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Local News

McLaren Port Huron Names Employee of the Month

Port Huron, MI – Sophie Phillips, RN, has been named McLaren Port Huron’s Employee of the Month for May. Phillips has been employed with McLaren Port Huron for five years and currently works in the Cardiac Stepdown Unit.

Phillips was nominated by her peers because she demonstrates the hospital values every day. She is described as someone who has a positive attitude, contagious smile and always goes above and beyond for patients and their families.  Her peers added that she cares about her co-workers and always assists them without being asked.

This employee recognition is given to individuals who consistently live the values, mission and performance standards of McLaren Port Huron. Honorees are nominated by a co-worker, physician, volunteer, and/or customer.

To learn more about McLaren Port Huron, visit www.mclaren.org/porthuron.

Congressman Mitchell Statement on Partisan Policing Bill

WASHINGTON – Congressman Paul Mitchell (MI-10) released the following statement after voting against H.R. 7210, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

“Since the unjust killing of George Floyd, our country has seen demonstrations and protests nationwide demanding Congress act to address instances of racial profiling and excessive force by law enforcement. This time presents an opportunity to make positive and overdue improvements to how we approach policing in this country, but unfortunately instead of seizing the moment to pass bipartisan police reform that creates real, lasting change my Democratic colleagues chose to bring a bill to the floor that was developed by one side of the aisle rather than as part of a collaborative effort.

It is disappointing that, yet again, Congress has fallen into our respective partisan camps. The American people are rightfully asking us for change, yet politics and party messaging has taken precedence over concrete reforms. I have made it clear that I support sensible police reforms that focus on fostering positive relationships between law enforcement officers and the communities they serve, and it is my hope that we can still find a will and a way to work together in developing bipartisan police reform legislation that can actually become law.”

Congressman Mitchell previously released a video on his thoughts about police reform, which you can view here.

Congressman Mitchell spoke on the floor during debate of H.R. 7210. To view his remarks, click here.

Submitted by Congressman Mitchell’s Office

Whitmer Allows Professional Sports to Return – No Live Audiences

St. Clair County, MI — Lambton County, Ontario

Cumulative confirmed COVID-19 cases as of June 26, 2020 at  10:00 AM are as follows:

  • State of Michigan: 62,306  confirmed cases; 5,886 deaths
  • St. Clair County: 473 confirmed cases; 48 deaths
  • Ontario: 34,316  confirmed cases;  2,644 deaths
  • Sarnia-Lambton: 285 confirmed cases; 25 deaths

St. Clair County currently has 48 confirmed active cases of the virus, and 1% of hospital beds in the county are being used for COVID-19 patients.

Today, Governor Whitmer Signed an Executive Order allowing professional sports to return without a live audience. Major League Baseball said that a shortened 60-game season would being on July 24th with players reporting for spring training at their home ballparks by July 1st.

In Sarnia, there have only been 4 new cases since our report last week, and there have been no new deaths attributed to the virus.

Lambton County Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Ranade, confirmed that physical distancing is more important than wearing a mask to battle COVID- 19. However, if you find yourself in a situation where physical distancing is not possible, a mask may be considered useful. 

Sarnia-Lambton is currently in Stage 2, working towards Stage 3 of the Framework for Reopening our Province. 

*** It is important to note that WGRT is continuing to report confirmed cases from each area, not total cases which are a combination of confirmed and probable cases. We have chosen to approach the data this way to simplify our reports and to create uniformity in the numbers we are reporting for each region, St.Clair County, Lambton County, Michigan, and Ontario.

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

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Death at Grayfox Ruled Homicide

Port Huron, MI — On Tuesday, June 23, 2020, the Port Huron Police Department responded to the Grayfox for a report of a deceased person. The Grayfox is a U.S. Navy Sea Cadet Corps training ship docked in the St. Clair River near the Blue Water River Walk.

On Thursday, an autopsy was performed on the victim, and the death was ruled a homicide. The cause of death was trauma related, and the police are still working to identify the victim, a middle-aged white male.

The Port Huron Police Department’s Criminal Investigative Division and Major Crimes Unit is still actively investigating this incident.

This is an active investigation and additional information will be released as it becomes available.

If you have any knowledge of this crime, call the Port Huron Police Department’s Major Crimes Unit at (810) 984-5383. Anonymous tips can be received through the CAPTURE Hotline at (810) 987-6688 or emailed through www.porthuronpolice.org

State Senate Approves Nursing Home Bill

The Michigan State Senate has approved a bill that would prohibit the transfer of COVID-19 patients into nursing homes and long-term care facilities without certain criteria being met.

According to a sponsor of the bill, Senator Peter J. Lucido, “Nursing homes and long-term care facilities were never equipped to deal with a virus like COVID-19 that has affected our elderly and vulnerable populations.”

In Michigan, more than a third of the state’s COVID-19 related deaths have been connected to nursing homes. In St. Clair County, out of 49 deaths attributed to COVID-19, 26 occurred in nursing homes.  

Senate Bill 956 would require MDHHS to approve the facilities that meet the stricter criteria for accepting COVID-19 patients.

A similar bill, Senate Bill 972, is on the docket for the Senate Committee on Health Policy and Human Services. That bill would prohibit the transfer of people who have COVID-19 into the state’s adult foster care facilities. 

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Port Huron Schools Offers Virtual Program Signup

Port Huron, MI — No one really knows what school will look like in the fall, but Port Huron Schools is already giving families the option to sign up for a Virtual Program. The program is available for students in kindergarten through 12th grade and takes the place of in-person classes.

Students sign up by the semester, with middle and high school students eligible to sign up for a hybrid program. Students involved in the free virtual school will get a district-issued Chromebook.

Students who choose the virtual option are still able to participate in school sports and extracurricular activities and will have access to special education accommodations and services like social work and counseling.

The district will provide certified teachers for all of the online classes and expects younger students to put in about four hours of work and older students to work around six hours per day. 

In person classes are planned for all Michigan public schools for fall, with further directives from Governor Gretchen Whitmer coming next week. 

Parents can go to PHSVirtual@phasd.us for further details about the Virtual Program.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland