Obesity affects health in more ways than you may realize, studies suggest

Obesity has long been associated with heart disease and diabetes, but medical professionals and scientific studies leave little doubt that carrying excess weight may lead to or worsen arthritis, sleep apnea, infertility and some types of cancer.

A poll late last year by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows only about 25 percent of people think someone can be very overweight and still healthy. The survey of 1,011 people nationwide also suggests few Americans realize the links obesity has to other medical maladies.

After hearing doctor’s talk, woman gives plant-based diet a try

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For the last five years, Maria Perez’s doctors have implored her repeatedly to lose weight in order to get control of her diabetes and to help deal with her rheumatoid arthritis.

After hearing one of Dr. Kevin Fullin’s presentations advocating a plant-based diet, Perez, 50, decided to heed his advice and embarked on the diet beginning Feb. 25. At the time, Perez, who is 5 feet tall, weighed 165 pounds. By May 17, less than two months later, she already had lost 19 pounds.

Groups support weight-loss efforts

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In 1994, Mary, who asked that her surname not be used for this story, joined the Overeaters Anonymous meeting in Kenosha.

At the time, she was 47 and carried 264 pounds on her 5-foot, 7-inch frame.

Consignment shop helps plus-size women stay in fashion

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“No matter what size she is,” Valeria Hyde says of her sister, Patrice Haywood, “she is always fashionable.”

That, in essence, is what led Haywood to open Curvee Girlz Resale & Consignment Boutique, 1401 65th St., a shop offering plus-size women’s fashions, footwear and accessories at affordable prices.

Dealing with disease

— Mary, of Overeaters Anonymous: “Some doctors don’t believe (compulsive eating) is a health problem. That it’s our fault. It really isn’t anybody’s fault when they have a disease, and this is a disease. Like cancer, it’s nobody’s fault that they got it, but they got it.”

“None of my health problems have anything to do with my weight ... losing weight would help with the other problems, but it’s not the root cause like with diabetes and heart disease.”

Medical marijuana debate heats up

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Gary Storck considers medical marijuana a lifesaver. The Dane County man has been smoking it for medical problems since Oct. 3, 1972, when he was 17 years old.

“I smoked some cannabis before seeing my eye doctor. He checked my pressures and they were normal that day,” he said.

Why police chief, sheriff just say no to legalizing marijuana

Kenosha Police Chief John Morrissey and Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth sat down with the Kenosha News in March for a long discussion about marijuana policy. To listen to the entire interview, you can go to our website and click these stories at www.kenoshanews.com.

Morissey: There are a lot of people who follow the law just because the law says don’t do it. So if you decide to legalize it, ‘Maybe, hmm, I’ll try it.’ That reaction the first time could be nothing or it could put them in a hospital bed. Then you get an extra thousand people who try it and like it and get hooked on it, pretty quick they become the social problems later. It’s a huge cost to everybody.

Should we legalize marijuana?

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A new poll shows that a majority of Americans now support legalization of marijuana.

But it won’t happen in Kenosha if the police chief and the sheriff have anything to say about it.

Carry on? Residents must understand rules to new laws for concealed-carry, officials say

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We interviewed Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth and Kenosha Police Chief John Morrissey about the concealed-carry and open-carry laws as they apply locally. Here is what they had to say in an interview with journalist Bill Robbins:

Question: Do you know of any arrests associated with concealed-carry violations, such as someone possessing a gun in a prohibited area like a school?

Carry on? Residents must understand rules to new laws for concealed-carry, officials say

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We interviewed Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth and Kenosha Police Chief John Morrissey about the concealed-carry and open-carry laws as they apply locally. Here is what they had to say in an interview with journalist Bill Robbins:

Question: Do you know of any arrests associated with concealed-carry violations, such as someone possessing a gun in a prohibited area like a school?

Common questions on concealed-carry

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Here are some frequently asked questions about Wisconsin’s concealed- carry law — known as Wisconsin Act 35 — which took effect on Nov. 1, 2011.

Wisconsin became one of the last states to enact such a law.

Openly carrying firearms also debated

In 1995, the Wisconsin state legislature struck down numerous municipal gun laws in the state, many of which prohibited openly carrying firearms in public.

Carrying an unconcealed and loaded weapon became legal statewide — although it had been constitutionally protected in most of the state for many years.

License data kept private

As of last Thursday, the Wisconsin Department of Justice had issued 188,623 concealed-carry licences to state residents since the law took effect in November of 2011.

That’s according to Dana Brueck, a communications officer with the department, which administers the statute.

Wisconsin embracing concealed-carry law

Wisconsin residents have “eagerly embraced” the state’s concealed-carry law.

That’s according to state Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen in a letter and annual report he sent to Gov. Scott Walker and chief clerks of the state Assembly and Senate.

Concealed-carry 101

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What’s it take to get a license to carry a concealed and loaded gun in Wisconsin?

Not as much as you might expect.

Loophole helps Illinois residents to get concealed-carry permits

Illinois residents can legally carry concealed weapons in Wisconsin by way of ... Utah.

Wisconsin honors concealed-carry permits from a number of states, including Utah.

Experts debate benefits of law

Do laws permitting citizens to carry concealed weapons reduce crime? Increase crime? Have no effect on crime? It depends on who you ask. Researchers are divided on the issue.

For example, in his book, “More Guns, Less Crime,” John Lott claims violent crime rates decrease when states pass concealed-carry legislation because criminals are hesitant to attack law-abiding citizens who might be armed.

Weapon class makes participants feel more comfortable with weapon, law

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Monica Anaya hasn’t decided if she will buy a handgun or other type of self-defense weapon such as a Taser.

And if she does, she’s not certain she will carry it.

Stop the scams: Senior citizens urged to beware of con artists

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A staged phone call from a “grandchild,” winning lottery tickets and purchasing reloadable prepaid cards are among the many scams targeting senior citizens.

Kenosha Police Department Crime Prevention Officers Jeff Wamboldt and Ron Francis said senior citizens are more likely viewed as “soft targets,” due to the amount of money they have, their memory and overall vulnerability, among other things.

Where do I go with my bright idea?

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If you want a primer on what not to do when pursuing a patent, drop by a meeting of the Inventors & Entrepreneurs Club of Kenosha and Racine.

“That’s the nice thing about the club. There’s a number of us who have gone down the wrong path, and we try to lend that expertise and steer them away from all the vultures out there who will take their money and end up nowhere,” said Bob Balow, one of the club’s founding members and inventor of “The Original Pasta Fork.”

Product uses previous inventions differently

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Sometimes, even if you re-invent the wheel — or, in Cara Rybarik’s case, the stick-on tattoo — you’re still eligible for a patent.

At least a utility patent, which protects ideas that improve on existing patents.

Patent process takes longer than anticipated

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Jim Ashmus played with his invention for years before he realized what he had — or that he could patent his idea for a conveyor belt escape ladder.

He came up with the concept while removing old conveyor belts, part of his business as owner of Midwest Equipment Sales in Paris, a company his father, Robert Ashmus, started in 1962.

Time, cost worth the reward

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It only took Thomas Tatman about 15 months to patent his idea for a better bassoon reed.

But it took nearly 20 years to get to the patent office.

How to get a patent

So, you’ve got a brilliant idea for an invention! Before you rush off to the patent office, here are a few things to keep in mind about the process.

Oh, and if you plan to apply for a patent without a lawyer (also known as “pro se,” or on your own), check out this video: www.uspto.gov/video/cbt/basicpatenttraining/index.htm

They’re big deal here: The people

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This week, the Kenosha News takes a look at the people, places and things Kenoshans can be proud of, what we’re known for and what attracts people to our great corner of Dairyland.

Kenosha has produced a cast of Hollywood celebrities, professional athletes and other famous people. From the tip of the Southport Lighthouse to the Country Thunder stage, the county is filled with popular venues and attractions. And we celebrate a rich history of innovation.

It’s a big deal here: Places, things and events

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This week, the Kenosha News takes a look at the people, places and things Kenoshans can be proud of, what we’re known for and what attracts people to our great corner of Dairyland.

Kenosha has produced a cast of Hollywood celebrities, professional athletes and other famous people. From the tip of the Southport Lighthouse to the Country Thunder stage, the county is filled with popular venues and attractions. And we celebrate a rich history of innovation.

Seeing green

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Dan Drier’s assignment was clear when he was hired in 2009 to manage the two Kenosha County-owned golf courses: Get the greens out of the red.

Drier, the county’s general manager of golf operations, hit that milestone recently, when unaudited totals showed Petrifying Springs Golf Course and Brighton Dale Links ended 2012 with a profit a hair shy of $80,000 — a seemingly monumental accomplishment for an operation that has routinely run deficits of $200,000 or more.

Hole numbers: A look at area links

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A look at Kenosha County’s golf course options:

— Big Oaks Golf Course: A 27-hole course at 6117 123rd Place in Pleasant Prairie. Opened in three phases beginning in 1987, the course charges greens fees ranging from $9 to walk nine holes in the winter to $38.50 for 18 holes with a cart in the summer.

Best hole? Hardest hole? Courses pose some real challenges

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Dan Drier has plenty to say about Brighton Dale Links and Petrifying Springs Golf Course.

Just don’t ask him to name his favorite hole — that’s akin to challenging him to specify his favorite child.

Something’s in the air

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Watching her 11-year-old daughter struggle with asthma on days with poor air quality has not been easy for Tanya Obradovich.

“When the weatherman says there will be high ozone days, I know Sasha will have a more difficult time,” the Pleasant Prairie mother said, noting she herself has allergies. “It’s difficult to have a kid inside, not being able to ride her bike and do all the things she wants to do, or to see her still doing them and coming down with coughing fits.”

Facts about air pollution

The five major air pollutants are regulated by the federal Clean Air Act:

— ground-level ozone, caused by chemical reactions between nitrogen oxide and volatile organic compounds in sunlight.

Officials hope winds of change coming to county

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Officials are pushing to have a second air-quality monitor set up here with hopes of having more of Kenosha County designated as being in compliance with federal ozone standards.

The county now has one monitor, in Chiwaukee Prairie, Pleasant Prairie, near Lake Michigan and about one mile north of the state line with Illinois. The monitor has shown that, for the most part, Kenosha is not meeting those standards.

Northwoods League prepares to play ball

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As part-owner of Kenosha’s newest baseball team, Vern Stenman offered this bit of advice to the many local skeptics.

“Just give us a chance,” Stenman said.

Northwoods League prepares to play ball

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As part-owner of Kenosha’s newest baseball team, Vern Stenman offered this bit of advice to the many local skeptics.

“Just give us a chance,” Stenman said.

League: Midwest

Class: Professional

We the Peeple

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Is there anything Peeps CAN’T do?

We asked Kenosha News readers to get creative with the iconic pastel marshmallow candies.

Escaping abuse

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Margaret talks about her past with stoic dispassion.

At the age of 85, she shrugs her shoulders when asked to think about how she dealt with her struggles. That’s just the way it was, is her attitude. “I didn’t really think about it,” she said, sitting in her modest Kenosha living room, her walker waiting in front of her chair, a framed photograph of her and her husband over her shoulder.

Group gives abuse victims confidence

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Whenever Emma DeRosa gets homesick for her native New York, she pulls out a photograph she keeps in her wallet.

It is a photo of DeRosa, her face gaunt, her expression miserable. It was taken, she said, at the worst period of what had become a deeply unhappy relationship with a husband who was bullying, and looked to control her every move, down to counting the number of sheets of toilet paper or paper towels she used in a day.

KUSD’s diversity creates unique language atmosphere

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Hay Tharler and Hay Lermu Thee, two sisters who attend Stocker Elementary School, have few problems thinking in two cultures, speaking in two languages and going back and forth, when needed, almost seamlessly.

At home, they speak a language that looks like a woman’s name Karen (but pronounced KAH-RIN), with intonations that are melodic. At school and around town they speak English almost as though they’ve lived in Kenosha most of their lives.

Young students exposed to new languages

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At the elementary level rather than full-on foreign language classes, most students are exposed to them to become acclimated to the culture and “thinking” in a language, said Brian Bieri, language acquisition program teacher at Stocker Elementary School.

Stocker, as well as all elementaries in the district is using Rosetta Stone software to expose students to the same languages offered at the high school level. These are Spanish, French, German, Italian and Mandarin, as well as English.

Languages offered in KUSD are those most commonly used in global economy

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Michelle Ishmael was in the 10th grade when she started learning German and Spanish at Tremper High School.

Ishmael, now a Kenosha Unified teacher of German and who instructs the language at the district’s eSchool on Green Bay Road, said she tried keeping up both after she graduated high school to attend Carthage College. Eventually she decided that she should concentrate on one.

Adult students learn to conquer English one word at a time

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“Never make fun of someone who speaks broken English. It means they know another language.”

— H. Jackson Brown Jr., American author

Knowing language requires understanding consonants, vowels, culture

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When an English learner comes into the Kenosha Literacy Council, one of the first hurdles in pronunciation encountered comes with the piece of furniture where they will do much of their learning.

“It’s the plural of desk,” says KLC tutor Brian Burgess. “Some people are able to pronounce desk pretty easily, but it’s amazing how many people cannot say desks.”

A brief history lesson in English

According to the creators of the Oxford Dictionary, it seems quite probable that English has more words than most comparable world languages.

It comes down to history, explained Carthage College Modern Language professor Greg Baer.

Principal of language school differentiates between social, academic English

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Language learning is a two-way street in the Edward Bain School of Language and Art Dual Language Program, an elementary school in the Kenosha Unified School District.

That’s a distinction that separates it from the other programs like English as a Second Language.

Sometimes the language just isn’t fair

Why is English so hard to learn?

Perhaps because we park on a driveway and drive on a parkway.

Comedian points out redundancies, evolving language

No one could point out the obvious flaws of the English language better than the late George Carlin.

The comedian, who wrote his own material, often took aim at his native language with sizzling accuracy.

Cafe a gathering of veterans and heroes past and present

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The American Heroes Cafe, located inside Spiegelhoff’s SuperValu, 3401 80th St., serves more than just a good cup of coffee. It also serves as a meeting place for heroes past and present.

Every Friday from 8 a.m. to noon, American Heroes Cafe, which opened in August, welcomes a standing room-only crowd of military veterans, active duty soldiers who are home on leave and civilians who want to say “thank you.”

Everyday heroes can come in all shapes, sizes ... and breeds

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Whether they are working with students, comforting a grieving child or offering companionship to someone in the final days of their life, therapy dogs play a special role in people’s lives and the community.

Take Marcus and Paxton, for example. These two pugs may look small, but they are making a big difference in Kenosha as part of the Reading Education Assistance Dogs program at Kenosha Public Library. The one-on-one program pairs certified therapy dogs with youth in grades K-5, who practice their reading skills by reading aloud to the dogs.

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