Local News

Soccer has been growing in popularity over the past several years nationally and regionally. St. Clair County Community College will be adding women’s soccer to their athletic offerings. They become the sixth community college in Michigan to offer the sport. With the addition of soccer, there are now 13 collegiate sports teams at SC4 including cross country, basketball, bowling, baseball, softball, volleyball, golf, and wrestling. SC4 plans to recruit players over the next year so they can begin competing in the 2020-2021 season. SC4 athletic Director Dale Vos said that women’s soccer is a huge sport in the region and across the world. Vos believes that adding soccer to the offerings at SC4 will help increase opportunities for women athletes and add to the overall collegiate experience at the college. He added that the Skippers Athletics program continues to grow and flourish.

Lake Huron Medical Center is offering a 3-part program series, “Until There’s a Cure, There’s Care,” based on Teepa Snow’s Positive Approach to Care (PAC) beginning Wednesday, Oct 2, 2019. Teepa Snow is a nationally recognized dementia educator who has helped thousands of people by sharing her dementia care philosophy and caregiving techniques.

Lake Huron Medical Center’s Senior Services Coordinator, Rosemary Hunger, a Positive Approach to Care (PAC) Certified Trainer will provide caregivers with Dementia Awareness, knowledge and skills to better understand how it feels to be living with dementia and related changes. 

The “Until There’s a Cure, There’s Care” programs will be held in the first-floor conference room at Lake Huron Medical Center, 2601 Electric Avenue, in Port Huron. The program times are 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm.  Program dates and topics are listed below:

Thursday, October 2, 2019 – Dementia Awareness – the Changing Brain 

Thursday, October 9, 2019 – Building Positive Skills

Thursday, October 16, 2019 – Teepa’s Gems: The Stages of Dementia

While attending all three seminars is not a requirement, it is encouraged because the topics build on each other. To register for the “Until There’s a Cure, There’s Care” program, please contact Rosemary Hunger at (810) 216-1035.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and the Maternal Infant Strategy Group are partnering in a Mother-Infant Health and Equity Plan. The improvement plan includes comprehensive statewide strategies that will align stakeholders around key goals to improve the health of mothers and babies. The plan was developed through public comment, continued engagement, and discussion with maternal-infant health stakeholders and advisement of the Maternal Infant Strategy Group. Michigan has a higher infant mortality rate than the national rate, with 6.8 deaths per 1,000 live births. There are also significant disparities that exist across race. The plan emphasizes addressing both clinical and non-clinical factors, such as housing, racial biases, access to family planning and promoting safe sleep practices. Dr. Joneigh Khaldun chief medical executive for MDHHS said, “while many people are doing great work to improve the lives of mothers, infants, and families, the data shows there is much more we need to do.”  The plan will be released in 2020 and run through 2023.

Recycling programs in the state of Michigan are getting some help through the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). The infrastructure grants totaling $1.23 million hope to improve and expand recycling programs in eight Lower Peninsula counties. Locally, Sanilac County is one of the eight that will be receiving funding. The county will receive $129,000. The funding will be used to expand the county’s recycling collection program by adding storage, thereby enabling staff to accept recyclable materials that are currently not being collected. Recycling locations will also be increased throughout the county. The grants will also support the new “Know It Before You Throw It” campaign, EGLE’s first-ever statewide effort to better inform Michiganders of what can – and cannot – be recycled and how to recycle correctly. EGLE Director Liesl Clark said the state of Michigan wants to inspire and inform more people than ever before about how to recycle better and more frequently.

Monitoring contaminants has become increasingly important in the United States and especially in Michigan. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently awarded a grant to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) to support statewide toxic chemical biomonitoring. Michigan was among six state health departments selected nationwide and will receive about $4 million over five years to support two different programs. Matt Geiger, Chemistry and Toxicology Division Director at the MDHHS State Public Health Lab, said that Michigan has a legacy of industrial activity and a high number of hunters, anglers, and private well users. He said that Michigan adults may be exposed to environmental chemicals in different ways than the rest of the U.S. population. The first test will aim at testing PCB levels in a group of adults that represent Michigan adults statewide. The second will test for PFAS levels in Michigan Firefighters. Data from recent studies show firefighters have a higher level of PFAS in their blood than the national average. Robert Gordon, Director of the MDHHS, said that statewide toxic chemical biomonitoring will benefit Michiganders. He believes it will allow the department to better assess and address exposure to environmental chemicals in our communities.

On Saturday, the Sanilac County Sheriff’s office will be hosting the 3rd Law Enforcement Torch Run. The mission of the Law Enforcement Torch Run is to raise awareness and funds for the Special Olympics movement. It is a 1-mile community run beginning at the Sandusky High School and ending at the Sheriff’s Office. The Law Enforcement Torch Run began in 1981 when Wichita, Kansas Police Chief Richard LaMunyon created it. He thought the Torch Run would help law enforcement be active in the community while supporting Special Olympics Kansas.

In 1983, Chief LaMunyon presented the program to the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). The association decided to endorse Torch Run, and law enforcement agencies like the Sanilac County Sheriff’s office eventually became involved. With the national association’s support, the Torch Run became the largest public awareness and fundraising group for Special Olympics. Sanilac County Undersheriff Bradley Roff said people are welcome to sign up at 9 a.m. before the race begins at 10. He also said that if individuals are not planning to run or walk, they are welcome to come and cheer on finishers at the Sheriff’s office.