Lighting Up Lansing – One Smile at a Time

Lena is a spirited well loved German Shepard.  Her human, Joseph Lehning, wished The New Citizens Press a Happy New Year when he sent us her photo.

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Pet World: Age shouldn’t prevent senior from adopting older pet

Dear Cathy,

I need your help. I am over 70 years old and I recently lost my dog of over 10 years.  He was adopted along with the cat I had who also recently passed after 18 years with me. I have been looking to adopt now since the beginning of 2020.  I located a rescue group and after a home check was approved to adopt. At this point in my life, I do not want a puppy. I would like an older dog, something small to keep me and my husband company. A dog would also encourage us to walk more.

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Outside Looking In – Lansing Police Department’s Social Worker

 

  By Jan Bidwell

Lansing Police Department Social Worker
 
LANSING, MI — It’s 9:30 AM and I am scrolling through the Lansing Police Department (LPD) report system to see if any citizens have been found deceased in their homes by family or friends and take note of any who might need some support to handle the trauma they have undergone.
 
 
 

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The Plant Professionals: Winter Interest

 

 

Planting shrubs that hold their berries into winter can add a lot of color and help feed the birds . 

Photo by Sergey Okhrymenko

 By Kathy Valentine

 
What does your garden need to hold your visual interest once leaves come off the deciduous trees in the fall? Do you have strategically placed evergreens? From massive pine or spruce trees to yew or boxwood hedges, there are many options that hold their needles or leaves all year. There are even groundcovers and low accents like some euonymus and junipers that are evergreen.
 
 

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Pet World: Visiting nurse makes simple request of dog owners

By Cathy M. Rosenthal, Tribune Content Agency

Dear Cathy,

I am a pet lover. I have two kitties and enjoy my sister's two dogs.

I work as a visiting nurse. Our policy is that when a nurse, social worker, home health aide, or physical or occupational therapist comes to your home, you must put your dog in another room, or have the dog firmly under control with a leash.

We have had a number of nurses bitten on the job. I am one of them. It's an added stressor that is so readily preventable. Many people ask, “Are you afraid of dogs?” It's not about being afraid of dogs, it's about keeping everyone safe. Some dogs feel threatened when a stranger comes in the door and starts touching their owner or draws their blood.

Some people are offended when we ask them to secure their dog. “Why Fifi wouldn't hurt a fly!!” Fifi might feel exceedingly stressed and threatened at my presence though.

Could you talk about dog policies for those who visit homes, and why it's important for people to simply follow the rules?

-Grace, Allentown, Pennsylvania

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Making SOLEFUL Footprints in the Lives of Others

 

By Rigoberto Flores
 
LANSING, MI — Geronimo Lerma III said that the inspiration behind Footprints of Michigan came together like a puzzle.  Even though he did not have all of the pieces at one time, Lerma believes there is always room to grow. The idea first came to him when he saw a young man in need of footwear in Lansing at a street walk event for the homeless that he was volunteering at.  The soles of his shoes were duct-taped, worn, and tattered.  

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Just Plain Selfish: Best Practices

 By Kris Walker

 
For most people the goal is to be the absolute best version of yourself. However, it is easy to become so preoccupied with completing the multitude of tasks on our daily to-do lists, that we are unaware of how we may be presenting ourselves to this life each day. That does not mean that at the moment you are not doing your best. However, with proper planning, preparation and a few best practices, you can find areas for improvement and time that could be saved and used to benefit other areas of your life.
 

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