education

Supporting The YMCA Helps Support Our Children

The YMCA is making a difference in the Blue Water Area by offering programs that aim to create a better future for children and teenagers. 

The Y’s programs promote positive behaviors and values, support child development, and encourage children to explore their talents and interests. Their licensed child care and early learning programs prioritize early brain development and provide a safe and healthy environment for children to learn foundational skills, develop trusting relationships, and build self-reliance through values like caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility.

The Y also offers opportunities for children to stay active and develop healthy habits through swim, sports, and play programs that promote good sportsmanship and teamwork, building the whole child from the inside out.

In addition to these programs, the Y provides a range of camp options that allow children to discover new talents, explore nature, gain independence, and create lasting friendships. 

If you would like to support the many programs the Blue Water Area YMCA offers, visit: bluewaterareaymca.com.

Michiganders Who Text And Drive Beware

A report states that around 660,000 people in Michigan try to use their phones while driving, leading to approximately 1.6 million crashes each year.

To address this, three proposed bills, House Bill 4250, 4251, and 4252, aim to prohibit the use of any mobile device while driving, including social media, filming, and taking phone calls. There are a few exceptions, such as dash cameras and cell phones secured in a mount, and using phones to report an accident or crime.

First-time offenders would receive a $100 civil fine, with $250 for each subsequent offense, and fines would be doubled if a violation occurs during an accident. The bill has already been passed in the Michigan House of Representatives and is now moving to the Senate.

Motorists are advised to utilize built-in Bluetooth capability or invest in adapters for non-Bluetooth-capable cars to make phone calls while driving, but otherwise, cell phone use while driving in Michigan may soon be illegal. 

Reporting for WGRT – Choze Powell

Veterans Be On The Lookout For The Pact Act Luncheon In Port Huron

The St. Clair County Veterans PACT ACT event is happening on Wednesday, May 10th, at the Port Huron Elks Lodge #343. The free event aims to encourage veterans to apply for new health care benefits with expedited enrollment and to initiate claims.

The Veteran’s Administration is conducting a nationwide outreach campaign to ensure that every veteran and survivor receives the health care and benefits they have earned. The event will provide information about these new benefits and assist veterans with the application process.

Doors open at 10:00 am and close at 2:00 pm, a free box-type lunch will be provided, including a Ham, Turkey, or Vegetable Wrap, bag of potato chips, chocolate chip cookie, and a bottle of water. The event will take place at the Port Huron Elks Lodge 343 located at 3292 Beach Road, Port Huron.

For more information, visit: sccvet.us.

Reporting for WGRT – Choze Powell

The Blue Water Area YMCA Food Programs Help Feed Those In Need

While most of us take having enough food for granted, one in seven children in Michigan face hunger. The numbers are even higher in St. Clair County, where 28% of children do not get enough to eat, according to the No Kid Hungry Center for Best Practices.

Thankfully, there are individuals in the community fighting to reduce these alarming statistics, including Cheryl Flanagan. For over a year, Cheryl has volunteered at the Blue Water YMCA to feed local children.

As a Y member for 35 years, Cheryl was eager to get involved in something meaningful after enduring the COVID pandemic’s restrictions. She soon began working with the Y’s food program, preparing meals for over 500 children per week at several locations, including Cleveland Elementary School, Port Huron Housing, and eligible kids in daycare at the Y.

The Blue Water Area YMCA is on the front lines of providing healthy meals to our children that may be experiencing food insecurity.

If you would like to donate to the Blue Water Area YMCA to help support programs like these, visit: bluewaterymca.com/give.

MDHHS Honors Missing And Murdered Indigenous Persons Day

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day is today, providing an opportunity to remember countless lives lost while bringing awareness to the issue of violence against Indigenous communities.

The Michigan Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention and Treatment Board has issued a resolution to recognize Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day and encourages Michiganders to attend gatherings and marches hosted by federally recognized tribes throughout the state.

“Missing and murdered women and Indigenous people are long-standing issues connected to this country’s history of assimilation policies,” said Chief Judge Melissa Pope of the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi and member of the Michigan Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention and Treatment Board.

Cases of missing and murdered Indigenous people, especially women and girls, are often under-reported, under-investigated, and remain unsolved throughout the United States. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, murder is the third-leading cause of death among American Indian and Alaska Native Women on tribal lands.

For more information, visit: StrongHeartsHelpline.org

Reporting for WGRT – Choze Powell

Port Huron’s 7th & 10th Street Bridges Undergoing Maintenance

The City of Port Huron’s Streets Division has announced the annual maintenance washing of the 10th and 7th Street Bridges beginning Monday, May 8th at 11:00 p.m. The work is expected to be completed by Friday, May 12th at 6:00 a.m.

During this period, the roadways will remain open to vehicular traffic, but motorists can expect periodic lane closures in both directions. The work will be carried out at night to minimize the impact on the public.

The City of Port Huron apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause and encourages motorists to exercise caution while driving through the work zones. If there are any further questions regarding this matter, residents are advised to contact the Department of Public Works.

The maintenance washing of the 10th Street Bridge and 7th Street Bridges is a routine procedure carried out every year to ensure the safety of the structures and maintain their longevity. 

Reporting for WGRT – Choze Powell