George James

DNR to Host open House at St. Clair Flats State Wildlife Area

The St. Clair Flats State Wildlife Area on Harsens Island will be the location of an Open House sponsored by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The event will be held on October 6th at 6:00 p.m.

The purpose of the Open House is to showcase one of Michigan’s managed waterfowl hunt areas. These areas are dubbed “Michigan’s Wetland Wonders” by the DNR.

The Open House is an outdoor driving tour of the wetlands area with participants able to tune in to the presentation on their vehicle radios. Stops along the route will showcase improvements to the habitat to enhance waterfowl and wetland wildlife.

Other Open Houses will be held at the Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area in Pinconning, the Fish Point State Game Area in Unionville, the Pointe Mouillee State Game Area in Rockwood, and the Shiawassee River State Game Area in St. Charles.

The state game areas have been providing managed waterfowl habitats in the lower peninsula since the 1960s. Contact information for the St. Clair Flats State Wildlife Area can be found below.

St. Clair Flats State Wildlife Area, 3857 Columbine Road, Harsens Island; 810-748-9504

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Nessel and Benson Support Restrictions on Carrying Firearms in Public

Michigan’s Attorney General and Secretary of State are chiming in with officials from other states in supporting New York’s regulations on carrying firearms in public.

The attorneys general from 19 states filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court arguing that the right to carry loaded guns into any public place is not the intent of the Second Amendment. They say that states should be allowed to regulate based on local public safety concerns.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said, “We must not conflate commonsense safety regulations with infringing on the Second Amendment. As this brief correctly points out, our country has long relied on state discretion to regulate the public carry of firearms and backtracking would be nothing short of federal overreach. I am proud to join this coalition and appreciate support from Secretary Benson.” 

Referring to open carry at polling places, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said, “Fair, free and secure elections are the foundation of our democracy, and I continue to stand for the right of all eligible Michigan citizens to vote without fear of threats, intimidation or harassment.”

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Ontario Requires Proof of Vaccination for Dining, Events, and More

Ontario is easing into reopening after lengthy Covid shutdowns but has enacted strict rules requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination to go anywhere where there could be even a small crowd.

Sarnia Primary Control reports that Sarnia city staff are working to help event organizers gear up for hockey season and comply with provincial regulations. Ontario requires people to be fully vaccinated and provide proof of their vaccination status to access certain businesses, including arenas. This started on Wednesday. 

Failing to comply can result in $750 penalties for individuals and $1,000 for corporations. Maximum penalties include fines of up to $100,000 and up to a year in jail for an individual and up to $500,000 and up to a year in jail for an individual who is a director or officer of a corporation; and up to $10 million for a corporation, according to the Ministry of Health.

Fully vaccinated means two doses plus 14 days. Proof of vaccination along with photo ID is now required for Canadian patrons of restaurants and bars, nightclubs, meeting and event spaces, and others. The vaccine proof requirement even applies to children ages 12 and up.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Businesses Looking for Relief in New State Budget

There’s no question that small businesses took a hit during the past 18 months, but there is some light at the end of the tunnel, according to the National Federation of Independent Business, NFIB.

The NFIB is endorsing a few items, including the deposit of $150 million to reimburse the Unemployment Trust Fund that was used to pay out fraudulent claims. Lack of agency oversight is blamed for the proliferation of bogus checks handed out.

They are also pleased with Governor Gretchen Whitmer agreeing to sign a bill that would allow small businesses to take the same deduction on state and local taxes as large corporations. Whitmer vetoed the bill in July but is expected to sign it when presented again.

There is also optimism on the part of the National Federation that emergency orders will be under local oversight with the new legislation.

Amanda Fisher, assistant state director of NFIB Michigan said, “We appreciate the efforts of the Legislature as they continue to pass legislation to help those businesses most affected by government shut-downs and restrictions, but there is much more to be done, and time is running out for small businesses that are hanging on by a thread.” 

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

S.O.N.S. Offers “Your Future Now” Career Program

S.O.N.S. Outreach is planning a “Your Future Now” Career exploration program to be held at Port Huron’s Harrison School. The program was created with input from students coordinated by Generation Z and the Ralph C. Wilson Foundation.

The program will expose students in grades 7-12 to career opportunities in the trades. Careers in HVAC, computer programing, welding, masonry, plumbing, electrical work, and carpentry will be featured, along with robotics. There are opportunities for paid internships.

The program will be held after school on Mondays through Thursdays from 2:45-6:00 p.m. with tutoring, meals, and occasional field trips. There will also be time for kids to just unwind with games and activities.

An Open House will be held on Thursday, October 7th from 4-6 p.m. at Harrison School located at 55 15th Street. The program begins on October 11th. 

To sign up or to get more information, parents can go to sonsoutreach.org or call S.O.N.S. at 810-334-6710.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Update Your iPhone ASAP

Phones get viruses, too. If you have an Apple iPhone, you will definitely want to install the latest update as soon as possible. Spyware called “Pegasus” has been discovered to be able to infect iPhones without even a click, leaving the user totally unaware and vulnerable to unwanted surveillance. iPads, Apple Watches, and Mac computers are also at risk.

Journalists have been targeted specifically, but anyone is vulnerable. The virus was first detected when a Saudi Arabian activist was hacked and investigators traced the Pegasus virus back to an Israeli firm. The spyware is called “zero-click” because of its ability to infect invisibly. It uses the iMessage app to get in and can access camera, microphone, and messages.

Apple has developed a patch to fix the problem. To safeguard your device from this hacking attack, plug it in, go to Settings, click “general”, then click “software update” and click “install now” to update to iOS 14.8.

If you’re concerned, you’re not alone. The vulnerability could have affected 1.65 billion Apple products.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland