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Local News

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.

DTF Arrested 9 Young Men During a Raid on Vanness St.

The St. Clair County Drug Task Force seized about $30,000 worth of methamphetamine during a raid Tuesday night.

According to Sheriff Tim Donnellon, the DTF was conducting an investigation into the sales of illicit drugs, which led them to execute a search warrant in the 2500 block of Vanness Street around 7:00 p.m. on May 5th.  Once inside, they located and seized the meth, along with $900 worth of ecstasy, $400 worth of crack cocaine and $300 worth of analogue pills.  They also seized two handguns, a rifle, a sawed off shotgun, cash and drug paraphernalia.

Members of the Drug Task Force arrested 9 men, ranging in age from 17-24 years old and took two minor boys, ages 14 and 16 into custody.  They were all later released pending warrants.  Those arrested face charges including possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, possession with intent to deliver cocaine, possession with intent to deliver ecstasy and felony firearm.

UAW Workers Preparing to go Back to Work

U.S. automakers are making plans to start reopening North American factories on May 18th as  part of a gradual return to normal operations.  However, that date still depends on the lifting of restrictions imposed by Michigan’s governor.

Currently Michigan’s “Stay at Home” order is in effect until May 15th.  All Detroit automakers will likely open about the same time because Big Three workers are represented by the same union.

The United Auto Workers Union President Rory Gamble, in talks with auto makers, said, “These talks are fluid and ongoing to ensure safe protocols are followed when the companies reopen.”

Auto plants have been shut down since mid-March because of the coronavirus pandemic. At least 25 employees at auto facilities represented by the UAW have died from the virus. Last week, Whitmer hinted that auto plants may soon reopen as the curve of cases continues to flatten. She said the reopening could take place as long as auto makers can ensure employees feel safe.

The UAW said in a press release that workers will return to auto plants starting May 18th, and it has agreed on safety procedures to protect them.

Mike Manly, CEO of Fiat Chrysler, told employees in a letter, “We are ready to restart. We have a comprehensive plan to get our operations up and running again, drawing on global best practices and at all times ensuring the safety and well-being of our employees. I firmly believe that our company is in a position where, as the market recovers, we can get back to  that positive momentum we were experiencing prior to this pandemic.”

Reporting for WGRT – Marty Doorn

Virtual Cocktail Party to Support McLaren Port Huron Foundation

This year, the McLaren Port Huron Foundation has announced  that the popular “Cocktails for a Cause” fundraiser is coming back.  However, this year it will be going virtual!

McLaren Port Huron Foundation is partnering with McLaren Greater Lansing Foundation and Karmanos Cancer Institute to bring Cocktails for a Cause to everyone’s home! People are invited to check out full details at www.mclaren.org/phcocktail.

Proceeds from this event will benefit the McLaren Port Huron COVID-19 Relief Fund. This fund will allow the McLaren Port Huron Foundation to provide support to our hospital and caregivers for needs related to COVID-19. They are committed to giving the best possible care to our patients.

Foundation officials guarantee that 100 percent of contributions will go toward helping McLaren Port Huron caregivers and patients involved in the fight against the virus.

Lynn Griffor, Foundation Executive Director, told WGRT, “During these unprecedented times, we have seen St. Clair County come together in extraordinary ways. So, cheers to brighter days ahead and let’s share a cocktail or mocktail together for healthcare workers in our community!”

Reporting for WGRT – Marty Doorn