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Local News

New Outdoor Learning Pavilion Launched at Keewahdin Elementary

Keewahdin Elementary School in Fort Gratiot will be getting a new outdoor learning space. The project is a collaborative effort between the school’s Parent Teacher Association, the Fort Gratiot Lowe’s store, and Park Place Landscaping.

The pavilion will be used as an outdoor classroom for science experiments, plays, readers theater, and to extend learning opportunities for students. The space has been on the minds and in the plans of the PTA parents, and came to fruition this fall.

The Lowe’s Heroes Project supplied labor and a portion of the pavilion, valued at $8400 while the PTA kicked in $7500 to make the 20 x 40 pavilion a reality. The Soule Family, owners of Park Place Landscaping, donated the site preparation services.

Acting Superintendent Theo Kerhoulas said, “Collaboration between parents, local businesses and our district has become a hallmark of Port Huron Schools. This flexible outdoor learning space will benefit students for decades to come.”

Brian Ebert, Store Manager for the Fort Gratiot Lowe’s, said, “At Lowe’s we take great pride in supporting local organizations and communities where we live and work.”

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

MIOSHA Clarifies Rules for Employers

The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) issued emergency rules on Wednesday to clarify workplace safety requirements for employers.

MIOSHA’s Emergency Rules implement workplace safeguards for all Michigan businesses and specific requirements for industries, including manufacturing,  construction, retail, health care, exercise facilities, restaurants and bars.

The rules will be in effect for the next six months for the purpose of helping employers, “control, prevent, and mitigate the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among employees”.

According to the ruling, employers must maintain a record of employee training on COVID-19 protocols, the daily screening protocols for each employee or visitor entering the workplace, and a record of required notifications if they provide in-home services. They must also maintain and keep the records for 1 year.

A full document of the ruling is available <HERE>.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

UPDATED: M-19 in Emmett to Close at Train Tracks for Repairs

*UPDATE: This project has been rescheduled for November 2nd – 13th.

The good news is that the railroad crossing on M-19 in Emmett is getting repaired. The bad news is that the road will be closed at times over the course of about nine days. The route is a busy one for commuters heading to expressways and Metro Detroit, as well as school buses and local travelers.

The village of Emmett in St. Clair County has one main road through town that also happens to be intersected by a busy rail crossing. The Grand Trunk Western line runs many trains down the track, both freight and the Amtrak line, all day, every day. The crossing is bumpy and in need of repair.

The Michigan Department of Transportation is spending $362,889 to improve the ride quality at the crossing.

Getting around the construction is cumbersome in a rural area of one mile grid country roads. The posted detour is Burt Road to Keegan Road to Dunnigan Road.

Reporting for WGRT -Jennie McClelland

Lake Huron Medical Center’s October Employee and Volunteer of the Month

Port Huron, MI – Lake Huron Medical Center (LHMC) is pleased to announce its October Employee of the Month, Mike Pilon and Sandy Bonito as the October Volunteer of the Month.  LHMC is honored to have a strong team of staff and volunteers working hard to deliver high quality care to the Blue Water Area. 

Mike is a Registered Nurse in the Physical Rehab department and has been with LHMC since  March 2016. He was nominated by a patient who commented, “Mike started me on my first  Chemo infusion. He made me feel safe while being compassionate and reassuring. His  professionalism made the process as smooth as possible. He went above and beyond to make  sure I was informed and comfortable at all times. I greatly appreciated him.” 

Sandy has been a long-time volunteer and is an invaluable member of the Lake Huron  Foundation Volunteer Organization. She was nominated by an employee who commented,  “Sandy wears many hats within the volunteer organization including but not limited to: spiritual  caregiver, fundraiser, Board member, administrative support specialist and fierce advocate for  our patients and community. Sandy’s can-do attitude is infectious and she’s up for any task no  matter how big or small. Even though our volunteer organization has not been able to be IN  hospital most of the year due to COVID, Sandy has stayed engaged wherever she can.” 

Lake Huron Medical Center is proud of each of its employees and volunteers; and extends a  special thank you and congratulations to all our team members, especially Mike and Sandy, as  we celebrate their accomplishments. 

To learn more about the programs and services offered at Lake Huron Medical Center, visit  www.mylakehuron.com.  

Sharon Wilton Ft. Gratiot

Ft. Gratiot Twp. Sees Completion of Several Projects – More on the Horizon

Ft. Gratiot Township has seen several business remodels and new projects in the last couple of months. Shoppers and diners may have noticed transformations at Big Boy Restaurant, Aldi, and the former Birchwood Athletic Club along with the relocation of Dunham’s Sports into one of the anchor spaces at Birchwood Mall.

Sharon Wilton, Ft. Gratiot Township Community Development Director, says the township has been busy welcoming new businesses and sharing the excitement of the remodeling and expansion projects.

Moran Blue Water just finished converting the former Birchwood Athletic Club into its new Collision Center, and they are looking forward to their next project, a remodeled showroom for their new and used cars at their existing property on 24th Avenue.

The township is also looking forward to a new senior day care program on Lakeshore Road called the P.A.C.E. Program for the All-Inclusive Care of the Elderly. It will be the only facility of its kind in the Thumb Area, and will provide seniors a safe and active environment to spend their days when it opens around August of 2021.

The Ft. Gratiot Township Planning Commission met Tuesday night and approved Ft. Gratiot Place Apartments which will be 180 apartments on Krafft Road near the social security building. Wilton said, “These will be mid-level income apartments, and they are going to be really nice.”

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

 

Blue Water Area COVID-19 Update

St. Clair County, MI — Lambton County, Ontario

Cumulative confirmed COVID-19 cases as of October 14, 2020 at  10:30 AM are as follows:

  • State of Michigan: 137,702 confirmed cases; 6,928 deaths
  • St. Clair County: 1,028 confirmed cases; 59 deaths
  • Ontario: 61,413 confirmed cases;  3,017 deaths
  • Sarnia-Lambton: 350 confirmed cases; 25 deaths

As of Wednesday, St. Clair County had 184 active cases of the virus, and 4% of hospital beds in the county are being used for COVID-19 patients.

The St. Clair County Health Department is encouraging the public to take advantage of one of their community flu clinics which are happening throughout October. More information is available at www.scchealth.co.

 

Lambton County currently has 2 active cases, and Bluewater Health reported a patient currently hospitalized with confirmed COVID-19 as of Tuesday.

Lambton Public Health is in the process of contact tracing a case of COVID-19 that was discovered at Colonel Cameron Public School in Corunna.

The Ontario government recently established targeted public health measures in the Ottawa, Peel, and Toronto regions and is urging Ontarians to limit trips outside the home and follow recommended guidelines for social distancing, wearing face masks, and handwashing

Please continue to rely on reputable sources for information on COVID-19:

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand