George James

Be Aware of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning as Home Heating Season Begins

Winter is coming, and with the colder temperatures come an increase in carbon monoxide poisonings. Michigan residents are asked to be vigilant in protecting their families against the life-threatening danger. CO poisoning symptoms are headache, fatigue, dizziness, shortness of breath, nausea and confusion.

State Fire Marshal Kevin Sehlmeyer warns, “Working carbon monoxide detectors save lives. Only 1 in 8 families in the United States have a functioning carbon monoxide detector. Michigan residents should install a detector today to protect our loved ones from the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, tasteless and poisonous gas known as the ‘Invisible Killer; it requires an electronic sensor to detect.” 

To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, residents should make sure they have working carbon monoxide detectors with fresh batteries, have furnaces and woodburning stoves inspected every year, and remember to never run a gasoline or propane heater or a cooking grill inside a home or unventilated garage.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Blue Water Area Conservation District Awarded Grants from MDARD

The Blue Water Area Conservation District has been awarded three grants to help implement voluntary conservation projects on private lands.

The District, which assists with soil and resource conservation in Macomb, Sanilac, and St. Clair counties, received grants totaling $149,500 to implement the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program to teach land stewardship practices and prevent agricultural pollution.

The District also received a $69,000 grant for their portion of the Conservation Technical Assistance program which employs conservation experts statewide. They also received a $78,500 grant for the Produce Safety Program to help farms of all sizes voluntarily improve produce safety. The Blue Water District was one of only six in the state to receive the Produce Safety Grant.

The awards are among $6.5 million granted by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Environmental Stewardship Division to 57 Michigan Conservation Districts.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

MDOT to Start Bridge Scaling Project Today

Have you ever driven under an overpass and cringed at the crumbling concrete? Good news! A region-wide bridge scaling project is kicking off today. That crumbling concrete should be repaired soon.

The Michigan Department of Transportation reports that they are investing $827,932 in bridges in the Bay Region, which includes St. Clair County and ten surrounding counties. The effort may cause intermittent lane closures around the bridge projects.  

The project, which is aimed at removing loose and deteriorating concrete from the underside of the bridge decks, will take several months to complete. Sixty-eight bridges are on the schedule for repairs. The Bridge scaling project is expected to go on throughout the winter and wrap up by February 26th, 2021.

Bridges throughout the state are ranked as to their structural integrity. St. Clair County has several bridges that are designated as in poor condition, but most are in good or fair condition. A link to the full interactive map can be found at https://mdot.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=fb70725b2be04dc7b01703d0b6c91bb6

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Michigan Youth Fall-A-Thon Outdoor Adventure Starts Next Week

For families who are looking to continue outdoor adventures as the weather gets colder, the Michigan Youth Fall-A-Thon might be just the thing.

The contest is sponsored by Michigan 4-H, Michigan State University Extension, Huron Pines AmeriCorps, and Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Participants will learn about outdoor recreation, conservation, fisheries, and wildlife.

Teams complete missions and share progress using GooseChase, a scavenger hunt app. The missions can be completed between November 6th and November 11th. Participation can be from anywhere. Just a smartphone or tablet with a camera is needed.

Participation is totally free and self-paced. Prizes will be awarded throughout the contest, with a grand prize awarded at the end. The Fall-A-Thon is geared toward families with children aged 5 to 19 years old, but teenagers can participate on their own if they wish. Registration is open now with details at https://events.anr.msu.edu/event.cfm?eventID=63C316F86F823612FD52C6CFF760D5A55A8AA30D2F05C7C4B6794AD71B0126E2

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

MDOT Warns Drivers to Watch for Pedestrians In the Dark

The Michigan Department of Transportation urges drivers to exercise extra caution especially in the first weeks after the time change. When clocks “fall back” an hour, like they do every fall, accidents tend to increase. Darkness comes early and walkers, runners, and cyclists tend to still be out.

A University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute study shows that pedestrians are especially at risk of injury in that first hour of darkness after the time change. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that most pedestrian and cyclist fatalities happened in the first three hours of darkness, starting around 6:00 p.m.

State Transportation Director Paul C. Ajegba warns, “Drivers need to realize that after the time change it may be more challenging to see people walking, running, or bicycling as they will be much less noticeable. To ensure visibility, pedestrians, joggers, and bicyclists are encouraged to wear brighter-colored clothing with reflective material. Drivers need to eliminate distractions, slow down, and focus fully on the task of driving.”

Reporting for WGRT- Jennie McClelland

Courts Move Some Cases to Video

Citing the rise in COVID cases in the county, the St. Clair County Court System has made some changes to try to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 amongst its staff and those who have business with the courts. As of Friday, October 30th, the court started implementing some restrictions on who may enter the courthouse.

72nd District Court Judge Mona Armstrong addressed the precautions, saying, “The staff here in the courthouse have been extremely diligent in making sure we keep the public safe while in this building. Unfortunately, the rising rate within the county has required us to take a step back, as mandated by the state. As we have since this all started in March, we will continue to do everything humanly possible to continue to keep court cases moving on behalf of the parties involved while maintaining required safety measures.”

Many court hearings are transitioning to video, but some will still require in-person attendance. The Court will make sure that the affected parties know whether they are on the docket for in-person or video appearances.

The County asks that paperwork be completed online as much as possible and that questions about restrictions are asked of the appropriate departments before court dates.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland