George James

Pack Your Patience When Returning Cans and Bottles

Port Huron, MI — For those frustrated with long lines to return cans and bottles to get the 10-cent deposit back, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) has some advice: be patient. Summer holidays, warm weather, and the lingering stockpiles of cans and bottles in garages and basements statewide have created the perfect storm for a major strain on the bottle return system.

Michigan residents have paid deposits on about $80 million worth of returnable beverage cans and bottles since the COVID-19 crisis began. The eleven-week shutdown of deposit redemption facilities set the stage for a major headache for retailers forced to redeem the deposits.

The Michigan Department of Treasury set up limits to avoid a breakdown of the processing infrastructure and the reverse logistics of deposit returns. Individuals are allowed to return no more than $25 worth of returns per day. Retailers are only allowed to accept up to 140% of their 2019 sales volume of cans and bottles with a deposit.

EGLE warns that some facilities are at maximum capacity and may have to periodically close their redemption centers  due to mandatory limits. According to EGLE, masks and social distancing are a must when making those can and bottle returns.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Political Battle Over School CARES Money Ends Up in Court

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and  five other Attorneys General are challenging U.S. Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos in U.S. District Court over the allocation of CARES Act money for schools. The complaint claims that a rule issued by DeVos “would unfairly limit the ability of public schools to use federal funds provided under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.”

Private school funding is at the core of the differing interpretations between DeVos, a Republican appointee, and the Democratic Attorneys General. DeVos has directed funds to be allocated to all schools, regardless of perceived need, including private schools. Nessel and her colleagues contend that the money is to be spent based on Title I eligibility and that DeVos’ plan will rob the poorest schools of the money and send it to neighboring affluent private schools.

State Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice joined in the outrage, saying that Devos “manufactured” formula will divert $16 million from public to nonpublic schools.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Residents Urged to Get Proper Emergency Treatment

Port Huron, MI — Michigan residents are urged not to delay emergency care. Data shows that emergency care decreased significantly in the height of the COVID-19 stay-at-home time period, between March 15 to May 23.

People suffering from cardiac arrests stayed home 43.3% more during the ten-week period, while deaths at home increased a staggering 62% compared to the same time period in 2019.

Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services chief medical executive and chief deputy for health, said, “It is incredibly important that people not delay care, especially if they are having concerning symptoms like chest pain, difficulty breathing or dizziness. Hospitals and EMS providers are working hard to keep patients safe, so please contact them if you are having a medical emergency.”

Michigan follows the national pattern with emergency department visits down 42% nationwide during the March 15 to May 23 time period. A Kaiser Family Foundation survey found that nearly half of all Americans postponed both routine and emergency medical care due to COVID-19 fears.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

More Federal Money Allocated to Address COVID-19 Fallout

Port Huron, MI — Eight-hundred-eighty million dollars have been appropriated toward COVID-19 assistance statewide. The money is part of a federally funded budget supplement.

The monetary assistance includes a $2 per hour pay increase for direct care workers, $125 million for child care costs, $100 million in hazard pay for first responders and local governments, and another $100 million for small business grants. It also includes over $100 million for rental assistance, wireless hotspot connectivity, health and safety programs, and help for food banks and domestic violence shelters.

Addressing the allocation for shelters, Sarah Prout Rennie, Executive Director of the Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence, said she was proud of the efforts of local organizations, and “grateful that our elected officials are providing much-needed funding to help support shelters that have worked hard to keep their doors open and continue to provide essential services for victims and survivors.”  

The bill was sponsored by Senator Jim Stamas, a Midland Republican. Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed it into law last week. Whitmer said that the bill and the 2020 budget agreement have put the full amount of the CARES Act money to use and called on Congress to provide more money to address the 2021 budget shortfall.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

License and Registration Expirations Extended to September 30

Port Huron, MI — Driver’s License, State ID, and vehicle registration expirations have been extended to September 30th. Bills were signed into law to codify previous Executive Orders that extended expirations. Secretary of State offices are currently taking appointments only. This order allows some breathing room for those residents who may be panicking about getting an appointment, social distancing, or paying for vehicle registration renewals.

According to Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, “These bills will give Michigan residents peace of mind and reduce the amount of person to person interaction necessary when renewing licenses and registrations.”

While this action is intended to reduce the number of in-person transactions at the Secretary of State branches, residents are reminded that most transactions can be conducted online, by mail, or at a Self-Service Station. Locally, there are stations at the Secretary of State Branch Office on Krafft Road in Port Huron and at the Marysville Meijer.

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson commented on the new law saying, “We have been continually assessing the safest way to maintain branch operations and this legislation will go a long way toward those efforts.”

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Community Foundation Acquires Knowlton Ice Museum

Port Huron, MI — Operation of the Knowlton Ice Museum is about to be turned over to the Community Foundation of St. Clair County. If the plans are approved, a new nonprofit entity will be created, and assets and care of the museum will be transferred to the Foundation. 

Chuck Knowlton, Trustee of the Knowlton Family Private Foundation, said, “The Community Foundation is the right fit for our family’s charitable legacy. We have grown an endowment fund to be available to care for the Ice Museum collection in perpetuity, and the Foundation has the expertise, dedication and transparency we wanted as a family to be able to feel good about the transfer of not only millions in charitable assets, but the museum collections as well.” 

Mickey and Agnes Knowlton, founders of Party Time Ice, created the Knowlton Foundation and the Knowlton Ice Museum in 2000. The museum’s extensive collection of ice-making equipment and memorabilia have been open to the public since 1987.

The current location of the artifacts in Downtown Port Huron has been open since 2009. The museum will continue to be open to the public as usual.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland