Local News

Governor Whitmer’s press conference on Monday highlighted the  medical equipment that the state has secured or ordered, including 1 million N-95 masks from FEMA shipping this week. She noted that Ford Motor Company has been a contributor of face shields, and that the TCF Center, which had been undergoing transformation into a field hospital, should be ready to see patients by Friday.

She then turned her focus to the number of unemployment claims the State of Michigan is facing, and said they will only increase. The number of claims jumped for the week of March 15th – 21st to 127,000 new claims and then rose to 300,000 new claims for the week of March 22 – 28th. The increase of unemployment payments to $600 per week is still waiting on the US Department of Labor for  rules and authorization before those payments can begin.

To date, there are 15,718 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Michigan and 617 people have died. 80% of the cases are in Oakland, Wayne, and Macomb County. She said, “One person who is carrying COVID-19 can infect up to 40 people in a day who in turn can infect thousands. I encourage everyone to wear some sort of face covering on those few trips that you need to leave the house. During this time it is crucial that you only leave your home when absolutely necessary.” She reported that she has received data that shows Michiganders are travelling less than their neighbors in Indiana, Illinois, and Ohio and encouraged residents to keep it up.

She did not extend the Stay Home, Stay Safe order at this time, but she said to expect an additional order in the next week.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

As the coronavirus was spreading in Washington state in early March, leaders of the Skagit Valley Choir debated whether to go ahead with weekly rehearsal. Skagit County hadn’t reported any cases, schools and businesses remained open, and prohibitions on large gatherings had yet to be announced.

On March 6, the choir director informed the 121 members in an email that choir practice would proceed as scheduled at Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church. Sixty singers showed up. The church provided hand sanitizers, and choir members refrained from handshakes.

Nearly three weeks later, 45 were diagnosed with the coronavirus or with the symptoms, at least three have been hospitalized, and two are dead. WGRT spoke with Dr. Thomas Seppo from Operation Transformation, our local coordinating organization for area churches. Dr. Seppo told WGRT, “Local pastors should be wise spiritual leaders and carefully follow the instructions of our government officials.”

The majority of churches in our area are refraining from holding public gatherings at this time. Leaders feel that their faith traditions have set precedents for obeying authority in matters concerning public safety. Many have seen the positive side of this decision already as congregants are being more proactive about reaching out to one another and are taking advantage of online options for teaching and prayer.

Reporting for WGRT – Marty Doorn

Mayor Pauline Repp decided to postpone the Spirit of Port Huron Awards ceremony until September 14, 2020. The deadline to nominate individuals for the awards has been extended to Wednesday, July 1st. The Port Huron City Council is asking people to thoughtfully consider submitting nominations in the following categories:

BROTHERHOOD:  A person who has displayed leadership in fostering understanding and promoting harmony and good will among all.

CIVIC:  A person, business or organization who has significantly contributed time, talent or investment to make Port Huron a better place to live, work and play.

CULTURAL:  A person who has encouraged the appreciation and advancement of the arts or heritage of Port Huron and its citizens.

ECONOMIC PROGRESS:  A person or business that has invested or encouraged an investment in the community that has stabilized or enhanced the economic climate and quality of life in Port Huron.

GOOD NEIGHBOR:  A person who has gone out of his/her way in an unsolicited manner to help a neighbor or neighbors in an extraordinary manner.

HERIOSM:  A person (or persons) who has risked personal injury or his/her life in a spontaneous act to save others.

LIFE ACHIEVEMENT:  Bestows a special recognition on the rare individual who has consistently and unselfishly given an extraordinary amount of time and personal effort over the course of many years toward the betterment of the community and fellow man.

YOUTH SERVICE:  A young person who has displayed outstanding citizenship, principally through community service activities.

Nominations should include:

1. Your name, address, and phone number.
2. The nominee’s name, address and phone number.
3. The category for which they are being nominated.
4. A description of the activities that support the nomination.

Nominations must be received by July 1, 2020, and should be mailed to:

Office of the Mayor

100 McMorran Boulevard

Port Huron, Michigan 48060

 

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

UPDATED 10/8/2021: U.S. District Judge Mark Goldsmith granted James’s Freed’s motion for summary judgement in this case saying, “the Court grants the motion because Freed’s actions in deleting comments by Plaintiff Kevin Lindke on Freed’s Facebook page and later blocking Lindke from the page were not state action that required him to conform to constitutional strictures.”

April, 5, 2020 – A federal lawsuit has been filed against the City of Port Huron City Manager for deleting Facebook comments of residents who have questioned and been critical of the city government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, among other things.

The lawsuit states that James Freed, the Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Port Huron, Michigan, “operates a Facebook page which posts official policy announcements and official city government communications; information about government decisions; and highlights of local business, nonprofits, and members of the community from, in, and involving the City of Port Huron.”  The suit seeks a court order to permanently halt the City Manager’s delete-and-ban policy and allow the Facebook page to return to a traditional public forum.

The case has been assigned to Federal Judge Mark A. Goldsmith in Detroit. WGRT reached out to City Manager Freed, who responded by email, “This is and for years going back to before my tenure Port Huron has been my personal Facebook page. I use it for personal matters and to post about public and community events. I pay all costs and control my page. This is not and has never been a City Facebook page.”  WGRT also reached out to Mayor Pauline Repp.  Repp had yet to see the actual lawsuit and said that the matter will be handled by the attorneys.

The plaintiff in the case is Port Huron resident Kevin Lindke.  He was asked by WGRT what his goal in the lawsuit was, and he stated, “simply to get the City Manager of Port Huron to stop deleting comments and banning Facebook users.”  Lindke said he is concerned that city officials often paint a far rosier picture of the city and need to allow alternative points of view to be posted on Freed’s Facebook page.  Lindke, who plans to run for Mayor of Port Huron this fall, also stated that city officials were not providing much needed encouragement and direction to city residents during this current pandemic.

WGRT also reached out to Lindke’s attorney Phil Ellison.  Mr. Ellison describes himself as a constitutional lawyer who, “argues for open and robust” dialogue between government and citizens.  He told WGRT that Mr. Freed was told by members of the community that what he was doing was not constitutional. Ellison stated the case could be resolved quickly and easily if Manager Freed simply stipulated that he did in fact violate the constitution and will discontinue the practices.

Reporting for WGRT – Marty Doorn

Updated April 6, 2020

The St. Clair County Health Department is reporting the first two deaths attributed to COVID-19 of county residents. The first was an older male who passed away on April 3rd, the second a female patient who passed away at McLaren Port Huron on March 30th and, due to a delay in receiving test results, tested positive on April 3rd. Both patients had underlying health conditions.

Jennifer Montgomery, president and CEO of McLaren Port Huron said in a press release, “Our health care professionals work tirelessly to care for all patients, and we are always deeply saddened by the loss of any patient.  During this health care crisis, we extend our sympathy to this patient’s family and to other families who are suffering the loss of a loved one due to coronavirus. We encourage everyone to adhere to CDC guidelines to help slow the spread of this highly contagious disease.”

Dr. Annette Mercatante, Medical Health Officer, St. Clair County Health Department said, “These first deaths remind us all to do what we can to stay home, stay healthy, and protect ourselves and those around us. We are grateful to everyone who continues to follow social distancing, quarantine, and isolation guidelines to protect the health of the community.”

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

• Centers for Disease Control:  cdc.gov/coronavirus
• State of Michigan: Michigan.gov/coronavirus  or Info Hotline  1-888-535-6136 Daily 8:00 am – 5:00 pm or email questions to COVID19@michigan.gov
• St. Clair County Health Department: COVID-19 Info Hotline (810) 966-4163 Mon – Fri, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm or email questions to covid19@stclaircounty.org
• St. Clair County Community Mental Health COVID-19 Support Line (810) 985-8900, available Monday-Friday, 8:30am – 4:30pm
• Lambton Public Health: https://lambtonpublichealth.ca/2019-novel-coronavirus/
• City of Sarnia COVID-19 Hotline: 1-877-4-SARNIA (1-877-472-7642)

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand