Winter safety: Prevent frozen pipes, furnace trouble, power outages, house fires

Big news in the US is snow and record low temperature. If there's one thing West Michigan knows, it's cold, snow and ice. And the northern upper peninsular and west Michigan area gets a special kind of precipitation called "lake effect" snow. Lake effect translates to "monster truck loads full, heaped everywhere, buried under" snow. It's so iconic that there's a beer named after it! So all that snow is pretty and good for skiers, but it also causes a plethora of winter safety hazards. Here are winter safety tips to prevent house fires, power outages, frozen pipes, furnace trouble.   Winter safety: Prevent frozen pipes, furnace trouble, power outages, house fires | Examiner.com

Winter ice cream desserts, alcoholic desserts, frozen dessert recipes, yes, seriously in winter!

 Did you gorge on goodies this Christmas? Are you now seriously considering diet your New Year's resolution? Very commendable, but wait a moment on the weight loss regime. There's still two food blow-oust in the holiday season lineup: New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Both features feeding frenzies galore! New Year's Eve features cocktail appetizers and yummy hors d'oeuvres and New Year's Day is all about indoor football "tailgate" parties and game day buffets. So feast on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 and diet on Jan. 2. Because here are frozen dessert recipes--suitable for New Year's Eve or New Year's Day spread--you won't want to miss! These ice cream desserts are delicious year-round, especially in a hot summer. But despite the cold weather, festive ice cream desserts, are welcome at winter holiday parties too. New Year's Eve ice cream desserts, alcoholic desserts, frozen dessert recipes | Examiner.com

Christmas trees: Evergreen tree choices for holiday decorations

Shopping for Christmas trees? Shouldn't be all that difficult, right? After all, Christmas trees are pretty much the same, aren't they? Actually there are several different evergreen trees grown for use as Christmas trees. Here is a guide to choosing Christmas trees, based on style, allergic properties, ease of decorating and cost. This author's hometown of Grand Haven, Michigan is Christmas Tree Central, so you're getting this info from the "roots"--so to speak. Starting with less expensive, here are evergreen tree choices.   Christmas trees: Evergreen tree choices for holiday decorations | Examiner.com

Free Thanksgiving dinners in and around West Michigan 2015

In chilly November, most of us in West Michigan are planning our Thanksgiving dinners, shopping, cooking and baking. Our biggest worry is shoveling that pesky snow off our drive and walks. Others, sadly don't worry about shoveling or cooking because they don't have a drive to shovel, homes to eat in or families to enjoy. Just eating for today is their worry. But there's good news. Local groups are preparing free Thanksgiving dinners.Free Thanksgiving dinners in and around West Michigan 2014 | Examiner.com

 

Angler hooks cow catfish: Moo-ve over sofa shark, orca cowfish took the bait | Examiner.com

Moo-ve over sofa shark, 'cause orca cowfish took the bait. An unidentified Oklahoma angler hooked a cow catfish, reported GrindTV on Oct. 21. No, this wasn't a giant catfish of cowish proportions. Nor was it a mini orca whale, as some have suggested. The skin of this catfish was patterned in signature orca or Holstein black and white! Reel-y! That's no fish tale. The handsome catfish had large, friendly cow eyes, which complete the bovine look. And he was a nice chunky fish specimen which provoked the mini orca comments. So call him "cow catfish" or "cowfish" or "orca cat" or whatever, the critter's distinctive piebald pattern certainly made a splash! Add to that, the impressive whiskers of the catfish and this is one handsome catch.Angler hooks cow catfish: Moo-ve over sofa shark, orca cowfish took the bait | Examiner.com

Michigan man pulls gun over Grand Haven, Mich., Walgreens parking spot: Pistol packing parker panics | Examiner.com

Getting that special parking space is serious business. At least it was to a Comstock Park, Michigan man who pulled out a gun over a parking spot at Walgreens in Grand Haven. The pistol packing parker panicked when someone else went for his chosen spot, so he grabbed his weapon and brandished it at his opponent. The weapon-wielding Walgreens warrior wasn't named in the WOOD TV-8 Oct. 10 report, but he was said to be 58 years old. The guy he took aim at was 24.  Michigan man pulls gun over Walgreens parking spot: Pistol packing parker panics | Examiner.com

Michigan plague case diagnosed: 14 bubonic plague victims in 2015 outbreak - Grand Rapids News | Examiner.com

 A Michigan plague case has been diagnosed, reported the Denver Post on September 15. That brings the number to 14 bubonic plague victims in the 2015 outbreak. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services found an Upper Peninsula Marquette County woman with plague after visiting Colorado's Salida music festival. The victim is being treated and health officials assure that there has been no human-to-human transmission in this case. This is Michigan's first plague diagnosis.Michigan plague case diagnosed: 14 bubonic plague victims in 2015 outbreak - Grand Rapids News | Examiner.com