Sheriff’s Office Cracking Down on Texting while Driving

That text message can wait. Texting while driving is against the law because it is dangerous and deadly. The St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office is targeting those who text and drive from now until April 12th.

The campaign is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Safety Administration’s “U Drive, U Text, U Pay” effort. The high-visibility law enforcement is part of a national campaign.

St. Clair County Sheriff Mat King said, “People know texting and driving is dangerous and illegal, but they do it anyway.”

King went on to say, “Deputies will be stopping and ticketing anyone who is caught texting and driving. We are not trying to rack up citations, we are trying to save lives.”

Texting and driving took at least 70 lives in 2019 and resulted in 18,096 crashes.

It is against Michigan law to read, type, or even send a text message while driving unless it is for reporting a crash, crime, or in the case of an emergency.

The fine is $100 for the first offense and $200 for subsequent offenses.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit Coming to Detroit

Detroit, MI — Art lovers may have daydreamed about entering the scene of their favorite masterpieces, and now, Van Gogh lovers have that chance.

In June, a new 3-D art exhibit is coming to the TCF Center in Detroit, “Beyond Van Gogh: An Immersive Experience.”

The exhibit was created by Montreal artist Mathieu St. Arnaud at the city’s Normal Studio and has traveled across Europe and the U.S.  It will be in Detroit from June 25th until August 15th. Those who order their tickets between now and April 11th will receive 10% off by using the discount code BEYOND.

According to a press release, guests to the exhibit will “witness over 300 masterpieces, including instantly-recognizable classics such as “The Starry Night”, “Sunflowers”, and ‘Café Terrace at Night”, freed from their frames.  Van Gogh’s art comes to life by appearing and disappearing, flowing across multiple surfaces, and heightening the senses with their immense detail.  Through his own words set to a symphonic score, guests come to a new appreciation of this tortured artist’s stunning work.”

Tickets can be purchased at www.vangoghdetroit.com

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Kindergarten Round Up Just Around the Corner

Port Huron, MI — Spring is in the air which means it’s time for kindergarten round up for many area schools.  Port Huron Schools will host events at its elementary schools from May 11th through May 17th.

Children must be five years old on or before September 1, 2021 to enroll, and this year’s theme for Kindergarten Round Up is “Cars”.

Families can pre-register their kids for the Round Up event at their local school, or they can attend a Round Up at another district school if they can’t make the date at their school. They can also enroll their child at the McKinley Administration building or attend a makeup event in June at the Port Huron Schools Early Childhood Center.

When attending a Round Up event, parents should bring their child’s original birth certificate, vaccination records, and two proofs of residency.

Families that pre-register will receive a personalized goodies bag for their child at the event.

Port Huron Schools Round Up Events are:

Tuesday, May 11 from 5 to 7 p.m. at:

  • Indian Woods Elementary – 4975 W. Water, 984-6515

Wednesday, May 12 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at:

  • Michigamme Elementary – 2855 Michigan Rd., 984-6523

Wednesday, May 12 from 5 to 7 p.m. at:

  • Keewahdin Elementary – 4801 Lakeshore, 984-6517
  • Thomas Edison Elementary – 3559 Pollina Ave., 984-6507

Thursday, May 13 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at:

    • Garfield Elementary – 1221 Garfield St., 984-6509
    • Roosevelt Elementary – 1112 20th St., 984-6525

Thursday, May 13 from 5 to 7 p.m. at: 

    • Crull Elementary – 2615 Hancock, 984-6504

Monday, May 17 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at: 

    • Literacy Academy at Cleveland – 2801 Vanness St., 984-6500

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Free Meal Kits Available on Mondays During Virtual School

Port Huron, MI — With school going online for the next few weeks due to COVID cases in the area, the Port Huron Area School District is still offering nutrition to students.

The district is handing out five days’ worth of meal kits at a time. Any child in the district who is eighteen years of age or younger is eligible to receive the meals.

Food is available every Monday, starting April 12th, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at both the Port Huron Northern High School Performing Arts Center on Krafft Road and the Port Huron High School Performing Arts Center on 24th Street.

Parents can simply walk to the doors to pick up the food. They will need to tell the staff how many children they are getting food for. Children do not need to be present. If there are transportation or schedule issues, friends or family can pick up the meals for other families.

All children in the district are eligible to receive the meal kits. No proof of income is required.

Meals generally include milk, juice, a breakfast entrée, a lunch entrée, and fruit like applesauce or raisins. A link to the menu:

https://phasd.nutrislice.com/menu/port-huron-northern/pick-up-virtual-7-day-menu/2021-04-07

Reporting for WGRT- Jennie McClelland

Blue Water Fest Plans Moving Forward

Port Huron, MI — Plans are moving forward for this year’s Blue Water Fest, and the event is scheduled for July 22 – 23rd.

The event will have a smaller footprint in Downtown Port Huron this year, as most of the entertainment and activities will be on Quay Street and in the parking lot between the Zebra Bar and the 7th Street Bridge.

Huron Avenue (Main Street) will remain open this year, and instead of the usual entertainment performed on the Huron Avenue stage, artists and musicians will be spread throughout the downtown area in pocket parks and local businesses.

Cynthia Cutright, Director of the City of Port Huron’s Downtown Development Authority (DDA), said they are planning for a carnival this year as well. The carnival will be set up in the west parking lot of the Blue Water Transit station on the corner of Erie St. and Grand River.

Some other returning favorites to look forward to include Mannequins Making a Difference sponsored by Salon Pizazz and Operation Transformation’s Family Night which takes place the Thursday night before Blue Water Fest on the 22nd.

The Bayview Mackinac sailboat race is still planned to take off from Port Huron on July 24th, and as of yesterday, they had 172 boats registered.

Although those planning events are still working with a lot of unknowns, there is a feeling of hope that the community will be able to come together safely to enjoy outdoor summer events in the Blue Water Area.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

Nursing Homes See Decline in COVID Cases Since Vaccine Rollout

The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living are reporting a 96% decline in new COVID-19 cases in nursing homes around the country since the vaccine rollout in December.

Mark Parkinson, President and CEO of AHCA/NCAL, said, “We are not out of the woods yet, but these numbers are incredibly encouraging and a major morale booster for frontline caregivers who have been working tirelessly for more than a year to protect our residents. This trend shows that when long term care is prioritized, as with the national vaccine rollout, we can protect our vulnerable elderly population.”

Data from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services shows that hospitalizations in the current surge of the virus are down for the age groups 60 and up compared to the last surge of the virus in the winter. The data also shows that cases in those ages groups began to decline as the group began to be vaccinated.

New data from the CDC reports that in a study with 4,000 healthcare workers, first responders, and essential workers who were tested weekly for the virus, the vaccine prevented 90% of all infections, including those that were asymptomatic.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand