George James

Local Farms and Processors Get State Safety Grants

Michigan Agricultural Safety Grants have been awarded to seven St. Clair County businesses. The local farms and processors are among the 460 businesses statewide that received over $15 million.

The money is an allocation from the federal CARES Act and is to be used for COVID-19 testing costs, personal protection equipment, facility needs, and other expenses incurred to mitigate infection risks. 

Awards of $1000-$5000 were given to Dancing Meadows Homestead in Cottrellville Township, Fawn Hill Farm in Clyde Township, and Mark Heidt in Brockway Township. 

Grants between $12,000 and $50,000 were awarded to Berville Farms and Mike Pirrone Produce in Capac, C. Roy Inc. in Yale, McCallum’s Orchard in Jeddo, and Marysville Ethanol. 

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development reports that food and agriculture contribute $104.7 billion annually to Michigan’s economy and represent 805,000 jobs statewide. 

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Port Huron Schools Switches Up Free Meal Distribution

Port Huron, MI — It’s School Lunch Week nationwide. Also this week, Port Huron Schools has launched a change to their meal distribution plan. The district continues to provide lunches to all students whether they are learning virtually or in-person with the hybrid schedule. Parents are now able to pick up a whole week’s worth of food in one visit every Monday

Starting this week, meals were not sent home with students. The school district switched to parents picking up the lunches in order to provide a greater selection and allow uninterrupted instruction time at school. Both breakfast and lunch are provided and are available for all children ages 18 and younger.

Meals can be picked up on Mondays between 9:00 and 10:00 a.m. and between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m. at both the Port Huron Northern High School and Port Huron High School Performing Arts Centers. Meals can be picked up by friends or family if parents don’t have a ride to the centers.

Michigan State Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice said, “The federal waivers have just been extended through the rest of the school year so children will not lack the essential nutrition to be healthy.” 

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

New Law Helps Those with Criminal Records Get a “Clean Slate”

Michigan House Bills 4980-4985 and 5120 were signed into law on Monday. The “Clean Slate” criminal justice reform is aimed at expunging the records of people who have committed certain felonies and misdemeanors.

With recreational marijuana decriminalized since late 2018, those convicted of both felonies and misdemeanors are now able to get one or more pot charges set aside if the crime would not have been a felony after the decriminalization. Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II said, “This anti-poverty, pro-job opportunity Clean Slate legislation will reinvigorate the economic potential of hundreds of thousands of Michiganders whose records have hindered their availability to get a job or secure housing, and it will help us grow our workforce.”

This law is estimated to affect over 80,000 Detroiters and likely has effects on residents of the Blue Water Area. A University of Michigan Law School study found that people who receive expungements see a 23% increase in income within a year.

The bipartisan effort was praised by Republican House Speaker Lee Chatfield who said it helps to end the “cruel cycle of poverty and crime”.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Schools and Health Departments Have 24 Hours Inform of Possible COVID-19 Exposure

Any confusion over requirements for schools reporting COVID positive students has been cleared up by a ruling from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. The ruling went into effect on Monday and is in effect until further notice. The ruling fills the gap left by the Executive Orders from Governor Whitmer that were ruled against by the Michigan Supreme Court.

According to the order, schools, both public and non-public, need to identify who may have been exposed using the criteria of being within six feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from two days before illness onset. “The best available evidence demonstrates that these notifications must be made no later than 24 hours after suspected or confirmed exposure”, according to the order.

Once the local health department is notified that the case is school associated, they have to notify the school within 24 hours so the school can help them identify who needs to be called for contact tracing. Then, a public notice needs to be made in a highly visible spot on the school’s website.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Absentee Voters Can Change Their Minds

Absentee voters who just can’t make up their minds until the last minute, or who change their minds, or who lose or damage their ballots have options. The legal term is “ballot spoiling”. According to the office of Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, voters need to submit a written request to their city or township clerk if they need to “spoil” their ballot. They must sign the request and let the clerk know if they would like a new one mailed to them or if they will pick it up in person.

Voters can’t really wait until the very last minute, as they need to have their request in to the clerk by 5:00 p.m. on the Friday before the election, so October 30th this year. They can take care of the whole transaction in person at the clerk’s office on the day before the election. An absentee ballot that has been returned to the clerk may be spoiled in person until 10:00 a.m. on the Monday before the election, and until 4:00 p.m. on that day if the ballot has not yet been returned to the clerk.

Additionally, if a voter loses or destroys their ballot, or never got around to turning in their absentee ballot, they can vote at the polls. They will need to sign an affidavit and vote in person. But, if your ballot is already turned in and you change your mind on election day, it’s too late.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

St. Clair County Drain Commissioner Race Heats Up

The St. Clair County Drain Commissioner Race is one of the hottest local contests on the ticket this year, with Democrat Fred Fuller challenging incumbent Republican Robert Wiley.

Longtime residents might think they are having a flashback to the 1990s when they see the “Fred Fuller for Drain Commissioner” campaign signs in yards around the county. Fuller held the Drain Commissioner position from 1997-2008. He originally ran to fight the dredging of Mill Creek, which flows through the town of Yale, where he resides and has served as mayor. Eventually a compromise was reached and Mill Creek mostly remains in its natural state. Fuller points to frustration with expensive studies instead of maintenance as one of his reasons for running for his old job again.

Incumbent Drain Commissioner Robert Wiley has been in the office since 2008. Wiley’s office has been instrumental in the mitigation of damaged wetlands in Fort Gratiot and the construction of the Veterans’ Memorial Wetlands Preserve. Wiley is in his third term as Drain Commissioner.

The Drain Commissioner position pays just under $80,000 per year.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland