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Local News

Money on the Way for Struggling Individuals and Businesses

Another round of government assistance is on the way for struggling Michigan families, and it is coming from a few different places. The Michigan Legislature, the U.S. Congress, and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services have finalized plans for government assistance.

MDHHS is extending food assistance benefits for December. Additional money will be loaded on to bridge cards for about half of Michigan’s 1.2 million recipients, bringing all users up to the maximum monthly amount, with the final amount depending on family size. The money is expected to be loaded onto the cards by December 30th.

The state legislature passed a stimulus bill which includes $55 million to help small businesses. It includes $3.5 million for grants to music and entertainment venues, which have been largely shuttered since March. $45 million is allocated for direct payments to laid off workers, with a direct focus on restaurant and hospitality workers.

The U.S. Congress passed a $900 billion stimulus package which includes a $600 direct payment to most Americans and increased unemployment benefits. Both the state and federal bills fund vaccine distribution as well. 

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

High School Sports to Wrap Up Fall Season; Winter Season Starts Mid-January

High School sports are scheduled to continue, but with some new protocols. With the “pause” in high school athletics mandated by Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, fall sports were left in limbo.

According to the Michigan High School Athletic Association, a plan is now in place to finish out the seasons for those teams that made it to the state finals.

The latest statement from the Michigan High School Athletic Association says, “With high schools now reopened, the MDHHS has announced a pilot testing program that will allow the three unfinished fall sport tournaments to resume under these new testing requirements.” The test requirements include antigen testing to try to ensure safe completion of football, volleyball, and swimming and diving finals.

Winter sports like wrestling and basketball are not to have any practices until after the current order expires January 15th. When they finally get started, spectators will be prohibited.

Spring sports are expected to start as scheduled. Updated schedules and latest information can be found at mhsaa.com.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Yale Public Schools Staff Deliver Holiday Greetings to their Students

Yale, MI — Last week, Yale Public Schools staff boarded buses and took a ride through the district to give holiday greetings to their students. Farrell Emmett Elementary Principal Bob Watson said his staff thought they were giving a gift to the students, but after seeing how cherished the visits were, they realized they received the gift themselves.

Watson said that his teachers and staff were missing their students terribly, as the district is currently doing all virtual instruction. They wanted to do something special for the families. With Superintendent Kenneth Nicholl’s blessing and the collaboration of staff districtwide, the idea took off.

Watson said that Santa drove one of the buses and it was amazing to see the students’ reactions when their teachers got off the bus with him.

Yale’s Director of Transportation Jeri Fishel said the bus drivers were missing their kids so badly, they were thrilled to have the opportunity to get back on the roads. Both Watson and Fishel said that the teamwork to make this logistical feat happen was amazing. They were able to let the families know what time the buses would be rolling up and organize the teachers and routes accordingly.

Watson and Fishel said that parents called in thanking for the visit and said that their children really appreciated the connection with their teachers and bus drivers.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Lake Huron Medical Center Gets “A” Grade for Safety

Port Huron, MI — Lake Huron Medical Center has recently received the highest possible grade recognizing its efforts to maintain a safe environment for patients. The hospital received a 2020 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade of “A”. They have consistently received “A” grades since 2018.

Jose Kottoor, Lake Huron Medical Center Chief Executive Officer, said, “We are extremely proud to have earned straight ‘A’ grades for hospital safety since fall of 2018 because it reflects the commitment that Lake Huron Medical Center, our physicians, staff and nurses make – every day – when caring for patients.” He went on to say, “We have a safety culture at LHMC and process in place to earn the A grade consistently for the last several years. Our dedicated staff remains committed to providing the highest quality of care, even in times of crisis, to our community.”

Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group, said, “This ‘A’ is a testament to the care and commitment of those who work for Lake Huron Medical Center. With the current pandemic exposing existing flaws within the U.S. health care system, we appreciate you putting patient safety first. Lives depend on it.”

Safety grades can be found at hospitalsafetygrade.org.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Sheriff Warns Against Gift Card Scams

St. Clair County Sheriff Mat King is warning that scammers are hitting close to home this holiday season, with bad guys posing as representatives of the St. Clair County Health Department and the St. Clair County Intervention Academy. There are also scams going around involving jury duty and the IRS.

The criminals are sending emails asking for gift card activation codes. This is a common scam to which people continue to fall victim, even though gift cards are never a legal payment for a legitimate agency or charity.

Sheriff King said, “Unfortunately, there are always criminals looking to prey on good-hearted citizens. If you receive an email or phone call soliciting donations, it is always best to double check to make sure the request is legitimate.”

Tips for avoiding scams include not answering phone calls from unfamiliar numbers, or saying “Remove us from your calling list” and then hanging up. Being wary of emails from unrecognized sources is also advised. Misspelled words are a red flag that should raise suspicion. Do not click on links within suspicious emails.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Fort Gratiot Fire Department Hosts “Shop with a Hero”

Members of the Fort Gratiot Fire Department are used to doing what needs to be done in an emergency. When the emergency was local kids going without toys and essentials for Christmas, they stepped up to solve the problem.

This is the second year that Fort Gratiot Township received a grant from the Walmart Foundation to fund “Shop with a Hero”. This year’s effort helped 27 students who attend the township elementary schools: Keewahdin and Thomas Edison.

In a normal year, the students would have gathered with the firefighters at the Fort Gratiot Walmart and shopped alongside them, but this is not a normal year, and a group shopping trip was not an option. Instead, the department got wish lists from the kids’ parents and did the shopping for them.

Some parents picked up the gifts from the Fort Gratiot Township office while some were delivered by the department in a fire truck. Sharon Wilton, Community Development Director for Fort Gratiot, said that they are thankful to Walmart and the Fort Gratiot Fire Department for making a difference during this holiday season.

The Walmart Foundation gives over $1 billion in charitable contributions each year.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland