters. This holds true today, too.

I was instructed that “since meat is high in phosphorus and lower in calcium, too much meat is not good for dogs over long periods of time”. (Many people still confuse the disastrous all meat diets with meat-based diets; one is not good the other is ideal.) Grain-based diets for dogs, and even more so for cats, do not make nutritional sense and that was exactly why I was seeing those patients with the dry and flaky, sometimes greasy skin and coarse hair coats. They were eating “Complete and Balanced” grain-based diets with nothing else added. Why add anything when it is “Complete and Balanced” already?

Further confirmation came when I saw another litter owned by a local Bloodhound breeder. This fellow seemed to me to be quiet and a healthy ten-year-old dog with a shiny coat.

When I’d ask him what he was feeding his dogs we would get into our annual nutritional discussion and I’d keep warning him about the home-made recipe and all that meat he had been feeding his dogs for years.

Funny thing was, his dogs were among the very best I had ever seen. All his litters, and adult dogs, were robust, had perfect skin and coats even at six weeks of age, and never had to come in for skin problems, skeletal dysfunction, gastrointestinal problems or oral health issues. This breeder was sending his pups all over the country and there I was trying to tell him to be careful about “feeding too much meat” and I’d talk about such things as “a ‘Complete and Balanced’ commercial dog food would be best, make sure you don’t get skeletal problems”. I wondered why I felt rather foolish instructing him because I honestly thought his dogs were in optimum health.


Maralyn’s Did You Know? – Food Recalls

Whole Foods Market Recalls Maytag Blue Cheese

Whole Foods Market in Austin, Texas is voluntarily recalling Maytag Raw Milk Blue Cheese nationally due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.

Listeria monocytogenes is an organism, which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria monocytogenes infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

No illnesses have been reported in connection with this recall to date.

Customers who have purchased this product should discard it, and may bring their receipt into the store for a full refund. Consumers with questions may call 512-477-5566, extension 20060, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central Daylight Time.

Recalling Alfalfa and Alfalfa Onion Sprouts

State health and agriculture officials are investigating an outbreak of food borne illness. Retailers and restaurants should not sell or serve alfalfa sprouts and consumers should not eat them at this time.

Routine disease monitoring by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) identified seven E. coli O157:NM cases in January and early February; E. coli bacteria from those cases all had the same DNA fingerprint illness. The ill individuals range in age from 18 to 84 years, and five are female. Four of the cases are residents of the Twin Cities metro area, and three live in greater Minnesota. Two were hospitalized, and both have recovered.

Jack & The Green Sprouts is cooperating with this process and is located in River Falls, Wis., and distributes alfalfa sprouts to states in the upper Midwest and possibly other states. The seven Minnesota cases and at least one of the Wisconsin cases were exposed to the implicated alfalfa sprouts from a variety of locations, including grocery/cooperative stores, restaurants, salad bars and commercial food service.

For more information see http://www.fda.gov/Food/RecallsOutbreaksEmergencies/Outbreaks/ucm487651.htm.


Letters – Reader sees herself in A Look Back

Wow, my cousin sent me the link and I see my picture with Dr Stoller and a story about me. I couldn’t of been more surprised.

stoller

I am Kathy/Kathleen Cornell Williams. I look back on my years at Rodney B Wilson Hi and only smile. They were wonderful and I treasure all the memories.

cornellTo give a bit of an update. I did go on and take my nurses training at Hurley Hospital in Flint. I may of graduated in the top 10 from RBW but sure didn’t there. Nurses training was the hardest thing I had ever done. I think anyone attending a hospital school of nursing would say the same thing. In one of my first classes the instructor said “Look to your left and right, by the end of the year one of you will be gone and by the end of the second year only one will be left” and she was right. But it was great training and I did go on to graduate in the spring of 1971 and went right to work.

Most recently I worked 15 years at Clinton Memorial (I still call it that) before moving in 2007 to my present home in Northport, at the tip of the beautiful Leelanau Peninsula. I loved working at CMH serving my hometown.

After moving, I worked almost 2 years at Munson Medical Center in Traverse City in the woman’s surgical, pediatric, OB and NICU areas. In the spring of 2010 I started work only 4 miles from my parents home (I moved north to live with them (James and Geneva Cornell) and they are now 90 and 92). I am the 3-11 supervisor at what was once the Leelanau Memorial Hospital and is now an Assisted Living and Memory Care facility called Highlands of Northport. Again I service my community but in a different capacity and I very much enjoy it.

auroraOne of my fondest memories of high school is the choral music department and Mr Vandemark. Thanks to his training (along with my 9 years of accordion lessons!) I am using that music talent directing the choir here in my local church as I did when I attended my hometown church in St. Johns, Bingham/Bengal EUB then joining and taking the name of Pilgrim UMC. It just goes to show that our past really does link the future.

I have family and friends in the St. Johns area that I stay in touch with. And if any one wants to see a most beautiful part of our whole nation, come visit us in Leelanau County. Our home is easy to find and we love visitors to stop by. It’s just past Woolsey International Airport on 629 just 4 miles north of Northport on the way to Grand Traverses Lighthouse. I thought you might be interested in a little update.

– Kathy Williams
krcwilliams@juno.com


Maralyn’s Pet Corner – Are Fish Flavored Cat Foods Causing Hyperthyroidism?

I am all too familiar with hyperthyroidism. It is one of the most common endocrine (hormonal) diseases of cats. I’ve diagnosed many of my patients with the condition, including two of my own cats.

First some background. Hyperthyroidism is a usually caused by a benign tumor within the thyroid gland that secretes large amounts of thyroid hormone. One of the primary functions of this hormone is to regulate an animal’s metabolism. Cats under the influence of too much thyroid hormone have a greatly increased metabolic rate, leading to the classic symptom of weight loss despite a ravenous appetite. Elevated thyroid hormone levels can also lead to high blood pressure, a type of heart disease called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, vomiting, diarrhea, and increased thirst and urination.

In most cases, hyperthyroidism can be diagnosed when a cat has high circulating levels of thyroid hormone (total T4 or TT4) in conjunction with typical clinical signs. Additional forms of thyroid testing may be necessary in complicated cases. Treatment varies depending on the cat’s overall health and owner finances, but options include radioactive iodine therapy, daily medication, a low-iodine diet, and surgical removal of the thyroid gland.

While diagnosing and treating hyperthyroidism is relatively straightforward, identifying the disease’s cause is not. Theories abound, some of which have scientific research to back them up. Hyperthyroidism has been connected to canned cat food (perhaps because the lining of the cans contains bisphenol A – BPA) and exposure to flame retardant chemicals (polybrominated diphenyl ethers – PBDEs) used in furniture, electronics, and other consumer products.

Another possible risk factor is fish flavored food cat food. A study published in 2000 looked at the medical records of 100 cats with hyperthyroidism and 163 control cats (cats without hyperthyroidism) to determine whether or not a number of environmental or dietary factors played a role in which cats became hyperthyroid. The researchers found that “exposure to fertilizers, herbicides, or plant pesticides; regular use of flea products; and presence of a smoker in the home were not significantly associated with an increased risk of disease, but cats that preferred fish or liver and giblets flavors of canned cat food had an increased risk.”

And now more evidence points to problems with fish flavored foods. A 2016 study that evaluated feline blood samples and cat food found that the type of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) derivatives found in the cat food and cat blood came from “marine organisms.” Additionally, they were able to show just how feline physiology could convert the type of chemical present in the food into the sort that was found in the cats’ blood.

These papers aren’t definitive so I don’t recommend that we all immediately throw out our fish flavored foods or panic if that’s all our cats will eat, but the next bag I buy will probably be chicken rather than fish flavored.

Transitions

Obituaries

Richard Duane Tipton, Sr.

tipton_richardRichard Duane Tipton, Sr. passed away on March 2, 2016 at the age of 77. Born on December 21, 1938 in Fowler, MI, the son of John and Margaret (Townsend) Tipton, Sr. He married Judith DeYoung on October 30, 1959 and she survives him.

Also surviving are their children, Kery (Becky) Tipton, Richard (Deborah) Tipton, Jr., Valerie (Dennis) Vallette, Samantha Tipton, Rebecca (Donald) Longstreth, twelve grandchildren, seven great grandchildren, siblings, Gerald Tipton, Margaret “Peg” Caesar, Sharon Halfmann and Linda Tipton. Richard was preceded in death by his parents, and brothers, John Jr. and Robert Tipton.

Funeral Services will be 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 5, 2016 at Osgood Funeral Home, 104 E. Cass St., St. Johns, burial to follow at Payne Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5-8 p.m. on Friday at the funeral home. Those planning an expression of sympathy may wish to consider memorial contributions to the American Heart Assoc.

The family is being served by the Osgood Funeral Homes.


Jerry Harold Weaver

weaver_jerryJerry Harold Weaver, age 75, of St. Johns, MI passed away Monday, February 22, 2016 at Sparrow Hospital, Lansing, MI with his family by his side.

Funeral Services will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes Ithaca, MI on Friday, February 26, 2016 at 10:00 A.M. Visitation will be held on Thursday February 25, 2016 from 2-8 P.M. with family present from 2-4 and 6-8 P.M. at the funeral home.

Jerry was born in Ashley, Michigan on October 26, 1940, the son of Harold and Opal (Kerr) Weaver. Jerry resided most of his life in the Ashley and St. Johns areas and was a graduate of Ashley High School Class of 1959. He served his country in the U.S. Army from 1963-1965. Jerry married Beverly Hyde on September 22, 1966 in Ithaca, MI. Jerry loved the outdoors and enjoyed hiking and visiting the Upper Peninsula and Mackinac Island. He was very meticulous with his yard. Jerry was an avid car enthusiast, especially Oldsmobiles. Jerry retired from General Motors where he worked for over 40 years.

He is survived by his wife Beverly Weaver of St. Johns, MI, children; Mark Weaver, Kevin (Richelle) Weaver, Karen (Darren) Bartel, Brian (Patricia) Weaver, Daniel (Shelly) Weaver, 9 grandchildren; Rebecca Chase, McKayla Muscott, Hannah Chase, Kyle Weaver, Ashleigh Harris, Hallie Weaver, Kaleb Weaver, Paige Harris, Reagan Weaver, mother Opal Weaver and sister Shirley Smith. Jerry was preceded in death by his father.

Memorial contributions may be made to a Charity of the Donor’s Choice. The family is being served by Smith Family Funeral Homes Ithaca, Michigan.


Marriage licenses filed the week of February 22, 2016

Adam Lee Crossley, 22 of Manchester, United Kingdom and Emily Nicole Scott, 21 of St. Johns


Divorce decrees filed the weeks of February 22, 2016

Young, Richard D and Brenda

Whitehill, Lindsey Michelle and Ryan Scott

Sanchez, Chelsie Renee and Miller, Cory Allen

Kincaid, Michelle Rena and Jeffrey Scott

Hillock, Kimberlee Anne and James Roland

Reed, Daniel J and Velazquez-Reed, Edith

Penner, Angela Marie and Sevenski, Michael John

Venancio, Amanda Christina Pinto and Sexton, Corey Steven

St. Johns Independent

160226date
swegles
Chief Knight and Chief Mazzolini thanked the Swegles Street Sole Sisters and their families for stopping in with treats and notes of appreciation for the police officers and firefighters. Pictured with the group are Officer Dedyne and Firefighter Zlotek.


Latest News


Closed, stay home if you can
Walk for Warmth – Saturday, February 27
Superhero Spaghetti Buffet Fundraiser rescheduled – March 9th
signsthSJHS alum working on new album
SCH Auxiliary hosts white sale – February 29
Former resident accepts school nurse award
The Friends of the Fred Meijer CIS Trail to hold Annual Membership Meeting – March 17
Kilpatrick joins LAFCU as payroll and benefits specialist


More News


02eyethAvery Vision New York Frame Fashion Show – with an album
Mint Country Garden Club to meet – Thursday, March 4
Leonard urges kids to hit the books for March is Reading Month
Cooking Matters/Parenting Matters
Mark Your Calendar
Grand Valley State University Dean’s List


Features


This week’s Mystery Photo
A Look Back – Dr. Paul Stoller
domangallerythRandom Notes – Dorman House is new site of Elsie Arts Council
Benny and Jessie’s Pet Info – How to Alleviate Arthritic Pain During the Winter
Maralyn’s Did You Know? – Allergy alerts
Maralyn’s Pet Corner – Rat Poison Ingestion in Cats


Transitions


Obituaries – Nellie Frances Dickinson, Jeffrey Dean Pearson, George J. Hazle, James A. Dorman, Conrado Dominguez
Marriage licenses filed the week of February 15, 2016
Divorce decrees filed the week of February 16, 2016

Latest News

Closed, stay home if you can

A good chunk of Michigan was closed on Wednesday and into Thursday after the latest snowfall.

sheriff

Local law enforcement agencies were asking that people please stay off the roads if at all possible. There were several traffic hazards where folks had gotten stuck in the middle of the road and just left their vehicles.

The plow trucks were out, but they were going to need time and space to get everything cleared off. There were a number of back roads that were expected to be impassable for quite a while yet.

Those who did have to go out were being asked to drive slowly, to take extra warm clothes in case they had to walk, and to make sure their phones were charged and with them.


Walk for Warmth – Saturday, February 27

The 26th Annual Walk for Warmth fundraiser for Clinton County will take place Saturday, February 27. It is being hosted by the Capital Area Community Services.

Registration will begin at 10:30 a.m., and the walk will begin at 11 a.m. at the Clinton County Senior Drop-In Center located at 201 E. Walker St., St. Johns.

All funds raised through Walk for Warmth will go directly to Clinton County households for heat-related utility assistance. If you would like more information, call Capital Area Community Services of Clinton County at 989-224-6702.


Superhero Spaghetti Buffet Fundraiser rescheduled – March 9th

St. Johns Big Boy will host CASA – The Voice for Clinton County’s Children for a Spaghetti Buffet Fundraiser on Wednesday, March 9th from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m..

This event was re-scheduled from Wednesday, February 24th due to a winter storm. All tickets already purchased will be honored.

Join us for an evening of great food which includes full salad bar and different kinds of pasta and sauces. CASA anticipates seeing Superheroes serving you dinner and guests are encouraged to wear their favorite Superhero attire.

Adult tickets are $12, children ages 10 to 3 are $8, and children 2 and under are free. Tickets will be available at the door.

They hope to see many Superheroes as they kick off our 2016 Superhero 5K Run, Walk, or Fly! which will be on April 30th. For more information, please call 517-599-7145, e-mail clintoncountycasa@gmail.com, or visit our website ClintonCountyCASA.org.


SJHS album working on new album

chad

Chad Rehmann is currently working on a new album with Grammy nominated artist, Lisa Dondlinger.

Lisa performed regularly with Celine Dion and shortly after Celine’s husband passed, Lisa went into the studio to record Chad’s arrangement of The Prayer.

50% of the track sales will go to the Azar-Angelil Research Chair for ORL Cancer, an organization close to Celine that’s making great strides in cancer research. The track can be purchased here: http://www.lisadondlinger.com/#!music/c1ppg

Rehmann is a 1999 graduate of St. Johns High School.


SCH Auxiliary hosts white sale – February 29

Cozy up to some great bargains Monday, February 29, at the linen sale fundraiser hosted by The Sparrow Clinton Hospital Auxiliary in St. Johns.

This winter warm-up white sale takes place at Sparrow Clinton Hospital from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. in White Conference Room.

Shopping options include sheet sets, quilt sets, blankets, Sherpa throws and bamboo memory foam pillows.

Proceeds help the Auxiliary fulfill its $100,000 pledge to help build the hospital’s new emergency department.
Sparrow Clinton Hospital opened its high-tech emergency services facility in August 2014. The hospital serves more than 14,000 Patients each year, providing immediate, full-service emergency and urgent care when it is most needed.


Former resident accepts school nurse award

Munson Healthcare Charlevoix Hospital’s School Nurse Program, under the very capable leadership of Kathy Jacobsen, has been named a Program of Excellence by Jackson Healthcare at their annual Hospital Charitable Services Awards ceremony in Atlanta, Georgia.

Along with the engraved glass award was a check in the amount of $10,000 and the recognition of the hospital’s continuing commitment to the health of our communities.

signs
Chris Signs-Warstler is show here with Kathy Jacobsen

Congratulations to Kathy Jacobsen and each of the fine school nurses including Former St. Johns resident Chris Signs-Warstler whose creative thought, commitment and hard work led to this innovative, award-winning program.


The Friends of the Fred Meijer CIS Trail to hold Annual Membership Meeting – March 17

Get your green on this St. Patrick’s Day to support your local greenway. The Friends of the Fred Meijer Clinton-Ionia-Shiawassee Trail will hold their annual membership meeting in the auditorium of the Memorial Healthcare Hospital at 826 W. King Street in Owosso on Thursday evening, March 17, 2016 at 7 pm.

This year’s featured speaker will be a trail planning specialist from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. In addition, Nancy Krupriarz, Executive Director of the Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance, will be giving us updates on trails throughout the State of Michigan.

Board elections will take place for 3 three-year positions with terms ending in March, 2019. Members that paid dues in 2015 are eligible to vote in these elections.

This meeting is open to all current, past and potential members of the Friends group and anyone else interested in the promotion and maintenance of this newly completed trail that follows the former railroad corridor running through the counties of Clinton, Ionia and Shiawassee. Admission is free.


Kilpatrick joins LAFCU as payroll and benefits specialist

kilpatrickLAFCU recently announced that Rebekah “Becky” Kilpatrick has joined the credit union as payroll and benefits specialist.

In her new position Kilpatrick is responsible for processing payroll, maintaining employee records, and managing employee benefits such as health care and retirement.

“Becky brings extensive experience in payroll accounting to LAFCU,” said Sharon Gillison, LAFCU senior vice president-human resources. “Her passionate interest in human resources will be a great benefit for our organization.”

Kilpatrick, a St. Johns resident, came to LAFCU from Partners Book Distributing Inc. where she served as human resources/payroll manager since 1998.

She is currently working toward the Senior Certified Professional designation from the Society for Human Resources Management. She is a graduate of St. Johns High School.

More News

Avery Vision New York Frame Fashion Show – with an album

by Maralyn Fink

On Friday I wandered into the fashion frame show at Avery Vision to see what is new. I did arrive a little early to scope it out and get some information and see what was new in frames.

The frame show has taken place for the past 15 years. Each year the newest frames are introduced at the show. There are huge selections that takes time to go through because there is more than one vendor.

Upon arriving, everyone is given a goodie bag that also contains a free ticket for the drawings held at intervals during the showing. Drawings are held every half hour and there are always very nice prizes. This time a piece of luggage was one and also brand name purses were given.

The Grand Prize went to Jackie Cressman who received a free pair of glasses.

Well wouldn’t ya know, I set down my goodie bag to take some pictures, then went to get it and couldn’t find it; just another day for me. However lurking before me was the food table. Now that’s even better than my ticket.

Dr. Brandy Cook, Ophthalmologist, will be moving her practice to 1000 E. Sturgis, Suite 3 the first of March.

Thank you, Dr. Peters, and staff for doing this show every year. This takes a lot of teamwork, and they are up to the task. We appreciate it and look forward to next year.

Maralyn@sjindy.com

https://picasaweb.google.com/110845930262453987007/1602eye?authuser=0&feat=directlink


Mint Country Garden Club to meet – Thursday, March 4

The monthly meeting of Mint Country Garden Club will be held Thursday, March 4 at 7:15 pm. Meetings are held at Clinton Commons Community Center, 1105 S. Scott Rd, St. Johns.

Kathy Runyan with Owosso Daylily Gardens will be the guest speaker. Visitors are welcome to attend this discussion on the care and varieties of daylilies.

For further information about this meeting or how to become a member, email mintcountrygardenclub@gmail.com or call 517-599-6307.


Leonard urges kids to hit the books for March is Reading Month

State Rep. Tom Leonard encourages children to experience the adventures found between the covers of books during March is Reading Month.

Rep. Leonard, R-DeWitt, said parents and teachers should always encourage children to read, but said they should make a special effort during March, which is designated for reading.

“Reading a book is much more than just following the order words are in,” Rep. Leonard said. “The contents of books can take children to new places they may never experience in their lifetimes, and can open their imaginations to new adventures and new friends. Nourishing that curiosity and quest for knowledge is very important”

Those too young to read would enjoy being read aloud to by their parents and siblings, which can also hone the skills of older children doing the out-loud reading.

For information and ideas on how to celebrate March is Reading Month or encourage children to read, visit the Michigan Department of Education’s online resources website at www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/Reading_Month_270348_7_272048_7.pdf.


Cooking Matters/Parenting Matters

Join MSU Extension for a 6-week workshop that blends parenting, nutrition, and cooking to create a recipe for great food, support, and fun learning. Instructors will utilize Nurturing Parenting and Cooking Matters curriculums to explore healthy practices and techniques.

Complementing the cooking segment of this program, participants will receive groceries to prepare recipes demonstrated each class. This program is geared not only for parents but also caregivers, grandparents, and anyone who has a little person in their life.

Classes will be held on Tuesdays, March 15 – April 26, 2016 (no class on April 5) from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Smith Hall on the Clinton County Fairgrounds, 800 Sickles Street, St. Johns.

Space is limited so call 989-224-5241 to register. There is no cost to participate.


Mark Your Calendar

Helping You to Move Through Your Grief – Beginning March 3

Grief Recovery is a bereavement support group that will start meeting on the 1st, 2nd, and 4th week of March. The first meeting will be on March 3rd from 7-8 pm at Sparrow Clinton Hospital, 3rd floor Conference Room.

If you choose to, you may bring a friend to help support you during your healing process. We encourage you to utilize and participate in the therapeutic value of this group.

For more information, call Maralyn at 989-224-7963 or Dick at 989-224-7237.

******

Coffee and Conversation with the Superintendent

Take advantage of this informal opportunity to ask questions and hear information from St. Johns Public School Superintendent Dr. Dedrick Martin.

February 29, 2016 from 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. @ The Wheel Inn 1825 S. US 27 St. Johns, MI 48879

For more information, please go to http://www.sjredwings.org/facility-committee-/

******

Kindergarten Registration – March 15 – 17

St. Johns Public Schools offers all day, everyday kindergarten. Children who will be 5 years old on or by September 1, 2016 are eligible to attend school in the fall.

Please visit the web page www.sjredwings.org to get school updates and information.

******

Feast and Raffle

The 2nd annual St Joseph Feast and Raffle Dinner is March 19. For more information check out their Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/St.josephfeastandraffle99/

Annual Spring Wetlands Conservation Banquet – April 15, 2016

The Clinton County Chapter of Ducks Unlimited (DU) will host it’s 35th Annual Wetlands Conservation
banquet on Friday April 15, 2016. The event will once again be held at Smith Hall on the 4-H Fairgrounds in St Johns.

******

Leonard to hold office hours

State Rep. Tom Leonard today encouraged people to join him for office hours scheduled on Friday, March. 11.

· In St. Johns at the Big Boy, 1408 S. U.S. 27, from 8 to 9:30 a.m.


Grand Valley State University Dean’s List

Grand Valley State University announces the names of students who were placed on the dean’s list for the Fall 2015 semester concluding in December. The list includes those students who have maintained a 3.5 grade point average and been enrolled in a minimum of 12 credits. The honor is noted on the students’ official records.

Saint Johns: Brianna L. Auten; Justin A. Bria; Makaila L. Fike; Jordan N. Hufnagel; Dylan J. Kernohan; Olivia R. Kosnik; Hailey K. LaBar; Alexander M. Murray; Jenna R. Schumaker; Madison A. Shutes; Brooke M. VanElls

Bath: Alexandra L. Breen; Miriah A. Hagy; Anna R. Kessler

Dewitt: Mallory M. Armbrustmacher; Charles E. Billingsley; Karla L. Billingsley; Lear E. Brougher; Meghan L. Cook; Mckenna G. Cunningham; Molly R. Feldpausch; Kelley Rose French; Rachel M. Graziano; Jared A. Gregory; Kevin M. Kowalczyk; Brooke M. Kramer; Jordyn N. Lewis; Ibtisam S. Matta; Caroline F. Miller; Melissa L. Peffley; Andrew G. Rolls; Alison P. Scheffler; Philip M. Sheridan; Danielle M. Szeman

Elsie: Joshua A. Akena; Brandon J. Meisel

Fowler: Katherine E. Cole

Laingsburg: Mckaylah J. Adams; Harley S. Corp; Megan P. Hagerty; Erica G. Halick; Abagail R. Halm; Kaylyn J. Kucish; Paige M. Leland; Adam J. Wickham

Ovid: Emilie J. Sickles

Westphalia: Hannah L. Bengel; Chase A. Platte; Gavin L. Smith; Lauren N. Spitzley; Shelby L. Thelen

Features

This week’s Mystery Photo

Where is this?

mystery254

Can you tell us where this is located? Drop us a line at mail@sjindy.com.

207 S. Mead St.

mystery253

The current owners: Ricky and Jeannie Hudson. Previous owner include: Joseph Karber, Joan Gibbs, Robyn – et al Rehmann. Austin Peck lived there in 1950.


A Look Back – Dr. Paul Stoller

by Barry Bauer

stoller

This is a presentation between Dr. Paul Stoller and the two unidentified ladies on the left.

Dr. Stoller had a practice in Fowler before moving to St. Johns. His last office was located at 308 N. Mead St. He passed away at a young age of a heart attack.

Update: Thanks to one sharp-eyed reader we have the full story for you:

Kathleen Cornell (left), of rural St. Johns received a $500 scholarship from the Clinton County chapter of the National Foundation last week, and it was presented to her by Dr. P. F. Stoller, chairman of the scholarship
committee. Looking on is Mrs. Lyle Fenner, outgoing chairman of the chapter”

Full article:
The Clinton County chapter of the National Foundation has awarded its annual $500 health scholarship to a rural St. Johns girl, Kathleen Cornell, 18, daughter of Mr and Mrs James Cornell of West CenterlineRoad, R-5.

Miss Cornell will use the one-year scholarship to start her training for a career in nursing. She will enter the Hurley Hospital School of Nursing in Flint. Her present plans are to specialize in surgical nursing after she becomes a registered nurse.

The scholarship check was presented to Miss Cornell last week by Mrs Lyle Fenner, outgoing chairman of the Clinton
County chapter, and Dr. Paul F. Stoller , chairman of the scholarship committee.

Miss Cornell is a 1968 graduate of Rodney B. Wilson High School in St. Johns, where she was a member of the concert
choir and Wllsonaires, was student director of the play “Oklahoma,” was student council secretary, a member of the National Honor Society and an honor student. She received the Lansing Society of Medicine Technology Award this year. She is also a member of the Pilgrim United Methodist Church.

Members of the scholarship committee include Dr Stoller as chairman, Mrs Luella Canfield, RN, George Eberhard, Dr
G.W. Bennett, Donald Smith, B. Stanley Poculs and CereldaHicks as secretary.


Random Notes – Dorman House is new site of Elsie Arts Council

By Rhonda Dedyne

An item in the Obituaries this week reminded Rhonda of a story she wrote a number of years ago.

Sometimes ants can move mountains.

Or, at least, houses – if the ‘ants’ are committed enough to the cause.

Exactly 100 days from the meeting Sept. 4 where the idea of moving the landmark Dorman House was first discussed by the Elsie Arts Council, what will become the home of the fledgling organization was passing through the main four corners of the village enroute to its new site on the vacant lot where the IGA store once stood.

“It’s pretty incredible,” Arts Council Vice President Maria Menozske said as she watched workers from the Anthes Moving Company inch the house next to the lot where it will be placed onto a foundation this spring.

The dedicated group of area residents managed to raise $16,200 for moving and associated costs in that 100-day period – and overcome other challenges of obtaining the house and securing the use of the IGA lot. Not even the bitter cold temperatures on moving day last Wednesday could erase the smiles on the faces of the EAC volunteers as they watched the house travel west on Main Street and swing around the corner to its final destination next to the Elsie branch of Citizen’s Bank.

“We’re just so pleased that our family home is going to be used and enjoyed by so many people for years to come,” said Phyllis Acre, one of the siblings of Jim Sr. and Esther Dorman who purchased the house in 1942. It was built in 1885.

dorman2

Dorman, 97, is remembered by many village residents for his love of the arts and inquisitive nature that led him to secure a number of patents. The use of the Dorman House as a new home for the EAC seemed like a natural fit to both the Dorman family and members of the group.

Sam Smith of Smith Funeral Homes had purchased the house and lot for future expansion of his facility that is located adjacent to property. He donated the house to the EAC. Numerous other businesses and individuals also provided cash and in-kind contributions that made the ‘house-moving’ possible – including a $5,000 donation by the Dorman family for use as ‘seed money’ by the EAC.

“We are very appreciative of all the donations we’ve received, and for the assistance of the Elsie Downtown Development Authority and Elsie Village Council,” Menozske said, noting cash contributions made by the Elsie Masonic Lodge and Elsie Improvement Association.

The EAC is continuing to solicit donations which will be used for the construction of a new foundation for the Dorman House, and for renovations to the interior and exterior of the structure once it opens – hopefully, this summer or fall.

domangallery

“Our goal from the start was to use the house for art classes and workshops, as well as providing a place for local artisans to display and sell their works,” Menozske said. “The four bedrooms upstairs will probably be used for classes and a ‘period’ room to display art from the time that the house was constructed.”
Along with Menozke and Acre, who serves as secretary for the EAC, other officers are Janet Houska, president, and Dawn Levey, treasurer.

A ‘fun’ on-going fundraiser for the organization is the sale of ‘pickets’ for a picket fence that will eventually surround the Dorman House site. Each picket is carved with the name of the donor; the cost is $15 each.
Donations for the purchase of a Dorman House Picket or contributions of any amount may be made to the Elsie Arts Council, 114 E. Oak St., Elsie, Mich., 48831. Donations are tax-deductible via the Capital Region Community Foundation. For information call Menozske, (989) 862-4449.


Benny and Jessie’s Pet Info – How to Alleviate Arthritic Pain During the Winter

Dog Care for Cold Weather Aches

Many people with arthritis will testify that they feel more pain during cold weather. The problem is doctors have not found a reason for why this is. We assume that part of the cause is the drop in air pressure, which can allow the tissues to swell, or the effect that cold has on the muscles; a stiffening that can be uncomfortable even for those who do not suffer from joint issues. The same holds true for animals that suffer from the effects of arthritis. We can see that they are feeling more pain when the temperatures dip, but doctors cannot tell us why this is happening.

What is Arthritis?

First, what is arthritis? The most common type, for both humans and animals, is the type that is related to age, or wear and tear. Called osteoarthritis, damage begins in the cartilage of the joint. Cartilage is a firm but flexible connective tissue that is found between the bones within the joints – including the joints of the knees, hips, and so on.

When the cartilage in the joints begins to erode over an animal’s life, or when it is damaged due to injury to the joint, the bones in the joint are allowed to come into direct contact with each other, eventually resulting in the erosion of and further damage to the bone. The joints most likely to be affected are the weight bearing joints; those in the pelvis, knees, ankles and spine.

What may begin as mild discomfort for the dog over time becomes increasingly painful, and this is especially true for animals that are overweight, as the weight places excess pressure on the bones in the joints.

Although arthritis is a progressive disease without a cure, some of the pain can be alleviated; in some cases, the disease’s progress can even be slowed. Treatment plans often include a healthy, reduced-calorie diet, therapeutic exercise, massage, and anti-inflammatory medications and/or supplements. For some dogs, alternative therapies may also be considered.

Weight Control or Reduction

One of the best things you can do for your dog right now is to make sure you have him or her on a weight maintenance diet, since extra weight places a lot of extra pressure on the already stressed joints. If your dog is already overweight, you will need to start a weight loss diet.

However before you make any drastic food changes — either in type or amount — you should check with your veterinarian. But do it as soon as possible. The longer you allow your dog to remain overweight, the worse the arthritic pain will be for her. Given enough time, your dog will eventually not be able to move around except through a haze of excessive pain.

Needless to say, feeding your dog a quality, low-calorie, low-fat diet will help her to shed pounds and keep them off. There are even plenty of specially formulated dog foods designed for improved joint function in older dogs. Some dog food companies will even send free samples. Do your research, talk to your veterinarian and try samples of different specialty foods until you find the perfect one for your dog.

Additionally, keep in mind that major changes in the type of food may upset your dog, and that some formulas may not be appropriate for your dog’s age and health. Always check with your veterinarian first.

Activity and Exercise

If possible, it is best to take your dog out for regular activity (a little each day or at least four days a week) at a dog friendly park or dedicated dog park. Start out with short walks around the park and work up from there. If you do not have that option, either because of availability or because of weather, there are an increasing number of exercise centers that are being opened for dogs around the country. Most have swimming pools (assuming they’re not already frozen over), a great exercise for arthritic dogs since it is a non-weight bearing activity.

Use your preferred Internet search engine (Yahoo, Google, Dogpile, Bing, etc.) to look for “dog gyms” and “dog activity centers” in your area. Another alternative is to buy your own treadmill to keep at home so that you can exercise your dog at the convenience of your own schedule and in the comfort of your home. Even regular walks up and down the stairs in your building or home are a form of exercise that will benefit your dog (and you).

It is generally agreed that too little exercise is worse than none at all. If you are going to start an exercise plan with your dog, you will have to stick with it, and the more the better. Also, choose exercises that do not stress the joints too much, or you will have a reluctant dog who is too sore to exercise the next day.

Medications and Supplements

There are some medications that may help your dog, depending on the severity of the arthritis. Your veterinarian can prescribe an anti-inflammatory or corticosteroid drug for your dog to reduce inflammation. There are also injectable medications for the promotion of cartilage repair and protection. Dietary supplements generally do not require a prescription. In fact, the most common ones, glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, are widely used by humans for the management of joint pain.

While supplements are not designed or marketed as painkillers, they do work to repair and reform the cartilage in the joints. For example, glucosamine and chondroitin give the chondrocytes, the cartilage-forming cells, the elements they need to manufacture new cartilage and repair damaged cartilage. These supplements take some time to begin making an obvious effect, however, and need to be given for life to continue to be effective.

Other supplements that have proven useful for arthritis include green-lipped mussel extract, omega-3 fatty acids, MSM (methyl-sulfonyl-methane), ASU, and SAMe. Again, and as always, check with your veterinarian before giving your dog anything new and untried. Even simple supplements might complicate an undiagnosed, underlying health condition.

Alternative Healing

Along with the growth and acceptance of alternative healing techniques for humans, there has been a subsequent rise in the availability of alternative care for dogs, too. Therapies such as massage, acupuncture and physical therapy can be very beneficial for your dog. In some cases, such as with massage or herbal baths, you can provide the care at home. There may be pet massage classes in your area with instructors that teach the specifics of animal massage, or you can do your own research with books written on the topic – either bought from a bookstore or borrowed from a library.

Take note that it is important to know your dog well and know the correct techniques to use before attempting massage. An incorrectly placed “squeeze” could send your dog into spasms of pain and result in a bite on your end.

As before, use your favorite Internet search engine to find local classes or healers that work with dogs.

Stay Warm

Keeping your dog comfortable and warm is important during the cold season. Providing your dog with a well-padded bed in a warm indoor location or placing a heated blanket (make sure it’s pet safe) in his bed can make all the difference in his outlook. Special equipment, such as ramps to go up and down stairs or onto higher furniture, can allow your dog the ability to move freely throughout the house and to go in and out of the house easier.

Clothing can also help to keep the joints warm. Wrap your dog in a specially designed dog sweater, or alter one of your old sweaters or sweatshirts to fit your dog.


Maralyn’s Did You Know? – Allergy alerts

Lipari Foods Issues Allergy Alert on Dark Chocolate Covered Coffee Bean Products

Lipari Foods, LLC has issued a voluntary recall of dark chocolate covered coffee beans packaged by sister company JLM due to an undeclared allergen of tree nuts (almonds). People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to almonds run the risk of a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products. The products are safe for consumption by those who do not have an allergy or severe sensitivity to almonds.

The products were distributed to retail stores throughout Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Wisconsin and West Virginia.

Products were distributed under the following brand names Angeli Foods, Harding’s Markets, Goosberries Fresh Food Market, Martha’s Vineyard, Hollywood Market, Daniels Foods, Snook’s Butcher Shoppe, Martin’s, Holiday Market, The Purple Onion, Remke Market or as generic product without branding.

Consumers who have purchased this recalled product should not consume it. They should return it to the point of purchase. Consumers with questions should call Customer Service at 800-729-3354, 8:15 am – 4:30 pm, EST, Monday through Friday.

******

Rucker’s Wholesale & Service Co. Issues Allergy Alert on Uncle Bucks and Cabela’s Classic Candies Maple Nut Candy Peg Bags

Rucker’s Wholesale and Service Co. of Bridgeport, IL is voluntarily recalling all of Uncle Bucks and Cabela’s Classic Candies Maple Nut candy peg bag, due to the presence of an undeclared peanut ingredient. People who have an allergy to peanuts run the risk of serious or life threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product.

The recalled Maple Nut candy was distributed nationwide in Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s stores.

Consumers who would like a refund, or have questions may contact the company at 618-945-2411, or 800-663-1857 Mon – Fri 7:30AM – 4:30PM CST, or email, customerservice@ruckerscandy.com Consumers with an allergy to peanuts should not eat the product.

*****

Peking Food LLC Issues Allergy Alert For Undeclared Egg

Peking Food LLC of Brooklyn, NY, is recalling Chef Hon Brand Steamed Buns With Seafood & Vegetable and Steamed Buns With Seafood Marinated In Xo-Sauce, because they contain undeclared eggs. People who have an allergy to eggs run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products.

Chef Hon Brand Steamed Buns With Seafood & Vegetable and Steamed Buns With Seafood Marinated In Xo-Sauce, were distributed to retail stores in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas, and Puerto Rico.

Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-888-686-7888, Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm, EST.

*****

Wilderness Family Naturals Issues Allergy Alert on Undeclared Milk

Wilderness Family Naturals of Silver Bay, MN, is voluntarily recalling its Wilderness Family Naturals Organic Coconut Milk Powder and other products that contain this ingredient due to potential milk contamination. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk run the risk of a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products. The products are safe for consumption by those who do not have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk.

Customers can contact Wilderness Family Naturals for a refund by calling (800) 945-3801 or sending an email to
info@wildernessfamilynaturals.com.


Maralyn’s Pet Corner – Rat Poison Ingestion in Cats

Anticoagulant Toxicity in Cats

Although designed to kill rats and mice, cats often find rodenticides (rat and mouse poison) tempting as well. Most (but not all) rodenticides are composed of anticoagulants, a type of drug that prevents blood from clotting by interfering with vitamin K, a key ingredient in the clotting process. When taken in sufficient quantities by the cat, it results in spontaneous bleeding (internal bleeding, external bleeding, or both). If left untreated, this could prove fatal for your cat.

What to Watch For

Typically, it takes 2 to 5 days for the following symptoms associated with anticoagulant poisoning to appear:

– Bruising
– Pale gums
– Blood in urine, vomit, feces
– Bleeding from gums, nose, rectum, eyes, ears
– Weakness, staggering gait, depression
– Blood accumulation in the chest (hemothorax), which may lead to shallow or labored breathing
– Blood accumulation in the abdomen (hemoabdomen), which may cause the abdomen to distend

Primary Cause

Cats can ingest toxic doses of anticoagulants by eating rodenticide left on the ground or by eating a rodent that has ingested rodenticide. There are many forms of anticoagulant used in rodenticides; some of the more common forms are warfarin, brodifacoum, bromadiolone.

Immediate Care

Call your veterinarian, the nearest animal hospital or the Pet Poison Helpline at at 1-855-213-6680, especially if you notice your cat is bleeding.

If you can find the container or label for the poison, bring it with you to the veterinarian.

Veterinary Care

Diagnosis

If you should witness your cat eating rodenticide or see pieces of rat poison in her vomitus, anticoagulant poisoning is a near certainty. Otherwise, if your cat should start bleeding without cause, your veterinarian will conduct blood tests to determine if the time it takes for the blood to clot is abnormally long.

However blood tests should not be the only determining factor for diagnosis, as the clotting time for a cat that has only recently ingested anticoagulants is normal, only to gradually worsen until the point where the blood can no longer effectively clot.

If there is uncertainty about whether the symptoms are due to an anticoagulant, your veterinarian will do additional tests to make that determination.

Treatment

If the anticoagulant is suspected to have been ingested within the past two hours, and if you have not already done so, your veterinarian will induce vomiting. Activated charcoal is given orally within 12 hours after ingestion of the poison to absorb any of the toxin that may still be in the intestines.

Vitamin K is also given by injection, followed by 1 to 4 weeks of vitamin K tablets given orally at home. The length of the prescription is determined by the type of anticoagulant.

If your cat is actively bleeding, he will be hospitalized and monitored until the bleeding stops. If blood loss is severe, your cat may require intravenous fluids or a blood transfusion. There may be a need for special treatments if other problems should arise. For example, if there is bleeding into the chest, that blood will need to be drained so the cat can breathe easier.

Other Causes

Human medications that contain anticoagulants, like Coumadin® and other blood thinners, are a potential source of anticoagulant poisoning.

Living and Management

Once your cat is stable, she will be sent home with a vitamin K prescription to be given orally. It is best to give it with canned food, as the fat in the food will help it to be absorbed. It is also important for your cat to get the full course of vitamin K prescribed, even if she seems fine. It often takes a while for certain anticoagulants to be eliminated from a cat’s body. Your veterinarian will schedule follow-up tests to monitor your cat’s blood count and clotting time.

Please note: The vitamin K your veterinarian prescribes is in a highly concentrated form. The vitamin K you can buy over the counter is only a small fraction of the strength needed and will not be enough to help your cat.

Prevention

It is best not to use rodenticides if you have pets or young children in your home. There are other products that can control rodents without the use of poison. Your cat may even be willing to help with the rodent control.

In addition, since you have no control over how your neighbors eliminate rodents, it is best not to let your cat outside unsupervised.