2A TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2020

MANISTEE NEWS ADVOCATE manisteenews.com

Michigan says racial disparities of virus have diminished

BY DAVID EGGERT
Associated Press
LANSING (AP) — Michigan
reported Monday that Black
residents are no longer being
disproportionately infected
and killed by the coronavirus,
after they accounted for a stag-
gering 40% of deaths through
much of the pandemic.
For the last two available
weeks of data, African
Americans represented 10%
of COVID-19 deaths and 8%
of cases. They comprise about
14% of the state’s population.
They still account for at
least 38% of confirmed and
probable deaths overall, and at
least 20% of cases, according
to state data. A patient’s race is
not always reported.
Democratic Lt. Gov. Garlin
Gilchrist II chairs a state
task force that is addressing
virus-related racial dispar-
ities. He credited people of
color for being more likely to
wear masks and follow safety
guidelines — because they
were hit hard at the beginning
of the outbreak — and said the
disparities’ downward trend
has been holding for at least a
month.
“We still need to be careful
as we come into the fall, as
we come into the flu season,”
he told The Associated Press.
“But thanks to the state of
Michigan paying attention to
this issue, prioritizing this issue
— we have the most muscular
response to racial disparities in
the country — we can say that
those disparities have flattened.
That’s a testament to people of
Michigan and the work of the
experts on the task force.”
Gilchrist, who is Black, has
said he has lost 23 people in his
life to the virus. Detroit, where
he lives and which was an early
hot spot nationally along with
surrounding suburban areas,
is 79% Black and accounts for
23% of Michigan’s 7,044 deaths
related to COVID-19.
Democratic Gov. Gretchen
Whitmer formed the task force
in April. Actions taken include
launching ads, particularly on
social media, to target commu-
nities of color and increasing
testing sites in vulnerable
places disproportionately
affected by the virus.
The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention has
said race and ethnicity are
risk markers for underlying
conditions that affect health —
socioeconomic status, access
to medical care and increased
exposure to COVID-19 while
working frontline, essential
jobs.
Since August, the daily
rates of new cases and deaths
for Black residents has been
equal to or lower than those
for white people, according to
the governor’s office. Over the
six-month emergency, the daily
case rate among Black people
has been more than twice what
it is among white residents.
The daily death rate for Black
residents has been nearly four
times that of white people.
In the most recent two-week
period, the rate of new cases
for Black people was about half
that for white residents.

CANVAS allow families to access

everything they need in
Continued from 1A one place.
“One thing that’s great
done that before, so I about Canvas is there’s a lot
walked through that of existing documentation
process a little bit. out there: tutorials with
“I wasn’t doing any heavy screenshots, videos and
lifting here or anything — so on,” he said. “I pulled
that was all the IT guys at together some of those that
MAPS setting everything I thought would be helpful
up,” Wisseman continued. and made a little course
“I just helped a little bit within Canvas — a publicly
with the parent resources.” accessible course so that
Also during the training anybody could look at it if
session, Kowatch and they’ve got the link — with
MAPS technology director the idea that we can show
Ken Blakey-Shell fielded people that Canvas is easy
parents’ questions and to use by getting them into
Kowatch gave tips for it right away.”
learning from home. A link to the training
Wisseman said docu- session as well as a collec-
mentation for Canvas is tion of resources can be
plentiful, so he collected found at https://chipslead. Manistee Area Public Schools curriculum director Amber Kowatch demonstrates the Accelerate Education
relevant information to org/family-resources. curriculum on the Canvas platform during a virtual MAPS study session on Aug. 26. (Screenshot/Google Meet)

LIBRARY occupancy limitations

Continued from 1A
so we were really excited
to be able to reopen,” she
said. “There are a lot of
libraries that still aren’t
open. It’s pretty common
to still not be doing
things in person.”
The library continued
to offer digital and
curbside services during
the closure — both of
which will continue.
Despite the move
to in-person services,
Cirone said that
prevent the library from
Either call the branch
of your choice or the
hosting indoor activities main library at (231)
and events currently. 723-2519 for a list of
Instead, Cirone said, the current hours.
library would continue The Manistee County
to hold virtual activi- Library is fine free,
ties and outdoor events, meaning that no fines
weather permitting. or locked accounts have
While appointments occurred during the
are not required to pandemic.
enter the library, Cirone Cardholders are able to
encourages patrons to continue accessing free
call ahead of their visit. online services which
“We ask people to call,
because what might be
include ebooks, audio-
books, magazines, music
our hours today, might and videos. Visit www.
not be the case next manisteelibrary.org to
week,” Cirone said. get started.
The library’s collec-
tion of digital services,
including eBooks, Hoopla
and RBdigital can be
accessed remotely using a
library card. Login is the
14 digit barcode on the
back of the card, and the
PIN number is the last
eight digits of the same
number.
Cirone said that with
new training, the library
staff is eager to begin
working directly with the
public again.
“It’s so nice to have
people being able to come
in and enjoy in person
library services,” Cirone
said. “When you work
It’s something that’s at
the heart of librarian-
with the public, you ship.”
really love the public, For more information
you love seeing them, visit www.manisteeli-
you love talking to them, brary.org or follow the
asking them what they’re library on Facebook at
reading right now and Facebook.com/Manistee-
what they need help with. CountyLibrary.
OBITUARIES
Jerry Ramsey, Sr.
Jerry Ramsey, Sr., age 68, of Manistee passed
away on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020 at Munson
Healthcare Traverse City Hospital.
He was born on Dec. 28, 1951 in Bellaire,
Michigan, son of the late Howard E. and Opal
H. (Green) Ramsey. Jerry enlisted in the United

MAGOON accommodations to be
accessible to people with
Continued from 1A disabilities.
The acquisition
the renovations with a included 2,300 feet of
ceremony on Sept. 21. shorelands along Lake
“We finally jumped Michigan. At the time,
through all the hoops an official with the Soil
and it’s just beautiful Conservation Service
out there,” said Filer said that severe erosion
Township Supervisor was threatening the area
Terry Walker. because of uncontrolled
Filer Township officials foot, motorcycle and
began pursuing the dune buggy traffic. Filer
property west of Phyllis Township officials hoped
Road for public use in to reverse this by regu-
1978, according to a lating the flow of traffic,
1982 edition of the News therefore preserving the
Advocate. The township plant and animal life
officially purchased around the area, as well
the 97 acres that would as keeping Lake Michi-
become the Magoon gan’s water clean.
Creek Natural Area in Even in the 21st
1982. That was nine years century, the accessibil-
before the Americans ity renovations were a
with Disabilities Act was long time in the making.
passed, requiring public Filer Township officials
received a $16,000
grant from the CMS
Energy and Consumers
Energy foundations in
2018 to help fund the
Residential & Commercial improvements. That
44 years family owned
September
Savings!
SPECIAL DISCOUNTS
FOR SENIORS, MILITARY
funding helped to secure
a $71,000 grant from
the Michigan Natural
Resources Trust Fund in
2018.
Walker said he origi-
nally hoped the renova-
tions would be completed
in 2019. However, unex-
pected impediments
moved the completion
date further back.
“We just ran into one
obstacle after another,”
he said.
After feedback from
Filer Township residents,
Spicer Group – the
community planning firm
tasked with designing the
improvements – created
a new plan for making
the natural area acces-
sible, which Walker says
he’s happy about even if it
did take extra time.
“In the long run I’m
glad we did [the redesign]
because we listened to
our constituents,” he
said.
In addition to the
redesign, Filer Township
had to contend with four
changes in their grant
coordinator since 2017
and, of course, setbacks
because of the corona-
virus pandemic, Walker
said.
Good Sleep is important for
a healthy immune system.
Now that the reno-
vations are complete,
however, Walker said he’s
received “lots of positive
feedback” from the
public. There’s also been
a remarkable increase in
traffic at the park.
Walker said the park
was popular, but like
“a well-kept secret”
before. Now he thinks a
combination of the new
renovations and people’s
restlessness after Mich-
iganders were directed
to remain in their homes
back in March and April,
has led to an increase in
the park’s popularity.
“The park has just been
swamped all spring and
summer,” he said. “I’ve
seen license plates from
all over the country out
there.”
Magoon Creek Park will
close until spring on Nov.
14, though hiking trails
will remain open to the
public through winter.
Walker advisers any
visitors going on Magoon
Creek Park’s hiking
trails in the fall to wear
hunter orange as a safety
measure, especially after
the regular firearm deer
season opening day on
Nov. 15.
States Army on Nov. 2, 1973, serving until Jan.
18, 1985.
Jerry worked as a security manager at the
Little River Casino & Resort for 17 years. He also
worked as a counselor at Best Drug Rehab in
Manistee.
As an Elder, Jerry was proud of his Native
American heritage and enjoyed
teaching it. He was a member of
the Little River Band of Ottawa
Indians Warrior Society and
was an avid guitar player and
singer.
Jerry is survived by his two
sons, Jerry (Kim) Ramsey, Jr. of
New Bern, North Carolina and
Brandon Ramsey of Indianapo-
lis, Indiana; daughter, Billie Jo
(Andy) Bialorucki of Lambert-
ville, Michigan; eight grandchil-
dren; and five siblings.
He is preceded in death by his
parents and four siblings.
Cremation has taken place and no service is
planned at this time. Memorial contributions in
memory of Jerry may be directed to the DAV –
Manistee Chapter.
Feel free to share a memory or photo with
Jerry’s family at www.oakgrovefh.com. The
family has entrusted funeral arrangements with
Oak Grove Funeral Home & Cremation Center of
Manistee.
Shirley Ann Blakeslee
It is with great sadness the Blakeslee family of
Manistee must announce the passing of Shirley
Ann Blakeslee, 98, who died peacefully surround-
ed by family on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020.
Shirley lived a wonderful life, born in Kaleva
in 1922 and moving to Manistee with husband
Robert (Bob) in 1963 where she resided at home
until her passing. As per her request cremation
has taken place and she will be laid in rest
along with her husband of nearly 50 years who

2 $ 99 preceded her in death in 1995 next to her mother,

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Are you sick and tired of father, and baby sister in Kaleva. A private service
Gallon being sick and tired? for family will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, memorials in Shirley’s name
WAHR Give Us A Call! may be made to any Special Olympics Organiza-
tion.
HARDWARE Free Sleep ConSultation Please share memories of Shirley with the
231-723-1198 family at www.oakgrovefh.com. Arrangements by
87 Division St., Manistee
422 First St. • Manistee, MI 49660 Oak Grove Funeral Home & Cremation Center in
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SleepApneaMI.com Manistee.