St. Clair County

County to Pay for and Coordinate Spraying for Spongy (Gypsy) Moths

Those pesky gypsy moths, now renamed spongy moths, won’t know what hit them if St. Clair County’s mitigation strategy works. After county residents reported the infestation of the little caterpillars with the huge appetites, the county adopted a plan to provide aerial spraying in areas identified as spongy moth hot spots.

County Commissioner Jorja Baldwin said, “Through a partnership with multiple county departments, St. Clair County MSU Extension and the Friends of the St. Clair River, an annual Spongy Moth Mitigation Program and 2022 aerial spray both have been successfully designed and implemented.”

Baldwin said that there will be no cost to residents or municipalities for the 2022 aerial spray, which could cost up to $550,000.  The county is picking up the tab this year.

Over 5500 acres of land have been identified as needing treatment. Spraying will begin in May and should be completed no later than the first of June. Affected property owners will be contacted and have the option to decline.

More information will soon be available at stclaircouty.org.

Reporting for WGRT- Jennie McClelland

SC4 Announces STEM and Athletic Summer Camps

Summer Camps are back at St. Clair County Community College. There is a wide selection of athletic camps along with a STEM-based camp.

The Galaxy Quest STEM Summer Camp is for students in 5th through 8th grade. There are two sessions in July, each with limited capacity. The cost is $300. Galaxy Quest STEM Summer Camp will use hands-on science in the new Challenger Learning Center.

Referring to the STEM Camp, Dr. Deborah A. Snyder, president of SC4 said, “Participants in this camp will be among the first to experience our Challenger Learning Center, which officially opens this spring.”

The athletic camps include baseball, basketball, cross country, esports, soccer, softball, volleyball, and wrestling. Costs range from $80-$150 per athlete.

SC4 Athletic Director Dale Vos said, “These camps provide a wonderful opportunity to learn from collegiate coaches, athletes and experts. We expect these camps to fill fast and look forward to welcoming youths to camp this summer.”

For more information and to register for SC4 athletic camps, visit sc4.edu/camps, email athletics@sc4.edu or call 810-989-5662.

A link to more information can be found at WGRT.com.

$3.6 Million in Grants to Help Fight Invasive Species

The Michigan Invasive Species Program is investing heavily in finding and removing the threats that could disrupt the diverse and fragile ecosystem on which so many depend for commerce and recreation in the state. Invasive species include things like gypsy moths and Asian carp.

Cooperation between several state agencies is resulting in the awarding of $3.6 million for invasive species projects. The Lake St. Clair Cooperative Invasive Species Management project will get $100,000 to go toward education and outreach, early detection and response, and organizational structure. The grant was submitted by the Six Rivers Land Conservancy and benefits St. Clair and Macomb counties.

The grants will help local agencies work on preventing the introduction of new invasive species, strengthening the statewide early detection and response network, limiting the spread of recently confirmed invasive species, and managing and controlling widespread, established invasive species.

Thirty-one projects are receiving funding through the grants.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

TEC Students Receive Awards at State-wide Competition

Students enrolled in health care programs at St. Clair TEC recently competed in a state-wide competition in Traverse City. The Michigan HOSA State Leadership Conference took place on February 24-25, 2022, and two St. Clair County students received awards for their work.

Megan Liniarski, a senior at Marysville High School, earned a silver medal for her student-produced healthcare newsletter in the HOSA Happening competition.

Emma Lewandowski, an 11th grader at Port Huron Northern High School, earned 4th place overall in the Health Care Photography competition.

Congratulations to both of these students and their instructors, Melissa Holstine and Kami Peters who accompanied them to the competition.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

SC4 Symphonic and Jazz Band Presents “Beginnings” Feb. 26th

The St. Clair County Community College Symphonic and Jazz Band is back in business after a two-year hiatus. The “Beginnings” concert will be held on Saturday, February 26th at 7:00 p.m. in the SC4 Fine Arts Theatre.

Conductor Erick J. Senkmajer said he has enjoyed working with community members again and that “it is fun to see musicians ranging in age from high school through retirement age enjoying their time together, once again breathing life into these dots on a page.”

In getting the band back together after the extended break, Senkmajer said, “We all missed making music together. Because it has been two years, it was hard to say who would be back, what our instrumentation would be like, and how much “dust” there would be in our instruments.”

The concert is a welcome sign that things are slowly getting back to normal for both musicians and patrons of the arts. The program is described as “light and fast” and a lovely way to welcome audience members back, along with the musicians.

Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door or online.

https://sc4.edu/event/sc4-symphonic-band-concert/

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

TEC Open House February 24th 

Tenth-grade students in St. Clair County have a chance to get a glimpse of what could be waiting for them with a career in in-demand fields like cybersecurity, construction trades, cosmetology, and others. 

The St. Clair County TEC Open House is this week, on Thursday, February 24th from 5:30-8:00 p.m. at the St. Clair Technical Education Center at 499 Range Road in Marysville. 

Students enroll in TEC programs for their 11th and 12th-grade years. 

During the tour, students and their families will have a chance to meet teachers and plan out their next two years of school, including learning how to earn college credit and meet high school requirements. Families can take tours of the facility and see the hands-on education that is available at TEC. 

TEC offers programs in several skilled trades, computer technology, cosmetology, culinary arts, health careers, education and early childhood development, and others. Some programs are available as part of the Career and Technical Middle College. 

http://sccresa.org/p_r_o_g_r_a_m_s/st__clair_t_e_c/news_and_events/t_e_c_open_house

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland