Local News

The YMCA of the Blue Water Area is helping kids start the school year off with a program called Back to School, Back to You. Executive Director of the YMCA of the Blue Water Area Denise Brooks said donors can bring in new or gently used school clothing for a child or teen to the YMCA between now and September 30th.  Donors are also welcome to “pay the day” and join the Y for that month. For instance, if you donate clothing on September 13th, you pay $13 to join. Brooks said they end up with a lot of clothing donations that are then taken to Kids in Distress Services, Inc. KIDS has a referral system with local health and human service organizations and provides a week’s worth of clothing, toiletries, and school supplies to the most fragile at-risk population. Denise also said the YMCA enjoys doing the program, and it helps to make kids feel respected and valued.

In addition to the opening of runway 4/22 at the St. Clair County International Airport on Wednesday, there was a presentation by state officials to a few individuals from around the region. The Michigan Aeronautics Commission presented their Award of Excellence to the Women in Aviation Great Lakes Chapter. Helen Hagg, Mary Poirer, and Pam Tobin were recognized for their contributions to aviation education through their leadership with  Women in Aviation Great Lakes. The mission of the group is to inspire women to explore the field of aviation. Specifically, the Michigan Aeronautics Commission pointed to a women’s aviation career symposium that the three women set up and promoted throughout Michigan. John Mayfield, Manager of the Detroit District Office for the FAA, was also at St. Clair County’s International Airport on Wednesday and was presented an award from the group. Mayfield was recognized for his leadership while ensuring the safety, strength, and stability of Michigan’s airport system.

Lake Huron Huron Medical Center is the first hospital in St. Clair County to begin using a new type of software that shares patient health information between EMS and the hospital. The Health Data Exchange, or HDE, connects the emergency center at the hospital with EMS providers. The information shared over the system will ensure the patient receives appropriate intervention by the physician when they arrive at the hospital. Interim Administrator and Chief Nursing Officer at Lake Huron Medical Center Pat Roberts said improving communication and strengthening relationships with EMS partners and getting access to vital patient information in a simple and more effective way is going to help the hospital better care for patients. Tri-Hospital EMS CEO Ken Cummings said the Health Data Exchange is a very big deal for his organization. He said he applauds Prime HealthCare (parent company to Lake Huron Medical Center) for bringing the program to St. Clair County. Cummings said the new system will enable both Lake Huron Medical Center and Tri Hospital EMS to share information more efficiently.

For some people, Friday the 13th of September is a mystical sort of day. In addition to the mystery that surrounds Friday the 13th, tonight will also see a full moon. The last time a full moon and Friday the 13th coincided nationwide was October of 2000. According to the website earthsky.org, for those in the Northern Hemisphere, the full moon that will occur tonight counts as the closest full moon to the September autumnal equinox, making it a Harvest Moon. Are you wondering what constitutes a full moon? The moon appears full to the eye for a few to several days in succession when actually, it’s only truly full for a fleeting instant. Astronomically speaking, the moon is full at the moment that it’s exactly 180 degrees opposite the sun in ecliptic longitude. For time zones in the eastern United States, the full moon technically falls on Saturday, September 14th at 12:33 a.m. EST. In all other U.S. time zones, it falls on Friday, September 13th. The next time this rare phenomenon will happen is August 2049.

The Council on Aging Inc. serving St. Clair County received a special gift Monday night through the Mainstreet Memories Car Show. The Council on Aging’s Executive Director, Scott Crawford, was presented a check for $24,000 on behalf of the car show’s board of directors. According to the organization, the four year total raised for the Council on Aging from the Mainstreet Memories Car Show now equals $63,709. The donations that contributed to the gift to the Council on Aging came from car show sponsors, participants, and the community. Main Street Memories will be planning the fifth year for the show in 2020. Ron Steward, President of Mainstreet Memories, said the event had taken place years ago, but it fizzled out. He and others restarted the event in 2016, and it has grown from 200 cars the first year to over 600 cars in 2019.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel held a press conference Tuesday afternoon in Lansing to announce the resignation of the Assistant Attorney General Brian Kolodziej.  Kolodziej was hired by Bill Schuette in September of 2018 and was assigned to handle criminal sexual conduct cases. Nessel said that on September 5th her office was notified by the Michigan State Police of allegations of prosecutorial misconduct involving Mr. Kolodziej. She said the allegations centered around his alleged involvement in an improper relationship with a victim in a case assigned to him shortly after he was hired last September. Mr. Kolodziej admitted to engaging in the relationship and subsequently resigned from his employment with the Department of Attorney General in lieu of immediate termination. The Michigan State Police (MSP) opened a criminal investigation. Nessel said everyone who works in the Attorney General’s office is expected to hold themselves to the highest standards of conduct.