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

Blue Water Transit Adding Electric Buses

Blue Water Area Transit is getting ready to add two battery powered electric buses to their fleet, and they are inviting the community to join them for a ceremony on July 14th to celebrate.

Dave McElroy, Blue Water Area Transit Commission’s General Manager, said, “Adding electric powered buses to our existing fleet of compressed natural gas buses continues our local tradition of providing state-of-the-art, eco-friendly service. Pursuing cleaner technology for our riders and  community has been a priority of the Commission for decades.”

The new Proterra ZX5+ battery-electric transit buses have 450 kilowatt hours of onboard energy and they will be charged  in a newly constructed overnight charging station at both its Admin and Maintenance facility on Lapeer Avenue and an in-route charging station at the Downtown Port Huron Transfer Center.

Blue Water Transit is the first transit organization in the State of Michigan to add 100% battery electric buses to their fleets.

The public can attend the ceremony at BWATC’s facility at 2021 Lapeer Avenue in Port Huron on July 14th at noon.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

MiLEAP Grants Lead Workers to Jobs

The Michigan Learning and Education Advancement Program, or MiLEAP, is an effort to help job seekers transition from education and training to high skill, high-wage careers.

MiLEAP grants totaling $15.6 million were just awarded to ten recipients, including the Southeast Michigan Community Alliance.

Michigan’s Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity Acting Director Susan Corbin said, “By bringing a mix of economic development, education, non-profit and business partners together to serve as the MiLEAP consortia partners, we can ensure the customized programs developed will meet the unique needs of the over 5,000 program participants.”

The grants will support individuals who are dislocated, underemployed, serving as essential workers, living in distressed rural and urban communities or economically disadvantaged. The money will also pay for MiLEAP Navigators who will help find employment for job seekers. Individualized testing and learning plans will be offered to help increase the skill level of the work force. 

Funding for MiLEAP comes from a Reimagine Workforce Preparation Grant from the United States Department of Education.

 Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Pharmacists Can Provide Emergency Insulin Thanks to New Bills Signed into Law

Getting insulin is a matter of life or death for many people living with diabetes in Michigan. New legislation has passed to make an emergency insulin supply available to those who need it.

Senate Bill 155 allows pharmacists to use their discretion to give emergency insulin to those who may have an expired prescription, with some limitations. Senate Bill 156 requires insurance to pay for the emergency insulin.

The emergency insulin bills are being praised by pharmacists. Ed Saleh of the Arab American Pharmacist Association said, “The bill provides access to lifesaving drugs to Michiganders most prone to experiencing emergency health crisis.  A diabetic emergency can not wait till your doctor’s office reopens on Monday morning.”  

Fellow pharmacist Sammy Salem remarked, “Your community pharmacist is the most accessible provider of healthcare. Allowing them to provide insulin when the patient needs it most saves Michigan healthcare costs and Michiganders’ lives.”  

The bill was sponsored by Senator Kevin Daley who called the bills a safety net for diabetics who need the medication to survive.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

McLaren Port Huron, Marwood Award Scholarships

Port Huron, MI – McLaren Port Huron and its health care partners have awarded scholarships to 28 students pursuing degrees in professions represented in the hospital and the community. Since 1988, 524 recipients have received $615,750 through the scholarship program.

Scholarships are funded by the Carter family, Demashkieh family, McLaren Port Huron Auxiliary, Goldbold family, McLaren Port Huron Employees That Care Club, and McLaren Port Huron Foundation.

The 2021 scholarship recipients are:

Marwood Nursing & Rehab Karen Susan Draper Memorial Scholarship for Nursing: Jessica Derring of St. Clair, Tessa Horon of Emmett, Joleen Newton of Grant Township and Heather Wilson-Vani of Mussey.

McLaren Port Huron Auxiliary Scholarship:  Alexa Burch of Jeddo and Lacey Timperley of Port Huron.

McLaren Port Huron Auxiliary Seminar/Conference Scholarship:  Steve Geib of Marine City, Katherine Mayes of Port Huron and Julie Stevenson of Marysville.

McLaren Port Huron Employees That Care Scholarships:  Bradley Hunt of Fort Gratiot, Lauren Pratt of St. Clair, Nicholle Rose of Port Huron and Lauren Williamson of Palms.

McLaren Port Huron Employee Scholarships:  Misty Fisher of Yale, Jamie Kadarian of Yale, Danielle Mackey of Kenockee and Nicole Young of Port Huron.

McLaren Port Huron Foundation Nursing Scholarship:  Hannah Clink of Port Huron, Jamie Forth of Chesterfield, January Holdburg of Marysville, Ryan Hunt of Fort Gratiot, Amy Magnus of Port Huron and Kristin Roberts of Port Huron.

Shirley Jardine Carter Memorial Scholarship for Rehab Services:  Sarah Baker of Port Huron, Madison O’Neill of Clyde, Claudia Packan of St. Clair and Sarah Stevens of Clyde.

Kris Folske Memorial Scholarship for Nursing:  Jennifer DeGeer of Port Huron.

To learn more about scholarship opportunities at McLaren Port Huron, visit www.mclaren.org/phscholarship.