local news

McLaren Port Huron Opens Heart and Vascular Center

Port Huron, Mich. – McLaren Port Huron officials opened the doors to the new James C. Acheson Heart and Vascular Center Monday, Aug. 10, 2020.  The 10,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility offers comprehensive services to patients undergoing cardiovascular testing and procedures.

The new, $2,175,000 center encompasses both non-invasive and invasive cardiac and vascular imaging and testing, including nuclear medicine, echocardiography, electrophysiology, stress tests and more in one convenient location. These services help diagnose patients with a range of heart conditions – including but not limited to – heart disease, heart failure, abnormal heartbeats or arrhythmia, blocked coronary arteries and circulatory problems.

In addition to the opening of the James C. Acheson Heart and Vascular Center, a new cardiac observation unit opened in July.

The James C. Acheson Heart and Vascular Center is one of the final phases of the five-year $161 million master facility plan that McLaren began in 2015.  It follows renovations completed in the north tower in 2019, and the opening of the new four-story, 175,000-square-foot south patient tower in 2018 and the Barbara Ann Karmanos Center Institute in 2016.

The new center was named the James C. Acheson Heart and Vascular Center in honor of the generous contributions made to McLaren Port Huron by the James C. Acheson Foundation over the years.

“Contributions to McLaren Port Huron have always been made with one purpose in mind – to save lives,” says James C. Acheson.  “The cardiovascular team at McLaren has always provided excellent care, but the comprehensive heart and vascular center – equipped with the newest technology and equipment – will undoubtedly enhance patient care.”

“Dr. Acheson’s continued generosity and support is admirable, and we are sincerely grateful for his philanthropic efforts,” says Eric Cecava, McLaren Port Huron’s President and CEO.  “We hope his namesake on the center illustrates his unwavering commitment to the Blue Water community.”

Lake Huron Medical Center August Employee of the Month

Port Huron, MI – Lake Huron Medical Center (LHMC) is pleased to announce its August 2020
Employee of the Month, Stephanie Sider. LHMC is honored to have a strong team of staff and
volunteers working hard to deliver high-quality care to the Blue Water Area.

Stephanie is a Respiratory Therapist and has been with LHMC since December 2018. She was
nominated by a peer who commented, “Stephanie did a remarkable job with a Priority 1 transport out of our ER. She assisted the medic with the vent set up and operation. She went above and beyond to calm the medic down so that together they could provide the best possible quality of care to the patient.”

Lake Huron Medical Center is proud of each of its employees and volunteers; and extends a
special thank you and congratulations to all our team members, especially Stephanie, as we
celebrate her accomplishments.

To learn more about the programs and services offered at Lake Huron Medical Center, visit
www.mylakehuron.com.

Absent Voter Ballot Application Period Open

The application period to request an absent voter ballot for the November 3rd general election is open. Voters can now sign up to vote absentee and return their ballots as soon as they are ready.

Record-breaking numbers of absentee ballots were submitted in the August primary election, and the numbers are expected to be just as high or higher in November.

All registered voters can apply for an absent voter ballot by filling out an online form at Michigan.gov/vote. They will need to provide their driver’s license or state ID number along with the last four digits of their Social Security Number.

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson just  announced that Michigan Secretary of State branch offices will be offering special appointments and extended hours for residents who need to renew their driver’s license or state ID cards that expire between January 1st and September 30th of 2020.

These special appointments will be specifically for IDs that expire between those dates and require in-person renewal, and it should help people get their IDs renewed in preparation for the November election.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Blue Water Area COVID-19 Update August 21, 2020

St. Clair County, MI — Lambton County, Ontario

Cumulative confirmed COVID-19 cases as of August 21, 2020 at  9:00 AM are as follows:

  • State of Michigan: 94,697 confirmed cases; 6,368 deaths
  • St. Clair County: 733 confirmed cases; 52 deaths
  • Ontario: 41,048  confirmed cases;  2,793 deaths
  • Sarnia-Lambton: 336 confirmed cases; 25 deaths

St. Clair County currently has 66 active cases of the virus, down 23 cases from last week, and 3% of hospital beds in the county are being used for COVID-19 patients.

In a press conference on Facebook yesterday, Dr. Mercatante, Medical Health Officer at the St. Clair County Health Department, said cases of COVID-19 in the county are stable, and the data shows a lower rate of transmission in our community.

She reinforced precautions for people who are traveling. Even though there are no requirements for quarantining after you travel, she recommended that anyone experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 after travelling should be tested and limit exposure to other people for 14 days.

She also addressed the issue of children wearing masks in school. If students have a note from a medical doctor saying they cannot medically tolerate a mask, it will be up to each individual school whether that student will be allowed to attend in-person classes. From a public health perspective, virtual learning is likely the best option for any student who cannot tolerate wearing a mask to school.

Lambton County currently has 11 active cases, and is still experiencing a low rate of hospitalizations and deaths related to COVID-19.

The Lambton Kent District School Board released their plan for reopening schools this fall, and the plan includes safety measures to return to full-time in-class learning in September. The safety measures include cohorting, masking, and screening for COVID-19. Families can also sign up for the virtual option by August 28th. Learn more <HERE>

 

Please continue to rely on reputable sources for information on COVID-19:

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

After a Season of Cancellations, McMorran Looks Forward to the Prowlers Hitting the Ice

Port Huron, MI — McMorran Place Sports and Entertainment Center has announced that while several events have been cancelled and postponed, there is still hope for hockey season.

The tribute shows, “Old Friends, A tribute to Simon & Garfunkel” and “Rumours, The Ultimate Fleetwood Mac Tribute” have been pushed to March and May. Ticket holders can use their existing tickets for the new shows.

The Port Huron Prowlers, a minor professional ice hockey team in the Federal Prospects Hockey League, plan to hit the ice at some point in the near future. The arena has been completely renovated, but the question remains as to how many fans can be in attendance. 

McMorran is operated by the Recreation Department under the direction of the McMorran Civic Center Authority. They are hopeful that they can start scheduling events in early 2021.

For now, entertainment is available outside of McMorran with the construction of “McMorran Beach”, where sand has been spread out and there are beach chairs and corn hole games for those who want to get out of the house and be social while following safety protocols.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Colleges Take Measures to Prevent Virus Outbreaks

Statewide, colleges are struggling with the decision to either keep students learning from home or give them the full experience of in-person class and campus life. This week, Michigan State University announced that they are transitioning from in-person to remote classes and that students will not be moving into the dorms, with few exceptions.

So far, the dorms are open at Saginaw Valley, Central, U of M, and other public universities in the state. Private colleges like Alma and Albion are planning in-person classes while practicing health precautions.

St. Clair County Community College has moved many classes online, but they are also planning to hold in-person classes in health services, engineering technology, graphic design, and lab components of certain classes.

For MSU, being the largest university in the state, the risk of having a virus outbreak outweighed the huge economic, social, and educational impacts of having an empty campus. In a letter to students, Samuel L. Stanley, Jr., MD, President of MSU, said that there will be refunds and credits for those who had already paid housing and food service bills.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland