BunnyScotch Rolls

2 loaves frozen bread dough

2 cups finely chopped walnuts or pecans

1 box butterscotch pudding

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 cup milk

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Grease 9” x 13” pan and sprinkle with one cup of nuts. Cut each

bread loaf into eight pieces and place in pan on top of nuts. Let rise

until the dough nearly reaches top of pan. In a saucepan, combine

pudding, brown sugar, butter, vanilla, milk and half of cinnamon

until it becomes syrup-like. Pour mixture over bread. Sprinkle with

remaining nuts and cinnamon. Bake at 350 degrees for

30 to 40 minutes. Enjoy!

City of Monroe Mayor Robert Clark is a busy man, but not too busy to take time out for a student field trip. And on Thursday,

February 21, he did just that by holding an educational seminar at City Hall for members of St. Mary Middle School’s

(SMMS) Student Council.

This is not, however, an ordinary student council; it is the first of its kind at SMMS, composed of 22 members from grades 6

thru 8 who represent about 260 peers. Not only are the representatives new to student government, but they are the first

attendants of a City Hall field trip presided by Mayor Clark.

“Right now, our student council is involved in many activities,” explains SMMS teacher Kyle Kubik. “We’re raising money to

build a courtyard at school for plants and benches, and at Christmastime we held a hats and scarves drive. We’ve been active

in a lot of fun programs.”

Mr. Kubik oversees the newly-formed student council. It was, in fact, his idea for the City Hall field trip. “I wanted them to see

how a real council meeting is run,” he says. “I think it’s important for students to understand the concept of government.”

Indeed, this group received a great deal of information from Mayor Clark, who started the field trip in his office with Monroe

history lessons. He then led the group to Council Chambers, where nine of the 21 participating students sat in the positions of

Mayor, City Manager, City Attorney, Clerk Treasurer and council members. The remaining students resided in the audience,

and in one hour they learned the basic elements of a city council meeting.

“The idea is to resolve questions when people have them,” Mayor Clark said while discussing Monroe’s precincts and the

council members who represent them. He demonstrated the importance of analyzing motions and acknowledging their impacts

on represented citizens.

“What you don’t want to do is have a debate,” the Mayor said with regard to council meetings. “You just want to garner

peoples’ opinions. There’s a lot to think about with each decision.”

The program concluded with Mayor Clark handing out City of Monroe pins to each student and wishing all of them luck with

their new government responsibilities.

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Page 1

Literary Buzz

The Letters

* * *

Page 2

Literary Buzz

Cherry Piano

* * *

Page 3

County Buzz

Monroe County

Alert System

* * *

Page 4

Agency Buzz

MMHS Volunteer

Services

* * *

Page 5

Buzz Back in

Time

Stuff You Don’t

See Anymore

* * *

Page 6

Health Buzz

Unhealthy Fast

Food Declining

* * *

Page 7

Kitchen Buzz BunnyScotch

Rolls

“Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.” - Thomas Jefferson themonroebuzz@gmail.com • (734) 731-6190 • www.themonroebuzz.com

The Buzz is now online! Read each week’s issue in full digital format

www.themonroebuzz.com

Week of March 1, 2013 Volume 2, Issue 12

Unhealthy Fast Food Declining The Letters

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EIGHT YEARS EARLIER

When Lilly’s brother-in-law took her in his arms, she knew it wasn’t love. It was

merely a conquest, further affirmation that she got what she wanted. Curiously,

her sister Cassie didn’t factor into the equation. She loved her sister, but she

wasn’t important enough to influence Lilly’s decision. Lilly did, however,

wonder if Heath thought about his wife that first afternoon he spent at her house.

After he left, praising Lilly like a lover should and promising to return soon, she

sat on her couch and sipped warm, fragrant coffee. The cappuccino machine she

had recently purchased had cost more than $200. It sat on the counter with half a

dozen other brand new appliances. Lilly was quite pleased with her kitchen,

including the remodeling that was finished only weeks earlier. She now had a

gorgeous linoleum floor that matched the blue countertops, elegant recessed

lighting in a white-washed ceiling and a doorway cut out of the back wall that led

to the sunroom. Her home made her feel successful.

But that day she was restless, and she stood from the couch cradling her Pottery

Barn mug. She caught a glimpse of her reflection in the foyer mirror and saw her

hair was still mussed from Heath’s loving hands. A feeling of remorse suddenly

gripped her. She shouldn’t have worn this simple jersey dress to meet him.

Something with more appeal would have been much better. Maybe a little black

dress with silver jewelry. After all, she didn’t want him to compare her to Cassie,

who had stopped paying attention to her appearance with the arrival of their

second child.

It’s a perfect arrangement, Lilly thought as she tried to finger comb her hair.

Heath is bored with my sister, understandably, because she’s let herself go in the

five years they’ve been married. Being with me will keep him satisfied, and I’ll

never let him divorce Cassie. It makes sense from all perspectives.

What didn’t make sense was why Lilly would cheat on her own husband

Grayson. But she didn’t give any thought to him. Instead, she returned to the idea

of a black dress and felt suddenly anxious. She couldn’t recall ever purchasing

one. How could she have been so foolish as to overlook a quintessential

wardrobe item?

She was at once in a rush and finished smoothing her hair without really seeing

her reflection. She walked her mug to the dishwasher and rummaged in her

purse, looking for her spare lip gloss and body spray. After freshening up, she

remembered the most important thing. A small smile spread over her lips. Inside

her desk drawer was a stack of blank checks. They weren’t hers; they belonged to

the company for which she worked. But she was a signer on the account and took

the liberty of using the available funds whenever she needed. And right now she

needed to go shopping. She was determined to find a little black dress.

Americans’ love affair with fast food may not

yet be finished, but there are signs we are cutting

back on French fries, greasy burgers and similar

fare, all of which contribute to artery clogging.

A new survey from the Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention shows that, on average,

adults consumed about 11.3 percent of their

daily calorie intake from fast food in the 2007 to 2010 period, a drop from

12.8 percent in 2003 to 2006.

The highest percentage of fast food calories was consumed among adults

aged 20 to 39, the survey showed. This statistic dropped to as low as 6

percent in the 60-plus age group. There was little difference between men

and women.

Authors of the study declined to draw any conclusions from the results.

Nutrition experts, however, said this might show that Americans are

eating more salads and similarly healthy alternatives offered by fast-food

chains, instead of the traditional burger and fries.

These results come almost 10 years after the film “Supersize Me”

highlighted the dangers of fast food diets. In the film, director Morgan

Spurlock ate only food from McDonald’s for 30 days and gained 24.5

pounds. His body mass increased by 13 percent and his cholesterol shot up

to 230. It took Spurlock 14 months to lose the weight gained from his

experiment.

Keith Ayoob, director of the nutrition clinic at Albert Einstein College of

Medicine in New York City, said there is evidence the obesity epidemic in

the U.S. is beginning to plateau. To him, the results aren’t very surprising.

Commenting on the lower fast-food calorie intake, he said it isn’t clear if

people are cutting back on how often they frequent fast food restaurants.

Restaurants like Wendy’s and Arby’s now offer a number of lower-calorie

alternatives like wraps, low-fat salad dressings, low-calorie yogurt or

desserts, smaller portions, low-fat and fat-free milk and bottled water. He

thus wonders if the nutrition experts are right in thinking people are just

opting for healthier menu items.

“It’s no longer about where you eat, it’s about what you choose when

you’re there. I can’t say for sure, but I believe McDonald’s is still doing

robust business, and if more of that is coming from lower-calorie foods,

that’s terrific,” Ayoob said.

“It takes people a long time to change their ways and habits, but when

they change them for the better and learn to enjoy the change, that’s a win

-win,” Ayoob said.

Fast food is today associated with increased risks of developing obesity,

type 2 diabetes and heart disease. In the U.S. alone, 1.2 million people die

annually from heart attacks and coronary heart disease. But near-

elimination of industrially produced trans fats might avert between 72,000

and 228,000 coronary heart events each year, reports the Harvard

University Gazette.

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Cherry knew what the powder was, although she’d never seen any before.

Perhaps she wouldn’t have guessed so quickly without Giovanna telling her

about Matt’s habit. But she knew everything now, and the cocaine she held in

her hand seemed somehow familiar.

She thought about trying some, she really did. The fact that it was dangerous

made it all the more appealing. Thoughts of ending her life had fled from her

mind. Now, she realized what she sought was meaning, something that defined

her. She wasn’t an employee, she wasn’t a wife, and she was pretty sure she

wasn’t a friend. Why not, then, be a drug addict? That would show Matt,

wouldn’t it?

But Cherry couldn’t bring herself to pour the powder on the counter and snort it.

Instead, she raised the medicine bottle above her head and tilted it, twirling so

the powder fell in a circle. It landed on her face, her skin, the kitchen floor. The

fine particles created a wintry effect, and Cherry felt for a moment like she stood

inside a snow globe.

When the bottle was empty, she let it fall from her hands and hit the floor with a

clatter. She looked around for her wine bottle, unsure of where she had left it.

She desperately needed a drink. But her eyes met those of Matt’s mother’s,

standing just inside the kitchen doorway. Cherry’s heart gave a little jump, for

Margaret’s face was an obvious mixture of fear and disgust.

Both women stood wordlessly. Cherry tried to image how she must look to her

mother-in-law, standing in her pajamas amid a confetti of white powder. She

wondered if the older woman had walked thru the rest of the house to see the

wreckage Cherry had earlier created.

“How long have you been here?” she asked without thinking.

“Long enough.” The ice in Margaret’s voice chilled the room. “What is going

on?”

When Cherry didn’t answer, Margaret took another step inside the kitchen. “Are

you doing drugs?”

Cherry shook her head. She should have been able to speak, to tell Margaret the

truth. But her lips felt glued together.

“This is my house,” Margaret said in a voice that shook with anger. “I purchased

it in my name and allow Matt to live here on the condition that he behaves like a

respectable citizen. Now, I demand to know what you’re doing and where he is.

And don’t you dare lie to me.”

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Stuff You Just Don’t See Anymore Cherry Piano

“The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can’t read them.” - Mark Twain “Cowards die many times before their actual deaths.” - Julius Caesar

Whistle Pops

Scratch ‘n’s sniff stickers

Care bears

Paper dolls

He-Man and She-Ra

Holly Hobbie

Yarn hair ties

Tetherball

Rotary phones

Apple Pectin shampoo

Rubber cement

Lite-Brite

Sun-In

Pogo Sticks

Jacks

Garden- and ranch-style apartments and townhomes

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Monroe County has implemented a county-wide

alert notification system that will be used to

contact county residents and businesses via

recorded phone messages, text messages and

email during emergencies.

According to Emergency Management Division

Director Mark Hammond, the system, called MCANS (Monroe

County Alert Notification System) will be used by the county's

Emergency Management Division to notify residents and businesses

of emergencies or critical situations and provide information regarding

necessary actions, such as evacuations. It can also be used by

authorized local officials to notify local residents of important

community advisories.

The system utilizes the telephone company White Pages database and

is able to contact land-line phone numbers. If the call is picked up by

an answering machine, the system will leave a recorded message. If

the number called is busy or does not answer, the system will redial

the number in an attempt to deliver the message. The system is also

TTY/TDD compatible.

Because MCANS uses the White Pages database, only land-line

numbers are automatically included in the system. In addition to

home phone numbers, mobile phones, Voice OverIP (VOIP) landlines,

email and/or text messaging can be added to receive messages from

both the Emergency Alert and the Community Notification systems.

Residents and businesses must register the voice and text

communication devices where they wish to receive messages by going

online and registering at co.monroe.mi.us/mcans or calling

Emergency Management at 734-240-3135.

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Volunteers are the backbones of many

communities, helping organizations provide

quality customer service while keeping

expenses down. In return, these individuals

meet new friends, gain self-confidence and

uncover hidden skills and talent.

But at Mercy Memorial Hospital System, the volunteer experience is taken one

step further so that a sense of family is created. With 400 volunteers throughout

the hospital and in such separate divisions as Pastoral Care, Hospice, Cancer

Connection and the Rape Crisis Center, that family is rather large.

“We average five new volunteers per week,” says Lisa Gramlich, manager of

Volunteer Services. “Approximately 38 departments in the hospital utilize the

efforts of volunteers, with duties ranging from clerical to patient interaction.”

Individuals interested in volunteering usually call the hospital or complete an

online application, explains Lisa. After reviewing their information, she leads

them through an individualized orientation and places them in an area most

suited to their personality and interests.

“A volunteer’s placement has to be beneficial for the individual and the

hospital,” Lisa says. “It must be a good match on both ends to work

successfully.”

Volunteers usually work four to five hours per week and receive a meal voucher

to the hospital cafeteria. Their efforts are commended with quarterly recognition

programs and an annual awards dinner at Monroe Golf & Country Club.

Lisa explains her team ranges in age from high school students to retired seniors.

With the VolunTeen program, for instance, students aged 14 to 18 perform the

same tasks in the same departments as traditional volunteers. Lisa accommodates

all school schedules to ensure community efforts do not interfere with studies.

The hospital offers job shadowing opportunities as well, coordinated for area

high school students. These opportunities meet many graduation requirements for

non-school-related experience in a professional environment. To oblige those in

college, the hospital also accepts clinical students, interns, externs and others

who need medical experience.

“In addition to our educational programs, it’s really neat to think 400 people in

this community want to give of their time,” Lisa says. “They help us so much in

so many different ways.”

If you would like to get involved, please call Volunteer Services at 734-240-

8931. You can also complete an online application at www.mercymemorial.org.

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Monroe County Alert Notification System MMHS Volunteer Services

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” - C.S. Lewis “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” - Leo Tolstoy