State Fire Marshal Kevin Sehlmeyer urges Michiganders to take a proactive approach towards home fire safety as they spend more time at home. Since January 1, 2020, 55 people have died as a result of a residential fire in Michigan, with 15 in the month of April alone. There has been a 41 percent increase in the number of fire fatalities compared to this time last year.

In 9 of the 15 fatal fires in April, the fires were burning in an area where the occupants could not use the front door to escape, and only three of the fires in April had working smoke alarms.  “Every family needs to talk about what would happen if a fire in their home prevented them from using the front or back door,” said Sehlmeyer.

Here are some tips from the fire marshal:

• Consider how you would escape from every room of your home.
• Consider purchasing an escape ladder to exit through a second story window.
• If a smoke alarm sounds ,everyone needs to exit the home as quickly as possible and meet at a pre-designated meeting spot away from the house.
• Only call 911 after you have exited the home.

Reporting for WGRT – Marty Doorn

Michigan Native American tribes own a total of 26 casinos. So far, they have followed the Governor’s executive order that requires casinos to close until the end of May. However, that is about to change.

The Island Resort and Casino in the Upper Peninsula has announced it plans to reopen on Wednesday, May 6th. In a statement, the tribal leader said, “We are excited to see you here at the Island Resort & Casino! As always, we strive to provide superior service and quality entertainment for our guests. To do this in the safest manner, while keeping the health of our guests and employees the number one priority, we have outlined these guidelines and expectations to ensure a healthy return.”

According to their website, each entrance will be equipped with a staff member who will check the temperature of both employees and customers. Anyone who registers a temperature over 100 degrees will be refused entry. The casino will have face masks to hand out to guests if they want to wear one, but that is not a requirement of entry.

The resort is locates 20 miles west of Escanaba in the south-central UP.  It is owned and operated by the Hannahville Indian Community. The tribal leaders say they will soon announce reopening dates for their on-site hotel and golf course.

Reporting for WGRT – Marty Doorn

The Fournier Insurance Agency has relocated their office from Pine Grove Avenue in Port Huron to the Arashi Lofts building. Arashi Lofts is located in downtown Port Huron on the Black River at the corner of Quay and Military Streets.

The Fournier Insurance Agency is an exclusive Allstate agency, owned Rusty Fournier. Fournier has been an award-winning Allstate agent for 24 years, and has been in the insurance industry for 37 years in both St. Clair and Macomb counties. The agency staff has been working from home since March 23rd due to the coronavirus statewide shutdown but hopes to return to their new office as soon as permissible.

Allstate agents at the Fournier Agency are gearing up for major changes in auto insurance as a result of insurance reform in Michigan slated to take effect on July 1st. In an effort to reduce auto insurance rates, auto owners will now have the option to choose varying limits of liability. For more information about the Rusty Fournier Allstate Insurance Agency, visit their Facebook page or website.

Reporting for WGRT – Marty Doorn

Initial manufacturing of a COVID-19 vaccine will take place in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and the first healthy volunteers in the U.S. and Germany have been injected as part of the clinical trial.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer said in a press release, “This is great news for our families, our neighbors, and those serving on the front lines during this crisis. COVID-19 has shown how vulnerable our country is when it comes to supply chain and much of the lifesaving materials we need are manufactured out of the country. That’s why we are so proud that one of the largest pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities in the world is the Pfizer site right here in Kalamazoo, Michigan. In fact, Michigan has a strong history of vaccine development with the polio and anthrax vaccines. Pfizer is a great partner and the State of Michigan and our strong manufacturing roots stand ready to serve.”

Even though there is limited knowledge about how immunity works with COVID-19, researchers are moving forward using information about other coronaviruses and research on how antibodies neutralize viruses. Pfizer is testing more than one version of the vaccine to determine safety and immune response.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Sanborn Gratiot Memorial Home of Port Huron, a nonprofit assisted living facility for low income seniors, has announced it will conduct a virtual fundraiser to replace its annual spring community luncheon.

The “2020 Spring Friendraising Campaign” was kicked off this week with a direct mail, email and social media campaign. The local nonprofit is hoping to raise $20,000 via the campaign. A group of donors has pledged $8,000 in matching funds, so all donations made to the campaign up to $8,000 will be doubled.

“Sanborn Gratiot Memorial Home provides affordable, comfortable, and safe assisted living to the aging community,” said Kathy Swantek, executive director of Blue Water Developmental Housing, Inc., a nonprofit that manages SGMH.”An integral part of the Sanborn Gratiot mission is reserving space for residents who are unable to pay for services. The funds raised at the luncheon each year contribute greatly to helping us meet that need and fulfill our mission.”

Swantek noted that Sanborn Gratiot Memorial Home provides a place to live for residents of St. Clair County who might otherwise have nowhere to go. “We recently welcomed a female resident from Clay Township,” said Swantek. “Her neighbors called for help because she was in great medical distress. She received a diagnosis of terminal cancer, and she lost her home due to excessive medical expenses. She was homeless. We were able to provide a home for her so she can live out the rest of her life in a warm, comfortable and safe space surrounded by new friends.”

Both Corporate Sponsorships and Individual Donations are being accepted during the campaign, which runs now through May 31, 2020. For more information about the campaign, or to make a donation online, please visit the 2020 Sanborn Gratiot Memorial Home Spring Friendraising Campaign Eventbrite page <HERE>.

Since 1944, Sanborn Gratiot Memorial Home has provided quality assisted living to lower income seniors, many of whom had no other housing alternative. Sanborn Home is the only “licensed home for the aged” in St. Clair County and the only senior residence with a mission to serve lower income individuals.

It is the mission of Sanborn Gratiot Memorial Home to provide an affordable, comfortable, safe, assisted living home to the aging community while striving to maintain a high quality of life for our residents through social activities and family involvement.