SJPS extends remote learning until after Thanksgiving at least
St. Johns Public Schools continue to have students and staff who are either positive for coronavirus or are quarantined. This makes it very difficult to conduct in-person classes with any regularity. Because of this the schools are going to continue the suspension of in-person classes through the week of Thanksgiving.
Below is the schedule for the coming weeks:
– November 10 through November 25 – online synchronous learning for all students at SJPS
– November 20 will be an asynchronous learning day
– Monday, November 30 – Online asynchronous learning day
– Tuesday, December 1 – Online Synchronous day
– Wednesday, December 2 – Return to in-person learning for K-12 students
– Monday, December 7 – Return to in-person learning for Preschool students
The Board and administration understand the hardship this creates for families, especially those who have to plan for child care. They want students back in school, but they also need to keep the health and safety of students and staff in the forefront when making these decisions.
Should the trend continue, St. Johns Public Schools may need to extend the suspension of in-person classes through December 18. In order to help you plan, their goal is to communicate their intentions by early in the week of November 23.
SJPD lobby closed
The St. Johns Police Department have closed their lobby until further notice in order to minimize contact between staff and the public for non-essential services.
Here are some links for online transactions:
– Pay a parking ticket online here: https://www.govpaynow.com/gps/user/plc/8360. There is also a drop box at the front door for parking ticket payments.
– Order an accident report online here: https://mdotjboss.state.mi.us/TCPS/login/welcome.jsp.
– Sex Offender Registration is available by appointment only. Please call 989-224-6721 between the hours of 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday – Friday to make an appointment.
They are suspending the prescription drug drop-off program in the lobby at this time.
They are not offering PBTs in the office.
If you live in Greenbush, Bingham, or the east half of Bengal Townships and need a burn permit, please call 989-224-6721 during the hours of 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday – Friday, for a 3-day permit rather than coming in for annual permits at this time.
Please call 911 or use the call box at the front door if you need an officer to take a report. 911 and officers are available 24/7 365 days per year.
COVID closes City Offices
Due to the current COVID situation, the City of St. Johns offices will close to the public effective Monday, November 9 for a minimum of 3 weeks.
Individuals will be available to answer phone calls from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. If you need to make an appointment please call 989-224-8944.
All tax, water and sewer payments and all other written communication can be handled using the drop box outside of the Clinton County Courthouse on the south end near Cass street. All bills and permits can also be paid online through the website www.cityofstjohnsmi.com.
If you are in need of leaf bags, please call city offices at 989-224-8944 to verify your address, and they will arrange the pick up of bags.
The City will reevaluate the re-opening date on a bi-weekly basis and will update the community as needed.
Traditional Veterans Day services planned for Wednesday
There will be a Memorial Service on Veteran’s Day at the Veteran’s Memorial on Clinton Avenue on November 11 at 11 a.m. This will include an Invocation by Commander Ervin Curry. The rifle salute also will be fired. The St. Johns High School Band will play The Star Spangled Banner and America The Beautiful for this event.
There will be no parade this year.
The Flags will be up at the Mt. Rest Cemetery if there is no rain. Flags will go up at 8 a.m. and come down at 5 p.m.
COVID-19 cases are on the rise
Cases of COVID-19 have increased dramatically over the past month in Clinton, Gratiot, and Montcalm Counties. As of Wednesday, November 4 the Mid-Michigan District Health Department (MMDHD) has reported 2,653 total confirmed cases of COVID-19 since March, 2020. Daily new case rates in October were more than double those recorded in September and five times greater than in August.
Like most other health departments in Michigan, MMDHDs staffing resources are strained because of the increase in cases which means it is taking longer to call positive cases and their contacts. Another issue causing the delay is that a high number of COVID-19 positive cases have numerous close contacts, making contact tracing efforts difficult and time consuming.
If you have tested positive for COVID-19, it may take several days before you receive a call from MMDHD. In the meantime, please:
– Isolate at least 10 days from the onset of symptoms. If you have no symptoms, isolate for 10 days from the date of your positive test.
– Notify your close contacts. Someone with COVID-19 can spread the virus beginning 48 hours (two days) before symptoms start or 48 hours (two days) before testing positive.
If you have been identified as a close contact, it may be several days before you receive a call from MMDHD or Trace Force, a statewide notification system that partners with local health departments. In the meantime, please:
– Self-quarantine for 14 days from your last contact with the COVID positive person (while they were considered contagious).
– Monitor yourself for symptoms. If you do not develop symptoms, follow quarantine guidelines. If symptoms arise, get tested. Testing locations can be found at www.michigan.gov/coronavirustest or by calling 211. If you test positive for COVID-19 you should follow home isolation guidelines.
– Contacts of a contact do not need to quarantine but should monitor themselves for symptoms.
Again, if you have tested positive for COVID-19 or have been identified as a close contact, please stay home and away from others until you hear from MMDHD or Trace Force.
It is important to keep in mind that 40 percent of people are asymptomatic (do not have symptoms) but are still capable of spreading the virus. Therefore, it is important for everyone to follow safety protocols as much as possible. By isolating and quarantining, you are protecting the health of others in the community.
