local news

Dr. Reddy & Dr. Mercatante Receive Nasr Award for Community Service

The St. Clair County Medical Society (SCCMS) awards its prestigious Dr. Bassam Nasr Community Service Leader Award each year, and the 2021 honorees are Dr. Sushma Reddy and Dr. Annette Mercatante.

The SCCMS is made up of physicians from around the Blue Water Area who come together for philanthropy, professional development, and socialization. The Nasr award is named after the late Dr. Bassam Nasr, a local gastroenterologist, philanthropist, and one of the co-founders of Physician Healthcare Network.

Dr. Reddy was recognized as “one of the most dedicated volunteers our medical community has ever known.” She has led community health efforts such as The Blue Water Walking Club and the Walk for Summer Reading, and she has been a volunteer at the People’s Clinic for over 15 years.

Dr. Mercatante was noted as meeting the challenge of leading throughout the pandemic with “expertise, fast and precise decision making, and the swift actions needed to maximize available resources to care for COVID-19 patients.” Her colleagues in the SCCMS describe her leadership as “tireless, and her expertise has been a vital factor in minimizing the number
of COVID deaths in our community.”

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

Vaccine Clinic Cancelled Today – Rescheduled for Thursday

The St. Clair County Health Department (SCCHD) is cancelling its COVID-19 vaccination clinic for today, Tuesday, February 16 at the Blue Water Convention Center (BWCC). St. Clair County has closed all non-essential operations due to the winter storm and dangerous conditions.

Today’s clinic is rescheduled and will be combined with another clinic currently scheduled on Thursday, February 18, from 10:00am -7:00pm at the BWCC.  Individuals who had an appointment today, should plan for the same appointment time on Thursday.

If you are unable to attend the rescheduled clinic occurring on Thursday, please do the following:

  • Email covid19@stclaircounty.org
  • On Wednesday, 2/17, call the SCCHD (810) 987-5300 or (810) 966-4163 during regular business hours.

Submitted by the St Clair County Health Department

McClain Creates Advisory Council of Local Farmers

Today, Congresswoman Lisa McClain (R-MI) announced the creation of an Agriculture Advisory Council, a group of experienced farmers who will serve as the Congresswoman’s trusted voices for issues impacting the agriculture community in Michigan’s 10th Congressional District.

“Agriculture is a major industry in Michigan’s thumb, and there’s no one that knows the issues our farmers are dealing with day to day better than the farmers,” said Rep. McClain. “I look forward to routinely meeting with my new Agriculture Advisory Council to stay in tune with the issues impacting our farmers to ensure they are represented well in Washington.”

The Agriculture Advisory Council will consist of the following members: Clint Hagen, Carl (CJ) Bednarski, Mike Noll, Rita Herford, Kip Siegler, Larry Decock, Matt Frostic and Charlie Lewis:

Clint Hagen grows sugar beets, navy beans and white wheat at his farm in Huron County.

Carl (CJ) Bednarski resides in Tuscola County, where he grows sugar beets, dry beans, white wheat and corn.

Mike Noll is a farmer in Sanilac County who grows dry beans, soybeans, corn, white wheat, alfalfa and sugar beets. He also raises dairy cows and has a feedlot.

Rita Herford grows sugar beets, dry edible beans, wheat, corn and rye on her farm in Huron County.

Kip Siegler specializes in dairy. He also grows hay, corn, wheat and soybeans at his farm in Lapeer County.

Matt Frostic lives in Sanilac County where he raises beef cattle and also grows sugar beets, corn, soybeans and dry beans.

Larry Decock runs a specialty greenhouse and melon farm in Macomb County.

Charlie Lewis is a fifth-generation farmer in St. Clair County. He grows corn, soybeans, sugar beets, wheat and also raises beef cattle.

Rep. McClain looks forward to working with these farmers on agriculture issues in the coming months.

Submitted by the office of Congresswoman Lisa McClain

 

Innovative New Playgrounds Coming to Lighthouse and Palmer Parks

Port Huron, MI — Being a kid in Port Huron is about to be even more fun. Both Lighthouse Park and Palmer Park are getting new playground equipment. Renderings of the proposed playgrounds show equipment that children may have only dreamed could be in their neighborhood parks.

The equipment shown for Palmer Park is large enough to accommodate up to 120 children. Palmer Park is the home of a popular summer childcare program and a hub for activity with sports courts, Sprout City, which is a child-size simulated city, and a large hillside slide. The new play structure will resemble a figure eight and be handicap accessible. There is only one other structure like it in the nation.

With the Port Huron Recreation Department seeking to make each park a separate destination and make recreation accessible to everyone, the outdated playground equipment at Lighthouse Park is also being replaced and will resemble a light house. New bathrooms are also under construction at Lighthouse Park.

The new equipment is being funded with a combination of grants from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the Ralph C. Wilson Foundation, the Community Foundation of St. Clair County, private donors, and city funds.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Additional Food Assistance Extended

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announced that approximately 350,000 Michigan families will continue to have access to additional food assistance benefits during February as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Michigan previously approved the additional food assistance beginning in March 2020 – and now it is being extended for February 2021 with approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service.

Eligible clients will see additional food assistance benefits on their Bridge Card by Feb. 28, with payments beginning for some households on Feb. 18. Additional benefits will be loaded onto Bridge Cards as a separate payment from the assistance that is provided earlier in the month.

Below are the maximum allowable benefits for SNAP customers based on their respective household size:

  • One Person: $234
  • Two Persons: $430
  • Three Persons: $616
  • Four Persons: $782
  • Five Persons: $929
  • Six Persons: $1,114
  • Seven Persons: $1,232
  • Eight Persons: $1,408

The federal government is providing additional funding to states for food assistance under House Resolution 6201, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

Eligible families do not need to re-apply to receive the additional benefits. People who receive food assistance can check their benefits balance on their Michigan Bridge Card by going online to www.michigan.gov/MIBridges or calling a consumer service representative toll-free at 888-678-8914. They can ask questions about the additional benefits by calling or emailing their caseworker.

Customer service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Spanish and Arabic service is available. If you are deaf, deafblind, or hard of hearing or speech-impaired, call the Michigan Relay Center at 7-1-1.

Submitted by MDHHS

Local Contractors Rehabilitate Lincoln Street Home Slated for Demolition

 

Port Huron, MI — A Port Huron house that was slated for a date with a bulldozer due to years of neglect and serious code violations has been rehabbed and turned into a beautiful home waiting for a family to move in. Thanks to the hard work and vision of local residents and business partners, Scott Fleet and Steve Ainsworth, 1214 Lincoln Avenue has been transformed.

The house, not far from St. Clair County Community College, McLaren Hospital, and Downtown Port Huron, had potential that perhaps only Fleet and Ainsworth could see. Even the neighbors wanted it gone. Mr. Fleet and Mr. Ainsworth said they knew it would be expensive, but they had the construction resources to make it happen.

Scott Fleet said, “As we look back on this project we joke with each other that we might have gotten a little carried away, but this house had so much character to offer that we just couldn’t help ourselves.”

Fleet said his vision for the house “is to have the right family that can appreciate the architecture and beauty of this home. We would like to see this renovation help carry the positive momentum through this fantastic city.”

Port Huron City Manager James Freed referred to the renovation as “an absolutely breathtaking rehabilitation of the home”.

Scott Fleet and Steve Ainsworth wish to thank:

Scott’s Dad, their patient wives, Ainsworth Construction, TMA Electric, Spray Foam International, Northeast Plumbing, Ainsworth Door Company, Gates Roofing, Bob Anderson Painting, Luis Rivera Carpentry

 

BEFORE – Lincoln St. Rehab

 

AFTER – Lincoln St. Rehab

 

AFTER – Lincoln St. Rehab

 

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland