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Local News

New Direct Care Workers to Get $1600 Retention Pay

Newly hired direct care workers, who go into homes to provide care, usually to senior citizens, are in short supply. They will be given retention payments by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to try to keep them on the job.

The $3.9 million allocation is funded by the federal CARES Act. Partner Agencies include the Area Agency on Aging 1-B, which serves seniors in St. Clair County.

The program’s goal is to hire and retain at least 2,000 direct care workers by the end of 2020. New workers, who have not worked in home and community-based services over the last 60 days, are eligible for an extra $1600 if they complete training and 300 hours of work by December 30. Workers can be asked to repay the money if they do not stay at their jobs for six months.

According to a press release from MDHHS, the increase in direct care workers strengthens the workforce and could allow eligible adults to stay in their own homes instead of moving to nursing homes.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Ft. Gratiot Man Dies in Crash

A 32 year old Fort Gratiot Township man was killed last night following a crash in Clyde Township.

Deputies from the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to Beard Road and North Road at about 9:45 Monday evening for a one vehicle crash.  Upon arrival they determined the man had been driving eastbound on Beard Road.  He proceeded to drive his 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee through the stop sign at Beard and North Road.  He continued driving down a private drive, eventually striking a garage at the residence and an enclosed trailer that was next to the home.  The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Fort Gratiot Fire and Rescue and Tri-Hospital EMS assisted at the site of the crash, which remains under investigation.

Submitted by the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office

Detroit Zoo Open with Safety Precautions in Place

The Detroit Zoo in Royal Oak is back open after a long shut down. With capacity restrictions and social distancing enforced, families can feel like they have the zoo all to themselves. 

The indoor facilities are closed, but anything that is open air is fair game. In cooler weather, the animals are sometimes more active and there is still plenty of nature to enjoy. 

Fort Gratiot mom, Emily Herbert, took a trip to the zoo with her young children and friends last Friday. She reflected on the trip, saying, “We really enjoyed our visit. There were some Halloween decorations up, which was a fun touch. We felt very safe as everyone wore masks and could easily socially distance with signs and markings on the ground. It was not over crowded. Despite a few exhibits being closed, the animals we saw were more active than I can ever remember. It was a great experience.”

A trip to the zoo costs between $10 and $19 per person, depending on age. Reservations must be made in advance for a specific entrance time. Traveling to the zoo is about an hour’s drive from Port Huron. Details are at Detroitzoo.org.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Life Skills Centers, Inc. Fights Social Isolation with United Way Grant

The United Way of St. Clair County has approved a grant for Life Skills Centers, Inc. The grant will help the organization to purchase mobile devices to help combat social isolation.

Life Skills Centers, Inc. has centers in Fort Gratiot, Port Huron, Capac, and Marine City in St. Clair County. They have several others throughout Macomb and Oakland counties. They assist adults with developmental and physical disabilities in the community.

The mobile devices allow for telehealth visits and coaching of caregivers. Caregiver Karen Trisch, a user of one of the devices, said, “It makes me more comfortable sharing my story with someone when I can see the person’s face. Being able to see who I am talking to helps to develop a connection.” She went on to say, “Having a caregiver ‘coach’ to give me advice and support while going through the hardest times would be like someone throwing me a lifeline.”

Clients of Life Skills Centers, Inc. are at higher risk for the negative consequences of social isolation. Age, pre-existing conditions, and difficulty wearing face masks are prolonging the isolation as leaving the house or having visitors is difficult.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Voting Resources Available for Service Members

Military service members have an added resource to help them get their votes counted in the 2020 election. The Michigan Department of State’s (MDOS) first Military Voting Engagement Toolkit was just launched with the goal of helping members of the armed services participate in the election.

The toolkit outlines the Federal Post Card Application process which allows service members to register to vote and request an absentee ballot. It also explains the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) option that is available to Michigan military service members for the first time. The FWAB option is an emergency backup ballot for those who don’t receive their absentee ballots from their home state in time to return them by the deadline.

The FWAB is available for download on the Department of Defense’s website which provides resources for military members, their families, and overseas citizens who need to vote absentee. It includes a link to print a postage free envelope.

Despite these added resources, voting can be difficult for service members who are overseas or involved in training exercises that keep them away from resources such as internet access, computers, and printers.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

The ISObar Sessions Now Streaming on YouTube

The ISO is working with singer-songwriters and a Sarnia filmmaker to produce an innovative way to access their music. The pilot episode of The ISObar Sessions was released on the ISO’s YouTube channel, and it features artist Bil Eldridge performing his original songs along with a small, socially-distanced ensemble from the ISO.

Sarnia filmmaker, Troy Shantz, produced the episode last spring with donated time and community assistance. In a press release, ISO Executive Director Anthony Wing said the project began as a pre-pandemic First Friday feature. “Last Christmas we did a First Friday at the ISObar with Bil, and I arranged his music for an ISO string quartet. When the shutdown happened we reimagined the space as a TV studio and tried to create a sort of Austin City Limits with strings.”

The ISO is encouraging people to view the episode on YouTube and donate across their social media platforms. They also see the project continuing when the orchestra’s Canadian and American members are able to reunite and return to the concert stage.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand