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Local News

Electric Vehicle Charging Grid to Get $110 Million Investment

Ready or not, electric vehicles are the vehicle of the not-so-distant future. Michigan is taking another step toward being ready to provide an infrastructure that supports charging the future of transportation.

Michigan is set to receive $110 million over five years to support expanding the electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The grant comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration efforts to invest $5 billion in a national network of electric vehicle chargers.

Trevor Pawl, Chief Mobility Officer for the State of Michigan, said, “Here in Michigan, we have an opportunity and a responsibility to advance the state’s automotive and technology landscape in a way that improves the quality of life for all Michiganders.”

Pawl explained that the money will be used to continue building the infrastructure, attracting new businesses to build the network, and preparing the workforce.

Jane McCurry, Executive Director at Clean Fuels Michigan called the investment “historic” and said that the trade group stands ready to support the charging infrastructure.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Beeler Takes Action on Healthcare Transparency, Fetal Research

Michigan State Representative Andrew Beeler, a Port Huron Republican, has taken action to increase transparency in the health care industry and to prohibit research on aborted babies.

Beeler was part of a bipartisan coalition that presented House Bills 5074-5077 that would require transparency in the handling of Certificates of Need. Certificates of Need are legal documents needed for healthcare organizations to make major expenditures. The bills were unanimously approved and move to the Senate.

Beeler said, “Michigan medical professionals provide life-saving health care, and the people of our state deserve a health care system unencumbered by excessive government restrictions. Certificate of need regulations affect the availability of medical services in our state. Transparency will keep the program visible and accountable to the people of Michigan.”

Beeler was one of the votes that helped House Bills 5558 and 5559 pass last week. The bills would prohibit research on fetal tissue obtained by an abortion.

Beeler said, “Abortion devalues human life. Experimenting on the remains of aborted babies further denigrates lives and sanctions the horrific act of abortion. Our state should prevent this backwards experimentation and fight back against the commodification of human beings.”

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Educators React to Eisen, Beeler’s “Curriculum Transparency Bill” that Threatens School Funding

House Bill 5722, introduced by State Representative Gary Eisen of St. Clair Township and co-sponsored by State Representative Andrew Beeler of Port Huron and other Republican lawmakers requires school districts to make public the entire year’s worth of curricular and extra-curricular offerings by the first day of school or lose 5% of state funding.

Cathy Murray, President of the Port Huron Education Association said, “A bill asking for every ‘textbook, literature, research project, writing assignment, and field trip’ prior to the beginning of the school year does not lend itself to a good educational practice.“

Murray explained, “On many occasions, depending on the class, educators have had to change gears or pull something additional into the curriculum to help students learn more effectively.”

Murray said, “If these legislators truly cared about the education of our students, they would stop trying to push through legislation that undermines educators as professionals and they would let us teach.”

The legislation has been referred to the House Education Committee. Similar bills have been introduced nationwide.

A link to HB 5722 can be found below.

http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(4irw1fsgkzod3uchjuqpa10k))/mileg.aspx?page=getobject&objectname=2022-HB-5722

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Whitmer Proposes $74.1 Billion Budget

It’s budget season in Lansing. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has introduced her recommendation for the 2023 state budget. The budget was introduced to both chambers of the legislature on Wednesday morning. The budget has to be approved by June 30th.

State Budget Director Christopher Harkins said, “This is a fiscally responsible budget that provides the type of investments that will move Michigan forward, with very strong support for our schools and for our economy. “

The budget totals $74.1 billion, with a general fund total of $14.3 billion and school aid totaling $18.4 billion. Much of the budget is one-time funding but does not utilize one-time funds for ongoing purposes, according to the governor’s office.

The budget recommends heavy investment into education, with a 5% increase in per-pupil funding. To address forecasted educator shortages, significant money is budgeted for teacher recruitment and retention.

There are also major investments in the budget for workforce training, public health, infrastructure, and public safety.

A link to the budget proposal can be found below.

www.michigan.gov/budget

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

City of Port Huron Awards $415,000 to Support Blue Water Recovery and Outreach Center

Blue Water Recovery and Outreach Center (BWROC) started its recovery support program in a local church and funded its mission with pop can drives. Just a few years later, the organization has its own bustling recovery center on 10th Street in Port Huron and is planning improvements with a $415,000 grant from the City of Port Huron.

The Port Huron City Council approved the funding at the end of January after City Manager James Freed reached out to Executive Director of BWROC Patrick Patterson and requested a proposal for how they could utilize funding from the city.

Freed said, “Programs that offer services to mitigate the effects of substance use disorder in our community are eligible for American Rescue Plan Funding.” The American Rescue Plan is President Biden’s plan to provide economic relief to families and communities affected by COVID-19.

Patrick Patterson, Executive Director for BWROC, presented the city council with a proposal that included building updates, technology upgrades, and funds the salary of two Recovery Coaches for the next three years.

Recovery Coaches for BWROC are all certified Peer Recovery Coaches and life coaches. They are in recovery themselves and must have at least 2 years of continuous sobriety. Recovery Coaches meet individually with those in recovery and provide guidance and support along with help navigating available resources in the community.

BWROC’s vision is to be the hub of recovery in the heart of the community, and their volunteers and staff make activities and community service a priority. According to their grant proposal, “Every dollar spent on drug treatment yields a return of 4 to 7 dollars because of reduced crime rates and reduced costs for the criminal justice system. If savings for the health care system are also included, total savings exceed a ratio of 12:1.”

According to Patterson, the grant to BWROC is the largest amount a Recovery Community Organization (RCO) has ever received from a municipality in the State of Michigan.

“People who dealt with this in silence now have a voice. We are honored the City supports the work we are doing and grateful to our City Council, Mayor Pauline Repp, City Manager James Freed and all the community leaders for coming behind us,” said Patterson.

To learn more about Blue Water Recovery and Outreach Center, visit their website here:

https://www.bwroc.org/

Join me for a video visit to BWROC to learn more here: https://fb.watch/b5792_nOlM/

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

 

 

Traffic to Canada Flowing Again

According to the St. Clair County Sheriff’s office, traffic is flowing again on eastbound I-94 and I-69 after days of serious backups. Barricades that were placed on eastbound entrance ramps were removed this morning allowing travelers to utilize local freeways without restriction.

Wait times to enter Canada at the Blue Water Bridge were 2 hours for commercial vehicles and no delays for personal vehicles as of 10 AM this morning.

Traffic was backed up for miles in St. Clair County on and off since Monday as truckers attempted to utilize the Blue Water Bridge to enter Canada due to closure of the Ambassador Bridge in Detroit.

The Ambassador Bridge was closed in response to a protest by truckers who are opposed to government mandates that prevent them from cross-border travel unless they are vaccinated against COVID-19.

Protestors insist they will not stop until COVID-19 mandates and restrictions are lifted.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand