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Local News

Michigan and Illinois Working Together to Keep Asian Carp Out of Great Lakes

Michigan and Illinois are working together to protect the Great Lakes from invasive Asian Carp. The agreement gives Illinois the right to use up to $8 million in funds appropriated in 2018 by the Michigan Legislature. The money will go toward the pre-construction engineering and design phase of the Brandon Road Ecosystem Project.

The Brandon Road Lock and Dam near Joliet is a critical “pinchpoint” for snagging bighead, silver and black carp before they get free reign on the Great Lakes. The advanced technology will include an electric barrier, underwater sound, an air bubble curtain, and a flushing lock in a newly engineered channel to keep the invasive carp away while still allowing commercial barge traffic.

Michigan DNR Director Dan Eichinger said, “Michigan and Illinois agree on the importance of keeping invasive carp out of the Great Lakes, and natural resources staff from both states have been working together to support the Army Corps’ actions to deter and remove invasive carp in the waterway. This agreement is the natural progression of our existing partnership as we take steps toward a more permanent solution to prevent this serious threat to the economy and ecology of the Great Lakes.” 

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Crime Victims’ Addresses to Be Kept Confidential

The Michigan Office of the Attorney General has started working to protect survivors of crime by keeping their personal information secure. The action was prompted by the passage of the Address Confidentiality Program Act.

The AG has two years to implement the system once the Legislature appropriates funds. The Office is working with stakeholders within state government to create an online system that keeps personal information secure for crime victims. The new program will issue new ID cards with post office boxes and will be protected from Freedom of Information Act disclosure.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said, “We are in the early planning stages of creating a system that will help protect the personal information of survivors, and I am excited for my department to be a part of this significant development. My office understands the importance of this new law and the critical protections it provides, and we intend to work swiftly so that survivors may gain some peace of mind under this program.”  

Implementation is expected to take a while, according to Nessel’s office.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

COVID-19 Vaccination Accelerates in Blue Water Area

As the state prepares to move to the second phase of vaccinating the public against COVID-19, area health care workers and companies want to share their vaccine experience and plans with the public.

The Blue Water Immunization Partnership is a nonprofit dedicated to providing science-based education about immunizations to the community. The head of the organization, and a local pharmacist, Jim Kaski, received his vaccine last week.

In a press release, Kaski said, “I want our community to know that pharmacists in our community believe this vaccine is safe and it is important to receive if citizens wish to someday soon be able to gather together safely and resume life as we remember it prior to the pandemic.”

Marwood Manor will begin vaccinating its residents and staff today. They are collaborating with Walgreens to administer the shot to almost 200 people.

Brian Oberly, Marwood administrator, said “Having the opportunity to help put an end to this devastating virus is truly a blessing.”

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Good2Go Campaign Supports Restaurants

Since indoor dining has been restricted, many residents have been looking for ways to support their favorite restaurants. Now, thanks to the City of Port Huron’s Downtown Development Authority (DDA) and downtown merchants, there is a new incentive to grab some take out.

The Good2Go Takeout Challenge runs until the end of January and participants have a chance to win gift cards from downtown shops every Friday.

Participating is easy; simply order takeout from a downtown restaurant, snap a photo of your takeout, and publicly post it to social media with the #downtownporthuron. The DDA will do a gift card drawings on Friday the 15th, 22nd, and 29th.

Participating restaurants:

Good2Go Participating Restaurants

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

Health Dept. Asks for Patience With Vaccine Distribution

The St. Clair County Health Department is currently working on completing vaccinating individuals in Phase 1A. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced yesterday those in Phase 1B and Phase 1C Group A are eligible to receive the vaccine starting January 11th. However, at this time, the Health Department does not have sufficient vaccine supply for all individuals in these groups.

Dr. Annette Mercatante, Medical Health Officer, stated “We estimate approximately 50,000-60,000 residents will be eligible for vaccination following the State’s updated guidance. We have to prioritize groups due to limited vaccine availability. We ask for the public’s patience as we work to ensure equitable distribution of these scarce resources. As vaccine supply increases, we will expand vaccination opportunities to meet our community’s needs.”

Current St. Clair County prioritization plan;

  • Continue vaccinating those in Phase 1A
  • Individuals ages 65+ should schedule an appointment via the Health Department website www.scchealth.co. Please note appointments are first come, first served. No walk-ins. As vaccine supply increases, additional clinics will be scheduled. Check the website regularly for updated information.
  • Additionally, the Health Department is working to schedule select frontline essential workers for upcoming vaccination clinics. Eligible employees will receive a link to scheduling their appointment directly from their employer.

Clinics for next week are already booked, and the health department asks that the public not show up unexpectedly for the vaccine. Vaccine supply is limited throughout the state and more appointments will become available when the supply increases.

This is a rapidly evolving situation. Further information will be shared when updates are available. Visit the health department website at www.scchealth.co and follow us on social media @scchdmi.

Submitted by the St. Clair County Health Department

Next Phase of Vaccination Includes Teachers, 65+, and More

The race is on to get COVID-19 vaccines distributed to the state’s population. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has a goal of vaccinating 70% of the population over age 16 as soon as possible and is moving into the next phase of vaccination.

Three times as many vaccines were administered last week as the previous week and that pace is expected to increase. Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health at the MDHHS said, “The more people that are vaccinated, the less spread we will have, the fewer deaths and the quicker we can get back to a sense of normalcy. With a new variant of the virus in the United States, one that may be easier to spread than the current variant, there is more urgency than ever to vaccinate as many people as possible, as quickly as possible, with the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine.”

Michigan is opening up vaccination to the next group of eligible recipients, which include Michiganders age 65 and older, frontline essential workers including police officers, first responders, frontline state and federal workers and jail and prison staff, and preK-12 teachers and childcare providers.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland