port huron

YMCA Aligns Mask Rules with CDC, State of Michigan

Port Huron, MI — The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) added exceptions to their Gatherings and Face Mask Order on Saturday, May 15th, most notably, removing the requirement to wear a face mask for fully vaccinated persons. The YMCA of the Blue Water Area has decided to align its mask rules with the new order.

Josh Chapman, President/CEO of the YMCA of the Blue Water Area, said in a press release that the “YMCA has instituted numerous health and safety measures to best protect everyone who enters the Y, including: daily health screenings for members and staff, rigorous daily cleaning protocols, use of electrostatic spraying equipment nightly, capacity tracking, and social distancing requirements for all activities.”

In light of that, the YMCA is following the new guidelines and will not require fully vaccinated individuals to wear a mask in their facility.

Chapman notes that a fully vaccinated individual is defined as someone who is 2 weeks past their second dose of a two-dose vaccine or 2 weeks past their first dose of a single-dose vaccine.

The YMCA is asking guests and members to their facility to follow their core values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility in relation to the face mask guidelines, and will not ask for proof of vaccination.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Blue Meets Green Initiative Establishes Priorities

The Blue Meets Green Initiative’s mission is to develop the Blue Water Region into a prosperous, sustainable economic environment through community collaboration. Their Phase VI priorities were established at their recent committee meeting, and address issues such as workforce training, countywide broadband access, and child care.

The Blue Meets Green committee will work to make the following Phase VI priorities a reality through partnerships with public, private, and nonprofit leaders:

  1. Marine City Marina – Marine City, Michigan is a destination place for thousands of tourists every year.  However, Marine City is bypassed by boaters due to the lack of boat docking, fuel, shore power and boating amenities.  The Marine City Marina project would add another safe harbor for boaters.
  2. Countywide Broadband Strategic Plan – This effort will support the development of a countywide broadband strategic action plan. The plan would serve as a roadmap to establish the infrastructure needed to push broadband forward in St. Clair County.
  3. Expanded Training / Workforce Training – The workforce training facilities at St. Clair County Community College and RESA require expansion. This would allow for new or expanded programs, equipment, and the capacity to increase student enrollment. The goal is to increase the number of people with credentials including degrees, advanced degrees, certifications or completed apprenticeships.
  4. COVID-19 Vaccine Planning – The COVID-19 vaccine distribution process / community vaccination initiatives will not be successful without the robust support and participation by our entire business community and community leadership. COVID-19 vaccines are a pathway to ending this pandemic. There has never been a vaccination project that has required this type of coordination, communications and surveillance. There is no vaccination project that will have the same level of impact on the economy, education, and quality of life.
  5. Increasing Child Care Options – Prior to the pandemic, many area residents were struggling with finding available child care options. This issue has exploded since the pandemic. Without additional child care options, more St. Clair County residents will be forced to leave the workforce, creating an even tighter labor market for the county.

Past Blue Meets Green projects include the Sperry’s building rehabilitation into Sperry’s Moviehouse and the YMCA property development.

To learn more about Blue Meets Green, visit their website here:

https://sites.google.com/bluemeetsgreen.org/bluemeetsgreen/home

 

 

 

 

PHS Advocator, Innovator, and Educator of the Year Announced

Port Huron, MI — Port Huron Schools announced this year’s recipients of the Advocator, Innovator, and Educator of the Year Awards. The annual awards were delivered to the winners while they were working last week.

The Advocator of the Year is Laura Nesbitt, a counselor at Fort Gratiot Middle School. In the live video presentation, Superintendent Jamie Cain said that Nesbitt is “a shining light, doing everything that’s right” during these stressful times for students.

Innovator of the Year is Mark Repp, the District Technology Trainer and Technology Integration Specialist. Cain thanked Repp for making things easier for teachers this year.

Educator of the Year is Sarah Miller, an Early Childhood Special Education Teacher at the Early Childhood Center. Cain thanked Miller for going above and beyond for her students in this difficult year.

The winners were selected from over 200 nominations from the community from both this school year and last school year. Winners received prizes donated by DoubleTree by Hilton Port Huron and Fort Gratiot Meijer.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Mid City Nutrition Breaks Ground on New Building

Port Huron, MI — Four years ago the board of directors for Mid City Nutrition realized more than ever that they didn’t have the room to do their work. With a steady increase of clients to feed, and a desire to expand their work, they decided it was time to raise money for a new building.

Board member Bethany Belanger shared that from the moment they made that decision, the community has rallied to their cause.

The new building will be on the corner of Griswold and 9th Streets in Port Huron, and the groundbreaking ceremony was on Wednesday, May 12, 2021. The nonprofit shared a beautiful outdoor celebration with a large crowd of supporters from the Blue Water Chamber of Commerce, the City of Port Huron, fellow nonprofit organizations, and the community.

The future building will be one story with easy access for the handicapped and include a large dining room, commercial kitchen, storage areas, bathroom facilities, and a teaching kitchen for cooking classes. Belanger foresees the teaching kitchen doubling as a source of income for Mid City Nutrition as it could be available for rent to small businesses or caterers who could use it for prep.

The building project will be supervised by Gary Beem, owner of  Beem Construction, and will benefit from in-kind donations from Blue Water Glass, Port Huron Paint, and others along with a partnership with Habitat for Humanity. The teaching kitchen has been supported by the Stebbins Family Fund of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan and will be named the Stebbins Family Nutrition Center.

When asked how she feels about the support Mid City has received for their building project, Bethany Belanger said, “So many people have supported this project. We are absolutely blessed. It’s a need in this community. It’s a necessity. Maybe someday it won’t be, but it’s just gotten greater.”

Mid City Nutrition is  holding their annual fundraiser the week of May 17 – 21st. The online event will air on Blue Water Healthy Living on Monday, May 17th at 6 PM and replayed throughout the week. The event includes entertainment, celebrity chefs, and an auction for 8 incredible dining, wine & spirits, and entertainment packages.  Visit Mid City Nutrition’s Facebook Event page <HERE>.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

 

Class of 2021 Car Parade Planned for May 22nd

Port Huron, MI — A car parade is being planned for Saturday, May 22nd at 3:00 p.m. to celebrate the high school graduating classes from both Port Huron High and Port Huron Northern High Schools.

The parade is a grassroots effort as most school-sanctioned events have been cancelled. No prom; no all-night party; even commencement ceremonies are divided into half the class going at one time and half the class at another.

The parade is intended to bring all seniors together in a socially distanced way. A similar event was held last year in the midst of all the Class of 2020 cancellations.

Organizer Alexandria Guenther, a senior at Port Huron Northern said, “The parade is going to be something that we will remember for the rest of our lives.” Guenther said she is excited for the parade, saying it will make the seniors feel special, having the whole community and parents lining the streets of downtown for the seniors.

The parade will start behind the YMCA and will end at Pine Grove Park. Seniors are asked to arrive at 2:45 to get lined up. All streets remain open and all traffic rules must be followed as the usual street traffic is not being diverted. Participation is voluntary and not sanctioned by any public entity.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Golf Outing Supports Women Facing Breast Cancer

Port Huron, MI — Summer is just around the corner, and Lake Huron Medical Center is getting ready for its annual Pink Ribbon Golf Outing on Friday, June 25th. The event supports the Pink Ribbon Fund which provides advanced breast cancer screening and treatment for vulnerable women in the community.

The Pink Ribbon Golf Outing is an inclusive event for men and women with all levels of golf skills to gather in support of those facing a breast cancer diagnosis. The outing offers a nine-hole flight at 7:30 AM or an 18-hole flight at 11:30 AM, and golfers can register as individuals or as a team. Boxed meals are provided with each registration.

The deadline to register for the event is June 18th, and sponsorships are available for individuals or businesses who want to provide even more support to the Pink Ribbon Fund.

Register online <HERE>.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand