New internal government data shows more than half of Sarnia-Lambton’s long-term care homes fell short of the provincial standard for hands-on resident care in ’23 & 24. Six out of ten local facilities did not meet the target of 3 hours and 42 minutes of daily direct care per resident. Non-profit and municipal homes generally outperformed for-profit operators, with Sumac Lodge providing the lowest average at just under three hours per resident. The province plans to raise care standards to four hours per day.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

A two-vehicle crash on North Van Dyke Road in Lamotte Township last week sent one driver to the hospital. A 19-year-old Cass City man rear-ended a slowing 53-year-old Decker woman’s Hummer near Mushroom Road. The impact pushed both vehicles into ditches. Emergency crews treated both on scene, and the woman was taken to Aspire RHS in Cass City. Authorities say neither drugs nor alcohol were factors, and the names involved are being withheld pending further investigation.

In St. Clair County, the Blue Water Recovery and Outreach Center has grown from a small support group to one of the region’s largest recovery organizations. The peer-led center offers free meetings, coaching, and community events, helping hundreds each week connect with treatment, housing, and support services. Last Tuesday about 400 people attended BWROC’s annual banquet, celebrating recovery and raising an estimated $30,000 for programs. Staff with lived experience guide participants through challenges beyond addiction, emphasizing that recovery is possible and no one should face it alone.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

The St. Clair County murder trial of Wyatt Stimac is now in the jury’s hands after both sides rested their cases Thursday. Prosecutors played Stimac’s interview where he admitted following his father into the garage and firing five shots. The defense argued the killing wasn’t planned and should not be first-degree murder. A knife-related charge was dismissed, but the main charge stays. Jurors returned Friday for instructions and closing arguments. Stimac faces life in prison if convicted, plus two years for the firearm.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet