St. Clair County

Port Huron Schools Using “Thoughtexchange” to Gather Back-to-School Ideas

Port Huron, MI — Port Huron Schools is asking for input from the community to help them make a plan for back to school. Answers and ideas can be submitted through the “Thoughtexchange” platform where users can unanimously leave comments and rate the comments of others. 

The survey was rolled out Monday and asks the question, “What important ideas should Port Huron Schools consider when developing a plan to re-open school buildings and educate our students safely in the fall?” It already had a large response with most of the comments related to safety and protecting students from COVID-19 infection.

The survey ends on June 30th. The results will be shared with the community on the district’s website and will be used by the Return to School Advisory committee. The Advisory committee is made up of Administration, Board of Education, Building Administrators, Teachers, bargaining group presidents,  a health department representative, transportation representative, and parent representatives.

Further state recommendations on getting students back to school are expected to be released from the Governor’s office on June 30th.

You can access Thoughtexchange <HERE>.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Tri-Hospital EMS Receives Grant for UV Disinfecting Equipment

St. Clair County, MI — Many business owners are burdened with the cost of safety measures they have put into place in response to COVID-19. The added expenses of personal protective equipment for employees and an increase in sanitization procedures can be cumbersome.

The United Way of St. Clair County has been responding to these needs with grant money from its Emergency Services Fund ~ COVID-19 Relief. The latest recipient is Tri-Hospital EMS who received a grant to purchase five UV commercial grade disinfectant devices and replacement UV bulbs. 

UV light kills bacteria and viruses by damaging their DNA and RNA, and Tri-Hopsital EMS will use it along with chemical disinfectants to clean their equipment between calls. 

Grants are still available for St. Clair County organizations and businesses with unexpected costs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To apply for a grant, visit uwstclair.org/EmergencyServicesFund-Covid-19-ReliefAid

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

 

PTM Corporation Invests $1.7 Million in Manufacturing Plant

Ira Twp., MI– PTM Corporation became a certified Women-Owned business in 2015 shortly after the daughters of Charlie Russell, founder of PTM Corporation and Modified Technologies (MTI), took over for their late father. The company has enjoyed success under the leadership of Donna Russell-Kuhr and her sisters, and now they are investing nearly $2 million to expand their facility.

PTM Corporation is a metal stamping supplier servicing the agricultural, medical, military, building and construction, non-automotive and automotive industries. 70-75% of all cars and light trucks on the road contain “Michigan made” metal stampings from PTM Corporation.

The expansion includes new truck wells, presses, and a prototype facility crane expansion. They are also investing in new robotics technology.

Donna Russell-Kuhr, Co-Owner, President and CEO, said in a press release, “It makes me proud to execute most of our strategic growth plans for this year even during a worldwide pandemic. It is even more exciting to work with local contractors and business owners by providing work and jobs to our partners. The investments will position my company to meet new contract needs now and opens the door for even more business down the road. This is a win-win for our community overall.”

“Even during the challenges of a pandemic, PTM continues to invest and grow,” said Dan Casey, CEO of the Economic Development Alliance. “PTM is really an extended family with an awesome culture that continues to accomplish great things in its industry and in the community. I believe that is an important reason for its success.”

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Blue Water Area COVID-19 Update for June 19, 2020

St. Clair County, MI — Lambton County, Ontario

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

  • State of Michigan: 60,618 confirmed cases; 5,818 deaths
  • St. Clair County: 463 confirmed cases; 47 deaths
  • Ontario: 32,917  confirmed cases;  2,553 deaths
  • Sarnia-Lambton: 281 confirmed cases; 25 deaths

The State of Michigan is reporting that between January 1st and June 17th,  151 of the COVID-19 cases in St. Clair County are attributed to long-term care facilities, with 122 residents and 29 staff testing positive. 28 of those cases were fatal.

There have been 7,111 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in residents of long-term care facilities in Michigan and 1976 deaths.

Lambton Health is reporting two current active outbreaks of COVID-19. One at Afton Park Place long-term care home, where one staff member is ill, and one at Bluewater Health, where three staff members tested positive.  Seven other outbreaks at facilities have been declared over, with 16 deaths resulting.

Sarnia enters Stage 2 of the Framework for Reopening our Province today, which indicates positive trends in public health, lower transmission of COVID-19, sufficient hospital capacity, and an increase in testing and tracking capabilities.

*** It is important to note that WGRT is continuing to report confirmed cases from each area, not total cases which are a combination of confirmed and probable cases. We have chosen to approach the data this way to simplify our reports and to create uniformity in the numbers we are reporting for each region, St.Clair County, Lambton County, Michigan, and Ontario.

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

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

The Runaway Bride 5K Set for August 1

In-person 5Ks are getting back on the calendar after a long season of cancellations and virtual races. The Runaway Bride 2nd Annual 5k FUNdraiser is scheduled for Saturday, August 1. That gives runners about six weeks to get in shape after a “Safer at Home” experience that may have included a lot of baked goods and Netflix marathons.

The Runaway Bride 5K raises funds for A Beautiful Me, a local charity that empowers girls through workshops, programs, and events in their schools and community. Over 9,000 girls have benefited from their programs since the founding in 2008.

The race will take place along the St. Clair River in Port Huron, starting at 8:00 a.m. Runners and walkers are encouraged to go along with the wedding theme and get their old bridesmaid dresses or tuxedos out of the closet for the race.

Participants get a free t-shirt if they sign up by July 10. More information can be found at RunSignUp.com/TheRunawayBride2020. The cost is $30 for those who preregister and $40 on the day of the event.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Health Department Resumes Water Monitoring at Beaches

St. Clair County,  MI — Maintaining safe beaches in the Blue Water Area is a high priority. The St. Clair County Health Department does its part by testing water samples at eight local beaches to monitor for E. coli bacteria.

Last year, the Health Department recorded one of the healthiest beach seasons on record, and they only had to close two area beaches for three days of the season. According to the Health Department, the improvement of water quality is due to sewer separation projects, elimination of illicit discharge, and installation of green infrastructure along the 58-mile county shoreline.

The Health Department will collect water samples daily until Labor Day to monitor for safe levels of E.coli bacteria. Any advisories about public beaches will be shared on their 24-hour Water Quality Hotline at 877-504-SWIM, on the St. Clair County Beaches Facebook page, the “MyBeachCast” app for smartphones, and the Michigan BeachGuard website at  www.egle.state.mi.us/beach/.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand