A St. Clair mom and attorney is looking for parents interested in giving their child a private education based on a classical curriculum provided by Hillsdale College.
Kelly Oldford has young children, and she knows what kind of education she wants to give them. Unfortunately, the rigorous liberal arts instruction that she feels is the best way to educate young children isn’t taught anywhere near her home.
That’s why Oldford decided to to pursue starting the Huron Classical Liberal Arts (HCLA) Academy with a goal of opening a Pre-K- 5th grade private school in the fall of 2024. HCLA Academy plans to add a new school year each year after they start, eventually becoming a Pre-K – 12th grade academy.
Oldford is in the research phase of her endeavor, and she’s hoping to connect with other parents in St. Clair and Macomb county who are interested in enrolling their children in HCLA Academy.
Hillsdale Curriculum is focused on what they call “An American Classical Education” which emphasizes reading original documents and classic literature, and providing regular instruction in art and music in all levels of learning.
Students also study Latin throughout middle school, using a classic Latin curriculum in 6-8th grade, and they use Singapore Math, which uses a progression approach to the teaching of mathematics and is focused on mastery.
Although Hillsdale is a Christian College, there is no religious instruction in their Pre-K – 12th curriculum. Oldford said HCLA Academy will not be a religious or Christian school.
“I am interested in finding parents who are willing to commit to this type of school with me. I’ve gotten really positive feedback, but I need parental support and motivation in order to get this off the ground,” said Oldford.
Parents interested in learning more and getting on the waiting list for Huron Classical Liberal Arts Academy can visit huronclassical.com.
The investigation continues on a recent E. Coli outbreak that has affected multiple individuals across four states. Residents in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and Pennsylvania have reported becoming ill after visiting local Wendy’s restaurants.
Those affected reported eating sandwiches containing romaine lettuce. To date, there have been 37 people sickened, and 10 people hospitalized due to the outbreak. Investigations are ongoing, as there may be more states affected by the outbreak.
Locally, Wendy’s restaurants have responded to this potential outbreak by not serving any lettuce on their menu items.
If you feel you experienced gastrointestinal illness after eating lettuce at a Wendy’s restaurant, please submit a report at iwaspoisoned.com.
Great Lakes Water Authority was expecting delivery on Tuesday for the last section of new pipe needed for repair of their 120-inch water main. Due to a delay from the manufacturer, the pipe will arrive in sections over the next few days.
GLWA needs 48 more feet of new pipe to repair the damage to the water main that services residents all over Southeast Michigan. When the pipe burst on Saturday, August 13th, 23 communities experienced low to no water pressure, and Burtchville Township lost water service completely.
The project was expected to be completed by September 3, 2022, but the delay in receiving the new section of pipe will extend the repair process. GLWA will re-evaluate the timeline when all new pipe is delivered.
Catalytic converter theft has been on the rise, and the greater Port Huron Area has experienced several incidents over the last 6 months.
Three men were recently arrested after a concerned citizen notified police of suspicious activity in their neighborhood in the 2600 block of Kraft Road.
The citizen reported observing a person cutting a catalytic converter off a vehicle, and their description helped police locate the suspect for a traffic stop. During the traffic stop, police found a catalytic converter, a saw, and a large quantity of methamphetamine.
The three men arrested range in age from 22 – 33, two are from Detroit and one is from Eastpointe. They are all facing larceny charges, and the youngest, Daniel Dean Kettles, is facing a charge of Assaulting/Resisting/Obstructing a Police Officer Causing injury, as the officer was injured while trying to catch him when he attempted to flee the scene.
Catalytic converters are one of the more expensive parts of a car, and they are often stolen to be sold at scrap yards for their high value.
Starting Aug. 31, Sarnia residents can register for fall programs as the City returns to a full recreation program lineup. The fall programming session kicks off September 12th and runs until December 22nd, with a fully populated lineup of programming for the first time in two years. The City will offer a variety of programs, classes, and activities suiting a diverse selection of interests.
Participants can expect both new programs and old favorites. New programs include magic lessons, jam sessions, core conditioning, and beginner woodworking craft. Established programs such as photography, language lessons, leather carving, yoga, and guitar will return.
The weekly Facts and Chat series will be back this fall, once again featuring information from community agencies on an array of topics for older adults. Indoor sports leagues operating out of school gymnasiums will also open for registration on August 31st.
Sarnia residents can visit www.sarnia.ca/RecRegistration to view the full programming lineup and register. For assistance call the Strangway Centre at 519-332-0656 or email strangway@sarnia.ca.
Part of the Blue Water Area Chamber of Commerce’s mission is to engage with local, state, and federal officials and help connect them to its members. At the 8th Annual Eggs & Issues Legislative Breakfast on August 23rd, chamber members had a chance to hear from local representatives to the Michigan State Senate and House, U.S. Congress, and St. Clair County Board of Commissioners.
The panel of legislators included Congresswoman Lisa McClain, Senator Dan Lauwers, State Representative Andrew Beeler, and S.C.C.C. Chair Jeff Bohm. The event was moderated by Scott Shigley, Blue Water Area Chamber of Commerce Public Affairs Committee Chair.
Scott Shigley moderates Blue Water Area Chamber Legislative Breakfast – Photo by Choze Powell
Congresswoman Lisa McClain talked about the Inflation Reduction Act that was recently signed by President Biden, and she expressed concern that incentives for renewable energy included in the bill may not be helpful for medium to small businesses.
McClain also noted she felt there was a disconnect in Washington between what high-level government officials believed was happening in communities like St. Clair County and what she hears from her constituents.
“I think the biggest problem [is that] you have all these government officials in D.C., you have all these administrative departments in government, that have no clue of what’s happening in our district,” said McClain.
Congresswoman Lisa McClain talks at Blue Water Area Chamber Legislative Breakfast – Photo by Choze Powell
McClain is hosting the Secretary of Labor on October 4th so she can connect him with business leaders to talk about the seriousness of the labor shortage and other issues affecting Michigan’s 10th District.
Senator Lauwers shared his observations that many businesses are struggling to get back on track since the COVID-19 pandemic. He has seen a pattern in the number of businesses coming to him with problems dealing with the State over matters of permits.
Senator Dan Lauwers talks at Blue Water Area Chamber Legislative Breakfast – Photo by Choze Powell
Both Senator Lauwers and Representative Beeler shared their frustration over government regulations that they believe may be prohibiting businesses from growing in our area. They cited several examples of business owners seeking licenses or permits who faced multiple barriers to expanding their businesses or opening a new one.
Representative Beeler also addressed a question about what can be done to solve the child care shortage in St. Clair County.
“The child care issue is a basic supply and demand problem,” said Beeler. “We have extremely low supply, and there is high demand for people who need it.”
Rep. Andrew Beeler talks at Blue Water Area Chamber Legislative Breakfast – Photo by Choze Powell
Beeler went on to say, “To me, what can I do, Dan, Lisa, Jeff, what can we all do? We can create a better environment for people to compete in the market of child care, and the marketplace will solve this problem.”
When the panel was asked how they felt about Shane Hernandez running for Lt. Governor alongside Tudor Dixon and what that would mean for St. Clair County, Senator Lauwers replied, “It’s a big deal for us if he gets elected.”
He went on to express Hernadez’s commitment to the community, “I think it would be fantastic for our area. How long has it been since we had someone at top-level in the administration that knew us , that understood us?”
Rep. Beeler said, “I think it’s a continuation of a wave of normal people getting involved in government.”
Blue Water Area Chamber Legislative Breakfast at the Doubletree Hotel – Photo by Choze Powell
Shane is one of us. He’s a business owner, he’s a dad, he lives…in Port Huron, he goes to church here. Beeler also said, “There is not some sort of ruling class in this country of people who are smart enough to make decisions and those who aren’t. There are just Americans, and Michiganders who should step up, and the difference between those who are doing it and those who aren’t is that those who are doing it raise their hands. I’m encouraged to see a guy like Shane on the ticket, potentially the number two guy in the state. That’s really inspiring. I think it should be inspiring to all of us.”
The panel also discussed access to elections and student loan debt along with the expansion of the IRS through the Inflation Reduction Act.
For more information about the legislators present at this event, contact them here:
