George James

“Better Together” Kitten and Cat Adoption Special at SCC Animal Control

St. Clair County Animal Control is gearing up for kitten season, which lasts from April to August and the public can help with either giving kittens and grown cats a home or by supporting a virtual “Kitten Shower” to get the animals off to a good start.

Director Melissa Miller said that they are running a “Better Together” promotion where the first cat adoption costs $75 and adopting a second cat or kitten is only $25. Cats often do better with a buddy.

Miller said that she currently has a great assortment of adult cats aged two to ten that have been surrendered by owners going through life changes.

Animal Control is also having an online kitten shower where animal lovers can send the most needed items, like high-quality cat food, cat litter, and other items to Animal Control. Cash donations are also gladly accepted.

Miller also reminded that if you find a group of healthy kittens alone, don’t rush to “save” them. Their mom might be off hunting. Keep an eye on them for about twelve hours and if mom doesn’t come back, then take them to Animal Control.

Links to more information can be found at WGRT.com.

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2QZQWZH9RVKM2/ref=hz_ls_biz_ex

https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/sccanimals

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Construction Planned for Pine Grove Between M-136 and Hancock

The Michigan Department of Transportation has announced a new project that will disrupt traffic on a busy road in St. Clair County while making much-needed repairs to a critical stretch of roadway. 

M-25, better known as Pine Grove Avenue, is in line to get some major improvements between Hancock Street and M-136, stretching from the City of Port Huron into Fort Gratiot Township. 

An informational meeting is planned for Thursday, March 24th at 5 p.m. and will be held virtually. Interested residents and local businesses are invited to join MDOT staff and contractors. 

The $5.8 million investment includes resurfacing and improvements over the Black River Spillway. According to MDOT, work includes paving, curb and gutter work, drainage improvements, new signage, and guardrail and joint replacements. 

The road will remain open during the work, but delays are inevitable. There will be a detour posted for traffic traveling south and turning onto Holland Avenue. Work is expected to be completed by August. 

Meeting details can be found at WGRT.com. 

Click here to join the meeting

Or call in (audio only): 248-509-0316 

Phone Conference ID: 630 604 589#

Public comment:

Comments and input can be submitted by mail, online comment form, or e-mail to Linda Burchell BurchellL@Michigan.gov,  phone, in addition to the public meeting.

Reporting for WGRT- Jennie McClelland

Mecanum Knights are In It to Win It as Robotics Season Gets Underway

High School robotics competitions are back and no one is more excited than Team 3667, the Mecanum Knights, representing Port Huron Schools. After two years without in-person events, the team is ready to show what they can do.

The team competed at Kettering University in Flint last weekend and made it to the semi-finals, while also winning the prestigious Entrepreneurship Award.

Port Huron Schools Enrichment Coordinator Kristen McRobie said, “Our team had a late start this year compared to our past seasons.  We have a new coach, new mentors, and our student roster is filled with mostly rookie kids so it has been a ‘re-building’ year for us.”

McRobie said that the team has set some new goals to accomplish and will adjust and add some things to their robot prior to their second District competition at Macomb Community College on April 1st and 2nd.

This year’s competition explores the future of transportation and challenges teams to explore sustainable transportation innovations.

Follow the Mecanum Knights on their Facebook page to stay updated on the team’s competition season.

https://www.facebook.com/Team3667

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Lake Huron Medical Center Recognized for Exceptional Patient Safety 

Lake Huron Medical Center has received the 2022 Patient Safety Excellence Award from Healthgrades. The award goes to the top 5% of all short-term acute care hospitals that are evaluated by Healthgrades. 

The Port Huron facility, a member of Prime Healthcare, has also been recognized as the only five-star facility in St. Clair County by The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. It has also received straight As since 2018 from Leapfrog, a patient safety indicator. 

Healthgrades is looking in particular for common patient injuries like hip fractures, collapsed lungs, bedsores, and bloodstream infections acquired in hospital. If all hospitals had the level of care of their Patient Safety Award recipients, over 100,000 injuries could be avoided. 

Jose Kottoor, Chief Executive Officer at Lake Huron Medical Center, said, “Providing high-quality, compassionate, comprehensive and cost-effective health care to the mind, body, and spirit of all those who walk through our doors is not just something we say; it’s what we do.” 

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Check for Water Leaks During “Fix a Leak Week”

It’s the annual “Fix a Leak Week”, which might sound funny, but is actually quite important for energy savings.

Kris Donaldson, the Clean Water Public Advocate from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, said, “Fixing water leaks in home plumbing can reduce consumer water bills and prevent water damage within the home. Investments in water conservation are essential to reducing energy consumption and the associated costs while striving toward environmental sustainability.” 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which created “Fix a Leak Week”, has an at-home checklist that can be used to find places where water could be leaking in your home and wasting money.

A good way to check for leaks is to monitor your water meter over a two-hour period when no water is being used. If it shows usage, it’s time to be a detective and look for a leak.

Older homes and homes in disrepair are most likely to be wasting the most water, with estimates at 10,000 wasted gallons per year.

A link to more resources for finding out how to conserve water in your home can be found in the News section at WGRT.com.

https://www.michigan.gov/cleanwater/0,9779,7-411-105853_105854—,00.html

https://www.epa.gov/watersense/fix-leak-week

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Michigan Food Security Council Addresses Ongoing Hunger Issues

How does Michigan help the 1.9 million people, including 552,000 children, who don’t have enough to eat? Michigan’s Food Security Council has made recommendations to increase food security in the state. 

Those measures include increased funding for fresh food, increasing feedback from those who use food programs, and ensuring that Medicaid beneficiaries get medically appropriate food when dealing with conditions such as diabetes. 

The Council has proposed increased funding for regional distribution of fresh foods. They have also outlined the need to understand and support residents who are experiencing hunger and the need to improve the navigation to assistance programs.

Dr. Phil Knight, chair of the Food Security Council said, “Members of the Food Security Council are passionate about this complex challenge because most of us see its effects on a daily basis. Families and individuals faced with food insecurity deal with toxic stress that impacts all parts of their lives – including their health and their ability to maintain employment and support their children.”

 A link to the full report can be found at WGRT.com.

 The Food Security Council final report can be found here. 

 Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland