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Local News

MHSAA Decides to Maintain Fall Schedule

The Michigan High School Athletic Association plans to keep the traditional schedule for fall sports, with the awareness that a contingency plan may need to come into play.

Acknowledging that the future is unknown, the MHSAA said “That contingency plan could mean that higher-risk sports would be postponed to later in the school year. If all Fall sports must be suspended, they will be rescheduled during a reconfigured calendar that would see Winter sports begin in November followed by the conclusion of Fall and Spring seasons potentially extending into July 2021.”

High-risk sports include football, girls’ volleyball, girls’ swimming & diving, and boys soccer because they include athletes in close contact or are played indoors. According to MHSAA, “Moving only selected Spring sports, like all low-risk to Fall, was not considered sound because it would force student-athletes to pick between sports they’ve previously played.”

The MHSAA Representative Council will meet again on July 29th. Football practices are scheduled to begin August 10th, with other sports following on August 12th.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Back to School Plans Released by Port Huron Schools

Port Huron, MI — Port Huron Schools’ “Return to School Advisory Committee” has released three plans. The use of each plan depends on which economic reopening phase the region is in, as determined by Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

Right now, the region is in Phase Four. If that remains, school buildings will be open and students will have face-to-face instruction with maximum precautions taken. Those precautions include spacing, restrictions on visitors to the school, and face coverings required for all staff and for students in grades 6-12. Specials and electives will be offered.

If the region moves into Phase Five, precautionary safety practices will be used, but face coverings will not be required.

If the region slips back into Phase Three, buildings will be closed and virtual instruction will be implemented. The meal distribution program will be restarted while extracurriculars and athletics will be suspended.

In all three phases, each student will receive a Chromebook and all students will use the Learning Management System to access course material. Families may choose free online instruction no matter what Plan is in effect for grades pre-K through grade 12. The first day of school is scheduled for August 24th.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Commission on Aging Teams Up with Hunter Hospitality House

Port Huron, MI — St. Clair County Commission on Aging has announced a partnership with Hunter Hospitality House. The Council voted to provide funds for the non-profit to provide free lodging, transportation, and amenities to seniors who may need to stay away from home while receiving medical care for themselves or loved ones.

The Commission on Aging is tasked with recommending appropriate spending of the Senior Citizen’s Millage. The vote was unanimous to provide up to $3,150 dollars to Hunter Hospitality House. The Port Huron non-profit has bed and breakfast style homes near both McLaren Port Huron Hospital and Lake Huron Medical Center. The allocation equates to 75 days of lodging, according to Executive Director Tracy Willard.

The Commission collaborates with eleven different agencies with 25 different programs. Hunter Hospitality House is now one of the providers. The Commission provides St. Clair County seniors 60 years of age and older with programs and services that promote their well-being and quality of life.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Bridge to Bay Trail Gets a $1.9 Million Boost

A $1.55 million dollar grant from the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Fund along with funding for renovations to Lighthouse Park and a trails maintenance grant from the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan will boost efforts to complete the Bridge to Bay (B2B) Trail system in St. Clair County.

A coalition of local stakeholders including the Community Foundation of St. Clair County, St. Clair County Parks & Recreation, St. Clair County Metropolitan Planning Commission, Friends of the St. Clair River and several local municipalities have been working together since 2018 to address the major remaining gaps in the B2B Trail.   

Randy Maiers, president & CEO of the Community Foundation of St. Clair County, which is the fiduciary of the grant funding, said, “This is a tremendous boost to our regional efforts. Both our Blue Meets Green coalition and our Community Foundation recognize the Bridge to Bay Trail system as one of the critical projects our region needs to complete.”

The funding will activate Phase One of the project which includes closing key trail gaps in St. Clair, Marysville, and Port Huron. A new pedestrian bridge over the Black River Canal is an exciting feature of Phase One which will connect Port Huron Northern High School and Holland Woods Middle School. New trails in St. Clair and Marysville will connect existing trails to commercial areas in those cities and to trails in other communities.

The Bridge to Bay Trail project has been a key initiative for the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation because it encourages recreation and increases  the walk-ability and bike-ability of local communities.

J.J. Tighe, Director of Parks & Trails Initiative for the Foundation said, “Parks and trails add greatly to the quality of life in a community.”

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

United Way Supports Local Family With Hospice Care

The Visiting Nurse Association & Blue Water Hospice partners with the United Way of St. Clair County to provide funding for families who need financial assistance for special health care needs and hospice care.

Recently, they were able to help a local family receive financial aid for room and board at the Blue Water Hospice Home.

Brian Jackson started experiencing heart attacks at the age of 34. Due to complications from diabetes, his health declined and he continued to suffer several strokes, mini-strokes, and heart attacks until he lost his battle at the age of 43.

Because of the support he and his family received from The United Way of St. Clair County and the VNA & Blue Water Hospice, Brian was able to spend his last days surrounded by family and friends while getting the special care he needed.

Brian’s wife, Vickie, is extremely grateful for the care provided by the hospice home and the support from the United Way. “We didn’t even know this home and type of care existed locally,” Vickie said.

The United Way focuses on several areas of physical and mental health through their “Improving Quality of Life Through Health & Advocacy” impact area. Funded programs include mental health counseling, accessibility ramp construction, medication assistance, and hospice care. For more information visit their website <HERE> .

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Huron Lightship Damaged by High Water

Port Huron, MI — A Port Huron landmark, the Huron Lightship, is closed to visitors until repairs can be made to the vessel. The boat, which operates as a museum, is permanently placed in Pine Grove Park on the shore of the St. Clair River. Water breached the break wall last summer, but the weekend’s storm brought more water to surround the boat and cause erosion that actually pushed up the 300-ton ship. A gas line was broken along with damage to the electrical line.

Andrew Kercher, Manager of Community Engagement at Port Huron Museums explained in a Facebook Live video that the boat is not designed to float or move as it is permanently placed in the ground, not water, so any movement can cause substantial damage to structures like utility lines and decking.

The Museum is working with the City of Port Huron and its insurance company to make plans to remediate the damage to the site, which has been in place since 1972 and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Hit with closures and lost revenue from COVID-19 shutdowns, damage to a revenue-earning site is certainly unwelcome for the non-profit. The fix for the water breach will likely require more advanced engineering than sandbags.

A video explaining the damage can be found on Port Huron Museums’ Facebook page, along with a link for making donations.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland