Local News

On February 11, 2019, The YMCA of the Blue Water Area will begin offering LIVESTRONG at the YMCA, a research-based physical activity and well being initiative that helps people affected by cancer reach their holistic health goals.  The LIVESTRONG at the YMCA program is available to cancer survivors in the Blue Water Area and will be offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:00 to 1:30 PM. During this pilot program participants can select either day but are encouraged to participate in both. The program is offered for free to both Y members and the general community.  “Research shows exercise is the simplest way for cancer survivors to reduce fatigue, improve their mood and bounce back from the debilitating effects of cancer treatment more quickly,” said Greg Lee, President and CEO of the LIVESTRONG® Foundation. “But there weren’t enough programs to help people affected by cancer reach their health and well-being goals, so LIVESTRONG and the Y joined forces to create LIVESTRONG at the YMCA. The Y is the perfect collaborator because of its national reach, commitment to meeting the needs of all community members and history of program innovation in support of health and  wellness.”  As part of LIVESTRONG at the YMCA, the Y engages cancer survivors through an approach that focuses on the whole person. Participants work with trained Y staff to build muscle mass and strength, increase flexibility and endurance, and improve functional ability. In addition to physical benefits, the program also focuses on the emotional well-being of survivors by providing a supportive community environment where people affected by cancer can connect during treatment and beyond.  “We are excited to collaborate with LIVESTRONG to offer those who have been diagnosed with cancer the support they need to build both emotional and physical strength,” said Jenny McElwain, Healthy Living Program Director for the YMCA. “With a mission centered on
balance, the Y strives to be a leading voice on health and well-being for our community by providing resources and guidance so that all people, no matter what their circumstance, can achieve greater health and well-being in spirit, mind and body.” LIVESTRONG at the YMCA is part of a multi-year collaboration between YMCA of the USA, the
national resource office for the Y, and the LIVESTRONG Foundation, the organization created to serve people living with cancer and empower communities to take action. The foundation is a leader in the global movement on behalf of 32 million people around the world living with cancer today. LIVESTRONG at the YMCA, launched in 2008, is designed to improve the health and day-to-day quality of life for the country’s growing population of cancer survivors and their families. To date, LIVESTRONG at the YMCA is offered at over 375 Ys around the
country, and more than 25,000 cancer survivors have participated in the program nationwide.  For more information contact Jenny McElwain at (810) 987-6400, ext. 117 or jmcelwain@bluewaterymca.com.

Friends of the St. Clair River has launched “Cookies, Conservation and Conversations”, a 3-part winter workshop series, that kicks-off Wednesday, January 30, 2019 at 6:00 p.m. at the St. Clair County Administration Building Auditorium, 200 Grand River Avenue in Port Huron. These free, family-friendly presentations are held once a month from January to March, begin at 6:00 p.m. and last 45 minutes.

“Respect the Insect: Basic Insect Biology” – Wednesday, January 30, 6:00 p.m.

“Ducks Unlimited” – Wednesday, February 27, 6:00 p.m.

“March Madness” – Wednesday, March, 27, 6:00 p.m.

The first winter workshop, “Basic Insect Biology”, will be led by Tom Dennis, a local naturalist and Times Herald columnist. Tom will discuss basic insect characteristics, compare beneficial and harmful insects, and the role insects serve in our environment. Pollinators are increasingly disappearing due, in part, to habitat loss and pesticide use. Understanding the importance of insects is the first step in their protection and preventing further decline.  Friends of the St. Clair River is the Blue Water Area’s largest environmental non-profit organization that inspires citizen action through stewardship, monitoring and education to restore, protect and enhance the St. Clair River and its watersheds. For more information visit www.scriver.org, “Friends of the St. Clair River” on Facebook and @bwriverwalk.

Homeland Security and St. Clair County Emergency Management Director Jeff Friedland reported to WGRT that there is minor flooding due to an ice jam, downriver in the Algonac area.  Friedland says one cutter is working, as of this writing (1:20 p.m. January 21), and two more are on their way to the area.  Emergency Management along with the U.S. Coast Guard are monitoring the situation as the cutter works.   Friedland further stated that if anyone is experiencing an emergency situation, to please call 9-1-1, as, the Emergency Management offices are closed today  in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and the offices are closed.

The Michigan Department of Health and Humans Services (MDHHS) plans to issue Food Assistance Program benefits early for February.  For food assistance clients, Michigan began issuing February benefits on Saturday, Jan. 19. Clients who didn’t receive their benefits on that date should receive the funds the following week. That means the 1.2 million Michigan residents who receive food assistance will have benefits to feed their families in February even if the partial federal government shutdown continues.  The early food assistance benefits are not additional benefits and there will be no food assistance payments in February. MDHHS strongly encourages families to budget the funds they receive in January so they can meet their food needs through the entire month of February.  “MDHHS is pleased that the department is able to work with its federal partners to make sure Michigan families have food on the table in February,” said Terrence Beurer, MDHHS deputy director of Field Operations Administration.  The USDA Food and Nutrition Service has directed states to issue February food assistance benefits early. In Michigan, food assistance benefits are usually issued to clients according to a numeric schedule over a 21-day period throughout the month. USDA officials identified this one-time early benefit distribution of food assistance as a chance to provide the benefits during the shutdown.  At this point, MDHHS believes that Women, Infants and Children (WIC) benefits will be available for states to issue in February without interruption. In Michigan more than 200,000 mothers, pregnant women and children from birth to age 5 receive nutritional food through WIC. MDHHS will provide more information as details are known.  January food assistance and WIC benefits are being distributed according to the normal schedule. Learn more on the USDA Food and Nutrition Service website.