{"id":5941,"date":"2019-09-26T20:57:08","date_gmt":"2019-09-27T00:57:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/?p=5941"},"modified":"2019-09-26T20:57:08","modified_gmt":"2019-09-27T00:57:08","slug":"5941","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/?p=5941","title":{"rendered":"Features"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>County retirees meet to reminisce and catch up<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/ccretirees.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"550\" height=\"215\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-5961\" \/><br \/>\n<em>Front row: Betty Thelen, Lois Thompson, Bonnie Wickerham, June Downing, Bev French, Sandy Burk, Mick Lynch<br \/>\nSecond row: Carol Wooley, Cathy Carroll, Kathy Dean, Jane Swanchara, Mary Feldpausch, Gayla Phillips, Carol Winsor, Nancy Ryan, Jo Gruber<br \/>\nThird\/Fourth row: Arleita Schafer, Kathy Canum, Marilyn Whitford, Mark Finnila, Ellen Luttig, Jon Thelen, Fred Gibbs, Bona Henry, Blaine Stevens, Sandy Lehman, Charlie Gabriel, Jane Clarke, Steve Lehman, Steve Coughlin, Terry Clarke<br \/>\n <\/em><\/p>\n<p>Clinton County Courthouse retirees met at the Main Street Cafe in St. Johns on September 25 for lunch, a time of reminiscing and catching up. We had a wonderful time and look forward to getting together again next year.<\/p>\n<p>If you are a Clinton County Courthouse\/Sheriff&#8217;s Department retiree and would like to be added to the list for this yearly event, please  contact Carol Wooley, email <a href=\"mailto:wooley67@gmail.com\"><font color=\"#0000CC\">wooley67@gmail.com<\/font><\/a> or text 989.640.3117.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Consumers completes their portion of F.C. Mason project<\/strong><\/p>\n<p> <iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/vuCJdyR2XZQ\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Consumers Energy has completed their portion of the F.C. Mason renovation project. The soil has been fully tested and everything meets environmental standards.<\/p>\n<p>Footings on the Flats building at the corner of Spring and Higham have been poured. This building is part of the second phase of apartments that developers will be working on. The estimated completion date for these is Summer of 2020.<\/p>\n<p>Work on the parking lot is starting at the corner of Railroad and Oakland. This lot will provide about 64 spaces and will be for tenant use only.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Vandals deface portions of the tunnel mural<\/strong><\/p>\n<p> <iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/sVNfKIiA-4g\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><br \/>\nThe Legendary Artists Passage mural was vandelized sometime around September 10-14.<\/p>\n<p>The City Police have been notified and a reward is available for any information leading to the responsible party(ies). Please call 989\/224-6721 with any information.<\/p>\n<p>We don&#8217;t like to think that anyone would want to vandelize or destroy such beautiful work that our community invested so much time and heart into, but we had to be realistic.<\/p>\n<p>The Arts Council took some precautions and had applied an anti-graffiti clear coat in hopes of protecting the artists&#8217; work. They were able to remove a large portion of the graffiti, but not all.<\/p>\n<p>The Council would like to thank the City for providing the water source. They would also like to thank the St. Johns Police Department for acting with urgency and getting this information out to the public.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Letters <\/strong>\u2013 On Graffiti<\/p>\n<p>When you deface or destroy public art or works, you make one of the ugliest statements about yourself that can be made.<\/p>\n<p>You do it to deface an honest effort made by someone else.<br \/>\nYou steal that from them. So you are a thief.<\/p>\n<p>You do it when no one who is a responsible citizen is there to see you.<br \/>\nSo you are a coward.<\/p>\n<p>You do it with foolish marks and symbols you think hold meaning, but are in fact banal.<br \/>\nSo you lack imagination.<\/p>\n<p>You do it to make a statement no one but you wants to see and in a way that guarantees it will be ignored.<br \/>\nSo you are a fool.<\/p>\n<p>You are not a rebel or malcontent or social critic.<br \/>\nYou are just a thieving, cowardly, weak minded buffoon.<\/p>\n<p>But you do not need to be.<\/p>\n<p>Sincerely,<br \/>\nTerry Clarke<br \/>\nSt. Johns<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Maralyn&#8217;s Pet Corner<\/strong> &#8211; Feline Immunodeficiency (FIV) and Feline AIDS<\/p>\n<p>Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is a complex retrovirus that\u2019s similar to HIV. And similar to the way HIV can lead to AIDS, FIV can cause immunodeficiency disease in domestic cats.<\/p>\n<p>Immunodeficiency is the medical term that describes the body\u2019s inability to develop a normal immune response. Here\u2019s everything you need to know about FIV\u2014the symptoms, outlook and how you can help an FIV-positive cat lead a long life.<\/p>\n<p><em>Do FIV-Positive Cats Always Show Symptoms?<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Retroviruses insert copies of their genetic material into the cat\u2019s DNA, which means they are infected for life and cannot clear the virus from their body.<\/p>\n<p>But FIV is slow-moving and may take months or years to incubate, so the virus typically lies dormant in the body before causing symptoms. Cats who are infected with FIV may not show symptoms for several years and often have a normal life expectancy.<\/p>\n<p>However, they are prone to developing secondary infections and even certain types of cancer, especially during the advanced stages of the disease.<\/p>\n<p><em>Symptoms of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Symptoms usually occur due to the body\u2019s decreased ability to develop a normal immune response against infections. They may include:<\/p>\n<p>\u2022\tRecurrent minor illnesses, especially with upper respiratory and gastrointestinal signs<br \/>\n\u2022\tMild to moderately enlarged lymph nodes<br \/>\n\u2022\tInflammation of the gums and oral tissues<br \/>\n\u2022\tUpper respiratory tract disease\u2014including inflammation of the nose and eyelid tissues<br \/>\n\u2022\tEye disease\u2014including inflammation of the cornea and iris, and glaucoma<br \/>\n\u2022\tLong-term (chronic) kidney insufficiency and disease<br \/>\n\u2022\tPersistent diarrhea<br \/>\n\u2022\tLong-term, nonresponsive or recurrent infections of the external ear and skin resulting from bacterial or fungal infections<br \/>\n\u2022\tFever, weight loss and weakness, especially in advanced stages of FIV disease<br \/>\n\u2022\tCancer\u2014particularly lymphoma, which is a cancer of the white blood cells formed in lymphoid tissues throughout the body<br \/>\n\u2022\tNervous system abnormalities\u2014including abnormal sleep pattern, behavioral changes (such as pacing and aggression) and changes in vision and hearing<\/p>\n<p><em>FIV Causes and Risk Factors<\/em><\/p>\n<p>FIV transmission requires close contact because it is passed from cat to cat via infected saliva.<\/p>\n<p>Bite wounds and scratches are the most common method of infection; less commonly, the virus can be passed from a pregnant female to her kittens. Sexual transmission is rare, although studies have detected the FIV virus in semen.<\/p>\n<p>Because FIV spreads directly from cat to cat through the saliva, infection is most likely to occur in outdoor, intact males, as they are more likely to fight and roam. Indoor cats generally have an extremely low risk of contracting FIV.<\/p>\n<p>There is no genetic susceptibility for infection, although genetics may play a role in how quickly the disease progresses.<\/p>\n<p><em>How Is FIV Diagnosed?<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The average age of cats when diagnosed with FIV is 5 years old, and the likelihood of infection increases with age.<\/p>\n<p>If FIV infection is suspected, your veterinarian will want to perform a thorough physical exam on your cat, taking into account the background history of symptoms and possible incidents that might have precipitated this condition.<\/p>\n<p>The next step is to test for FIV using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). This type of test (also known as a SNAP test) can be performed in the veterinary clinic, and works by screening for FIV-specific antibodies circulating in the blood.<\/p>\n<p>Your veterinarian will need to confirm a positive test result by sending a blood sample to a commercial laboratory for a different test that\u2019s known as a Western blot.<\/p>\n<p>If your cat is confirmed to be FIV-positive, your veterinarian will assess his overall health by performing blood work and a full diagnostic workup. Blood tests typically include a complete blood count (CBC) and a serum biochemical profile.<\/p>\n<p>A urinalysis will also be performed to assess kidney function and screen for urinary infections.<\/p>\n<p>Your doctor may want to perform other diagnostics, including X-rays, an ultrasound or a fecal exam. This is done to rule out other health issues, including bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic infections, as well as cancer.<\/p>\n<p><em>Treatment for FIV Cats<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Because FIV-infected cats can live for years with no symptoms, treatment may not be necessary until signs suggest that the disease is progressing.<\/p>\n<p>Secondary infections are common in the advanced stages of FIV infection due to the progressive weakening of the immune system. Issues can vary from mild to serious and will be treated on a case-by-case basis.<\/p>\n<p>Certain issues that can occur with advanced FIV, such as dental infections and tumor development, may need to be managed with surgery. Cats with severe dental disease may require full-mouth extractions (removal of all of the teeth) in order to alleviate the pain caused by gingivitis and other oral issues.<\/p>\n<p>Your veterinarian may also recommend a special dietary plan to manage your cat\u2019s specific health issues.<\/p>\n<p><em>Long-Term Management and Life Expectancy<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Cats with FIV infection need to be monitored by you at home and through regular visits to your veterinarian. This will help detect the development of secondary infections and other manifestations of the disease.<\/p>\n<p>Progressive health issues, such as gradual weight loss and increasingly frequent secondary infections, may be signs that the FIV infection is starting to affect your pet\u2019s quality of life.<\/p>\n<p>In general, however, the earlier that FIV is detected, the better your cat\u2019s chances are for living a long and relatively healthy life.<\/p>\n<p>A nationwide study in Canada found that, while around 20 percent of cats died within 4.5-6 years after becoming infected with FIV, over 50 percent still had no signs of disease at that time. However, once progressive signs of FIV disease become obvious, life expectancy decreases to less than 1 year.<\/p>\n<p><em>Can You Protect Cats From FIV?<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Until recently, an FIV vaccine was available in North America. However, the vaccine has been pulled from the market because it caused false-positive test results and only protected against some FIV strains.<\/p>\n<p>This means that managing your cat\u2019s lifestyle is the main way to minimize risk of FIV infection. This includes spaying and neutering your cats as well as keeping them indoors to prevent contact with stray cats, who have an increased risk of being FIV-positive.<\/p>\n<p>Any new cats that come into your household should be tested for FIV. If a cat tests positive, it does not mean that you can\u2019t bring your new cat into your home. The risk of an FIV-positive cat passing the disease to other indoor cats is considered to be very low.<\/p>\n<p>Recent evidence suggests that FIV rarely spreads between indoor cats who are housed together, even through grooming and sharing of food and water bowls.<\/p>\n<p>An FIV-positive result will mean that your cat will need to live an indoor-only lifestyle to avoid getting into fights with other cats and spreading the disease further.<\/p>\n<p>Remember that cats with FIV can live long and healthy lives, and euthanasia is not usually called for when a cat is diagnosed with FIV.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>County retirees meet to reminisce and catch up Front row: Betty Thelen, Lois Thompson, Bonnie Wickerham, June Downing, Bev French, Sandy Burk, Mick Lynch Second row: Carol Wooley, Cathy Carroll, Kathy Dean, Jane Swanchara, Mary Feldpausch, Gayla Phillips, Carol Winsor, Nancy Ryan, Jo Gruber Third\/Fourth row: Arleita Schafer, Kathy Canum, Marilyn Whitford, Mark Finnila, Ellen <a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/?p=5941\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5941","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-features"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5941","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5941"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5941\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5941"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5941"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/newindy\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5941"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}