Whitmer Requires Face Coverings for Organized Sports

In a season of constant changes, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed an order requiring players to mask up at sports practice and competition.

Whitmer said, “The COVID-19 virus is easily spread through airborne particles and can affect everyone differently. By wearing a face covering when proper distancing is not possible, athletes will be better protected from contracting the virus and spreading it to family members, frontline workers, and vulnerable populations. We cannot afford to let our guard down. As we continue to fight this virus, we need to make smart and informed choices so we can beat COVID-19 together.”  

Michigan High School Athletic Association asked for clarification on the issue, and the mandate was issued on Wednesday. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recommended against contact sports as well as activities that involve “shouting, singing, or breathing forcefully” and encouraged extensive cleaning and outdoor practicing.

Chief Medical Executive and MDHHS Chief Deputy for Health, Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, said, “For those who do choose to play organized sports, we expect you to follow these strict safety measures and wear a face covering to reduce your risk and protect the health of your teammates, coaches, officials, and loved ones.”

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Port Huron Residents Asked to Register Bikes

Port Huron, MI — The Port Huron Police Department is asking residents to register their bicycles. The Blue Water Area has a lot of great places to ride a bike, but the fun is ruined if your bike is missing.

In a social media campaign, the department said that they accumulate numerous unclaimed bikes along with taking complaints for stolen bikes. If the owners can not be found, the bikes are sold at auction.

Registering bikes gives the department a way to connect recovered bikes with their rightful owners. Registering bikes is free and just takes a few minutes. 

Registrants are just asked for their name and address and information about the bike like the brand, model, serial number, and color. The registration gives police the information with which to notify you if your bike turns up at the police station as recovered property. 

The form can be completed online by clicking “Bicycle Registration” at porthuronpolice.org.

If citizens have information about stolen or lost bikes, they can call the Port Huron Police Department at 984-8415 or make a citizen’s report online. 

There is no penalty for not registering a bike in the city.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Michigan Teen a Finalist for 2020 Entrepreneur of the Year

Oakland County, MI — Alina Morse, and Oakland County teenager, was 7 years old when she set out to find a candy that wouldn’t ruin her teeth. That was the beginning of Zolli® Candy, an all-natural, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan and non-GMO candy that curbs your sweet tooth while improving oral health.

Zolli® Candy hit store shelves in 2014 when Alina was nine, and the line is now sold at over 25,000 retailers. In August 2020, Inc. Magazine named the company the nation’s Fastest Growing Private Candy Company, and now Alina has been named a finalist for Entrepreneur of the Year for the Michigan and Northwest Ohio region.

Entrepreneur of the Year is a competitive award program for entrepreneurs and leaders of high-growth companies, and the nominees are evaluated by a panel of independent judges. If Alina wins the regional award in October, she will be eligible for consideration for the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Awards  in November.

To learn more about Alina and Zolli® Candy, visit ZolliCandy.com.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

 

Senate Bill 745 Allocates FEMA Money for Unemployment, Invasive Carp Protection, Flood Mitigation

Michigan Senate Bill 745 was signed into law on Tuesday. The legislation appropriates $2.8 billion in federal revenues from the Federal Emergency Management Agency in several ways.

Part of the money will go toward a temporary $300 per week in added unemployment benefits to go to current beneficiaries. The extra $300 will automatically be applied for those already on unemployment.

The benefit will continue until the money runs out. Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s office did not know how many weeks it would last and called on the federal government to pass a bipartisan COVID-19 recovery package. 

The rest of the appropriation will go toward keeping Asian Carp out of the Great Lakes by putting $8 million toward the Brandon Road Lock and Dam in Illinois as well as toward flood mitigation efforts in Detroit and disaster cleanup from the breached dam in Gladwin and Midland counties.

In his comments on the bipartisan deal, State Budget Director Chris Kolb credited the good working relationship with appropriations chairs, Senator Jim Stamas and Representative Shane Hernandez.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

EPA Grants Michigan $1.9 Million to Test Drinking Water for Lead

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) has been awarded a $1.9 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for lead testing of drinking water at schools and child care facilities across the state.

EGLE is working with the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to prioritize funding to areas of the state where blood lead levels are high and schools are unable to pay for testing. Invitations have been sent to schools and child care facilities that meet the criteria of the grant program.

Selected schools and child care facilities will have their drinking water tested and EGLE and DHHS will work with the facilities to remove or remediate locations with elevated lead results.

Michigan residents over the age of 18 can become a Clean Water Ambassador for their community by visiting Michigan.gov/CleanWater. Clean Water Ambassadors are actively engaged in clean drinking water initiatives around the state.

 

Detroit Area Siblings Missing Since June

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and the Warren Police Department in Michigan are asking for the public’s help in finding these missing teen siblings.

Arianna and Elijah Johnson were last seen at their home in Detroit, Michigan on June 26, 2020. They have not been seen since. They could still be in the Detroit area.

Arianna Johnson is 17 years old, 4’11 tall, and weighs about 128 lbs. She has black hair and brown eyes.

Elijah Johnson is 16 years old, 5’4 tall, and weighs about 178 lbs. He has black hair and brown eyes. 

If anyone has information about Elijah and Arianna Johnson, you are urged to contact the Warren Police Department at 1-586-574-4700, or the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST, that’s 1-800-843-5678.