St. Clair County

Standing Together for Injustice March Planned

In response to the death of George Floyd, who died after being pinned to the pavement by Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, last week, several community groups have organized a march against injustice.

At noon on Thursday, the Port Huron branch of the NAACP and SCCORE will be supported by Operation Transformation, Blue Water Area Churches, Diversity Initiative of St. Clair County, S.O.N.S., and the St. Clair County Health Department in a march from the central fire station in Port Huron to the city’s M.O.C. building. The purpose of the march is to unite those who desire to see an end to police brutality and systemic racism which has been particularly devastating to the African American community.

The Port Huron Police Department released a statement from Chief Joseph A. Platzer this week on their Facebook page saying, “The Port Huron Police Department does NOT condone the actions of the officers involved in the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. We work very hard to build community trust and will continue to partner with our community. We believe in transparency and keeping the lines of communication open.”

The statement also addressed law enforcement’s role in being accountable to the community for their actions by saying, “All complaints received, including use of force, are thoroughly investigated and reviewed. Our policies, tactics, and practices are evaluated on a national and state level to ensure that we are following current law enforcement standards, while providing the best level of service to our community. We take an oath to have the courage to hold ourselves and others accountable for our actions. We do this to be fair, impartial and maintain justice. All officers must have the courage to step up and step in. Anything less will not be tolerated.”

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

Support Available to Frontline Workers through EOC and CMH

St. Clair County, MI — As businesses in the Blue Water Area prepare to transition back to regular operations, the  St. Clair County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) has partnered with St. Clair County Community Mental Health to deploy a team to assist healthcare providers, first responders, organizations, and businesses to support their front-line workers.

The COVID-19 Pandemic Response Team is made up of professionals from a variety of disciplines that have been trained to provide support after a critical incident occurs in St. Clair County. The goal of this team is to provide support to essential workers and other employees returning to work as they cope with the stress, anxiety and other complex emotions related to the COVID-19 pandemic by:

  • Allowing employees to come together to talk about how they have been affected by the pandemic.
  • Offering support and education regarding normal stress reactions to a traumatic event.
  • Providing education regarding the importance of self-care and support for co-workers.
  • Expediting recovery and keep employees performing at their best.
  • Minimizing absenteeism and maintaining a solid workforce.

Debra Johnson, Executive Director of St. Clair County Community Mental Health says, “Caring for the mental health of employees in St. Clair County is critical in maintaining a healthy workforce.  Our goal is to support both businesses and workers by offering this level of hands-on care and support. We know that people have experienced a range of emotion in response to COVID-19; anxiety, anger, stress, apathy, burnout, fear, compassion fatigue, feeling overwhelmed, depression, isolation, and more. We are here to help people heal, process, and prepare to move forward.”

Group sessions run between 60 – 90 minutes long, depending on group size and discussion content. Teams can be available to lead sessions at various times to support and reach employees regardless of working hours. Sessions are confidential, intended to support employees to educate them about managing stress reactions. These interventions are not psychotherapy.  Interventions are intended to provide support and education to participants.

For more information and to schedule sessions for employees, contact Amy Smith, St. Clair County Community Mental Health at asmith@scccmh.org, 810-650-8737 or Mark White, St. Clair County Emergency Operations Center at mwhite@stclaircounty.org, 810-989-6965.

Rotary International Day Parade Cancelled

Port Huron, MI — The Port Huron Rotary club announced the cancellation of the annual Rotary International Day Parade, which was scheduled for July 8, 2020. This would have been the 100th parade hosted by the Rotary Club of Port Huron, a tradition older than both the Detroit and New York Thanksgiving Day parades.

The theme for this year’s parade was going to be “Decades”, and the club plans to maintain this theme for the July 21, 2021 parade. The club did not have any registrations for this year’s parade as it had not been soliciting participation. McLaren Port Huron is the parade’s annual sponsor for the next four years and the club would like to express appreciation for the hospital’s support.

Dr. Annette Mercatante, St. Clair County Medical Health Officer provided a statement in support of the club’s decision to cancel this year. “The St Clair County Health Department applauds and supports the difficult, but responsible, decision that the Port Huron Rotary, and all the citizens of our community, have made to reduce the risk of spreading the COVID virus. Cancelling or postponing a beloved event like the International Day Parade highlights the cooperation and commitment that everyone is making to conquer this common enemy – the virus. Together we will endure and flourish!”

Rotary Club of Port Huron plans at this time to continue its 100th Anniversary celebration with a program focused on “100 Years of Service.” The club will be granting 10 prizes of $1,000 to local nonprofits at this celebration event. It was announced earlier that this event is rescheduled for October 16, 2020. It will be hosted at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Port Huron and tickets can be purchased on the Blue Water Area Chamber’s website <HERE>.

To learn more about Port Huron Rotary, please go to @PortHuronRotary on Facebook <HERE>.

Port Huron Parks and Recreation Announces Summer Programming

Port Huron, MI — The City of Port Huron Parks and Recreation Department has had to get creative this summer. The pool is closed and the city’s parks will be empty, but organized recreation has not been completely abandoned. 

The Rec. Department released its abbreviated and very innovative summer schedule late last week. Offerings for online classes include dance, cooking, nature, and art that anyone can access for free using the Rec. Department’s Facebook page. There is also the option to learn karate over a Zoom meeting. 

Walk Michigan is continuing without the group walk aspect. Walkers self-report their socially distanced walks to complete the circuit and get a free t-shirt. There is also a schedule of nine outdoor drive in movies that will be held downtown. 

One of the more unique offerings is a traveling bike clinic that will be at different parks throughout the summer to keep kids’ and adults’ bikes in top condition. While the closing of playgrounds and pools and the cancellation of typical summer social activities is a huge disappointment, there are still a few fun things for residents to write on the calendar this summer. Check out https://www.porthuronrec.com/ for details. 

Reporting for WGRT- Jennie McClelland

Legislation in the Works While U.S. Attorney Responds to Nursing Home Concerns

Port Huron, MI — Nursing homes have been the epicenters of COVID-19 virus spread, yet the practice of moving convalescent COVID-19 patients into nursing homes is actually common in Michigan. An Executive Order requires facilities to create a COVID unit if they are operating at less than 80% capacity. 

The U.S. Attorney is now investigating Michigan’s practice and state legislation is in the works to find a safer place for patients to recover. U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider responded to a letter from State Senator and Majority Whip Peter J. Lucido, saying, “The protection of the life and health of the people of Michigan is a core responsibility of the United States Attorney’s Office. The residents of long-term care facilities are among our State’s most vulnerable citizens, and any concern regarding the well-being of these citizens is one that we take seriously.” 

Lucido, a Shelby Township Republican, introduced legislation last week that would ban the intentional transfer of COVID-19 patients into nursing homes and would require a centralized treatment facility for recuperating patients. Lucido is hopeful of the approval of the bill, according to a press release.

Reporting for WGRT- Jennie McClelland

Secretary of State Branches Reopen June 1st by Appointment Only

Secretary of State branch offices will reopen June 1 by appointment only for essential transactions not available online in order to continue to balance the need to provide critical services and protect public health.

“While the offices were closed to the public, we conducted more than 3,000 emergency appointments for essential workers and planned and implemented protocols so that we could reopen in a way that ensures the safety of employees and all Michiganders,” said Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. “Customers can be confident they’ll be able to conduct their business with us safely and efficiently.”

Beginning the week of June 1st, all 131 branch offices in Michigan will be open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for appointment-only services for transactions including:

  • Driver licenses and state ID transactions that must be done in person
  • Title transfers
  • Operator, CDL, chauffeur, mechanic and motorcycle testing
  • Seasonal commercial vehicle renewal

Branch staff will follow strict health and safety protocols, including wearing masks, standing six feet apart, using desk shields, and continuously disinfecting shared or common surfaces. Branch doors will be locked, and each branch will have a greeter to let customers with appointments in at scheduled appointment times.