Food Giveaways Coming to Yale, Capac, and Algonac on August 3rd
Port Huron, MI — Three more food giveaway trucks have been added to the St. Clair County Community Impact Day roster by the United Way of St. Clair County and Food Bank of Eastern Michigan. The distributions are planned for August 3rd.
Yale Community Food Bank, the C3 Connection, and Community First Health Centers are partnering with the United Way and the Food Bank to stop hunger in the outlying areas of the county.
A pop-up pantry with free drive through giveaways will be at Yale Middle School, located at 1 School Drive in Yale, at 9:00 a.m. on August 3rd. Another Popup Pantry will be at St. John Lutheran Church, located at 109 E. Kempf Court in Capac, also at 9:00 a.m. There will be a third pop-up pantry at Community First Health Center located at 555 St. Clair River Drive in Algonac at 11:00am, also on August 3rd.
Food supplies are limited and are available completely free of charge on a first-come-first-serve basis. More food resources can be found at uwstclair.org/healthfirst.
Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland
Nursing Home Visiting Restrictions Extend into 5th Month
An Executive Order was signed late last week mandating continued temporary restrictions on visitors to health care facilities, residential facilities like nursing homes, congregate facilities, and juvenile justice facilities.
It has been a long time since Michigan residents could freely visit loved ones in long term care facilities. This new order gives the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services the authority to gradually re-open visitation according to circumstances. The order lasts until August 31.
Nursing homes have been hit especially hard by infection in the state overall, as well as in St. Clair County.Long-term care providers are expected to have an action plan submitted to the Governor’s office by August 31 explaining their plan for stopping any future outbreaks of COVID-19 in their facilities. There is also legislation in the state legislature calling for tighter regulations of long-term care facilities.
Currently, visits to nursing homes are restricted to special circumstances that support “activities of daily living” and are closely monitored. The restrictions began on March 13th. The latest order is the 156th order issued in 2020.
Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland
SC4 and Health Department Create Health Clinic on Campus
Port Huron, MI — The creation of a health clinic on the campus of St. Clair County Community College was approved by the St. Clair County Board of Commissioners. The clinic is designed to be a bridge between pediatric and adult care.
The new clinic will have a full-time nurse on staff and will be linked to the St. Clair County Health Department’s Teen Health and Personal Health clinics.
Students are often in class during traditional office hours. The SC4 clinic idea hopes to increase accessibility for busy students while providing preventative services to the college-age population.
Dr. Annette Mercatante, Medical Health Officer of the St. Clair County Health Department, said, “This type of community collaboration is a win-win for everyone. Health is a team effort, and we are delighted to have this opportunity to work with our local college and this population.”
The clinic is expected to open this fall. The location is still being determined. SC4 has agreed to reimburse the Health Department in the amount of $90,000 for staffing the clinic.
Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland
Options Available for Missed Tax Deadline
State income taxes were due July 15, but there is help for those who may have missed it. The deadline was extended this year due to the pandemic.
If taxpayers have a tax bill, and they don’t have the money, they should pay as much as they can, according to a message from the State Treasury. Taxpayers will likely still have to pay the rest, but the Treasury says they will work out a plan for payment. A penalty waiver can be requested if reasonable cause can be proven. A monthly payment plan can also be arranged. There is also an Offer in Compromise option where an agreement can be reached to settle a final tax bill. Applications for all of the options can be found at Michigan.gov.
The Michigan State Treasury warns that refunds are only available for four years, so returns should be filed promptly to claim any outstanding refunds.
According to State Treasurer Rachael Eubanks, “If you have an outstanding tax debt and cannot make full payment, we will work with you on payment options. Our goal is to help taxpayers limit interest charges and late payment penalties.”
Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland
New Rules Hope to Increase Deer Harvest This Year
Deer hunting is a few months away, but the Michigan Natural Resources Commission has announced some new regulations that take effect for the 2020 season. The changes are intended to provide additional opportunities and cost savings for hunters, as well as offer flexibility for the pursuit of deer.
Statewide, the new regulations qualify deaf hunters for the Liberty and Independence hunts, which are hunt periods generally reserved for disabled veterans and youth. The statewide limit has been increased to ten per hunter for private land where property owners are trying to manage a deer overpopulation. Additionally, there are changes to quotas and licenses in the Lower Peninsula.
Chad Stewart, the DNR’s deer, elk, and moose program leader, said, “These recommendations are aimed at making it easier for hunters of all ages and experience levels to enjoy a Michigan outdoor tradition, while at the same time facing the present and future challenges of managing the state’s abundant deer population.”
The full list of changes in regulations can be found at Michigan.gov/DNRDigests.
Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland