George James

National Drug Take Back Day is this Saturday, and the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office will once again participate in the semi-annual event. Residents that would like to dispose of unused or unwanted medication can stop by the office on Michigan Road from 10 to 2 on Saturday. Unwanted, expired, or unused pills will be accepted. The department is not accepting liquids syringes, patches, inhalers, or creams.  St. Clair County Sheriff Tim Donnellon said, “We want to ensure that these pills don’t end up in the wrong hands or in our drinking water.”  

Residents who are unable to make the event on Saturday are welcome to turn in pills during the normal weekday business hours at the Sheriff’s office.The event is sponsored by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). When the event ends, law enforcement agencies turn over the pills to the DEA for incineration. This is the 18th year that the event has been held, and 2100 pounds of pills have been collected by the department thus far. Reporting for WGRT, I’m Karly Hurley.

The Blue Water Area will soon be welcoming a new business that wants to help update your kitchen or bathroom. Kitchen Tune Up is a franchise that Cheryl and Terry Wojcickij decided to pursue after retiring. They plan to have a ribbon cutting for their business in December. Cheryl Wojcickij said the new business offers five different services: restoring the wood on cabinetry, redooring cabinets, refacing cabinets, painting cabinets, and full custom kitchen designs. Cheryl also said they appreciate the trust factor that the Kitchen Tune Up name brings as she says trust points are important to the couple.

Although the company is based out of the couple’s home, they are looking to expand next year. They will serve St. Clair County, as well as the north eastern part of Macomb County. Currently, they can be reached through their Facebook page or the Kitchen Tune Up company website. The company was founded in Aberdeen, South Dakota in 1988 by Dave and Cindy Haglund, and has several locations throughout the United States.

Reporting for WGRT, Mike Smith.

Bats make us think of a few different things this time of year.  Whether it’s the bats of baseball’s World Series, or a scary Halloween display. However, a real bat does not “bat” a ball, and is less scary than you might think. Bat week runs from October 24th through the 31st and is an international celebration with a goal to raise awareness about the plight of the bat, and its benefits. Michigan has nine different bat species and did you know bats eat several different pests, including beetles, moths, and flies? They are a non-toxic pest control for crops, but the population has declined in recent years. 

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR), believes the decline is due to a disease called white-nose syndrome. The disease causes bats to wake early from hibernation causing them to deplete fat reserves quicker, thus making them more vulnerable in the winter months. The DNR has been working to lessen the effects of the disease, and protect the areas where bats hibernate. Residents are being encouraged by the DNR to erect bat houses, and respect natural areas where bats hibernate. The DNR says bats should be treated with respect and left alone. 

Reporting for WGRT, Mike Smith.

A new business has opened along I-94 in St. Clair County. Love’s Travel Stops and Country Stores recently opened the doors in St. Clair Township. The store has a national presence, and is the company’s 499th location. Location 500 is being opened simultaneously in Edon, Ohio. The 8,000 square foot St. Clair location will add 50 jobs to the area. The building will also include a McDonald’s and Subway restaurant.  Love’s offers several different amenities at the location including RV parking, showers, diesel fuel, laundry facilities, a weigh scale, and a dog park just to name a few. 

Founder and executive chairman of Love’s, Tom Love said, “The locations will become an important part of the [Love’s] story.” He said, “When they opened their first store in 1964, they couldn’t have imagined how the company would grow.” He finished by saying they “wouldn’t be here today without loyal customers and employees.” Both of the new Love’s locations will operate 24 hours a day and seven days a week. The company also plans to donate $2,000 to St. Clair County RESA in honor of their Grand Opening.

Reporting for WGRT, Mike Smith.

A program to combine physical and behavioral funding through Medicaid in Michigan has come to an end. A pilot program created through an initiative called Section 298 was tried in three different regional mental health authorities in the state beginning in 2018. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Director Robert Gordon said, “After years of work to reach a consensus [on the pilot program], it has become clear that an agreement will not be reached.” 

St. Clair County Community Mental Health Director (CMH), Deb Johnson said “section 298 was an attempt to privatize the public behavioral health system.” Johnson felt strongly that section 298 was not going to be good for individuals who receive CMH services. She said, “Community Mental Health boards in the state of Michigan have won the battle, but she says the war is not over yet.” Gordon, on the other hand said, “In the coming weeks, he will be sharing the MDHHS vision for a stronger behavioral health system,” adding that, “designing a system that works for all Michiganders will take careful planning and extensive collaboration with legislators, families, and individuals served by the system.”

Reporting for WGRT, Mike Smith.

The St. Clair County Health Department is passing on a warning in a report recently released by Consumer Reports. An investigation by Consumer Reports is warning people with small children about new potential dangers for sleep products. According to data from the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) fatalities associated with in-bed sleepers such as DockATot and Snuggle Nest have been reported. In-bed sleepers are often used by parents to keep their baby close to them at night to help the baby sleep better or for greater ease in nighttime feeding. 

The in-bed sleepers currently do not have their own federal safety standards and could have dangerous design flaws. One potential danger according to the CPSC is the soft padding which can block a baby’s airflow if the infant’s face comes in contact with it. The commission cites data that says a handful of deaths were found to have occurred in the Baby Delight Snuggle Nest Infant Sleeper, SwaddleMe By Your Side Sleeper, and DockATot. Consumer Reports also noted that none of the products had been adequately safety-tested and none adhere to safe sleep recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The AAP says in its infant sleep guidelines that babies should sleep on their backs, alone, unrestrained, on a firm, flat surface, free of padding, bumpers, and other soft bedding.

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.