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Local News

Redistricting Commission is Finalized after 2018 Referendum

Gerrymandering could be a thing of the past with the final selection of the thirteen commissioners for the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission. The random drawing from the final pool of 180 applicants was made on August 17th.

The new commission includes four citizens who identify as Republicans, four who identify as Democrats, and five who are not affiliated with either party. The whole process was carried out by the office of the Secretary of State and was facilitated by the independent accounting firm, Rehmann, LLC.

The process began in 2018 when a referendum vote took the power to draw U.S. congressional districts, as well as state House and Senate districts, away from the legislature. Many districts were set up to support candidates of a particular party in a practice known as gerrymandering. Over 10,000 citizens applied to be on the commission. The candidates were narrowed down to represent the actual makeup of the state by age, race, gender, and region, using census data.

The political implications of redistricting could be substantial. More information about the process and the outcome can be found at RedistrictingMichigan.org.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

4 Million Free Masks for Vulnerable Michigan Residents

A partnership among the State of Michigan, Ford Motor Company, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is providing free masks for 4  million Michigan residents who are most vulnerable to COVID-19.

The MI Mask Aid partnership will send face-coverings to low-income residents through Community Action Agencies, schools, senior centers, and homeless shelters. The partnership is part of a larger campaign called Mask Up, Michigan which provides information about the benefits of face coverings for reducing the chance of COVID-19 transmission.

“Masks are proven to reduce a person’s chance of spreading COVID-19 by about 70 percent. There’s also growing evidence that masks can protect the wearer’s life, by reducing the severity of COVID if they get it,” MDHHS Director Robert Gordon said. “It’s critically important to make sure communities most impacted by COVID-19 have greater access to masks at no cost. The MI Mask Aid initiative is a critical step in this effort.”

Anyone interested in receiving a free mask can find a distribution location by calling the COVID-19 Hotline at 888-535-6136.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Football Moved to Spring with Tough MHSAA Decision

2020 has dealt another low blow. The Michigan High School Athletic Association announced the postponement of the high school football season. The news is a heartbreaker for communities that have come together on Friday nights to cheer on the home teams as well as for the players and coaches who had already been putting in weeks of practices and preparations. But the news is no surprise in a year of cancellations and postponements.

Mark Uyl, Executive Director of MHSAA, explained in a video that football carries greater risks of sustained contact than other fall sports like soccer and golf, therefore, the difficult decision to postpone was made out of concern for the safety of the players. Emotions run high when it comes to high school football and in the video, Uyl gets emotional when he reveals that he is also the parent of a senior football player. He went on to say, “While this is tremendously disappointing, we will do everything possible to provide the best possible experience in the spring while adding football into the calendar.”

Michigan has over 34,000 high school student-athletes with over 600 teams affected. The move to spring will push other sports to summer.

Guidelines for volleyball and boys soccer are expected to be announced on August 19.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Local Produce Season in Full Swing

Michigan farmer’s markets and farm stands are filling up with locally grown produce. The sweet corn season came a bit later this year, but it’s now in full swing and you can stock up on this local favorite at several area locations.

Hulett Farms, nicknamed  “The Corn Man”, is booming with business at their Port Huron farm stand on Pine Grove Avenue. Their tables are full of produce grown at their Capac farm along with fresh baked goods, honey, and locally made tortilla chips.

Tomatoes, peppers, peaches, and green beans are in season now, with squashes and apples coming about mid-September. They will continue to have sweet corn until the supply runs out around Halloween.

Local farmer’s markets are also carrying fresh produce among other treats like baked goods, honey, and farm raised meat.

Vantage Point Farmer’s Market – Saturdays 9-5

Sarnia Farmers Market – Wednesdays & Saturdays: 7 AM – 1 PM

St. Clair Farmer’s Market – Wednesdays 7 AM- 12 PM

Marine City Farmer’s Market – Thursdays 9 AM – 2 PM

Marysville – Fridays 10 AM- 4 PM

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

Port Huron School Board Adopts Hybrid and Virtual Options

Port Huron, MI — The school year is about to kick off for students in the Port Huron school district as well as the surrounding area. The year is wrought with unprecedented decisions for parents and students, including scrambling for childcare, now that a hybrid plan has been announced.

The Port Huron School Board voted 4 to 3 to adopt a schedule that combines a few days of attending in-person with online learning for all grades. There is also an all-virtual option.

The hybrid plan divides students into two groups. The groups will attend on alternating days and will do their schoolwork online on the days when they do not attend school. Chromebooks will be issued. Internet service is the responsibility of parents.

Students who are signed up for the all-virtual education program will also get chromebooks and will be taught by certified teachers. They will be able to participate in extracurricular activities along with students attending in-person classes and may go back to in-person instruction in January.

Parents in the Port Huron district are advised to closely watch their email for further instructions. More information can be found at http://www.phasd.us/return_to_school_2020-21. School starts August 31st.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Underage Tobacco Sting in City of Port Huron

Port Huron Police conducted an underage decoy operation targeting 34 retail businesses within the City of Port Huron. Thirty of the businesses passed the test by checking the decoy’s identification and refusing to sell them tobacco products.

Four businesses failed to check ID:

  • Marathon Gas Station – 1301 Military Street
  • Buscemi’s Beverage Barrel – 1433 Military Street
  • The Smoke Shop – 1420 24th Street
  • Speedy Q Market – 1301 10th Street

The businesses were ticketed, and the fines for selling tobacco to minors are $100 for the first ticket, $200 for the second, and $2500 for the third. This is the second ticket for the Marathon Gas Station, and the first for the other businesses cited. There is no jail time associated with the infraction.