Send new stories and press releases to JP at news@wgrt.com.

Local News

Diane Lofquist Elected as Woman’s Life Board Chair

Port Huron, MI — Janice Whipple has retired as the chair of the board of Woman’s Life Insurance Society, and Diane Lofquist was elected to assume the role at their July meeting.

Whipple served Woman’s Life as national president for 22 years, and for 30 years as chair of the board.

“It has been a great honor to have served as Chair of the Woman’s Life Insurance Society Board of Directors, and I’m proud of our many accomplishments,” said Whipple. “Diane brings tremendous knowledge of our organization and of the industry, and I am confident that with her leadership, Woman’s Life will grow and, most importantly, continue to serve the needs of our members.”

Lofquist has been a benefit member of Woman’s Life since childhood. She was employed by Woman’s Life for 38 years, serving in a variety of functions and retiring as National Secretary-Treasurer in 2008. She has been a member of the board of directors for the past six years and is an active member of Woman’s Life Club 11 in Port Huron.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Great Lakes & Fresh Water Week Aug. 8-16th

The Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) and the Southeast Michigan Partners for Clean Water along with Governor Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) want to encourage Michigan residents to participate in Great Lakes And Fresh Water week from now until August 16th.

There is a lot to celebrate when it comes to Southeast Michigan’s abundant water resources, and there are several things we can all do to keep our waterways healthy and clean.

The One Water campaign sponsored by SEMCOG encourages public awareness of how cleaning up after your pet, properly disposing of fats, oils, and greases, and refraining from flushing disposable wipes can positively affect our water and sewer systems.

More information is available <HERE>

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

McLaren Port Huron Awards Scholarships

Port Huron, MI – McLaren Port Huron and its health care partners have awarded $28,000 in scholarships to 23 students pursuing degrees in professions represented in the hospital and the community. Since 1988, 501 recipients have received $587,750 through the scholarship program.

Scholarships are funded by the Carter family, Demashkieh family, McLaren Port Huron Auxiliary, McLaren Port Huron employees, McLaren Port Huron Employees That Care Club, and McLaren Port Huron Foundation.

The 2020 scholarship recipients are:

Demashkieh Family Scholarships: Morgan Alexis of Port Huron, Noel Cosby of Port Huron, and Daniele Soper of Lexington.

McLaren Port Huron Auxiliary Scholarship:  Danyel Bullock of Brown City and Andrew Wetter of Emmett.

McLaren Port Huron Auxiliary Seminar/Conference Scholarship:  Sharon Kortas of East China and Patricia St. Louis of Port Huron.

McLaren Port Huron Employees That Care Scholarships:  Courtney Lundy and Nicole Young of Port Huron.

McLaren Port Huron Employee Scholarships:  Andrew Chandler of Port Huron, Jennifer Guertin of Port Huron, and Lawren Ruiz of Fort Gratiot.

McLaren Port Huron Foundation Nursing Scholarship:  Melissa Davey of Marysville, Cassidy Ferranti of Jeddo, and Tiffany Steele of Burtchville.

Shirley Jardine Carter Memorial Scholarship for Rehab Services:  Katlynn Ahearn of Fort Gratiot, Nicole Booms of Harbor Beach, Miranda Coombs of Lexington, Emily DiNardo of St. Clair, Tyler Drabant of Lexington, Mary Kaitlyn Healey of Ferndale, Courtney Ingles of Columbus, and Madison O’Neill of Clyde.

To learn more about scholarship opportunities at McLaren Port Huron, visit www.mclaren.org/phscholarship.

Bluewater Area COVID-19 Update for August 7, 2020

St. Clair County, MI — Lambton County, Ontario

Cumulative confirmed COVID-19 cases as of August 7, 2020 at  9:00 AM are as follows:

  • State of Michigan: 85,429  confirmed cases; 6,247 deaths
  • St. Clair County: 674 confirmed cases; 52 deaths
  • Ontario: 39,809  confirmed cases;  2,783 deaths
  • Sarnia-Lambton: 319 confirmed cases; 25 deaths

St. Clair County currently has 101 active cases of the virus, down 18 cases from last week, and 6% of hospital beds in the county are being used for COVID-19 patients.

Governor Whitmer signed an Executive Order yesterday requiring face coverings in childcare centers and  camps for children. Staff and children 2 years old and up must wear them on school buses, and staff and children 4 and up must wear them in all indoor common spaces.

Lambton County currently has 17 active cases. Dr. Ranade, Medical Health Officer of Health for Lambton County, wants to remind residents to keep their social circles small. “The virus can quickly spread among close contacts so keep your social circle small – limit is 10, and be very diligent if you choose to attend a larger gathering.”

 

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

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

More Rapid-Response Tests Coming to Michigan

Michigan is part of an interstate compact to get rapid-response COVID-19 antigen tests in the hands of states that are trying to safely reopen their economies while still struggling with infections.

An antigen test reveals if a person is currently infected with the virus. The tests are in short supply and the federal government does not currently have a coordinated system of distributing tests. Six states, led by both Democratic and Republican governors, have entered into an agreement with the Rockefeller Foundation to ramp up test production and distribution. The Foundation’s goal is to facilitate 30 million tests per week, nationwide. 

The interstate compact would get a half million tests to Michigan to assist with expanding long-term testing in places like schools, workplaces, and nursing homes.

In announcing the compact, Governor Gretchen Whitmer pointed to widespread testing as “one of the most crucial tools we have to stop the spread of this virus and save lives”. She implored the federal government to follow the lead of the states.

Additional states, as well as local governments may join into the compact into the near future.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Loves Furniture & Mattresses Hiring for Port Huron Store

Port Huron, MI — Loves Furniture & Mattresses, a new home furnishings retailer, is hiring for several positions at their new location in Port Huron Twp. Loves Furniture is moving into the space previously occupied by Art Van Furniture across from Sam’s Club.

Positions are available in customer pick-up, general labor, and the housekeeping departments, and they are also hiring Home Specialists “to deliver an exceptional customer experience through a relationship and solution based selling process.”

Loves Furniture and Mattresses was founded in 2020, and they describe themselves as a neighborhood furniture store for the modern age. They recently took over most of the Art Van and Levin storefronts in the Midwest, and they are hiring around 1,000 employees to work in their stores in Metro Detroit, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Customers can shop online, by appointment, or as walk-ins to the store.

The Port Huron store is projected to open at the end of August.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand