George James

St. Clair County Library Switches to New and Improved Website

The St. Clair County Library System has a brand-new website and is phasing out the old one. Patrons are asked to make sure to get into the habit of using the updated website, stclaircountylibrary.org.

The new website is the workhorse of the library system, as much business is now done online as in-person services are significantly restricted by COVID-19 precautions. The new site is optimized for mobile devices and has been reorganized to meet the needs of patrons as they navigate the current reality.

Users can directly access the library catalog, the Michigan eLibrary, and other online resources in one spot. The library catalog now includes cover images and format icons to reduce clicks and increase efficiency. The new website also prominently features upcoming events and links to information about each branch.

According to the Library, “Online engagement has never been more important, and the new SCCLS website is just one more way to stay connected.”

A link to the new website:

https://stclaircountylibrary.org/

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

This Year’s “One in Christ” MLK Day Event Goes Virtual

Port Huron, MI — Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is approaching on the third Monday of January and plans are in the works to continue with the annual community event despite the inability to have an actual gathering.

This year’s “One in Christ” Community Service will be held via Facebook Live, following the lead of many other community traditions. The service will be livestreamed at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 17th from the Operation Transformation Facebook page.

The presentation is planned to feature music, scripture, and dance. There will also be a dramatic portion that features important figures in the civil rights struggle. The dramatization will highlight the “Mantle of Love, Freedom, Equity, and Justice”.

This is the fifteenth year that the community service has been held. It is traditionally a cooperative event led by Operation Transformation and Blue Water Area Churches. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day has been a national holiday since 1983.

A link to the Facebook Live event page:

https://www.facebook.com/events/432827714536937/

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Survey Helps Determine Eligibility for Vaccine

The St. Clair County Health Department has published a survey to determine which St. Clair County residents are eligible for the current supply of Covid-19 vaccines. Members of the Phase 1A priority group are currently able to be vaccinated immediately.

The first phase of the process includes health care personnel and residents of long-term care facilities. Long term care includes nursing homes, skilled nursing facilities and assisted living facilities, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

According to the Health Department’s survey, Phase 1A eligibility also includes those with direct patient contact while conducting high risk procedures such as dentistry, endoscopy, dialysis, respiratory therapy, as well as those working in public health, pharmacy, and mortuary services.

According to MDHHS, Phase 1B includes frontline essential workers and individuals 75 years of age and older. Phase 1C includes other essential workers, persons 65 to 74 years of age, and individuals 16 to 64 years of age with underlying medical conditions. Phase 2 is a mass vaccination campaign for all persons age 16 years or older.

A link to the survey:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6NGRVPC?fbclid=IwAR07YdsjXey1BjeKELI2MhqEFEJl31hGkiHq4luFM8FCXPx2dASLrWVsldQ

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Holiday Visits Were Complicated Thanks to Closed Border

As the U.S.- Canadian border remains closed to non-essential travel, families with relatives in both countries have to make significant sacrifices to see loved ones. The Canadian regulations require a fourteen-day quarantine for those returning to the country after a trip to the U.S.

Port Huron Township resident Debbie Peloso went to great lengths to work with the Canadian Border Patrol to set up a holiday visit with her daughter, who lives and studies in Ontario. Picking up her daughter and bringing her back to St. Clair County was a carefully orchestrated process with a lot of supervision from authorities.

Peloso said that the Christmas visit was really a sacrifice on her daughter’s part. Once she got back to Ontario, her daughter had to subscribe to the ArriveCAN mobile app, which monitors her quarantine compliance. The rules turned a two week visit into a month-long commitment with the quarantine requirement. Peloso said she understands why the Canadian government is continuing the restrictions and felt it was a fair process.

The border has been closed since March 2020 and the current order extends to January 21, 2021, and is expected to be extended.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Mainstreet Memories Car Show Moving to Waterfront

Port Huron, MI — Mainstreet Memories, an annual car show in Downtown Port Huron, has announced plans for expansion in 2021. The non-profit is rolling out its plans for a bigger and better show this summer.

The group has raised $65,000 to benefit the Council on Aging serving St. Clair County since they started the event. They have had exponential growth in the car show each year since starting in 2015.

Previously held on Huron Avenue, this year’s show will be held at the Acheson Ventures downtown waterfront area. The advantages of the new location are cost savings, greater area for cars to park, and no need to close streets. In a statement on their facebook page, President Ron Steward said, “In discussions with the DDA, both groups feel comfortable with this change, and feel it opens new opportunities to grow and expand the event into a weekend long experience, the opportunities are endless.”

This year’s Mainstreet Memories Car Show is scheduled for July 31, 2021 and will be sponsored by Moran Automotive. More information is at mainstreetmemoriesph.com.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland