Local News

The St. Clair County Health Department (SCCHD) says it is continuously working on preparedness and response planning for COVID-19 in the event the virus spreads to the area. In a recent press release, the Health Department assures residents that “communication occurs daily with federal, state and local officials and partners. Currently, Michigan, including St. Clair County has no confirmed cases at this time.”

As COVID-19, also known as the Coronavirus, cases increase worldwide, including in the United States, it is important to be mindful of preparing for a shift from an epidemic to a pandemic. Taking action early can help protect your health and those you care about.

Health Department officials say measures like getting information from credible sources, practicing good hygiene and staying home when sick will help decrease and slow the spread of infection, and reduce the impact on our community. If you are sick and have any suspicion it could be COVID-19, it is a good precaution to call ahead before going to the doctor or hospital if you are sick. In most cases, COVID-19 infections are not serious, but be watchful of concerning symptoms like shortness of breath and prolonged fever. For the most up to date information on this developing situation, visit cdc.gov.

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.

Seven years ago teacher, Jenn Gildenpfenning, created an activity to help her special needs students. After seeing its positive impact, she transformed the hobby into an official business in 2017 and it has been growing ever since. Now, Simply Silverware is opening a brand new space at the Red Barn in St. Clair.

The business concept is simple – employees assemble plastic silverware sets for events including weddings, showers, graduation parties, and other events. They also recently started putting together party favors for clients who provide the supplies.

As for the inspiration behind the business, Gildenpfenning says she wanted to help adults with special needs learn skills and build confidence so that they can later go out and help the community. She currently has four employees, two who are Autistic and two with Down Syndrome. When asked about her staff, she shares that they bring a lot of enthusiasm to their jobs.

Simply Silverware has moved into the new location at 2062 Fred Moore Highway in the red barn in St. Clair.

The courtroom simulation competition, Mock Trial, recently brought together fourteen high school teams from across the Blue Water Area with Yale High School taking first place. In the weekend competition, the Anchor Bay Green Team brought home second place, and Port Huron High School came in third. 

Mock Trial is sponsored by the St. Clair County Bar Association and funded by an endowment with the Community Foundation. It demands many volunteer hours from local attorneys, judges, and school coaches. Every year, the presented “case” is different and requires many hours of preparation from each team.

This year’s case involved immigration and political asylum. With a combination of debate and acting skills, the students were judged by community members and given a critique of their performances in arguing the case. Cardinal Mooney Senior Ruben Garcia said mock trial has not only developed his skills as a public speaker and as a team member, but has also formed him into a leader. 

Those sentiments ring true for most participants over the 14-year history of the Mock Trial program in the county. Regional competitions for Mock Trial are set for March 7 and state finals will be in Kalamazoo on March 21.

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) has launched a unique searchable database of municipal ordinances across Michigan that address siting for renewable energy installations like solar and wind. The database was developed in collaboration with the Graham Sustainability Institute at the University of Michigan and is the first of its kind in the state and nation.

Over half of Michigan’s more than 1,800 municipalities have considered renewable energy in their zoning ordinances. The database acts as an in-depth resource guide for municipalities developing ordinances or for developers looking to site wind, solar, or other alternative energy projects. For example, some townships in St. Clair County are zoned for both solar and wind energy, while some are not. Greenwood Township is listed as having “Projects Sites in Jurisdiction” for “Utility Scale Solar Project.” Marion and Minden Townships in Sanilac County are listed as having Utility Scale Wind Projects sited in their jurisdiction.

The renewable energy zoning database can be found at Michigan.gov/Energy.

(BPT) – In spring 2019, VisitPITTSBURGH launched a new national marketing campaign – Pull Up a Chair. You are Welcomed Here. The now award-winning campaign is built on a welcoming Pittsburgh message and the act of offering someone a chair – a universal sign of hospitality and respect. The campaign is raising awareness of Pittsburgh as a major travel destination, as well as driving hotel room nights. Now VisitPITTSBURGH, along with the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council (GPAC), is taking the Pull Up a Chair campaign to an all new level by using an offshoot of the campaign – the 90 Painted Chairs Program – to drive awareness of the city’s thriving arts and culture community while also benefiting a local arts-related charity.

Named for the city’s 90 unique and diverse neighborhoods, the program has pushed local artists into the spotlight and empowered them to paint parking chairs for a CHAIR-ity – the Teaching Artists Initiative. The infamous Pittsburgh parking chair, which is sometimes used to save neighborhood parking spots, is one of many chairs featured in the Pull Up a Chair campaign. Pittsburghers have latched onto the regional tie-in, embraced the campaign’s message and emerged as the city’s best advocates.

