State Rep. Shane Hernandez of Port Huron was joined by his wife, Renee, and their two children, Kelsey and Kara, at the state Capitol Wednesday to officially open the 100th Michigan Legislature. Rep. Hernandez was administered the oath of office by Michigan Supreme Court Justice Stephen Markman.
Michigan Lottery players should check their tickets to see if they’re the lucky winner of a $250,000 Powerball prize. A lucky player matched four white balls and the Powerball – 07-24-33-49-50 PB: 4 – Jan. 10, 2018 to win $50,000. Thanks to the Powerplay, the prize was multiplied by five for a $250,000 prize. The player purchased the winning ticket at Cleary’s Pub, located at 117 East Grand River Avenue in Howell. The winner should contact the Michigan Lottery Public Relations Division at (517) 373-1237 to schedule an appointment to collect the big prize. The prize must be claimed at the Lottery’s headquarters in Lansing. Powerball tickets are valid for one year from the drawing date. If the prize isn’t claimed (today) Thursday before the ticket expires, the money will go to the state School Aid Fund. Powerball plays may be purchased for $2 each at Lottery retailers across the state and online at MichiganLottery.com. A “Power Play” option that multiplies non-jackpot prizes by up to 10 times to a maximum of $2 million may be added to any Powerball play for only $1. The Powerball drawing takes place at 10:59 p.m. on Wednesday and Saturday and may be watched live online at: http://www.powerball.com. Powerball tickets are sold in 44 states, Washington D.C., U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.
United Way of St. Clair County (UWSCC) prepares for its 2018 Campaign Celebration that will be at 5:00pm on January 31, 2019. Campaign Chair, Mayor Dan Damman, of Winston & Damman, has selected Alexander’s Premier Banquet Facility, 1200 Gratiot Boulevard in Marysville, to host the event. The Celebration will be a night of inspiration and recognition of the 60 dedicated Campaign Cabinet volunteers and the multitude of generous contributors who made this year’s Campaign a great success. Over the past five months, UWSCC’s enthusiastic volunteers met with community members to share its mission and Campaign goal and encourage them to be involved. They are passionate about helping their neighbors in need to excel beyond their barriers. Last year, UWSCC was able to help fund 36 essential health and human service programs throughout St. Clair County. Many of which, deeply rely on the compassion of our residents and funding through UWSCC. The magnitude of the impact UWSCC has on our community is directly related to the generosity of its contributors. These affiliated programs, which help to improve the quality of life of those in need, served over 11,500 people last year alone. The Campaign Cabinet has seen the positive impact the funding they raise has on individuals, year after year, and were inspired to raise the bar for the county’s goodwill. This year’s Campaign has seen many new contributors and increased Employee Giving Campaigns through payroll deduction. The passionate volunteers of UWSCC are on a quest to extend its reach further into our community to help more people than ever. They are looking forward to the unveiling of the 2018 Campaign total at the Campaign Celebration this month. Join them by submitting your reservation to Amy Lutz at marketing@uwstclair.org or by calling 810.985.8169 ex110 Monday through Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm. RSVP is required by January 21, 2019.
Have you turned down a chance to go out with family or friends because you were concerned about falling? Have you cut down on a favorite activity because you might fall? If so, A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls is a program for you. Fear of falling can be just as dangerous as falling itself. People who develop this fear often limit their activities, which can result in severe physical weakness, making the risk of falling even greater. Many older adults also experience increased isolation and depression when they limit their interactions with family and friends. A Matter of Balance can help people improve their quality of life and remain independent. A Matter of Balance is designed to reduce the fear of falling and increase activity levels among older adults. Participants learn to set realistic goals to increase activity, change their environment to reduce fall risk factors, and learn simple exercises to increase strength and balance. Lake Huron Medical Center is offering A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls Mondays for eight (8) consecutive weeks beginning on Monday, February 11. The program meets from 1pm to 3pm, is free to attend and attendance to all eight (8) sessions is recommended. Please call Rosemary Hunger at (810) 216-1035 to register or for more information. For more information on the programs and events at Lake Huron Medical Center, please visit www.mylakehuron.com.
Interstate 69 at Range Road was closed with traffic backed for several hours Tuesday, after a truck struck the overpass on westbound I-69 at about 3:30 p.m. That portion of the freeway was shut down for approximately four and a half hours and reopened by 8:00 p.m. according to the St. Clair County Sheriff Department. Authorities say an Imlay City man was on westbound I-69 when a piece of his dump-style truck struck the overpass on the border of Port Huron and Kimball townships. The crash sent the truck’s trailer into the middle of westbound lanes under Range Road and the semi-tractor into the woods alongside the freeway. The driver suffered minor injuries and was transported from the scene. Another vehicle drove through behind the trailer, but did not sustain major damage. The sheriff department’s accident investigators were called to determine the exact cause of the incident. Vehicles backed up on westbound I-69 were escorted off the freeway by 4:45 p.m. Other parts of the roadway as well as Range Road overpass were blocked from traffic as well. The Michigan Department of Transportation was called to determine if there was structural damage to the overpass.
The American Red Cross encourages people to help meet the urgent need for blood by resolving to give blood this January – National Blood Donor Month. Donating blood is a way to make a lifesaving impact in the new year for patients like Judy Janssen, who was diagnosed with end-stage autoimmune liver disease in 2016. Janssen received frequent blood transfusions – sometimes multiple times a week – until she underwent a liver transplant last January. “Blood donors make a really big difference with very little effort,” said Janssen, who received dozens of transfusions before and during her transplant surgery. “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for blood donations.” The critical role of blood and platelet donors has been celebrated each January for nearly 50 years during National Blood Donor Month, which coincides with one of the most difficult times to maintain a sufficient blood supply for patients. Busy holiday schedules, extreme winter weather and seasonal illnesses often impact donor turnout this time of year. The Red Cross encourages eligible donors to resolve to give blood or platelets regularly, beginning in January. To encourage donations immediately, all those who come to donate by Jan. 6 will get a long-sleeved Red Cross T-shirt, while supplies last. Make an appointment to donate blood or platelets by downloading the free American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Another way to help keep the blood supply strong in the new year is to host a Red Cross blood drive. To learn more about hosting a blood drive and to sign up, visit RedCrossBlood.org/HostADrive.
Upcoming blood donation opportunities Jan. 10 – Jan. 31 in St. Clair County:
Saint Clair — 1/9/2019: 1 p.m. – 6:45 p.m., St. Clair Middle School, 4335 Yankee Road
East China — 1/14/2019: 10 a.m. – 3:45 p.m., River District Hospital, 4100 River Road
Yale — 1/14/2019: 11 a.m. – 4:45 p.m., Sacred Heart Church, 310 N. Main St.
Port Huron — 1/18/2019: 8 a.m. – 1:45 p.m., McLaren Port Huron, 1221 Pine Grove Avenue
