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Local News

Local Entrepreneur Has Big Dreams for 1219 Military Street

Carol Hall is best known for using her creative skills and fun personality to entertain guests at The Hallway Entertainment. The escape rooms, game show nights, and escape dinners are immersive and unique entertainment experiences for groups looking for a fun activity.

Now she’s focusing on a new project in The Hallway Entertainment’s backyard: the property at 1219 Military Street. Formerly known as Studio 1219, the building was used as an art studio and gallery and run by a nonprofit organization for 15 years.

Carol has been hired by the Community Foundation of St. Clair County to re-imagine the space, and she has big plans. She still wants 1219 Military Street to be a gathering place for local artists, but her dream is to expand the offerings to include music and performing arts, and possibly some digital media arts as well.

The south side of downtown Port Huron has been slower to receive the revitalization efforts seen north of the Black River, but this project hopes to add to the foot traffic and entertainment offerings already happening there.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

Michigan AG Education Lawsuit Gains Traction; Environmental Lawsuit Filed

Michigan’s Attorney General Dana Nessel continues to push back against the federal government’s policies regarding both education and the environment..

Nessel won a preliminary injunction to suspend a CARES Act Rule that allows COVID-19 response money to be shared with non-public schools. Nessel argued that the rule would set the stage for unfairly siphoning money away from public schools. The preliminary injunction was upheld and is prohibiting the Department of Education from enforcing its rule until a decision on the merits of the case can be rendered, according to a release from Nessel’s office.

Nessel and other democratic AGs are also going after the Trump Administration by filing a lawsuit to challenge curtailed requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act.

While the Trump Administration says the changes to the Act modernize and streamline environmental policy to “promote better decision making by the Federal government”, Nessel argued that, “This rule not only weakens the federal government’s obligation to ensure it minimizes impact on the environment, but limits the public’s ability to participate in the process.” 

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

“Return to School” Planned for Port Huron Schools

Port Huron, MI — Port Huron Area School District has published a “Return to School Plan” and has emailed it to all parents in the district.

The Port Huron School Board approved the offering of both virtual school and a hybrid option where students alternate between in-person instruction and virtual instruction, which is online at home.

For those attending in-person classes, students are divided into two groups. Group A consists of those with last names A-K. Group A will attend in-person classes on Mondays and Wednesdays and every other Friday starting September 11. Group B consists of students with last names L-Z. They will attend in-person classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays and every other Friday starting September 18. On the “off” days, students will attend classes online from home.

Families choosing all-virtual instruction can pick up a week’s worth of breakfasts and lunches on Mondays at the high schools. For those attending in-person, face coverings will be worn at school and many measures are in place to keep students safe, including adjustments to furniture in classrooms, procedures for lunchrooms, and minimized congregating of students.

The first day of school is Tuesday, September 8th. The full plan can be read here.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

MDHHS & EMS Will Provide Overdose Survivors Extra Naloxone Kits

In honor of Overdose Awareness Day, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is launching a new program with emergency medical services (EMS) providers to further prevent opioid overdose deaths. EMS providers will give overdose survivors extra naloxone kits – the medication that reverses opioid overdoses.

In 2018, overdoses killed 2,599 Michiganders. Nearly 80 percent of those deaths involved opioids, continuing an epidemic that has devastated countless families. Overdose Awareness Day memorializes the individuals whose lives have been lost to an overdose, and marks an occasion to offer support to the family, friends and communities impacted by this epidemic.

MDHHS encourages Michiganders to help prevent overdose deaths by carrying naloxone; offering support to family and friends who use substances; and ending the stigma that surrounds substance use disorders.

Overdoses have surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, and MDHHS data shows that EMS responses for opioid overdose increased by 33 percent from April to May 2020, and still remain elevated. From April through July 2020, EMS responses for opioid overdose were 22 percent higher than the same period last year.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increase in the number of EMS-treated overdose patients that have declined transport to an emergency department. This indicates that EMS staff may be the only healthcare providers many individuals interact with following an overdose and underscores the urgency of this new naloxone leave behind program.

 

 

Construction on 16th and Howard Streets

Port Huron, MI —  The City of Port Huron will be making improvements to 16th street between Gillett Street and Howard Street and to 24th Street between Cleveland Street and Dove Street.

The improvements on 16th Street will include a complete road reconstruction, water main replacement, and new sidewalk and drive approaches. The improvements on 24th Street will include concrete panel replacements and sidewalk ramp improvements. 

These improvements will be complete by the middle of November. Detour routes will be posted. 

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. If there are any further questions regarding this matter, please contact the Department of Public Works.

State to Use $25 Million in CARES Act Money to Reimburse PPE Purchases

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is spending $25 million in federal CARES Actmoney on personal protective equipment, or PPE, for frontline workers and patients.

The Michigan PPE Program gives money to places like long-term care facilities, dialysis centers, outpatient medical facilities, home health care providers, dental offices, pharmacies, EMS providers, funeral and mortuary services, long-term acute care hospitals, and residential congregate facilities.

The facilities will have to front the money first, as payments are actually reimbursements for eligible items. Businesses can get up to $250,000 in grant money, depending on the number of client-facing workers each day.

MDHHS Director Robert Gordon said, “Michigan’s providers are on the front lines every day, delivering essential health care services and caring for our loved ones. This grant program helps ease the financial burden of buying PPE, ensuring all facilities can afford the supplies they need to keep themselves and their patients safe.” 

The deadline to apply for the grant is September 8th. More information, along with the application can be found at mihealth.org.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland