George James

Be On the Lookout for Ticks

Ticks can really ruin a summer. The pesky little insects can carry Lyme disease and anaplasmosis, which are serious ailments. Being aware of tick risk and taking steps to avoid tick bites are the best ways to avoid an unpleasant encounter with a tick.

Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, said, “Preventing tick bites is the best way to prevent tick-borne diseases, including Lyme disease and anaplasmosis. If you find a tick attached to your body, promptly remove it. Monitor your health and if you experience fever, rash, muscle or joint aches or other symptoms, consult with your medical provider.”

Grassy, wooded areas are tick hotspots. MDHHS recommends avoiding tick-infested areas. If in the woods, walk in the center of trails and protect pets. Use insect repellant with DEET or picaridin on exposed skin. Clothes can be treated with an insecticide that kills ticks.

A link to more information can be found below.

https://www.michigan.gov/emergingdiseases/home/lyme-disease?utm_campaign=&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Dangerous Infant Sleep Items Now Off the Market

No more crib bumper pads or inclined sleepers will be available to purchase due to the Safe Sleep for Babies Act. The items have been blamed for infant deaths and are no longer allowed to be on the market.

Dr. Alexis Travis, senior deputy director of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Public Health Administration said, “The Safe Sleep for Babies Act will save the lives of Michigan babies. Parents see these items in stores and may think they are safe for their baby when they are not.”

Travis said, “These products have been involved in hundreds of infant deaths and we are grateful they will no longer be sold. Educating parents and other caregivers about the importance of infant safe sleep remains a top priority for MDHHS.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies sleep on their backs in a crib, bassinet, or pack-n-play, by themselves, using a firm mattress with a tightly fitted sheet. The days of pillows, blankets, toys, and bumper pads in cribs are gone. Babies should be clothed in a sleep sack or wearable blanket to stay warm.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Cedar Point Goes Cashless

Hitting up the ATM before taking a road trip to Cedar Point? Don’t bother. The Sandusky, Ohio amusement park has gone cashless.

There are endless ways to spend money at the park, a popular getaway for Blue Water area thrill seekers, but there are just a few ways to complete transactions: swiping or tapping a credit card or debit card or using a smart device with Apple Pay or Google Pay.

There are Cash-to-Card kiosks on site where you can convert cash into a prepaid debit card. You won’t get the unspent cash back in the form of cash, but the card can be used anywhere Visa is accepted if there’s a remaining balance.

Why go cashless? Cedar Point says, “By going cashless, we are able to conduct contact-less transactions, and it’s faster, safer and always secure.”

Cedar Point will be increasing the price of their summer passes starting May 31st. Meanwhile, the Frontier Festival is going on now at the park as part of a partnership with Prayers From Maria, an organization whose mission is to raise awareness and money to fund research to end childhood cancer.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

NACW Celebrates Local Women at “She Leads Michigan” Event

Several local women were recently honored by the National Association of Career Women at the 4th Annual “She Leads Michigan” Afternoon Tea.

The event was held by State Representative Bronna Kahle and the “She Leads Michigan” team to recognize accomplishments as women of faith in the state of Michigan.

Christina Gallina-Flood, the founder of Healing Hearts Home Ministries; Crystal Mosher, the Senior Chapter Development Specialist with Woman’s Life Insurance Society; and Tracy Willard, the founder of Hunter Hospitality House, were the award recipients from the Blue Water area. Alice Rieves, the Executive Director of Mid-City Nutrition and an NACW member, was also nominated for the honor.

NACW Port Huron chapter president, Samantha Jay said, “We are so proud of Christina, Crystal, Tracy and Alice. It’s amazing that our chapter is able to be so well represented at an event such as the ‘She Leads Michigan’ event, but also not surprising at all considering the caliber of women we have in our chapter.”

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Pregnancy Care Center Opening in East China

Fellowship Baptist Church in East China will be opening its new Pregnancy Care Center on Wednesday, June 1st. The Center will offer a friendly face and support for families expecting a new baby and a variety of supplies for that baby on the way.

Senior Pastor, Terry Kuhns, said that his church was looking for a way to create a service to the surrounding community in southern St. Clair County. With much of the resources concentrated in Port Huron, they thought they could bring those much-needed baby items closer to the families that might need them.

Kuhns said that those who visit the center will be able to build relationships with the staff, who can refer them to existing resources in the county, along with access to a huge supply of baby items.

The Pregnancy Care Center is open to walk-in visitors Mondays through Thursdays from 10:00 a.m. to noon, and at other times by appointment. It is located at 5200 Park Drive in East China.

The center is in particular need of donations of maternity items.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

$1 off Gas on June 6th in Lexington with “People Helping People” Effort

Pain at the pump has turned into People Helping People. A grassroots effort in Lexington has taken off with the end result being $1 per gallon taken off of the price of up to 25 gallons of gas at “The Party Store” Marathon gas station on Main Street in Lexington, The sale is for one day only: June 6th.

Six thousand gallons of gas are available, donated by business owners who wanted to help out. A local businessman, Tim Hering, heard someone making the difficult choice between food or gas, and the idea behind “People Helping People” was born.

Hering, who owns Lakeshore Graphics, said that he wanted to inspire people. He asked small business owners in the area to contribute $250 with a goal of $3000. So far, $6000 has been raised.

The crowd that is likely to make a trip to Lexington for the reduced gas prices will hopefully also patronize some of those same small businesses that made a donation toward the reduced-price gas, as the People Helping People initiative comes full circle.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland