For World Down Syndrome Day, Tina Baldwin wants people to know about the connection between Alzheimer’s Disease and Down syndrome. A local mental health advocate and mother of a woman who has Down syndrome, Baldwin says research into Down syndrome could also benefit people with Alzhiemer’s disease because of their shared traits. Down syndrome is caused by an extra copy of chromosome 21, which produces the amyloid precursor protein. World Down Syndrome Day is on March 21 to promotes public awareness and inclusivity of those born with a third copy of the 21st chromosome. ... Nearly 16% of couples differentiate when it comes to COVID-19 vaccination status, according to a recent study from Washington State University. WSU psychologist Karen Schmaling surveyed more than 1,300 people living with their significant others and found a small but significant portion of the couples contain one person who is vaccinated against COVID-19 and another who is not. “The first thing is to try to estimate how common this is, and the next is to figure out why,” Schmaling said.
What started as a way to kill time has turned into Misty Lynam’s biggest hobby. Lynam describes herself as a “crafty mom,” and she has been creating vinyl decals for surfaces, including T-shirts, sweatshirts, coffee mugs and vehicle windows, since 2014, when she lived in Coeur d’Alene. Lynam has only lived in Kendrick since October, but she already has a solid customer base for her vinyl decals. “People are asking for shirts all the time,” Lynam said. Lynam works full-time at the pharmacy during the day, but her decal hobby consumes some of her time outside work. She said she completes about two decals per week. ... This year marks the 80th anniversary of the Appaloosa Horse Club, an international breed registry of Appaloosas in Moscow. “The fact that the horse culture and the society that we live in has changed so much, but we’re still here doing some of the same basic things that they did 80 years ago, that’s pretty cool,” AHC CEO Steve Taylor said. The club was founded in 1938 in Moro, Ore., but George Hatley and his wife, Iola, moved the club’s records to their Moscow home in 1947. The club has operated in Moscow ever since.
An eighth-grader from Weippe correctly spelled “babushka” and “mariachi” to win first place at the Inland Northwest Regional Spelling Bee in Lewiston. Erin Sellers, the 13-year-old daughter of Michelle and Bill Sellers, will now represent the region at the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. Ilagan said the words got more difficult as the competition progressed. “I got kind of nervous,” she said. This year’s regional spelling bee lasted about an hour. ... Jonathan Erber is all about music and mechanics. The 24-year-old University of Idaho senior is part-time student, teacher and On-Site Auto entrepreneur, and he fully loves each aspect. Erber, who is in his fourth year as a vocal performance major, said while he wants to make music education his career, he could never keep himself out of the garage. He plans to graduate from UI in May or summer 2014 and is currently teaching music to fifth-grade and older students at Logos School. Originally from Chicago, Erber moved to Moscow when he was 21 to study music privately with a church musician.
