St. Clair County

Free “Rec on the Go” Bags Ready for Local Families

Port Huron, MI — Kids bored? How about a new bag of games, crafts, and sports equipment every week to keep them busy? That is exactly what local recreation departments are doing for children in the community.

“Rec on the Go” bags are stocked with materials to keep kids active and are available for free at various locations. Children need not be present to get the bags. One bag is available per family.

In Port Huron, the bags can be picked up at the McMorran Pro Shop on Mondays and Wednesdays from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Mondays at 10:30 a.m. at Optimist Park and 2:00 p.m. at Garfield Elementary School. On Tuesdays, the bags can be picked up at 10:30 a.m. at Knox Field and at 2:30 p.m. at Woodrow Wilson Elementary School.

The Marysville Community Center will be handing out the bags on Mondays from 11a.m. to 2 p.m. They can also be picked up at Greig Park in St. Clair from 10-11 a.m. on Tuesdays.

The bags are limited in quantity and are given out on a first-come, first-serve basis. The bags have been made available to area families through a partnership between Sport Port Huron, the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, and the Community Foundation of St. Clair County.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Two Arraigned Following Drug Raid

Port Huron Twp, MI — Two people are lodged at the St. Clair County Intervention and Detention Center following an investigation by the St. Clair County Drug Task Force.

According to Sheriff Tim Donnellon, the DTF conducted an investigation into the sales of methamphetamine in the county.  That investigation ended with the execution of a search warrant at the Quality Inn Hotel on Yeager Street in Port Huron Township shortly before midnight on June 10th.

Members of the Drug Task Force entered a hotel room, where they located and seized about $1100 worth of methamphetamine, analogue drugs, a large amount of cash and drug paraphernalia.

The two subjects arrested, 36 year old Megan Green of Sterling Heights and 34 year old Brandon Burck of Fort Gratiot were arraigned Friday in 72nd District Court.

Green is charged with delivery/manufacture of methamphetamine, possession of analogues, maintaining a drug house and being a habitual 4th offender.  Burck is charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of analogues, maintaining a drug house and being a habitual 4th offender.  Both Green and Burck are also on parole.  They are both being held at the IDC on $50,000 cash/surety bonds, along with the parole holds.

Both are next scheduled to appear in 72nd District Court for probable cause hearings before Judge John Monaghan on June 23rd at 9:00 a.m.

Whitmer Hopes to Move Rest of State to Phase 5 by July 4th

Michigan moved into phase 4 of the MI Safe Start Plan on June 1st. Entering phase 4 allowed small gatherings and the reopening of “lower-risk” businesses such as non-essential retail with strict workplace safety measures.

Last week, Governor Whitmer moved the Traverse City area and the Upper Peninsula, regions 6 and 8, into Phase 5. Indicating that cases and deaths related to COVID-19 have continued to decline in those regions, and outbreaks can be quickly contained. In phase 5, K-12 educational institutions can resume in-person instruction, and travel is no longer prohibited.

Even though the rest of the state remains in Phase 4, Governor Whitmer decided to open all personal care services such as salons and barber shops on June 15th. She also signed executive orders at the end of last week that lifted restrictions on overnight summer camps beginning June 15th and allows certain K-12 school sports activities and other in-person extracurricular school activities to resume.

In a press release citing a report by the Imperial College COVID-19 Response Team showing that the aggressive actions Governor Whitmer took to protect Michigan families from the spread of COVID-19 significantly lowered the number of cases and deaths that would have occurred had the state done nothing. Whitmer announced that she hopes to move the rest of the state to phase 5 by July 4th.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

High Water Creates Challenges for Boaters

Some safety warnings and harbor announcements have been made for local boaters. The boating season has switched into high gear in the region, and boaters are contending with historic high-water levels. According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, some Great Lakes water levels will be a foot higher in 2020 than during spring 2019.

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy is warning boaters to be aware of hidden debris, especially on the shorelines, when out on rivers and lakes. The erosion from the record-high water levels has undermined docks, decks, stairs, and trees, and has sometimes washed the structures away from the shoreline.

Boaters should be aware that repairs are underway at both the Lexington and Port Austin State Harbors. Marine diesel fuel is not currently available at the Lexington Harbor and Port Austin Harbor has limited services due to emergency repairs.

Boaters are also asked to respect no-wake zones, as the combination of high water and waves can wreak havoc on waterfront property. More information can be found on the DNR’s website <HERE>.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

SONS Recruiting for Talented Tenth Internships

Port Huron, MI — The next generation of community leaders can get a jump start on their future success as Talented Tenth interns. Port Huron’s youth outreach organization, SONS, or Save Our Neighborhoods and Streets, is recruiting for its Talented Tenth Summer Extension Program.

The program is for high school students and is intended to help them develop habits that lead to success in academics, relationships, and spirituality. Community professionals make presentations to the interns and prepare them for leadership.

Like most things in 2020, a Zoom meeting will get things started. The first meeting is Thursday, June 18, at 6:30 p.m. Interns will be involved with weekly training and then take part in a community service project.

Interns will have an opportunity to take part in field trips and gain hands-on experiences. Parents can sign their kids up for the Zoom meeting kick-off by calling 810-334-6710 or sending an email to Tyrone.burrell@sonsoutreach.org. The program is free to the interns, and space is limited.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Lake Huron Medical Center Updates Visitation Policy for non-COVID-19 Patients

Port Huron, MI – Lake Huron Medical Center has updated its visitation policy for non-COVID-19 patients. Effective Wednesday, June 10, 2020 Lake Huron Medical Center will permit limited visitations to non-COVID-19 patients as following:

  1. All visitors will be screened at the entrance for symptoms of COVID-19. Visitors with a respiratory infection, including but not limited to fever, cough or shortness of breath, will not be permitted to enter the facility.
  2. No visitors are allowed for patients in any form of isolation.
  3. All visitors are required to wear a mask or other cloth face covering for the duration of their visit, non-compliant visitors will be asked to leave the facility.
  4. All visitations are allowed through the main lobby entrance between 1:00 pm and 6:00 pm Monday-Friday and through the ER entrance on the weekends.
  5. We are restricting the number of visitors to two per patient per day, 1 hour or less, to minimize the risk of exposure for all visitors.
  6. We strongly discourage people who are at high risk of developing severe complications from COVID-19, including older adults, those with underlying medical conditions and children under the age of 16 to visit.
  7. Visitors will be restricted to the patient’s room only.
  8. Alternatives to in-person visits are available to all patients, including video and audio calls.
  9. No visitation is allowed during aerosol-generation procedures or during collection of respiratory specimens.

“Our top priority remains to maintain a safe environment for our patients, families and staff,” stated Jose Kottoor, Chief Executive Officer, Lake Huron Medical Center. “We are taking all necessary measures and precautions to protect the safety and well-being of our patients and staff.”

Visitation guidelines are subject to change based on changes to state guidelines regarding the COVID-19 situation and/or the condition of the patient. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation at this time as we protect the health and safety of our patients, community and staff. 

For more information about Lake Huron Medical Center, visit www.mylakehuron.com.