Local News

President Trump approved Governor Whitmer’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration in Michigan. The approval came last night and was preceded by a back and forth between Trump and Whitmer that gained attention on social media and news outlets.

The Disaster Declaration means that Michigan can now participate in FEMA programming for relief and support services. Funding was specifically approved for the Crisis Counseling Program to provide services for those whose mental health has been impacted by the spread of COVID-19 and Emergency Protective Measures which includes funding for Emergency Operation Center related costs, medical supplies, and personal protective equipment among other things.

Governor Whitmer sent the request for the declaration to the president on Thursday. It was a broad request for aid, and not every category has been approved.  “This is a good start, and it will help us protect Michiganders and slow the spread of COVID-19,” said Whitmer. “I’m hopeful that the president will review my request for individual assistance programs that would provide meals to families who need them and rental assistance and temporary housing for families. I look forward to the federal government’s continued partnership as we work to fight this virus.”

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

A 40 year old Port Huron resident was arrested today for five counts of armed robbery. The arrest occurred in the Village Manor Apartments in the 3100 block of Electric Avenue in Port Huron.

Law enforcement has been working on this case since the first crime was committed at the Speedway gas station on Ravenswood Road in Port Huron on November 28th, 2019. The suspect went on to commit four other armed robberies over the course of three months at the same Speedway gas station, Family Video on 10th Street, Quality Inn and Suites on Yeager St., and the Speedy Q on Water Street.

If you have any information about this crime, you can call CAPTURE’s anonymous tip line at (810) 987-6688 or email police at www.porthuronpolice.org by clicking on the CAPTURE icon.

As of 4 PM Friday afternoon, Michigan is reporting 3,657 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 92 deaths. St. Clair County has 15 confirmed COVID-19 cases. The Health Department is no longer reporting details about the age and hospitalization status of the new cases. 

Ken Cummings, President/CEO of Tri-Hospital EMS, member of the Emergency Operations Center team, strongly encourages the following; “If you call 911 for a medical emergency, please provide accurate information on any health symptoms you or your loved one is experiencing. When EMS arrives, you will be asked this again before staff enter your home. This is important in order to protect workers so they can take the necessary precautions and stay safe.”

Captain Mat King, from the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department, member of the Emergency Operations Center team, is also encouraging, “Follow the Governor’s Executive Order to stay in as much as possible. If you are out and come in contact with law enforcement officials, be aware you will be asked to share any health symptoms in order for officers to properly protect themselves from potential exposure.”

The St. Clair County Emergency Operations Center functions as a centralized coordination of emergency resources to provide overall policy and guidance for strategic objectives related to the COVID-19 situation.

Please follow reputable sources for information:

• • Centers for Disease Control:  cdc.gov/coronavirus
  • State of Michigan: Michigan.gov/coronavirus  or Info Hotline  1-888-535-6136 Daily 8:00 am – 5:00 pm or email questions to COVID19@michigan.gov
  • St. Clair County Health Department: COVID-19 Info Hotline (810) 966-4163 Mon – Fri, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm or email questions to covid19@stclaircounty.org

The McLaren Port Huron Foundation has set up a fund for COVID-19 response in answer to community members wanting to help. In a recent statement, the Foundation said “So many of you have reached out with offers of cash contributions and supply donations to support caregivers and patients during the unique times in which we find ourselves.” 

Through the new fund, the hospital is accepting donations from individuals who would like to support efforts to deal with cost and supply needs related to COVID-19. Donations would fund hospital-grade supplies such as N95 masks, PAPRs, and other items through their suppliers. The Foundation is assuring that, “100 percent of your financial donation will go toward helping McLaren Port Huron caregivers and patients involved in the fight against the virus.” More information can be found at mclaren.org/phfoundation.

Pharmacists may now dispense emergency refills of prescriptions for up to 60 days worth of supply for patients as part of a new Executive Order signed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer. The order takes effect immediately and ends on April 22, with potential for renewal if needed. 

The order requires insurers to cover the emergency refills and allows pharmacists to dispense treatments to those suffering from COVID-19 infection, according to government approved protocol. The order does not include controlled substances. The purpose of the order is to “ease a burden on seniors and families worried about maintaining a supply of medication for themselves or their children,” according to Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, Chief Medical Executive and Chief Deputy Director for Health at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. 

The effort is part of the state’s Stay Home, Stay Safe mandate and is aimed at patients and their caretakers who may be forced to go out to get medications, possibly increasing their likelihood of exposure to the COVID-19 virus. The order also allows pharmacists to use their discretion to substitute therapeutically equivalent medications without prescriber approval if there are critical shortages.

Now is the time to rescan your TV if you use an over-the-air antenna to get access to local television stations, according to the Federal Communications Commission. Many local stations are changing frequencies to help free up airwaves for new high-speed wireless service. They are required by law to make the change. 

Antenna users in the local area need to rescan now to continue receiving free programming from the Detroit market of television stations. You may need to rescan more than once to get all the stations, according to tvanswers.org, which is an initiative of the National Association of Broadcasters to provide information about the scan to antenna users. No new equipment is needed to update the frequencies, and no scan is needed for cable or satellite TV users.

 Once the rescan is done, local TV viewers are likely to find that they get more channels, including some Canadian channels. Antennas are used by 72 million Americans, many of whom will be impacted by the switch of nearly 1,000 stations. For additional assistance in rescanning, contact the FCC’s consumer hotline at 1-888-225-5322 and press prompt number 6.