Local Developers Can Partner with City of Port Huron

The  City of Port Huron is looking for help from local developers to rehabilitate homes they have acquired through tax foreclosures. Qualified developers can apply for the new Developer Partnership Program (DPP) from now until July 30, 2021.

Under the DPP, developers would be able to purchase up to six homes from the city, rehabilitate them, and then sell them for a profit.

Developers must agree to, and prove to the city, that they have invested in the neighborhood by investing at least 50% of the home’s final Approved Market Value on the purchase of the home and the remodeling costs.

According to James Freed, Port Huron City Manager, the DPP will help get these homes rehabilitated and on the market more quickly than the city could on its own.

“With the current housing shortage we wanted to get these homes, often times blighted, back to like-new condition and into the hands of residents who need them as quick as possible,” said Freed. “We are proud of this new and innovative public-private partnership and believe it will serve our neighborhoods well.”

Developers interested in the Developer Partnership Program can contact the Community Development Program Administrator for the City of Port Huron, Katie Posey at (810) 984-9736 or download the application at https://www.porthuron.org/business/pending_bids.php

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

Free Activities for Youth Promote Healthy Lifestyles

St. Clair County, MI — The St. Clair County SPEAK coalition’s mission is to prevent youth substance abuse and they use creative activities to promote healthy lifestyles.

All school aged St. Clair County youth can participate in their virtual scavenger hunt that takes place through the GooseChase app.  Youth complete missions in the app to earn points, and the highest point-getter will receive a $100 Amazon Gift Card.

The scavenger hunt is available from now until August 15, 2021.

The SPEAK Coalition is also sponsoring a free Youth Trivia Night at the YMCA of the Blue Water Area on August 19th at 6 PM. The trivia night includes pizza and prizes while educating and engaging those in attendance.

For more information, visit the SPEAK Coalition’s Facebook or Instagram page.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Belle Isle Aquarium Reopens July 16

The Belle Isle Aquarium is reopening after an extensive closure. The Aquarium will open at 10:00 a.m. on July 16th.

The Aquarium, located on Belle Isle, a Michigan State Park in Detroit, has been closed for sixteen months. The Aquarium has undergone $1.2 million in renovations, taking advantage of the forced closure due to COVID to make some much-needed upgrades. The renovations set the stage for future generations to learn about aquatic life and enjoy the beautiful setting. 

Opened in 1904, the Belle Isle Aquarium is an architectural wonder, designed by Albert Kahn. It is the oldest aquarium in the country.

Visiting the Aquarium is free, but donations are gladly accepted. Visitors will need a State Parks pass to enter the island.

The Aquarium improvements include “enhancing the quality of the visitor experience, upgrading exhibits, stabilizing critical life support systems, and modernizing behind the scenes infrastructure” according to their announcement.

The Aquarium is open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

New Traffic Shifts Planned for I-69 Road Work

Interstate 69 in St. Clair County is at the heart of the Rebuilding Michigan program that is targeting roads that are critical to the state’s economy and carry heavy traffic loads. While the work is going on, drivers will need to be prepared for new traffic shifts and closures of lanes and ramps.

The Michigan Department of Transportation says that the investment in roads is aimed at making longer useful lives of the roads and improving the condition of the state’s infrastructure. The work is planned to make the roads smoother and improve the driving experience.

The work going on right now involves moving the eastbound I-69 traffic onto the newly built lanes on the eastbound roadbed. The eastbound Riley Center Road ramps will reopen.

The westbound ramps at M-19 near Emmett will be closed and detoured. The ramps will be closed through October of this year.

Next week, the westbound traffic will be shifted to the eastbound roadway and the westbound ramp at Riley Center will be closed and detoured.

The latest work on I-69 started over the weekend and is scheduled to be completed in November of 2022. The project has a $38 million price tag.

Reporting for WGRT- Jennie McClelland

Health Department Asks Community to Participate in Survey

The St. Clair County Behavioral Risk Factor Survey (BRFS) begins today,  July 12th,  and St. Clair County residents may be randomly selected to participate in the survey. The health department is asking residents who are contacted by Wilkins Research to answer the phone call and take the survey.

At least 1,200 residents will be randomly selected and contacted by Wilkins Research, and the call will come from a 423 area code number from Tennessee. Participation in the survey is voluntary, anonymous, and confidential.

Responses to the survey will be included in a report that provides an overview of the community’s opinion of health-related needs and concerns.

The feedback provided will help:

  • assess community members’ health risks
  • monitor health trends
  • respond to emerging public health issues
  • provide data for planning and development
  • enable community organizations to secure grant funding
  • determine where funds can best be allocated
  • work to improve treatment

The survey includes health-related questions about exercise, tobacco use, doctor visits, health insurance and other topics. Additional questions were added to determine how the COVID-19 pandemic may have affected people’s behaviors and in what ways it may have impacted their health.

“Information from this survey reveals how healthy St. Clair County is in many specific areas compared to Michigan and the United States,” said Dr. Annette Mercatante, Medical Health Officer with the St. Clair County Health Department. “The results will help hospitals and other organizations target their efforts to where the need is greatest. We’re asking residents who receive a call to please contribute their time to this valuable project.”

The St. Clair County BRFS is one of the primary data sources that contributes to the St. Clair County Community Needs Assessment (CHNA). Previous assessments also guided strategies developed in the St. Clair County Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP).

To find more information about St. Clair County community assessments and planning visit http://www.stclaircounty.org/Offices/health/CHAP.aspx

For more information call (810) 987-5300. To learn more about Health Department services visit www.scchealth.co and follow us on social media @scchdmi.

Submitted by the St. Clair County Health Department