Choze Powell

DTF Busts Man With Meth in Port Huron

(Port Huron Township)  A 24 year old Berlin Township man has been arraigned on drug and other charges in St. Clair County District Court.

According to Sheriff Mat King, the St. Clair County Drug Task Force conducted an investigation into the sales of methamphetamine in the Port Huron area.  The investigation culminated on January 7th at approximately 8:00 p.m., when members of the DTF executed a traffic stop in the area of 24th Street and Griswold in Port Huron Township.  They made contact with Dustin Conlee and discovered that he had approximately $1000 worth of crystal methamphetamine in his possession.  Conlee also had an unregistered .38 handgun in his vehicle.

Conlee was arrested without incident and transported to the St. Clair County Intervention and Detention Center.  He was arraigned in 72nd District Court and charged with delivery/manufacture of methamphetamine, carrying a concealed weapon and felony firearm.  Bond was set at $20,000 cash/surety.  Conlee is scheduled to be back in court on January 19th at 9:00 a.m. for a probable cause hearing before District Judge John Monaghan.  

Conlee also faces a bond violation hearing for violating conditions of bond on an earlier methamphetamine possession case.

Submitted by the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office

McLaren Keeps Seniors Engaged With Virtual Programs

The Savvy Seniors program is an educational series offered by McLaren Port Huron Hospital for senior citizens and their caregivers. The programs are free to the community, and for now, they are completely virtual.

Programs scheduled for the New Year cover healthy physical activity, navigating the health care system, and coping with grief and loss. Participants can register for as many sessions as they’d like.

Registration is available through Health Access by calling 1-800-228-1484, and a link to the virtual presentations will be emailed a week prior to the sessions.

For more details about individual sessions and topics, visit the events page at WGRT.com.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Nursing Home Residents Reminded Stimulus Payments Belong to Them

As stimulus payments begin arriving in check form, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is reminding residents and operators of nursing homes and other care facilities that checks belong to the person named on them, not the organization who may be providing care for that person.

After the first round of stimulus payments went out, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reported fraudulent activity in other states where nursing home residents were reportedly coerced into signing over their checks to the facility caring for them.

Stimulus payments are intended for the individual named on the check, and Nessel is alerting seniors not to sign them over to anyone under any circumstance.

Although there have not been reports of this fraudulent activity in Michigan, anyone with evidence of a facility demanding a senior resident’s stimulus (EIP) payment is encouraged to report it to the Attorney General’s office:

  • Unlicensed care facilities – Financial Crimes Division at 517-335-7560
  • Licensed care facilities – Heath Care Fraud Division at 800-242-2873

 

COVID-19 Vaccination Accelerates in Blue Water Area

As the state prepares to move to the second phase of vaccinating the public against COVID-19, area health care workers and companies want to share their vaccine experience and plans with the public.

The Blue Water Immunization Partnership is a nonprofit dedicated to providing science-based education about immunizations to the community. The head of the organization, and a local pharmacist, Jim Kaski, received his vaccine last week.

In a press release, Kaski said, “I want our community to know that pharmacists in our community believe this vaccine is safe and it is important to receive if citizens wish to someday soon be able to gather together safely and resume life as we remember it prior to the pandemic.”

Marwood Manor will begin vaccinating its residents and staff today. They are collaborating with Walgreens to administer the shot to almost 200 people.

Brian Oberly, Marwood administrator, said “Having the opportunity to help put an end to this devastating virus is truly a blessing.”

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Good2Go Campaign Supports Restaurants

Since indoor dining has been restricted, many residents have been looking for ways to support their favorite restaurants. Now, thanks to the City of Port Huron’s Downtown Development Authority (DDA) and downtown merchants, there is a new incentive to grab some take out.

The Good2Go Takeout Challenge runs until the end of January and participants have a chance to win gift cards from downtown shops every Friday.

Participating is easy; simply order takeout from a downtown restaurant, snap a photo of your takeout, and publicly post it to social media with the #downtownporthuron. The DDA will do a gift card drawings on Friday the 15th, 22nd, and 29th.

Participating restaurants:

Good2Go Participating Restaurants

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

Health Dept. Asks for Patience With Vaccine Distribution

The St. Clair County Health Department is currently working on completing vaccinating individuals in Phase 1A. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced yesterday those in Phase 1B and Phase 1C Group A are eligible to receive the vaccine starting January 11th. However, at this time, the Health Department does not have sufficient vaccine supply for all individuals in these groups.

Dr. Annette Mercatante, Medical Health Officer, stated “We estimate approximately 50,000-60,000 residents will be eligible for vaccination following the State’s updated guidance. We have to prioritize groups due to limited vaccine availability. We ask for the public’s patience as we work to ensure equitable distribution of these scarce resources. As vaccine supply increases, we will expand vaccination opportunities to meet our community’s needs.”

Current St. Clair County prioritization plan;

  • Continue vaccinating those in Phase 1A
  • Individuals ages 65+ should schedule an appointment via the Health Department website www.scchealth.co. Please note appointments are first come, first served. No walk-ins. As vaccine supply increases, additional clinics will be scheduled. Check the website regularly for updated information.
  • Additionally, the Health Department is working to schedule select frontline essential workers for upcoming vaccination clinics. Eligible employees will receive a link to scheduling their appointment directly from their employer.

Clinics for next week are already booked, and the health department asks that the public not show up unexpectedly for the vaccine. Vaccine supply is limited throughout the state and more appointments will become available when the supply increases.

This is a rapidly evolving situation. Further information will be shared when updates are available. Visit the health department website at www.scchealth.co and follow us on social media @scchdmi.

Submitted by the St. Clair County Health Department