George James

SC4 Invites Community to Strong Inside Book Discussion

The whole community is invited to a book discussion, sponsored by the St. Clair County Community College Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

The book is Strong Inside by Andrew Maraniss. Copies of the book are available for free through the SC4 Office.

The college is planning a guided book discussion with the author during the fall semester of 2022.

Strong Inside is a biography of Perry Wallace, the first African-American basketball player in the Southeastern Conference, playing for Vanderbilt University. The biography is set in the times of civil rights struggles of the 1960s.

Strong Inside won the Lillian Smith Book Award in 2015, among other accolades.

The author, Andrew Maraniss, is a contributor to ESPN and has written several other history and sports-related books.

https://sc4.edu/event/strong-inside-book-discussion/

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

All Kids Can Play Together with the Arc of St. Clair County’s Inclusive Recreation

Inclusive Recreation is a way to get kids of all abilities playing together and learning from each other. The ARC of St. Clair County has organized several opportunities for kids of all abilities to enjoy winter fun while fostering understanding of the things that make each kid unique.

Valorie Hudgens, Executive Director of the Arc of St. Clair County, said that the program helps build friendships between kids with disabilities and kids without disabilities.

The free recreation programs are geared toward children aged three to twelve, but teenagers often enjoy the interactions as well. Due to covid restrictions, all events will be held outdoors, so attendees should bundle up. Hudgens said, “Snow will not slow us down.”

The events are held outside the Community Rooms at Dulhut, Huron, and Gratiot Housing Developments. Participants do not have to live in the neighborhoods to participate. No RSVP is needed; just show up to have fun.

January’s Inclusive Recreation kicks off with Mystery Snow Fun.

The Arc is looking to expand its program into downriver communities in the future.

Call the Arc of St. Clair County at 810-989-9144 for more information.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Student Loan Repayment Pause Extended

Paying on student loans? The payback “pause” has been extended to May 1st, 2022. Loan payments, interest, and collections have been paused since March 13th, 2020.

The repayment plans were set to resume after January 31st, 2022, but the pause has been pushed out a few more months. The interest rates have been set to 0% during the pause, in response to the economic instability caused by the reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Collections on defaulted loans have also been suspended, but are expected to resume after the latest extension expires.

Those who borrowed money for educational expenses shouldn’t get their hopes up that the loans will just disappear.

In announcing the extension of the pause, President Biden said, “As we are taking this action, I’m asking all student loan borrowers to do their part as well: take full advantage of the Department of Education’s resources to help you prepare for payments to resume.” He suggested looking at options to lower your payments through income-based repayment plans and to explore public service loan forgiveness.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Library Has Creative Options for January

The St. Clair County Library System has plenty on the calendar for January to get the New Year off to a good start.

Kids can stop by the Children’s Library at the Main Branch in Port Huron to pick up a kit to build their very own stuffed bear. Once the bear is built, at the library or at home, kids can bring the bears back for Teddy Bear Sleepover Camp, where the bears will make scrapbooks of their adventures at camp. Registration is required.

Ever wanted to learn the ancient art form of Origami? This might be the year to build that lifelong skill. The G. Lynn Campbell/Kimball Township Branch, located in Kimball, will be hosting both Teen and Adult Origami classes in January. Materials are provided and the classes are free.

Feeling creative? A Fairy House Workshop will be held on Thursdays for six sessions, with all materials provided to create a fairy house of your own design. The sessions will be held at the G. Lynn Campbell/Kimball Library.

There is also a presentation on Understanding Grief and a group that meets for card games. For the full schedule of events, https://stclaircountylibrary.org/events

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

2021 Was a Big Year for Michigan DNR

Michigan parks and trails had a banner year in 2021 with a record-breaking 35 million visitors and 1.4 million camping and lodging nights.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources Parks and Recreation Chief Ron Olson said, “Our state parks and recreation system resources, including trails, boating and state forest recreation, are as relevant now as they’ve ever been to the state of Michigan in the past 100 years.”

DNR staff remained on the job throughout the pandemic to offer enhanced recreation opportunities for people who craved outdoor gathering spaces.

As more people took up boating or used motorized vehicles on public trails, there became a need for upgraded law enforcement. Gary Hagler, chief of the DNR Law Enforcement Division said, “This surge of customers has introduced a new demand for outdoor recreation areas and opportunities, reiterating the importance of recreational safety education staff and programs and the need for readily available conservation officers.”

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Safety Training Planned for Port Huron Schools

The staff at Port Huron Schools will be participating in Active Assailant Response Training on January 14th. Students will have a half-day of school that day with early dismissal and bus pick up around lunchtime.

Superintendent Theo Kerhoulas sent an email to district families on Tuesday to let them know about both the schedule change and the staff training.

Kerhoulas wrote, “We are very proud of our current district safety plans but also know we can always do better. Our teams feel we can strengthen what we do in the case of an emergency with additional training.”

Kerhoulas explained that the Port Huron schools team met with local law enforcement to discuss school safety and the Active Assailant Response Training will be done in partnership with the Port Huron Police Department and the St. Clair County Sheriff Department.

Kerhoulas said in the letter to families and staff, “Our efforts will strengthen our protocols and communication systems for our students, staff, law enforcement officers and emergency responders.”

Parents should expect more details about the January 14th early dismissal when the students are back in school next week.

Reporting with WGRT – Jennie McClelland