07-09-2020 Letters and Commentary

Update from Coloma Schools’ superintendent To Coloma Community Schools families and friends, As we adjust to the continuing changes affecting our entire community, I would like to thank the Tri-City Record for the opportunity to share updates regarding school news and ideas with the community moving forward. One issue many families and students are focused on this summer is preventing or minimizing summer learning loss, which many educational experts predict will be worse this year as a result of the COVID-19 school closure in early March. What is traditionally referred to as the “Summer Slide” is now being called the “COVID Slide.” Students across the country are expected to suffer more as a result of a lack of in-person learning over the last several months. For this reason, it is important to ensure students are actively engaged this summer through reading, utilizing credible online resources, and accessing other learning materials available to them throughout the summer. In Coloma, we are providing an online Summer School for our high school students and our K-5 students are participating in the Kids Read Now summer book program, which offers free books to students upon request. In addition, we have shared many online resources with our parents to assist in summer education engagement. We encourage families to visit our website and social media pages to find those resources. In the last few weeks, student-athletes have returned to school to begin conditioning workouts while observing social distancing guidelines. All athletes go through a health screening process before every workout and equipment is thoroughly disinfected after every use. Our coaches are following strict guidelines for participation, as outlined by the MHSAA, which can be found on our website alongside many other resources for returning athletes. It is our hope that regular sports programming will take place this fall, as we continue to focus on the health and safety of all student athletes. Finally, planning is underway for the 2020-21 school year, in partnership with other local districts. We are strategizing our return to face-to-face learning as we awaited specific guidelines, which Governor Gretchen Whitmer released on June 30. We will review and analyze the Governor’s guidelines against our own efforts to-date in order to finalize a return to school plan that promotes a high level of student achievement and a safe and healthy environment for our staff and students. We are also working on a robust remote learning plan to have available should face-to-face learning be suspended at some point during the 2020-21 school year. In the meantime, I encourage all students and families to continue to engage in learning over the summer. Stay safe and healthy. Dave Ehlers, Superintendent Coloma Community Schools

UV Safety Month reminds us to be smart about sun exposure Spending time in Michigan’s great outdoors during the summer is a rite of passage and a great family tradition. Taking care to protect ourselves and loved ones from the damaging effects of ultraviolet sunrays should also be a part of that tradition. July is designated as Ultraviolet (UV) Safety Month, with a goal of spreading the word about the importance of protecting ourselves and our loved ones. Though spending time in the sun is enjoyable, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UV rays can damage skin in as little as 15 minutes. Most directly, overexposure leads to bad sunburn, which is itself unhealthy — but worse is the fact that most skin cancers come as a result of exposure to the sun’s UV rays.

The American Cancer Society says basal cell and squamous cell cancers are the most common types of skin cancer and are found on sun-exposed parts of the body typically related to lifetime sun exposure. Melanoma is a less common but more serious form of skin cancer also related to sun exposure. Sun spots and wrinkles are also known symptoms of sun overexposure. To help defend against UV rays, the best and most effective way is to avoid sun exposure altogether. Obviously, that is not entirely possible, but there are ways to mitigate exposure. This includes staying in the shade whenever possible; wearing UV-blocking sunglasses and clothing that shields skin, such as hats, long-sleeved shirts and pants or skirts; and routinely applying a broad spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor 15 or higher rating. Make no mistake: Spending time outdoors in the sun is fun and has its own health benefits, including providing us with a natural source of vitamin D, which is known to potentially be lacking in people living in northern climates like ours. The problem is overexposure, and that is what UV Safety Month is all about. A little precaution before going outside can prevent a big problem later on. Be sure to do your part and protect yourselves and your loved ones before going out to have fun in the sun. As always, residents can contact my office with any state or local issues by calling (517) 373-6960 or emailing senklasata@senate.michigan.gov.

Celebrating our Hometown Heroes On Saturday, July 18, from 12-3 p.m., I will be hosting a Hometown Heroes Picnic at the Lawrence Park in downtown Lawrence honoring local law enforcement, first responders and medical personnel. The challenges our community has faced these past few months have been truly unprecedented. We are organizing this cook-out as a way to say thank you and provide a free meal to all of the law enforcement, first responders, and medical personnel who have been on the front lines keeping Southwest Michigan safe. All kids, family members, active duty, and retired military also eat free. I appreciate all of the blood, sweat and tears these heroes have all poured into our community. If you can join me on July 18, please RSVP to my campaign manager Dylan Wernholm at dwernholm15@gmail.com. We want to make sure we buy enough food for everyone! I hope you join us and that you and yours had a wonderful Fourth of July Weekend celebrating our cherished freedoms. Times are tough right now but as we reflect back on our nation’s 244-year history, we can look forward knowing that America has always come out on the other side stronger and more united. As always, please do not hesitate to contact my office with any questions or concerns. You can reach me toll free at 1-800-577-6212, via email at BethGriffin@house.mi.gov and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RepBethGriffin.

Conversations on COVID with older Michiganders Over the next several weeks, I’ll be hosting a number of tele-town halls here in southwest Michigan to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic and its disproportionate impact on older folks in Michigan. These events are open to all residents to ask questions, and I encourage you to join as we discuss resources available for older Michiganders. The next two tele-town halls will be held on Friday, July 10 at 3 p.m. and Thursday, July 16 at 10 a.m. If you would like to participate, be sure to dial 877-228-2184 on your phone and input this code: 119135#. While coronavirus cases continue to spike, older Michiganders are among the most vulnerable in our society, and we must do more to better protect their safety and wellbeing. To this end, I have introduced the bipartisan Infection Control Training and Support Act that would provide $210 million to nursing homes to enhance the quality of care and safety measures during the COVID-19 pandemic and future public health crises. Our fight with this virus is far from over and we must continue to take the proper steps to stop the spread and protect ourselves and others. If we all wear our masks and keep our distance, we will beat this virus. To learn more about important legislative issues, follow me on Twitter at @RepFredUpton or by visiting my website: upton.house.gov. You can also call my offices in Kalamazoo (269-385-0039), St. Joseph/ Benton Harbor (269-982-1986), or Washington, D.C. (202-225-3761).

On being angry You know when someone is angry. It shows in reactions to events. Face masks tend to hide some emotions because we can’t see all of someone’s face, but anger sometimes comes through loud and clear. Those in retail services are more likely to encounter anger than someone just out and about shopping. If the general public is more angry, those in sales will see it. So why would people be so angry recently? It has been observed that one major cause of anger is disappointment – unfulfilled expectations. That makes some sense. It happens in strained relationships. It can be between adult siblings, between parents and teen son or daughter, between spouses, between bosses and workers, between neighbors, and it goes on. Usually the anger goes both ways, and sometimes it’s legitimate, when there have been unfulfilled legitimate expectations or disappointing behavior. Sometimes when we say we have an “anger problem”, a more accurate description might be that we actually have a “disappointment problem”. That might help us to better understand it and deal with it. It can help us focus on an area over which we have more control – our own expectations. Those expectations might be legitimate, but our demand when and how they must be fulfilled may not be reasonable under the circumstances. That’s called patience, and that is one reason why anger can be defused by being willing to actively listen. The Bible has something to say about anger. “Be angry and sin not, do not let the sun go down on your anger.” (Ephesians 4:6) Don’t let our disappointments plague us so much that we lose sleep over them, and don’t try taking our own vengeance for “paybacks”. It helps no one, is counter-productive, and ignores the forgiving patience God has had with each of us already! We may be offended, but we are also offensive. Remember that, and chill.

Take charge of your sexual health Taking care of your sexual health matters! It’s just as important as keeping the rest of your body and mind healthy. The Berrien County Health Department’s Sexual Health Clinic is here to help you plan for a healthy future. The clinic offers accessible, non-judgmental, and supportive services to women, men, and teens regardless of income, insurance status, background, or sexuality. Services are low/ no-cost, are 100% confidential, and include birth control, STD testing, and annual wellness exams and testing for men and women. Services available: Recommended annual wellness exams (pap smears, pelvic exams, breast exams, and testicular exams); STD testing and treatment; rapid HIV testing and counseling; pregnancy testing; birth control methods including the pill, the patch, Depo-provera shot, and emergency contraception; free condoms; immunizations, including the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine for men and women; education and support to help you plan for a healthy future and take control of your sexual health Sexual health clinical services are provided at little-to-no cost. Most major insurance plans are accepted, including most Medicaid plans. Costs are based on a sliding-fee scale determined according to your income and no one is turned away for inability to pay. Sexual Health Clinic services are available at all Berrien County Health Department locations (Benton Harbor, Niles, and Three Oaks) by appointment only. To make an appointment for any location or for more information, please call (269) 926-7121. More information about the Sexual Health Clinic can be found at www.bchdmi.org.

HOT GOOD FOR GROWING… The continuing heat wave should be making the corn and tomatoes grow. It certainly is good for bathing and kayaking. You might think with the pandemic causing the canceling of community festivals and fireworks displays it would have been a quiet Independence Day … to the contrary there were more fireworks this 4th of July than ever. Every lake shoreline was home to massive pyrotechnics that could put the biggest (local shows) to shame. Thanks to a great birthday gift, I’ve a small patch of garden in the back of our house. Not to be scrimping on plants and harvest … I filled the 4ft. square compound with strawberries, tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, cabbages and red peppers. Being the rookie that I am in the garden, I went to google gardening tips and discovered that I had over-planted. The red and green cabbages with their giant leaves put much of the garden in the shade … I banished them to the shore of my frog pond, and the struggling strawberries sprang back to life, as did the tomato plants. I’m harvesting two – three strawberries a day, so while I’m not ready for the fruit stand … I let Anne pick the biggest … the size of a golf ball and I get the rest. Only fair.

NEW FOLKS ON THE STAFF… Joshua Coffin is a graduate of Central Michigan University with a B.S. in Mathematics and minors in Multimedia Design and Broadcast & Cinematic Arts. Coffin has lived his 24 years of life in Watervliet, and is a member of the star-studded Watervliet High School Class of 2014. Much of his time is put into his creative work with the Mighty Happy Crew, a record label in which he is a cofounder and the Head of Artwork and Design. His design work has made its debut on the American Billboard Charts in 2019 with “Of Light” and he plans to continue to put his creative mark on the world.

Joshua will be reporting on Watervliet city and township board activity as well as the Watervliet Public Schools Board of Education.

Kelsey Griffith is a 2014 graduate of Watervliet High School and also a graduate of Central Michigan University with a degree in Elementary Education and a minor in

Anthropology. Upon graduating with her teaching license, Griffith spent a short stint working as a teacher in southern Berrien County before returning to Watervliet Public Schools where she is a middle school English teacher. Griffith tends to stay busy during the year as a coach at both the middle and high school levels while also serving as an instructor for the Watervliet Marching Band. Currently, she is attending Western Michigan University to obtain her Master’s degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages and is looking forward to bringing readers the local news as a correspondent for the Tri-City Record, covering Bainbridge and Keeler townships.

Anna Layer has resided in the Tri-City area her whole life. She graduated from Hartford High School in 2001.

Anna worked for several years at Harding’s Friendly Market in Hartford and at Lane Automotive in Watervliet before obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Special Education and becoming a teacher. She is currently a regular contributor to the Herald-Palladium’s Opinion Maker feature. Tri-City Record readers will find her byline on Hartford city and township reporting. Layer resides in Coloma with her fiance, Aaron Weber, and their five kids: Noah, Jackson, Landon, Hanson, and Paisley.

Angela (McVay) Widdis is a graduate of Watervliet High School. After graduation she pursued her education through Lake Michigan College and Siena Heights University, where she earned a Masters of Art degree with

concentrations in both Organizational Leadership and Community Service. Widdis has worked in many different fields that mainly concentrate on helping people live better lives. Most recently she has been a full-time homeschooling teacher for her daughter. She has also volunteered for the last 20 years with organizations that work with helping children and young adults. Angela currently operates Widdis Gardens and Gifts, a roadside stand that features locally grown produce and handmade gifts, with her husband Rick, and daughter, Isabel, on their family’s centennial farm. The Record has run several news features by Widdis already and readers will see more to come.