Local News

MDOT previously announced a currency parity policy effective April 1, 2016, for the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron, which stated, the Canadian rate for eastbound traffic will be reviewed and adjusted April 1 and Oct. 1 of each year.  According to authorities, the rate adjustments are rounded to the nearest $0.25 and calculated based on the prior six-month average daily exchange rates between U.S. and Canadian currencies.  As of March 4, 2019. toll rates paid in Canadian currency (CAD) will remain the same in accordance with the Blue Water Bridge parity rate adjustment policy.   Based on the current average daily exchange rate, the following toll rates will remain in effect through Sept. 30, 2019:

• Passenger vehicle tolls will remain $4 (CAD) per trip.
• Extra axles will remain $4 (CAD) per trip.
• Trucks and buses per axle will remain $4.25 (CAD) per trip.

Autoimmune Disease Awareness Month (ADAM) takes place in March and to mark the annual event, the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, Inc. (AARDA) is encouraging national and local media attention through various activities.  For the month of March, AARDA will distribute various messages, graphics, and stories highlighting facts, stats, information and people who are living with various autoimmune diseases.    AARDA is also encouraging users to post a graphic with a gradient color scheme that helps raise curiosity and awareness for autoimmune disease. There is also a component of this campaign where users will paint their nails or hands to represent their identity with autoimmune disease, whether personally or representing a loved one.  AARDA is the nation’s only non-profit organization dedicated to bringing a national focus to autoimmunity as a category of disease and promoting a collaborative research effort in order to find better treatments and a cure for all autoimmune diseases.  For more resources, personal stories,[KS1] [KS2] and to make a donation, please visit www.ADAMmonth.com.

Marwood Nursing & Rehab is sponsoring its Annual Essay Contest for the elementary school children of St. Clair County.  This is held in conjunction with Older American’s Month and National Nursing Home Week.  They are asking students to write about a senior (65 or older) in their life and how this person has made an impact on them (e.g. – what they have learned, how that person has enriched their life).  There are no limitations to how much they write or type as long as it is legible.  Pictures are optional.   There may be 5 winners, one from each grade, 1-5.  A $20.00 cash prize will be awarded for the best essay from each grade. The essays will be judged by the residents of Marwood Nursing & Rehab.

Deadline for entries is April 12, 2019.  Please drop off or mail them to:

                          Activity Director

                          Marwood Nursing & Rehab

                          1300 Beard Street

                          Port Huron, Michigan 48060

Or email to sjackson@marwoodmanor.org

Please Note:  Winners will be notified by May 9th. The award presentation ceremony will be hosted by the Resident Council at Marwood Nursing & Rehab on May 16th at 7 p.m.  Winners will read their essays at the ceremony.  The family, teachers, and “Best Older Friend” of each winner will also be invited to attend the ceremony May 16^th.

Each entry should include:

          Name of student

          Grade

          Home or school phone number

          School and Teacher’s name (if applicable)

Essays will become the property of Marwood Nursing & Rehab.  Only the winning essays will be returned.  If you have any questions, please call Activities Department at 810-966-5452.

March is National Nutrition Month and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program are joining with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to remind Michiganders about the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits.  Good nutrition is an important part of leading a healthy lifestyle. Combined with physical activity, your diet can help you to reach and maintain a healthy weight, reduce your risk of chronic diseases and improve your overall health.  Unhealthy eating habits have contributed to the obesity epidemic in the United States with about one-third of U.S. adults and approximately 17 percent of children and adolescents aged 2 – 19 years being considered obese.  Even for people at a healthy weight, a poor diet is associated with major health risks that can cause illness and even death. These include heart disease, hypertension (high blood pressure), type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and certain types of cancer. By making smart food choices, you can help protect yourself from these health problems.  Michigan residents are urged to follow these healthy eating tips throughout National Nutrition Month and the rest of the year:

• Get into a wellness state of mind. Balance your diet with food from all food groups. Get active every day with enjoyable movement.
• Eat right with MyPlate. Make small changes to make healthier choices you can enjoy.
• Make half your plate fruits and vegetables. They add color, flavor and texture plus vitamins, minerals and fiber. Focus on whole fruits. Vary your veggies.
• Make half your grains, whole grains. Vary your protein routine, include seafood, beans and peas, unsalted nuts and seeds, soy products, eggs and lean meats and poultry.
• Become a smart shopper by reading food labels to find out more about the foods you eat.
• Reduce food waste by transforming leftovers into meals, using the foods already on hand, and practicing good food safety.
• Change to low-fat or fat-free milk or yogurt to cut back on saturated fat.
• Drink and eat less sodium, saturated fat and added sugars. Drink water instead of sugary drinks.

For more information about healthy eating and lifestyle, visit Eatright.org.  WIC is a federally-funded program that serves low income women, infants and children up to age 5, by providing nutritious food, nutrition education, breastfeeding promotion and support and referrals to health and other services. WIC foods are selected to meet nutrient needs such as calcium, iron, folic acid, vitamins A & C.   To learn more about WIC or find an agency near you, call 211 or visit Michigan.gov/WIC.

Measles Threat- The Resurgence of a Vaccine Preventable Disease
Sometimes what we don’t know can hurt us. In the case of vaccines, it is what some THINK they know that is hurting all of us. Prior to the measles vaccine (in 1963) there were approximately 500,000 cases and 500 deaths REPORTED per year from measles, with epidemics every 2-3 years. The actual number of cases was estimated at 3-4 million per year. That was a lot of disease with really sick kids! Fortunately since the start of measles vaccination availability in the late 1960’s, measles cases have dropped dramatically and by early 2000 we had a record low annual rate of 37 cases. Most cases now are “imported” from outside of the United States which initiates a public health response and notification of air travel contacts to seek medical attention due to exposure.  Unfortunately, false information about autism, side effects and general distrust of vaccines has led to more and more people opting out of getting their shot. This “anti-vax” movement is driven by fear, complacency, and sophisticated (albeit passionate) dissemination of misinformation and misrepresentation of facts. In fact so many people are “opting out’ of vaccines that the World Health Organization has recently declared “vaccine hesitancy” (the unwillingness or reluctance to get vaccinated) one of the 10 biggest global health threats of 2019. Right up there with Ebola and antibiotic resistance!  What is the result of vaccine hesitancy? Quite simply, the return of these horrible diseases. Currently we are seeing yet another measles outbreak in the US, largely attributable to pockets of unvaccinated children who easily spread the virus. St. Clair County is a vulnerable community as well. We have only about 70% of our children fully immunized against measles by the age of 5. In addition our “waiver” rates for school age children (parents who “opt out” of vaccinating their children for non-medical
purposes) is between 5-17% depending on schools district. Some individual schools have waiver rates as high as 26%!  One thing I can say about parents that fail to vaccinate their children, most do not wish harm on their children. In fact they would say they are protecting them by these decisions. Although the desire to protect our children is admirable, doing so based on erroneous opinions puts all of us in harm’s way.  The “reasons” people base their oppositions to vaccines in NOT consistent with what we know from decades of research, science and surveillance. There is no conspiracy to harm a person with a vaccine, in fact the exact opposite is true! Vaccines save lives, and a fully vaccinated community protects each other. If you are not convinced, please seek out balanced reliable information. A couple of good sources
are “I Vaccinate” https://ivaccinate.org/answering-your-questions/ or the Alliance for Immunization in Michigan (AIM) http://www.aimtoolkit.org/health-care . OR come in and speak to one of our expert Immunization Nurses. Let’s work together to make St. Clair County a healthier community, and one that is less vulnerable to vaccine preventable diseases!

Yours in health,
Annette Mercatante, MD, MPH
Medical Health Officer
St. Clair County Health Department

St. Clair County Community College’s certified nurse aid (CNA) training program will offer another session beginning March 19. The program prepares students to take the Michigan CNA exam and immediately enter the health care field as certified nurse aides in just 96 hours.  Students who successfully complete the program will gain the skills and knowledge necessary to begin careers as certified nurse aides, nursing assistants or hospital assistants in a number of health care settings. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for those with CNA skills is expected to increase by 12 percent in Michigan over the next six years.  “Becoming a CNA is a great way to get started in the health care field,” says Patti Tibble, director of SC4’s nursing program. “The skills students develop in our program provide a great foundation to continue their education and build a long, successful career in the field. Kathy McGrath is a wonderful instructor who really cares about students’ success and makes each session informative and fun.”  This program has no prerequisites, however applicants are strongly encouraged to take the free Accuplacer tests available through the college’s Testing Center in order to prepare for further studies in nursing, health care or other subjects in the future.  Admission to the program is competitive and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Interested applicants are encouraged to sign up for course ZPAH 159-02 as soon as possible to ensure their spot. Prospective students can learn more by calling 810-989-5666 and register online at sc4.edu/cna.