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Local News

Michigan Drivers To Get Further Insurance Rate Reduction

Michigan drivers should be seeing another reduction in insurance costs. The Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association has announced a reduction in its annual assessment charged on auto insurance policies. The savings are estimated to be around 14% per vehicle.

Giving credit to a bipartisan effort that she signed into law in 2019, Governor Gretchen Whitmer said, “It is clear that the new auto insurance law is putting more money in the pockets of Michiganders. The reduction in the MCCA annual assessment is another example of how the reform is helping to reduce costs and provide savings for Michigan families. In these difficult times, it is more important than ever that Michiganders see rate relief. I’m pleased that these reforms are continuing to result in greater savings than required in the law.” 

Michigan drivers no longer need to purchase separate Personal Injury Protection medical coverage. The removal of that requirement reduces the assessment to $86 per vehicle, taking effect on July 1, 2021. The assessment dropped $100 last July from the original $220.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Unemployment Scam Warning Issued

Michigan residents are advised to be wary of a pervasive scam that is preying upon people trying to collect unemployment benefits. A bogus email from a Gmail account appears to be from the Unemployment Insurance Agency with an official-looking attachment.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said, “There is no government agency, state or federal, that uses Gmail for official purposes. Michigan residents should always examine the full email address if the sender is requesting their personal information.” 

Nessel went on to say, “Bad actors are increasingly sophisticated in their efforts to deceive people into giving away personal information. This is one of the cruelest scams I’ve ever seen because it targets vulnerable residents who are desperate to receive their UIA benefits – so desperate that they may not inspect the email address to confirm its validity.” 

Nessel says not to respond to the fraudulent email, if you receive it. Uploading ID verification through the secure Michigan Web Account Manager (MiWAM) is the only legitimate way to verify your identity. If you have responded to the scam, report it to the Unemployment Insurance Agency immediately and monitor your banking activity.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Small Businesses Get Support from “Michigan Women Forward”

The Michigan Entrepreneur Resilience Fund awarded grants to 300 small businesses to help get them through the challenges of 2020. Governor Gretchen Whitmer joined some of the recipients at a virtual roundtable to discuss the launch of the Support Local campaign and to look for more federal support.

Whitmer said, “Despite the adversity we have all faced this year, our small businesses have proven what it means to be a Michigander, by rising to the occasion and exemplifying true innovation, collaboration and Midwestern grit.”

The grant money was administered by Michigan Women Forward, an organization that encourages women to play an active role in philanthropy and governance. Carolyn Cassin, President and CEO of Michigan Women Forward, said, “We named the fund ‘the Michigan Entrepreneur Resilience Fund’ since that is exactly how to best describe Michigan small businesses – resilient.” 

Some of the money for the Resilience Fund came from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, along with partners in the private sector, such as Ford, GM, and several major banking institutions. They plan to support even more small businesses in 2021.

More information can be found at:

michiganbusiness.org/covid19-faq/.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

St. Clair County Health Department Part of Pilot Program to Look for Early Outbreaks

A three-month pilot program is underway to look for early signs of COVID-19 outbreaks in sewer water. It’s a dirty job, but testing wastewater is an effective way to get a jumpstart on slowing down community spread of the virus that is wreaking havoc on the world. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services have awarded around $10 million in federal CARES Act money to twenty recipients statewide to have their municipal wastewater tested for COVID. Twenty-nine health departments are participating in the study, including St. Clair County. According to EGLE and MDHHS, testing wastewater for viruses can be an effective tool for monitoring transmission. The virus is shed in human waste, including by people who are not ill or have not yet become ill. Once detected, local public health actions to prevent further spread in their communities can take place. A webpage with the results of the wastewater sampling is available to the public. 

EGLE – State of Michigan COVID-19 Wastewater Surveillance Pilot Project

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Port Huron Museums to Host Telethon on “Giving Tuesday”

Port Huron, MI — The Port Huron Museums need help. And they need it fast. This year has dealt one blow after another to this cornerstone of the educational and cultural foundation of the area. With a drastic decrease in admission fees collected, there is not enough cash flow.

To help raise funds, the museum is hosting a telethon on “Giving Tuesday”, December 1st, from noon to 8:00 p.m. The telethon will be held via Facebook Live. There are many presentations on the schedule throughout the telethon, from live music to art to cooking demonstrations.

The point of the telethon is to provide a little bit of entertainment and draw some attention, while asking for donations.  

While the Museums were closed, the museum staff found ways to reach out to the community through their Facebook live videos that featured Museum Community Outreach Director Andrew Kercher giving historical tours of the area. They have also held outdoor events and hosted private trolley tours, but they are still in need of help until they are able to get back to hosting field trips and filling up the sites with visitors.

A link to the Telethon event page as well as the Port Huron Museums donation page:

https://www.phmuseum.org/donate/ 

https://www.facebook.com/events/389243292446133

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

MIOSHA Steps Up Monitoring of Construction and Manufacturing 

The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) is ramping up its focus on workplace safety in the construction and manufacturing industries.  They are implementing two State Emphasis Programs to try to mitigate COVID-19 transmission and ensure compliance with workplace safety rules. The programs are in effect through February.  

Michigan has seen increases in virus transmission in both construction and manufacturing recently and is trying to keep both critical industries up and running through the crisis.  

According to Michigan COVID-19 Workplace Safety Director Sean Egan, “Our goal is to educate before we regulate, and by MIOSHA increasing their presence in these industries where we see outbreaks, we can better ensure employers are following the MIOSHA Emergency Rules. We must remain vigilant to guarantee that Michigan’s businesses can stay open, workers can keep working, and we can continue to see economic recovery.” 

Compliance includes things like daily health screenings, isolation and quarantine, requiring face coverings, and others. 

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland