Due to ongoing high water levels on the Great Lakes and adjoining waterways, the City of Port Huron will be providing sandbags on an as-needed basis to City residents. If you are a resident of the City of Port Huron in need of sandbags, you do not need to request or make an appointment. Residents can pick up the sandbags any time of day at the Department of Public Works Warehouse located at 1812 Bancroft Street. The sandbags will be outside of the facility. For more information about the sandbags and high water levels, you can call the City of Port Huon at 810-984-9770.

Throughout Michigan and the Midwest, prolonged wet weather and flooding have put farmers in a difficult position as the spring planting season is coming to a close. With unprecedented rainfall, farmers have had to delay planting and adjust management practices. MSU Extension has a statewide network of agricultural educators tracking growing conditions, speaking with farmers and writing educational articles about how farmers can adjust to these inhospitable conditions and difficult choices. Jeff Dwyer director of MSU Extension said “The crisis facing Michigan agriculture right now is acute, and we hear heartbreaking stories every day from our educators who work with farmers. These families need support now more than ever.” For more information about the MSU Extension Managing Farm Stress program, visit extension.msu.edu/farmstress/. To access the suite of resources and information available from MSU Extension, visit extension.msu.edu

A motorcycle crash in Fort Gratiot Township Sunday afternoon seriously injured a motorcyclist. According to St. Clair County Sheriff Tim Donnellon, a 46 year old Fort Gratiot man was riding his Harley Davidson southbound on Lakeshore road shortly before 5:00 p.m. A 20 year old man from Yale was driving his 2009 Ford Fusion northbound and turned left in front of the motorcycle in the 4500 block of Lakeshore. The motorcycle crashed into the car head-on, ejecting the man from the bike. The motorcyclist was transported by Tri-Hospital EMS to McLaren Port Huron Hospital and later transferred to Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. Neither the driver of the car nor his passenger, a 20 year old man from Columbus Township was injured. The Sheriff’s Office Accident Investigation Unit was called to the scene of the crash, which remains under investigation. It is believed drug use by the driver of the car was a contributing factor in the incident. 

On June 22nd, Gregory T. Stremers was appointed to the State Bar of Michigan Government Law Section Executive Board as Chairperson. The Government Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan represents local community interest for Cities, Villages, and Townships. The Section provides education, information, and analysis about local government issues through meetings, seminars, and filing legal briefs to the Appellate Courts including the Michigan Supreme Court on issues important to local communities. Stremers has been in law practice for 26 years in St. Clair County representing local government and the people of Sanilac and St. Clair County. Greg is a partner in the law firm of Touma, Watson, Whaling, Coury, Stremers & Thomas P.C and a past president of the St. Clair County Bar Association. 

An 82-year-old Clay Twp. man was injured when the aircraft he was piloting crashed attempting to land at Marine City Airport on Friday, June 21st at 9:51 p.m.  The pilot was overdue having left from Pontiac and was located using a phone locator app by a family member. The crash was north of Arnold Rd, west of airport behind a private residence.  He was assisted at the scene by the St. Clair County Sheriff, Ira Twp. Fire Department, Richmond Lenox EMS, and the Michigan State Police. The pilot was extricated by Ira Twp. Fire and transported to McLaren Macomb.

He advised he has lost power prior to landing and that last he remembered. No further information on his status.  NTSB notified and will conduct an investigation.

LANSING, Mich. – The first West Nile virus activity for Michigan in 2019 has been confirmed in mosquitoes recently collected in Saginaw and Oakland counties and a Canada goose in Kalamazoo County. Residents are reminded that the best way to protect against West Nile virus and other mosquito-borne illnesses is to prevent mosquito bites.

People who work in outdoor occupations or like to spend time outdoors are at increased risk for West Nile virus infection from mosquito bites. Adults 60 years old and older have the highest risk of severe illness caused by West Nile virus.

Symptoms of West Nile virus include a high fever, confusion, muscles weakness and a severe headache. More serious complications include neurological illnesses, such as meningitis and encephalitis. Last year, there were 104 serious illnesses and nine deaths related to West Nile virus in Michigan. Nationally, there were 2,544 human cases of the virus and 137 deaths reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2018.

“It only takes one bite from an infected mosquito to cause a severe illness, so take extra care during peak mosquito-biting hours, which are dusk and dawn,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, MDHHS chief medical executive and chief deputy director for health. “We urge Michiganders to take precautions such as using insect repellant wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors during those time periods.”

West Nile virus is transmitted through the bite of a mosquito that has picked up the virus by feeding on an infected bird. Most people who contract the virus have no clinical symptoms of illness, but some may become ill three to 15 days after the bite of an infected mosquito. As summer temperatures rise, mosquitoes and the virus develop more quickly so it is important to protect yourself from mosquito bites as the weather warms.

Mosquitoes that transmit West Nile virus may breed near people’s homes in storm drains, shallow ditches, retention ponds, and unused pools. They will readily come indoors to bite if window and door screens are not maintained.

The best way to prevent West Nile disease or any other mosquito-borne illness is to reduce the number of mosquitoes around your home and to take personal precautions to avoid mosquito bites. Precautions include:

• Using EPA registered insect repellents with one of the following active ingredients: DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus or para-menthane-diol, and 2-undecanone; follow the product label instructions and reapply as directed.
  • Don’t use repellent on children under 2 months old. Instead dress your child in clothing that covers arms and legs and cover crib, stroller and baby carrier with mosquito netting.
• Wearing shoes and socks, light-colored long pants and a long-sleeved shirt when outdoors.
• Making sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens. Repair or replace screens that have tears or other openings.
• Using bed nets when sleeping outdoors or in conditions with no window screens.
• Eliminating all sources of standing water that can support mosquito breeding around your home, including water in bird baths, abandoned swimming pools, wading pools, old tires and any other object holding water once a week.

For more information, visit Michigan.gov/westnilevirus or Cdc.gov/westnile.