From a chair emblazoned with the face of famous Pittsburgh pop artist Andy Warhol, to a three-dimensional seat covered with lush, green sprigs, and a toy T. rex; to the Monongahela and Duquesne Inclines climbing up and down the legs of one chair and a re-imagining of “The Scream” with the Pittsburgh skyline peeking through in the distance … there truly is a chair for everyone.

All 90+ chairs will be auctioned off through an online service beginning Feb. 25; the auction will close on April 3. The chairs, along with artist bios, are available to view on VisitPITTSBURGH.com.

Launched early this year, the Teaching Artists Initiative is GPAC’s newest program where teaching artists connect for networking, professional development and peer-to-peer learning. The initiative was developed in response to a need from local teaching artists; these creatives have historically had fewer opportunities to connect as a group of working professionals than others in the education or arts sectors. With teaching listed as the top source of income for Pittsburgh artists, GPAC hopes the initiative will fill this gap with education and professional development.

“Pittsburgh-area artists work in many ways to make a living,” Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council CEO Mitch Swain said. “However, in 2018, 40% of our artists reported teaching as their main source of income, followed by other full-time work or selling their artwork. This is a shift from our 2016 report, where the No. 1 source of income was selling artwork. This underlines the importance of creating a space for our teaching artists to commune, learn and grow. We hope that the Teaching Artists Initiative will do just that.”

“Pittsburgh’s art community members serve as fantastic ambassadors for our great city,” VisitPITTSBURGH Chief Marketing Officer Tom Loftus said. “The artists – like all Pittsburghers – have embraced our marketing campaign with open arms and take pride in spreading the city’s welcoming message. I’ve been floored by the beautiful chairs that have been submitted for auction; creativity has no limits in Pittsburgh.

“With the launch of this auction, anyone can own an authentic piece of Pittsburgh artwork.”

As of February 2020, the Pull Up a Chair. You are Welcomed Here. campaign has won seven national and regional awards, including the 2019 PRNEWS Digital Game-Changer Award.

(BPT) Did you know that one in four Americans keep their cars for an average of seven years or more? Nearly another third (29%) say they typically own their car for three to four years. With Americans keeping their vehicles on the road for the better part of a decade, it’s important to implement consistent maintenance habits to ensure a smooth ride.

Hankook Tire’s latest Gauge Index survey examined how long drivers keep their cars. The following are tips for drivers looking to keep their cars cruising well into the 2020s:

1. Keep it on the calendar

Whether consistency comes based on a mileage amount or a specific date on the calendar, setting and keeping regular tune-up appointments is a simple way to keep your car healthy. For example, most drivers (78%) also use their maintenance routine as a chance to check their tires. And, be sure to examine your windshield wipers and headlights to see if they need to be replaced.

2. Adjust for the seasons

Hankook also found that over two-thirds of Americans (69%) say all-season tires are interchangeable with winter tires. In some cases, that might be true, but if you live in a climate with drastic weather swings as the seasons change, that can be like saying your favorite T-shirt is suitable for a frigid winter storm. Winterizing your vehicle when the temperatures drop can help it last not only through the colder months, but also avoid potentially bigger problems down the road. Consider swapping the all-seasons for a set of winter wheels.

3. Repair and replace (when needed)

Sometimes, a routine oil change will shed light on a maintenance issue that requires more attention. In that event, consider your repair vs. replace decisions carefully – is the option you’re choosing a temporary bandage, or will it help lengthen the life of your vehicle in the long run? For many, this depends on what needs replacing, and whether that part is considered “essential.” For example, only 30% of drivers will replace their tire pressure monitoring system sensors if they were to break. However, these sensors can offer vital information about the pressure in your tires, which has a lasting impact on your driving experience.

4. Clean it up

Keeping your car clean is about more than appearances – it can also help keep it running smoothly for much longer because dirt and grime can cause corrosion to the paint and even more, especially if it gets into the mechanics of the car. For those driving over salted winter roads, regular car washes become an even more significant step to extending your vehicle’s lifespan, as winter road salt can be particularly corrosive.

No matter if your vehicle is brand new, or you’re looking to hold on to an old-timer a little longer, these tips from Hankook tire can keep you steering straight into the next year, decade and perhaps even beyond.