Local News

Governor Gretchen Whitmer ordered Michigan residents to shelter in place starting at 12:01 AM on March 24, 2020. The order is in effect for at least the next three weeks. Individuals may only leave their homes under limited circumstances such as getting groceries, medical treatment or prescriptions, and going to work at as an essential worker.

“In just 13 days, we’ve gone from 0 to over 1,000 COVID-19 cases,” said Governor Whitmer. “This is an unprecedented crisis that requires all of us working together to protect our families and our communities. The most effective way we can slow down the virus is to stay home. I know this will be hard, but it will be temporary. If we all come together, get serious, and do our part by staying home, we can stay safe and save lives.”

The Stay Home, Stay Safe Executive Order (EO 2020-21) prohibits all businesses and operations from requiring workers to leave their homes unless those workers are necessary to sustain or protect life or conduct minimum basic operations such as necessary to sustain or protect life include those in health care and public health, law enforcement and public safety, grocery store workers, and more.

For those who have questions about the state’s actions to mitigate the spread of coronavirus, please call the COVID-19 Hotline at 1-888-535-6136 between 8 AM – 5 PM daily. 

Economic assistance for small businesses around Michigan that have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 virus has gained approval from the Michigan Strategic Fund, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation has announced.

The Michigan Small Business Relief Program authorizes the MEDC to provide up to $20 million in support for small businesses. The funding is divided between $10 million in small business grants and $10 million in small business loans to support businesses facing drastic reductions in cash flow and the continued support of their workforce.

The $10 million in grant funding will be provided to local or nonprofit economic development organizations throughout the state to provide grants up to $10,000 each to support certain small businesses that have realized a significant financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 virus.

In order to qualify for grant support, businesses must meet criteria including 50 employees or fewer, working capital to support payroll expenses, rent, mortgage payments, utility expenses, or other similar expenses that occur in the ordinary course of business, and the ability to demonstrate an income loss as a result of the EO, or the COVID-19 outbreak.

Additionally, the program will authorize the MEDC to provide up to $10 million for small business loans with flexible repayment terms to support certain small businesses statewide that have realized a significant financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. Loans to eligible borrowers must be $50,000 or more and are capped at $200,000. There are requirements to qualify. 

The Michigan Small Business Relief Program will be a top priority for the MEDC, with funds being available no later than April 1, 2020. 

For more information and resources for small businesses in Michigan impacted by COVID-19 visit michiganbusiness.org/covid19. The Ecomonic Development Alliance of St. Clair County also has resources on its website at edascc.com

Beginning today,  Michigan Kroger and Meijer stores will dedicate special shopping hours for the elderly, emergency workers and others directly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Kroger has dedicated the first hour of shopping on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. to senior shoppers (60 years and older), expectant mothers, first responders and those with compromised immune systems until further notice. The opportunity is extended to these groups as they are the most vulnerable to the COVID-19 coronavirus. Each store will have staff available to help customers as necessary.

 Rachel Hurst, corporate affairs manager, The Kroger Co. of Michigan said the grocery chain requests “ that customers respect these hours for the health of our community during this time of uncertainty.”

Kroger encourages all other customers to shop between 8:00 a.m. and 9 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. all other days of the week. Kroger has moved to the 9 p.m. closing to accommodate cleaning and restocking.

Kroger pharmacy hours will remain the same and vary by store. Hurst recommends that customers confirm the pharmacy hours with their local stores. 

Meijer has also adjusted its store hours for the foreseeable future to allow more time for team members to deep clean and restock its stores, as well as dedicated hours for senior citizens, customers with chronic health conditions, essential service workers and its team members.

Meijer stores now close overnight at 10 p.m. local time and will open each morning at 8 a.m. local time with dedicated shopping times for senior citizens and customers with chronic health conditions on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7-8 a.m. local time. Meijer stores and pharmacies will provide dedicated shopping times for essential service workers and Meijer team members on Mondays and Wednesdays from 7-8 a.m. local time.

Rick Keyes, Meijer President and Chief Executive Officer said the “adjusted store hours will ensure all of customers have access to the products they need in the cleanest shopping environment possible.”

Essential service workers include all medical workers, first responders and law enforcement. Meijer is asking its customers and the public to please respect the times for these important groups.

The Food Bank of Eastern Michigan is working with its network of partners in the Thumb region to provide expanded services for people in need during the COVID-19 outbreak. The Food Bank of Eastern Michigan serves 22 counties in Michigan including Huron, Lapeer, Sanilac, St. Clair, and Tuscola counties. 

The Food Bank and local partners have now scheduled mobile food pantries in each county and will continue to add to this schedule as resources become available. This week, the Food Bank has distributions in the area that include:

•  Laker Elementary School, 6436 Pigeon Road, Pigeon – March 21, 10 a.m.
•  Gateway Assembly, 2796 S Van Dyke Road, Imlay City – March 21, 11a.m.
•  Anchor Cove Church, 201 E. Sanilac Road, Caro – March 21, 10 a.m.
•  Revive Ministries, 6400 Main Street, Cass City – March 24, 1 p.m.
•  Crossroads Community Church, 3631 King Road, East China, March 25, 11 a.m.
•  Kohler Propane, 8744 Burnside Road, Brown City – March 26, 3:30 p.m.
•  Croswell Wesleyan Church, 5242 N. Black River Road, Croswell – March 26, 2:30 p.m.
•  Tuscola County ISD, 1385 Cleaver Road, Caro – March 28, 11 a.m.
•  VFW Hall, 2942 Main Street, Marlette – March 28, 9:30 a.m.
•  Gateway Assembly, 2796 S Van Dyke Road, Imlay City – March 28, 11 a.m.
•  Marlette High School, 3051 Moore Street, Marlette – March 31, 11 a.m.
•  Father Dunn Hall, 310 North Main Street, Yale – April 4, 10 a.m.

Kara Ross, President and CEO of the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan said the, “ distributions give community members the opportunity to pick up produce, protein, and shelf-stable items.” During the outbreak, Ross promised the Food Bank is “committed to working with partners in all 22 of our counties to provide additional resources to alleviate burdens on neighbors.”

The mobile distributions have been refocused as a drive-through style. The Food Bank and partner organizations are providing bags and briefing agencies and volunteers prior to distributions to ensure compliance with Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines regarding social distancing.

The Food Bank of Eastern Michigan relies on and appreciates the donated food it receives from approximately 70 retail grocery partners. However, the COVID-19 outbreak has increased overall demand for food nationally from retailers and manufacturers, so donations to food banks have declined as people purchase and stock up on food. Due to the decline in donated items, the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan has to purchase significantly more food now to distribute into the communities it serves, which has made monetary donations vital. Contributions can be made online at www.FBEM.org.

The Food Bank’s Thumb Region Outreach Coordinator Heather Bearden is available to assist organizations interested in partnering with the Food Bank, individuals in need of assistance, and answer questions about the Food Bank. The Food Bank’s website has calendars with scheduled food distributions, a map to search for food pantries by zip code, and resources related to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Detroit Sector Border Patrol agents arrested four aliens that were illegally in the United States during a smuggling event last week. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Marysville Station first observed a vehicle loitering near the international border in an area where several recent smuggling events have been attempted. A short time later, local law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on the same vehicle, and requested assistance from Border Patrol. An agent interviewed the driver and passenger, who admitted to being in the United States illegally, and that they did not have any documents allowing them to be or remain in the United States.

At the same time, another Border Patrol agent observed two people walking along the side of a road parallel to the border with Canada. Due to the recent activity and the presence of the suspicious vehicle in the immediate area, the agent suspected that a smuggling event was in progress. During an interview of the individuals, they admitted to having just crossed the border from Canada in a boat. All four subjects were transported to the Border Patrol station for processing.

During processing it was confirmed that all of the subjects were Brazilian nationals, and that none have legal status to be present in the United States. The two individuals who admitted having entered illegally confirmed that they had made arrangements to be picked up by the other two subjects after crossing the border.

The two subjects who crossed the border have been referred to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan for prosecution of Illegal Entry into the U.S., and the other two for Alien Smuggling.

On Sunday, March 22nd, the St. Clair County Health Department and the City of Sarnia sent the following information in press releases:

As of 3-22-20 at 4:00pm, the State of Michigan is reporting 1,035 confirmed cases, including eight (8) deaths.  St. Clair County remains at seven (7) confirmed cases. St. Clair County Health Department is monitoring 42 people under investigation, along with 73 of their contacts.

Dr. Annette Mercatante, Medical Health Officer explains why the St. Clair County Health Department does not name potential exposure locations; “When confirmed cases are identified, it is very likely community-wide transmission is already present. Everyone should be following all recommended prevention measures and advisories to help slow down further spread.”

The St. Clair County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) continues interagency coordination, information sharing, decision making and response planning efforts. The EOC will remain active throughout the COVID-19 public health emergency.

For further information visit: cdc.gov/coronavirus; Michigan.gov/coronavirus; or scchealth.co.  A general St. Clair County COVID-19 Informational Hotline is available Monday through Friday, (810) 966-4163, 8:00am-4:30pm or email questions to covid19@stclaircounty.org. The State of Michigan hotline is 1-888-535-6136 and is operational daily 8:00am – 5:00pm or email questions to COVID19@michigan.gov.

From the City of Sarnia:

The Sarnia Primary Control Group met via teleconference on March 22, 2020 at 9:00am regarding COVID-19 and can confirm that, as of that time, there remains no confirmed cases of the COVID-19 infections in the County of Sarnia-Lambton area.

The City is taking preventative measures based on discussions with Lambton Public Health and information received from both the Provincial and Federal Governments. These measures are in place as a result of collaborative discussions between concerned agencies. 

County of Lambton Warden Bill Weber, Mayor Mike Bradley of the City of Sarnia, Mayor Bev Hand of the Village of Point Edward, and Chief Chris Plain of the Aamjiwnaang First Nation have issued the following joint statement to express their continued gratitude to the members of the community who have expressed a desire to help by volunteering in these difficult times:

“While we appreciate the sense of civic duty that drive our community members to reach out and offer to volunteer their services, we request that people keep safe and continue to maintain social distancing practices at this time, to help stop the spread of this pandemic. Our respective communities will work in conjunction with County of Lambton Public Health officials to coordinate opportunities and for members of the public to volunteer at an appropriate time and would refer people to the Lambton Public Health website for such opportunities.

For those who are currently volunteering through community groups, we ask that you continue to respect safety guidelines issued by Lambton Public Health officials such as continuing to practice social distancing principles, wearing appropriate gloves and masks, and leaving any items delivered outside for pick up instead of attending at the doors.”​

The City of Sarnia would like to remind the public the extreme importance of social distancing. While the amount of actual cases is unknown at this time, operating under the advice of the Chief Medical Officer, we must act as though the virus is already here and social distancing and proper hygiene practices are the only ways for us to curb the spread and reduce the burden on the health care system. Too many members of the public are ignoring these recommendations and it is of growing concern to our community. Please limit your trips to essential matters only.

Under the advice of the Medical Officer of Health, the City of Sarnia is operating under the premise that the COVID-19 virus is already circulating within the community. For that reason, the City is taking all precautions to protect the public and staff by maintaining closures of all city facilities and City Hall, this includes suspending non-essential services.