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Local News

Register Now for Virtual LIVESTRONG at the YMCA

LIVESTRONG at the YMCA is a research-based physical activity and well-being initiative that helps people affected by cancer reach their holistic health goals. The program is going virtual this fall, and those interested in participating can set up an intake interview with YMCA staff to register for the session.

The program will take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays from noon to 12:30 PM using Zoom, and the fall session runs from September 15th – December 3rd. Despite going virtual, the format will be as close to normal as possible and include assessments, goal-setting, and follow-up.

LIVESTRONG engages cancer survivors and helps them build muscle mass and strength, increase flexibility and endurance, and improve functional ability. It also focuses on emotional well-being and provides a supportive community.

Past participant, Ardie Hayes, said LIVESTRONG is the “Perfect program to restore strength, develop new bonds and maintain hope for those experiencing the challenges of cancer. The coaches gave us a welcoming and caring environment and tailored the program for our needs.”

LIVESTRONG at the YMCA is part of a multi-year collaboration between the YMCA of the USA, the national resource office for the the Y, and the LIVESTRONG Foundation, the organization created to serve people living with cancer and empower communities to take action.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

Face Shields Donated to Port Huron Schools

Port Huron, MI — Back to school fashion will be very different this year with face masks, and now face shields, becoming part of daily school wear. Port Huron Schools has received a donation of 5,040 plastic face shields.

For those attending in-person classes this year, face masks are required while the state is in Phase Four. The masks protect other people from the wearer’s coughs and sneezes. Face shields are not required to wear, but they are allowed for both staff and students as a layer of protection to keep COVID-19 viruses away from the wearer’s eyes, nose, and mouth.

The donation was made possible by PTI Engineered Plastics in Macomb, Michigan, through a connection with Port Huron Schools staff member, Erika Senecal, Director of Choirs at Port Huron Northern.

A press release from Port Huron Schools said, “This donation is truly valued as we work diligently to have our students and staff return to schools as safely as possible.” Back to school plans are still in development for Port Huron Schools, and the specifics of the distribution of the new face shields have not been released.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

The Secret to Getting a Secretary of State Appointment

Navigating the Michigan Secretary of State online appointment system has been frustrating for many people since the offices closed for walk-ins. Although it is possible to book an advance appointment for Secretary of State services on the State’s website, the earliest dates that are currently available are in the middle of November.

However, waiting three months to register a new vehicle may not be acceptable to your car insurance company, so here is a little trick for securing a “Same-Day” appointment on the Secretary of State’s website:

Same-Day appointments become available 24 hours in advance. They are also scheduled on the hour and in 10 minute increments throughout the hour. For example, if you log on to the Secretary of State’s website on a Monday at 10:00 AM, you will be able to make an appointment for the next day, Tuesday, at 10:00 AM.

The trick is, if there are no appointments available, keep refreshing the page every 10 minutes, or at the top of every hour, until you secure one. You can also book an appointment and repeat the process throughout the day to get a later time slot–just cancel the earlier appointment once you book a new one.

Although this system may be time-consuming for a user who needs a specific appointment time, it is the only way to prevent the consequences of driving without a license plate or getting a new driver their first license.

There are many transactions that don’t require going to a branch office, so check the Secretary of State’s website <HERE> to see if you can complete your transactions online, via mail, or at a self-service station.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

Warning to Float Down Participants: Stay Out of Canada

The  Royal Canadian Mounted Police have a serious warning for those who plan to participate in the unsanctioned Float Down this Sunday: stay out of Canada.

A warning from the Mounties said, “U.S. citizens that land in Canada unintentionally will be arrested pursuant to IRPA Section 55(2) and transported back to the United States.”

U.S. citizens that land in Canada are subject to immigration laws as well as restrictions regarding controlled substances and alcohol. They will also be subject to COVID-19 screening. Wayward floaters will likely lose their coolers, flotation devices, and other property.

Fines of up to $750,000 and six months of jail time are mentioned in the warning. The border is currently closed to non-essential travel, and that includes any type of recreational boating and floating.

Over 1500 floaters landed in Canada in 2016 and were transported across the bridge back to Port Huron. The winds can be unpredictable and difficult to manage in a floating raft or inflatable. Without a paddle, floaters are at the mercy of the winds. The Ontario Royal Mounted Police have made it clear that they will be less accommodating this year than they were in 2016.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Masks on Children now Required in Daycares and Camps

Face coverings are now required on children and staff at child-care centers and camps throughout Michigan, according to the latest Executive Order from Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

Day cares have never stopped operating throughout the COVID-19 crisis, and face coverings had not been required until now. Summer camps were allowed to open this summer, and while face coverings were not mandated, different camps had their own rules on face coverings.

The new order requires camp and daycare staff and children ages two and up to “mask up” on the bus. Children ages four and up must wear a face covering in indoor common spaces. All staff and all children twelve and older are required to wear a face covering when in classrooms, homes, cabins, or similar indoor small-group settings. The governor also strongly encourages that all children ages two and up wear face coverings when indoors, according to the order.

Children do not have to mask up if they cannot medically tolerate it, while eating, swimming, or doing high-intensity activities, or while physically distanced outside. Babies under the age of two are not required to wear masks.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

State Issues Warning About Deceptive Petition Drives

Petitions have been the subject of complaints to the Michigan Attorney General and Secretary of State. A warning has been issued by both offices stating that some of the petitions in circulation right now are advertised as something they are not. Petition circulators are often paid by the signature and have an incentive to garner as many signatures as possible.

Attorney General Dana Nessel, said, “Regardless of what your political stance is, I am urging anyone who is approached by a petitioner to carefully read and make every best effort to understand what you are agreeing to sign. “

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said, “For decades we’ve seen Michigan citizens intentionally deceived about ballot petitions, and particularly our most vulnerable populations. The recent increase in complaints demonstrates it’s high time for the Legislature to act to make it a crime to intentionally mislead a voter into signing a petition.”

There have recently been multiple petition drives aimed at recalling Governor Gretchen Whitmer or changing the executive powers authorized by the legislature. Several early Whitmer recall petitions were rejected by the Board of Canvassers because of the unclear petition language. The Unlock Michigan coalition is currently promoting a petition to repeal the Emergency Powers of Governor Act.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland