George James

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.

St. Clair native and University of Michigan standout Jake Cronenworth has been placed on the roster for Team USA as they try to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Cronenworth, a member of the Tampa Bay Rays Major League Baseball club, played last season on the AAA Durham Bulls team. Cronenworth has been a part of the Rays organization for the past 4 years playing both shortstop and pitcher for the Bulls while hitting a .334 average with 10 home runs and 45 RBIs. Cronenworth was also a two-time All-Big Ten Conference second-team honoree, and was the Big Ten Tournament’s MVP in 2015.

Team USA will compete in Mexico the first week in November as part of Group A in the tournament. They will play against teams from the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and the Netherlands. The top two teams from Group A will play in Tokyo, in what is billed as a “super round.” Teams that make it to the super round qualify for the Olympics in Tokyo.  Team USA is managed by four-time World Series champion Joe Girardi.

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.

The Michigan State Police want to remind Michigan residents that the Click it or Ticket campaign is underway. The campaign runs from now until the end of the month, and is in place to remind Michiganders that seat belts save lives. According to the state police, October is the second deadliest month after July for unrestrained passengers in a vehicle.  In October, many people are out and about, tailgating at football games, going to bonfires, or attending Halloween parties, so the campaign is appropriate this time of year.  

The campaign may be paying off. Michiganders are doing better than the national rate when it comes to seat belt usage. In Michigan, the seat belt usage rate is estimated at 94.4 percent while the national rate was just under 90 percent. 192 of those killed in traffic crashes in 2018 were not wearing a seatbelt. Michigan law requires drivers, front seat passengers and passengers 15 and younger in any seating position to be buckled up. Children must be in a car seat or booster seat until they are eight years old or four feet nine inches tall. Children under four years old must be in the back seat. The Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP) Director, Michael Prince said, “Wearing a seatbelt is the simplest thing you can do to save lives and reduce injuries in a crash.” He also said, “When out enjoying fall in Michigan it’s important to remember to buckle up – every trip, every time, every passenger.”  The fine for not wearing a seat belt is $65.

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.