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Sportsmen for Youth - 2022 Youth Day is a free, one-day outdoor extravaganza

MUSKEGON COUNTY, MI - Young people in Muskegon County will once again have the opportunity to learn about various types of outdoor activities during the annual Sportsmen for Youth - Youth Day this weekend. The free event, held at Muskegon County Fairgrounds for the past 29 years, is slated to begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10, and continue until 3 p.m. The family-friendly event features a variety of activities that youth under age 17 can participate in, including rock climbing and fishing from a pond filled with 1,000 trout. There will also be a 9/11 tribute at noon for those who died during the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. More information on Youth Day can be found on the Sportsman for Youth website and Facebook page.

mlive.com

Spring is here, and it’s the perfect time to hit the road on your bike

This weekend is the beginning of Spring, unofficially kicking off bike riding season. Having said that, every cyclist deserves a bike they love, on which they can ride along their favorite path or mountain. Peabody explained that D&D works directly with bike manufacturers to get you the lowest cost. And along with the purchase of a bike, the company provides a year life-plan for the bike, which covers minor adjustments, repairs and safety checks. “Live in the D” Spring into Spring contest will be awarding a viewer $500 to get the season started right.

Coronavirus in Illinois updates: Here’s what happened Dec. 18 with COVID-19 in the Chicago area

Illinois on Friday surpassed 15,000 recorded deaths since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, one week after the state’s death toll climbed above 14,000. Over the past week, the state has averaged 138 deaths from COVID-19 per day. Meanwhile, Walgreens and CVS Health predict the COVID-19 vaccine will be available to the public during the spring, and patients will most likely be able to make appointments to get the shots at pharmacies. The pilot program started with about 60 stories in Georgia and expanded to more than 570 stores in Illinois and other states. —Chicago Tribune staffBreaking coronavirus news Stay up to date with the latest information on coronavirus with our breaking news alerts.

chicagotribune.com

U-M’s Matthaei-Nichols launches #everydayoutdoors challenge

ANN ARBOR – University of Michigan’s Matthaei-Nichols botanical gardens and arboretum has launched a fun new campaign to encourage families to enjoy the outdoors this month. Its #everydayoutdoors campaign challenges families to complete a series of outdoor activities like rolling down hills, finding animal tracks and foraging for acorns. The only thing you need to do is get outside!”Every Day Outdoors challenge activities for December 2020. (University of Michigan Matthaei-Nichols)Share your photos with @matthaeinichols on Instagram with the hashtag #everydayoutdoors. Enjoy the winter fun!

Reading garden restored at Detroit school after vandalism

DETROIT – Students at Greenfield Union Elementary-Middle School went weeks without one of their favorite school activities which include reading. “The manager at one of the Lowes stores just randomly sent me an email. Read more: Reading garden at Detroit elementary school trashed by vandalsNot just one, but separate Lowes stores pitched in to help donate anything they could along with volunteers to restore the garden, this time making it better than ever. The help doesn’t just come from the major franchise though, community members have also been working to make sure students have the best. The reading garden will be open to students this upcoming Monday.

How long does COVID-19 survive on skin? New study shows the importance of hand washing

Toward the beginning of the pandemic, a study showed that the SARS-Cov-2 virus can survive on cardboard for as long as 24 hours and on stainless steel for about 72 hours. Figuring out how long a contagious virus can survive on human skin isn’t an easy challenge as not many people are willing to have live SARS-CoV-2 smeared on them just for science. That’s why Japanese researchers used an unusual alternative -- human skin collected at autopsy about 24 hours after death. What they found was significant -- the SARS-CoV-2 virus could survive on human skin for nine hours -- significantly longer than the roughly two hours that the flu virus could remain a threat. More: More than just hand washing -- Teaching your children how to be clean, organizedMore: Coronavirus outbreak: How to wash your hands correctly

CDC recommends downsized Thanksgiving celebrations amid COVID-19 pandemic

The CDC is warning against traveling for the holiday to avoid increasing the chance of contracting and spreading COVID-19. “Staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others,” the CDC says. “If you must travel, be informed of the risks involved.”The CDC compiled lists of low-, moderate- and high-risk ways to celebrate the holiday. High-risk activities, which the CDC recommends avoiding, include being in indoor and outdoor crowds. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued executive orders requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while in public indoor and crowded outdoor spaces.

mlive.com

‘Focus on the present’ -- New tools to help overwhelmed parents handle back-to-school from home

DETROIT – The COVID-19 pandemic has shown everyone how easy it can be to feel overwhelmed, and that is especially true for parents. We hear so much about self care these days, but what do parents really need to get through this back to school season heading into fall? “One of the things I heard this summer again in preparation for fall was to on focus on the next 20 feet,” Hay said. If I’m having a bad day, then only think about that day. “Sometimes people will say pick one or two activities per child, but I’m really following the take one or two activities per family,” Hay said.

Camp Therapyology -- Social distanced camp in Birmingham helps children, teens with mental health

Lots of children dream of spending their summer away at camp, having fun with their friends, but with all the restrictions this year -- many children feel isolated. She saw a need for teens to get a mental health check-up and created Therapyology, -- it contains all the usual things one expects with a summer camp and more. And we made a TicToc -- which they all love course.The group of campers is made up of a total of eight children and teens ages 12-14. Sometimes, you know, its scary to go to therapy, Bendix said. Were really trying to break down that stigma because this really isnt therapy.

Dearborn father writes book for his children about the COVID-19 outbreak

DEARBORN, Mich. Travis Furlow, a Metro Detroit father of three, wrote a book to help teach his children about whats happening during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ive positioned them as kind of spirit protectors of the planet and Mama is teaching Little One while all the people went inside.Furlow wrote the book in one night. He called it a childrens book for grown-ups. I thought the childrens book format would work really well.The book was inspired by his love for his own children and using words to words to life peoples spirits, both young and old. Proceeds from the book support two Michigan nonprofits that help children and families in need -- the Amity Foundation of Dearborn and Manistee Co. Child Advocacy Center.

Detroit Public Library aims to keep kids reading at home

DETROIT The Detroit Public Library has come up with a fun way to keep children reading this summer and it can all be done from home at a safe distance. We all agree its a summer unlike any other, so the library came up with a challenge to inspire young readers at home. Read more: Kids at HomeWith library buildings closed due to the pandemic, the traditional summer reading programs for children sadly had to be put on hold this year. This is about gesture to really showcase our love of reading in the city of Detroit, said Atiim Funchess. It opens up your mind to ideas you probably havent thought of before.Until Labor Day, the Detroit Public Library is asking readers to log how many minutes you spend reading and share your log with the library.

How to speak to your children about ‘unknowns'

And if parents are feeling stressed, the children probably are too. More than half of all parents in a recent survey said their children are feeling anxious or depressed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Trust in the world and trust in our parents,” Rockwell said. “As adults we’re afraid and so how can our children do anything but absorb that feeling and also feel afraid?” Rockwell asked. So we’re exercising this muscle, the brain and we can’t do it without making friends with our brain when we’re very anxious,” Rockwell said.

More than just hand washing -- Teaching your children how to be clean, organized

DETROIT Teaching your children about cleanliness during the COVID-19 pandemic goes beyond proper hand washing. I think its really important for children to have a very organized environment, Weinstein said. Whats really important to you and then help the child learn how to make decisions about whats important to keep and whats important to let go, Weinstein said. RELATED: How to teach your children etiquette, manners while stuck at homeFor teenagers, tweens and even older children who might be home from college, let them take control. You can find more information on Weinsteins business, Ive Gotta Get Organized, Inc., on its official website here.

How to prevent boredom in your children inside at home

DETROIT Weve spent months staying home, staying safe and staying indoors. Those are one of the things that theyll go have their own accord, pull them out and its probably at least a good 30 minutes to an hour of imaginative play acting out all sorts of different things, Jeeyoung said. Another easy idea is to turn your kitchen table into a craft station with whatever you already have around the house. Jeeyoung likes to use a roll of paper -- the bigger the better -- and then add to it. Even with gardening and things like that, but it was even with the bigger boxes, my kids have had a blast.

How to keep your kids active amid COVID-19 pandemic

DETROIT With sports on hold, many parents worry about keeping their children active when theyre at home. Local 4 spoke with two teachers who wanted to lend their expertise to all Metro Detroit families. Its creating creating a positive environment for them to still feel safe to be physically active and be goofy and be out of their comfort zone, Hughes said. Thats why they wanted to come up with a way to engage their students and keep them interested in exercise. You can find workout videos, like the ones featured below, on their social media accounts.

Citizen scientists, join a BioBlitz documenting nature in Metro Detroit

Detroiters Do Science, a partnership between Planet Detroit and Graham Media Group, has a summer full of activities coming your way. FIRST UP: Nature in your Neighborhood A Metro Detroit BioBlitz for the month of June! For our first citizen science campaign, were using the iNaturalist platform to capture local observations. Contribute enough quality observations and you gain deeper access to the community while possibly helping with actual research. This is the first in a series of citizen science efforts Detroiters Do Science plan to support this summer.

Let your kids imagination take flight

You may not be stepping onto a plane, but there is a way you, and your kids can take flight right at home! Kyle Jaracz, the Education Director with the Academy of Model Aeronautics, joined host Jason Carr to discuss the latest in model planes. There are still the classic rockets and paper planes you remember playing with as a kid, but the model plane game has taken off! But dont let that intimidate you, there are many options for beginners that you can easily do at home. Plus, they have all the science behind why these models take flight, so you can teach your kids.