If you have a child that is exposed to or tests positive for COVID-19, please notify your child’s school so that they can alert the health department.
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QUARANTINE keeps someone who might have been exposed to the virus away from others. This is for individuals who have been exposed to COVID-19 but are not sick. Individuals in quarantine should not leave their home. Quarantine lasts for 14 days.
ISOLATION keeps someone who is infected with the virus away from others, even in their home. This is for those who have tested positive or are suspected to be sick with COVID-19. individuals in isolation should not leave their home and should avoid all members of their household. Isolation lasts for 10 days from the onset of symptoms. If you have no symptoms, isolate for 10 days from the date of your positive test.
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The health department urges everyone to continue working together to help stop the spread of COVID-19 in our communities. Wearing a mask and keeping at least six feet away from others when in public is essential.
There are many other things we can all do to help reduce the risk of getting or spreading COVID-19:
– Stay home if you are sick and try to distance yourself from other members of your family.
– Refrain from hosting or attending gatherings that do not comply with current epidemic orders.
– Wash your hands often with soap and water.
– Cover coughs and sneezes and avoid touching your face.
– Clean and disinfect “high touch” surfaces daily.
– If you think you have been exposed to COVID-19 and develop a fever and symptoms, such as cough or difficulty breathing, call your healthcare provider.
Additional information can be found by visiting the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services website at Michigan.gov/coronavirus, or the Mid-Michigan District Health Department website at www.mmdhd.org.
Santa’s Remote Workshop needs gifts
Children and youth in Clinton County will all have gifts under their tree with the help of Santa’s Remote Workshop and Top Elves. They need your help.
There are wish lists on The Voice for Clinton County’s Children website to help with ideas.
You may drop off items at 306 E. Elm Street in St. Johns or ship them directly to Santa’s Remote Workshop.
Information for Holiday Supporters
Due to restrictions and being responsible with tasks we ask of Santa’s Top Elves, there will not be collection sites throughout the community. However we understand this is an enjoyed tradition. If you would like to be a host collection site, you will need to commit to bringing the toys collected to us as we are going to remain responsible with tasks we ask of Santa’s Top Elves.
There is a collection box outside Santa’s Remote Workshop located at 306 E. Elm Street, St. Johns.
Below you will find Wish Lists for various age groups–we welcome additional, appropriate ideas not included on these lists.
All toys should be shipped unwrapped directly to Santa’s Remote Workshop at 306 E. Elm Street, St. Johns, MI 48879.
Please be mindful of potential shipping delays and allow enough time for Santa’s Top Elves to assist with delivery. Ship early.
Per Toys for Tots guidelines, ALL toys need to be $30 or less, new, stuffed animals must have tags attached, and unwrapped. All toys will be distributed age appropriate. We reserve the right not to distribute toys which are inappropriate and/or unsafe for children and youth.
They specifically need gifts for teens!
Community Thanksgiving Take-out Dinner is November 26
The annual Clinton Community Thanksgiving Celebration and Dinner is a celebration of all that is good about community life in the Mid-Michigan Region. They are an interfaith endeavor put on by volunteers for all people of the area at Columbian Hall, the Knights Of Columbus Hall, 1108 N. US 27 in St. Johns.
The dinner will be available from 12:00-2:00 p.m. This is an inclusive event where everyone is invited to enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving dinner at no cost
To order call (989) 292-0972 or CCThanksgiving.org.
SafeCenter thanks community for help in first ever Telethon Event
SafeCenter Domestic and Sexual Violence Services of Clinton and Shiawassee Counties held their first ever Telethon Fundraiser Event on October 27, 28, and 29 in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. This event was planned after the organization had to cancel their annual in-person event twice due to continued concerns with COVID-19. The organization had hoped to raise $10,000; and with the community’s support, they raised just over $12,000, exceeding their overall goal.
SafeCenter would like to thank everyone who showed their support over the month of October, and especially those who contributed financially to the Telethon Event. All of the funds raised from the Telethon will continue to provide essential services to child and adult survivors who come to the organization for assistance. Calls to the organization are increasing, specifically for Emergency Shelter and Personal Protection Orders, as the pandemic continues and we enter the cold, winter months. With COVID-19 cases increasing and greater possibility of isolation and quarantine for individuals and families, SafeCenter anticipates that more victims will be reaching out for assistance in the months to come.
With that in mind, SafeCenter will now be focusing on #GivingTuesday set for December 1, 2020 and providing Thanksgiving and Christmas items to individuals and families served. With an even greater increase in volume will come an even greater need for community members to help the organization provide assistance to survivors for the holidays.
If you are interested in donating to the SafeCenter for #GivingTuesday or the holidays, please feel free to call Executive Director, Hannah Gottschalk, at 989-723-9716 or email her at hannah@thesafecenter.org. SafeCenter will be providing updates on holiday giving plans via their Facebook page as well; like “The SafeCenter” to stay updated on all agency events and happenings.