George James

Bond Sales Help MDOT “Fix the Damn Roads”

Last week, the Michigan Department of Transportation signed off an $800 million bond issue. This is part two of the $3.5 billion Rebuilding Michigan program aimed at rehabbing crumbling freeways in the state.

The Michigan State Transportation Commission authorized the department to issue and sell $3.5 billion in bonds backed by state trunkline revenues in January of 2020.

The bond sale has been successful and both the Governor’s Office and MDOT leadership are proud of the payoff. MDOT Director Paul C. Ajegba said, “The latest bond sales and favorable market reaction underscores the wisdom of the bond sales.” 

Governor Gretchen Whitmer revisited her campaign promises saying, “Investments in infrastructure are a priority for my administration, and I am proud that we are fixing the damn roads without an increase at the gas pump.”  

The bond sales will help pay for the rebuilding or rehabbing of 122 major highways statewide. The rebuilding of I-69 is the only work in St. Clair County included in the Rebuilding Michigan Program.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

SC4 Publishes Fine Arts Magazine

St. Clair County Community College has announced the publication of this year’s edition of Patterns magazine. The magazine is the oldest publication of its kind in Michigan and is entirely student-published. 

The magazine’s publication was delayed for the 2020-21 academic year due to the COVID-19 restrictions. But it is here now, and it is something to be celebrated by those who appreciate student writing and art.

Sarah Flatter, professor of fine arts at the college said, “Patterns is an opportunity to celebrate being creative and to recognize the unique talents of our next generation of artists. We’re excited to honor students and their success while at SC4.”

This year’s Patterns is published in memory of David Korff and Alfred Gay, both of whom left lasting legacies with SC4’s Fine Arts programs.

Each year, winners are named in the various categories and this year’s Eleanor Mathews Award winner is Makenna Joppich. The Patrick Bourke Award winner is Brandi Schmitz.

A link to Patterns:

https://sc4.edu/support-services/honors-and-awards/patterns/

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

MSU Study Shows that Short Naps Don’t Help Much with Sleep Deprivation

Sometimes naps are the only things that help us get through the day. A new study from the Michigan State University Sleep and Learning Lab says that short naps are not a remedy for sleepless nights, and long naps have limited restorative power.

Kimberly Fenn, associate professor at MSU, study author, and director of MSU’s Sleep and Learning Lab said, “We are interested in understanding cognitive deficits associated with sleep deprivation. In this study, we wanted to know if a short nap during the deprivation period would mitigate these deficits. We found that short naps of 30 or 60 minutes did not show any measurable effects.”

The study found that getting into a deep sleep pattern, or slow-wave sleep, during a longer nap does help to slightly reduce cognitive problems due to sleep deprivation, but it doesn’t even come close to the restoration one gets from a good night’s sleep.

Fenn explained that people who got more slow-wave sleep during a nap tended to show reduced errors on cognitive tasks. However, they still showed worse performance than those who got a full night’s sleep, according to the study.

So, the longer the nap, the better, but naps don’t really make up for missing a full night of sleep.

A link to the full study:

https://academic.oup.com/sleep/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/sleep/zsab152/6307588)

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Michiganders Urged to Catch Up on Routine immunizations

Immunization Awareness Month is winding down, but it’s never too late to get caught up on routine vaccines. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is concerned that individuals got behind on their routine checkups and vaccinations due to the pandemic.

The return to school and the workplace makes it more important than ever to get back on track with routine vaccinations, according to MDHHS.

Michigan’s vaccination rate declined during the pandemic. The Michigan Care Improvement Registry, or MCIR, reported that only 54.7% of Michigan children aged between 19 and 35 months were fully immunized with recommended vaccinations.

Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health at MDHHS said, “Vaccinating on time and following CDC’s recommended schedule is the best protection against serious diseases including COVID-19, influenza, hepatitis A, cancers caused by HPV and measles. We have the power to protect not only ourselves, but our entire community when we vaccinate on time.”

MDHHS encourages Michiganders to visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Interactive Vaccine Guide, which provides information on the vaccines recommended during pregnancy and throughout a child’s life. Adults 19 and older can take the CDC’s Adult Vaccine Assessment Tool to find out which vaccines they may need.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

New “Notify Me” Feature Helps Campers Find Sites at State Parks

Going camping is a great way to get away from it all and unplug. Finding a campsite, on the other hand, relies heavily on technology, and being tech-savvy is often the only way to get a prime spot on a summer weekend.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has embraced technology and is now offering the “Notify Me” option for campers looking for a site at a state campground.

The new “Notify Me” feature is for use when campgrounds are full and there is no availability during the desired timeframe in the selected location. It allows prospective campers to choose a campground and dates and choose to get notified when a spot opens up.

Once the “Notify Me” option is chosen, users will receive alerts when sites become available and will be able to then make a reservation at the newly open campsite. The program helps the DNR and also makes for happy campers who get their desired campsite. 

The service is available for campsites, overnight lodging facilities, and shelters at state park campgrounds.

A link to the reservation website:

https://midnrreservations.com/

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland