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Local News

Lake Huron Medical Center’s May Employee and Volunteer of the Month

Lake Huron Medical Center (LHMC) is pleased to announce its May 2020 Employee of the Month, Patricia (Trish) McNeil, and its May 2020 Volunteer of the Month, Martha Bennett-Lewis. LHMC is honored to have a strong team of staff and volunteers working hard to deliver high-quality care to the Blue Water Area.

Trish is Registered Nurse in the Emergency Department and has been with LHMC since 1998. She was nominated by a peer who commented, “Trish has been a steadfast leader through this COVID pandemic.  She has been a constant in a sea of uncertainty and change.  Her management of the day to day work in the ER has made the flow and integrity of the process manageable and safe.  She is calm, knowledgeable, motivating, and makes sure everyone is on the same page.  She has stepped up beyond the call of duty, working extra when needed. She is what I hope to become!”

Martha has been volunteering at the hospital since 2010 in various roles. Martha’s nomination from an employee reads: “Martha goes above and beyond to ensure the front desk runs smoothly on the days she volunteers.  She greets each patient with a warm smile and is very welcoming.  Martha handles the front desk with ease- it can become very hectic when patients are checking-in, but she is always willing to take on additional tasks.  She is a valuable member of our team!”

Lake Huron Medical Center is proud of each of its employees and volunteers; and extends a special thank you and congratulations to all our team members, especially Trish and Martha, as we celebrate their accomplishments.

To learn more about the programs and services offered at Lake Huron Medical Center, visit www.mylakehuron.com. 

Nurse’s Week Helps us Celebrate Our Caregivers

During these last several weeks, we’ve heard nurses referred to as heroes, rock stars, and miracle workers. Although the origins of nursing predate the mid-19th century, the history of professional nursing traditionally begins with Florence Nightingale.

Nightingale, the well-educated daughter of wealthy British parents, defied social conventions and decided to become a nurse. It takes a certain kind of person to become a nurse as they are called on to serve the sick, injured, or dying. Nurses Week is May 6-12 and the theme this year is ‘Year of the Nurse.’

“Nurses are the heart of healthcare. They are the patient’s advocate while balancing the needs of family, physicians, and other clinicians. This takes devotion. Nurses cannot promise to fix all of your problems, but they can promise you won’t have to face them alone,” says VNA & Blue Water Hospice Vice President of Clinical Operations & COO Stacey Lambert.

During Nurses Week, WGRT joins the community in saying thank you for all our nurses do. We appreciate the sacrifices you make and your dedication to patients.

Reporting for WGRT – Marty Doorn

Downtown Businesses Plan Outdoor Scavenger Hunt

Downtown Port Huron business owners would love to reopen their stores. Yet another extension of the Stay Home, Stay Safe order means they will have to wait awhile longer. In the meantime, they have planned the Downtown Port Huron Word Hunt, a fun way for walkers to explore downtown while doing a little window shopping.

From Alpine Cycles to Grand Trunk Marketplace, downtown businesses are displaying a few specially chosen words in their windows, and it’s your job to find them. Take a stroll downtown, and discover the words that make up four happy phrases. Download the form with the list of participating businesses <HERE> and fill in the words on the form, or take the more difficult approach and discover them on your own. Just find all the words and you’ll be able to decode the phrases.

Once you find the phrases, submit them along with your name, phone number or email address to downtownporthuron@gmail.com. Each phrase you find will give you one entry in the weekly drawing which will happen at 4 PM each Friday for the rest of May. This is your chance to walk, play, win, and have fun…every 6 feet!

Learn more about the Downtown Port Huron Word Hunt event on Facebook <HERE>

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Uncertainty About On-Campus Living Could Benefit SC4

College students living in dorms experienced a major upheaval when on-campus life came to a screeching halt in March. The COVID-19 crisis forced them to hastily empty their dorm rooms and pack up to move home. Now, colleges want them to come back even though many aren’t exactly sure what they have to offer.

College’s are expecting new and returning students to commit for the fall semester, but many parents and students are finding it hard to sign contracts, pay deposits, and plan for the future. Many college’s have yet to provide assurance that on-campus living will be worth the Room & Board rates the college collects, especially if students can’t reap the benefits of the bustling dining halls, social activities, and recreational facilities that are included in the price.

Parents and students are also facing an unprecedented upheaval in their financial situations. For most people, the income they reported on their FAFSA applications, which is used to calculate scholarships and grants for the 2020-21 school year, is completely different now due to layoffs and loss of business revenue. COVID-19 Economic Stimulus Payments also left out college students who are still claimed as dependents by their parents; students did not receive the $1200 per person payment, and their parents did not receive the additional $600 per child payment for them either.

Thankfully, St. Clair County Community College isn’t being negatively affected by these issues. Bonnie DiNardo, Director of Community and Alumni Relations for SC4, said they are “cautiously optimistic for the fall.” SC4 is already seeing an increase in fall enrollment, and they are also seeing an increase in guest-student applications, which indicates more students are choosing SC4 for the fall instead of going back to their “home” college.

Recent high school graduates and their families definitely have a complex decision to make. In-district tuition for two full-time (12 credits) semesters at SC4 costs around $3,264 compared to around  $24,152 for tuition and room & board at Oakland University. That difference, along with the uncertainly of what exactly they are paying for, may be prohibitive for some families experiencing financial hardship.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

COVID-19 Update for Blue Water Area May 8, 2020

Confirmed COVID-19 cases as of May 8th at  6 AM are as follows:

  • State of Michigan: 45,646 confirmed cases; 4,343 deaths
  • St. Clair County: 394 confirmed cases; 23 deaths
  • Ontario: 19,121 confirmed cases; 1,477 deaths
  • Sarnia-Lambton: 193 confirmed cases; 16 deaths

Cases in St. Clair County rose by 19 over the last week, and the county suffered one additional death. There are currently 54 active cases of COVID-19 reported in St. Clair County, and 4% of all hospital beds are being used for COVID-19 patients.

Governor Whitmer extended Michigan’s Stay Home, Stay Safe order until May 28th, but she is allowing manufacturing to open back up on May 11th under strict safety guidelines.

Cases in Sarnia rose by 10 since last week, and the county suffered 2 additional deaths.

The government of Ontario is allowing garden centers and nursery’s to open on Friday, and hardware stores and safety supply stores on Saturday, as long as they follow health guidelines. On Monday, May 11th, retail stores with a street entrance can begin offering curbside pickup and delivery if they can so so safely.

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

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

Stay Home Order Extended Until May 28th – Manufacturing Can Start May 11th

Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-77 to extend Michigan’s Stay Home, Stay Safe order to May 28, 2020. Under this order, Michiganders must not leave their homes except to run critical errands, to engage in safe outdoor activities, or to go to specified jobs. The order will allow manufacturing workers, including those at Michigan’s Big 3 auto companies, to resume work on Monday, May 11 as part of her MI Safe Start Plan.

The MI Safe Start Plan is her plan to re-engage Michigan’s economy. The governor worked with leaders in health care, business, labor, and education to develop the plan, and announced today that Michigan is in phase three.

The phases of the pandemic include:

1) UNCONTROLLED GROWTH: The increasing number of new cases every day, overwhelming our health systems.

2) PERSISTENT SPREAD: We continue to see high case levels with concern about health system capacity.

3) FLATTENING: The epidemic is no longer increasing and the health-system’s capacity is sufficient for current needs.

4) IMPROVING: Cases, hospitalizations and deaths are clearly declining.

5) CONTAINING: Continued case and death rate improvements, with outbreaks quickly contained.

6) POST-PANDEMIC: Community spread not expected to return.

“This is good news for our state, our businesses, and our working families,” said Governor Whitmer. “We’re not out of the woods yet, but this is an important step forward on our MI Safe Start plan to re-engage our economy safely and responsibly. As we continue to phase in sectors of our economy, I will keep working around the clock to ensure our businesses adopt best practices to protect workers from the spread of COVID-19. When we all keep doing our part, we can reduce the risk of a second wave and re-engage our economy safely and responsibly.”

Under Executive Order 2020-77, manufacturing facilities must adopt measures to protect their workers from the spread of COVID-19. That includes conducting a daily entry screening protocol for workers and everyone else entering the facility, including a questionnaire covering symptoms and exposure to people with possible COVID-19, together with a temperature screening as soon as no-touch thermometers can be obtained. They must also create dedicated entry points at every facility, and suspend entry of all non-essential in-person visits, including tours.

“Governor Whitmer has brought together leaders in business and labor to ensure our workers can return to the job safely. The safety of our workers is our top priority and I am confident that Michigan manufacturers are prepared to deliver on the worker protections included in today’s order,” said John Walsh, President and CEO of the Michigan Manufacturers Association. “We believe the manufacturing industry has a big role to play in Michigan’s economic recovery and we’re ready to lead the way. I look forward to continuing to work closely with the governor to bring the manufacturing industry back up to full strength.”

Manufacturing facilities must also train workers on, among other things, how COVID-19 is transmitted from person to person, signs and symptoms of COVID-19, steps workers must take to notify the business or operation of signs and symptoms of COVID-19 or suspected or confirmed diagnosis, and the use of personal protective equipment.

All businesses in the state—including manufacturers—must require masks to be worn when workers cannot consistently maintain six feet of separation from others, and consider face shields for those who cannot consistently maintain three feet of separation from other workers.

“MICHauto and the Detroit Regional Chamber applaud the Governor for her continued steps to safely re-open our economy. Automotive and manufacturing is not only the backbone of our regional and state economy, it is essential to the functioning of the global supply chain. This is good news for Michigan and the nation,” said Glenn Stevens Jr., executive director of MICHauto, and vice president of Automotive and Mobility Initiatives for the Chamber.

“We have supported Governor Whitmer’s approach to keeping families, communities and companies safe since the beginning of this pandemic,” said Andi Owen, President and CEO of Herman Miller. “Our manufacturing teams are at the heart of our company. Working within the governor’s guidelines will help to ensure we maintain the safest environment for our employees, both as they come to work and return home to their families.”

The governor’s Stay Home, Stay Safe order remains in effect until May 28, 2020. Under this order, Michiganders still must not leave their homes except to run critical errands, to engage in safe outdoor activities, or to go to specified jobs.