St. Clair County

Ft. Gratiot Vaccine Clinic Friday, April 30, 2021

Ft. Gratiot, MI — A coordinated effort by the St. Clair County Health Department, the Economic Development Alliance (EDA) of St. Clair County, and Fort Gratiot Charter Township is bringing a COVID-19 vaccine clinic to Fort Gratiot on Friday April 30, 2021.

The clinic will be held at the Fort Gratiot Fire Department at 3720 Keewahdin Road from 11 AM – 1 PM. It is open to all Fort Gratiot businesses and their employees.

Registration is required and the deadline to register is Tuesday, April 27th at 4 PM. The registration form is available on the EDA’s website <HERE> or by clicking on the COVID-19 Resources banner at the top of the page.

The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine will be administered at this clinic, so participants must be at least 18 years old. The follow up date for the second dose of the vaccine is Friday, May 28th.

For more information, visit the EDA’s website.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

Drug Take Back Day is Saturday

St. Clair County, MI — It’s time to clean out those medicine cabinets and prepare to safely dispose of unwanted and expired pills. The St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office will be participating in National Drug Take Back Day this Saturday, April 24th.

The Sheriff’s office is located at 1170 Michigan Road, and the public can drop off unwanted pills in the lobby between 10 AM and 2 PM. Simply enter the Sheriff’s office lobby and empty your pills into the designated container.

According to a 2019 survey on Drug Use and Health, millions of people misused prescription pain relievers, stimulants, and tranquilizers, and the majority of those drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet.

Sheriff Mat King said, “This event has been great for our community. It allows citizens to get rid of expired and unwanted medication, keeping it from being used improperly and keeping it out of our water supply.”

Residents who can’t make it to the Drug Take Back event on Saturday can turn their pills in at the Sheriff’s Office during normal business hours, Monday – Friday from 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

 

Is It Time for a New Pet?

St. Clair County, MI — It’s time for the annual Empty the Shelters event sponsored by the BISSELL Pet Foundation, and those interested in adopting a new pet from the Blue Water Humane Society need to be pre-approved by May 1st.

Empty the Shelters helps reduce the adoption fee of pets from participating shelters. The regular price to adopt a cat from the Blue Water Humane Society is $100 and $150 for a dog. During Empty the Shelters, the cost is reduced to $25 or less.

The Blue Water Humane Society is open by appointment only on Tuesdays – Fridays from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM and Saturdays from 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM. They are closed to the public on Sundays and Mondays.

Interested new pet parents can view available pets at the Blue Water humane Society by viewing their profile on Pet Finder.com <HERE>, and then call the shelter to get pre-approved by filling out an application.

Cathy Bissell, Founder of BISSELL Pet Foundation, said “The national Empty the Shelters event in May will be our largest yet, and as a small foundation, we are incredibly proud to see the growth of this program as we continue to expand its impact. Empty the Shelters not only helps our shelter partners free up space in their facilities, but it places pets in permanent homes. It’s a win-win for everyone involved…our partners, ETS adopters, and most importantly, the pets.”

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

Summer Jobs Still Available with City of Port Huron

Port Huron, MI — As the City of Port Huron endures what it hopes will be the last cold spell of spring, officials are looking forward to a busy summer of outdoor recreation. With city facilities opening back up and recreation programs planned, the need for seasonal workers is pressing.

In a letter to the Mayor and City Council, James Freed Port Huron City Manager, said the need for seasonal workers in the parks, recreation, and cemetery departments was urgent.

The city currently has openings for a variety of positions including pool maintenance, cashiers, and lifeguards, along with lawn maintenance, park rangers, and parking booth attendants. There are several openings for program staff at the Parks and Recreation Department such as Day Camp Leaders and Palmer Play staff. Most jobs are part-time and pay between $9.87 – $15 per hour.

Freed also said in the letter that “often times, when fulltime jobs open up our seasonal workers are at the front of the line. It’s a good foot in the door.”

For a fill list of job openings at the City of Port Huron, visit their website <HERE>.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Port Huron Schools Will Remain Remote for Now

Port Huron, MI — At a meeting Monday night, the Port Huron Schools Board of Education voted to keep its schools 100% remote for Pre-K – 12. They plan to re-evaluate the situation in a special meeting next week.

School Superintendent Jamie Cain said in a letter to parents that daily Zoom classes will continue and all coursework will be posted in Schoology. Students who are enrolled in the district’s virtual program will be unaffected.

In November of 2020, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) paused in-person learning in high schools because of a spike in COVID-19 cases. They reinstated in-person classes on December 21, 2020, but many school districts chose to continue instruction remotely.

In January, Governor Gretchen Whitmer and her administration set a goal to have all Michigan students transitioned to face-to-face learning by March 1st or earlier. She reported in a February 24, 2021 press release that 85% of Michigan school districts were back to in-person learning and by March 1, 2021 97% of districts would be in-person.

Cases of COVID-19 in Michigan have been increasing since March 1st, partially due to cases among school-aged children and their families. An April 16th extension of the MDHHS Epidemic Order, stated that “as of April 8, local health departments [in Michigan] had reported 312 new and ongoing outbreaks among K-12 schools.”

Each school district in Michigan is responsible for coordinating with their local health departments and officials to determine the safest way to educate their students.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

Walk-in Vaccine Clinic Wednesday, April 21st

Marysville, MI –The St. Clair County Health Department is offering a “walk-in” opportunity to receive a COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday, April 21 from 9:00am to 6:00pm at the Knight Club, 1195 Gratiot Blvd, Marysville.

Please note the following:

  • If you already have an appointment, keep that time.
  • Do not come to the clinic if sick or not feeling well; or are in isolation or quarantine.
  • Open only to those who live and/or work in St. Clair County.
  • Moderna and Pfizer vaccines administered.
  • Age 16 and older; parent must accompany those under 18.
  • 1700+ doses available during walk-in hours.
  • Forms will be handed out in the parking lot and will need to be completed before entering.
  • Masking is required.
  • No out of pocket costs.
  • Plan for atleast 1 hour and dress accordingly.
  • Lines will be socially distanced, however, there may be a wait time depending on volume.
  • If the parking lot is full, please come back later. Or pre-register for a future appointment at www.scchealth.co

Dr. Annette Mercatante, Medical Health Officer, St. Clair County Health Department stated; “We are offering another walk-in clinic using mRNA vaccines, Moderna and Pfizer. Pfizer vaccine will be prioritized for 16-17 year olds. Though St. Clair County case rates appear to be slowly starting to decline, our cases and hospitalizations still remain high. If you haven’t yet, it is imperative to do the right thing and get vaccinated.”

This is a rapidly evolving situation. Email COVID-19 questions to covid19@stclaircounty.org or call the informational hotline (810) 966-4163. Visit the website www.scchealth.co and follow us on social media @scchdmi.

Submitted by the St. Clair County Health Department