COVID-19 Update: New Home Communities Open in Suburban Flint, DMC Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital Offers New Option for Carpal Tunnel Treatment, and More

Here is a roundup of the latest news concerning the COVID-19 pandemic in addition to announcements from local, state, and federal governments, as well as international channels. To share a business or nonprofit story, please send us a message.
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map of Michigan coronavirus cases by county
Courtesy of Bridge, as of Jan. 14

Here is a roundup of the latest news concerning the COVID-19 pandemic in addition to announcements from local, state, and federal governments, as well as international channels. To share a business or nonprofit story, please send us a message.

New Home Communities Open in Suburban Flint
Colorado-based Century Communities Inc., which has an office in Novi, is opening new communities near Flint in Burton, Corunna, and Davison.

All three communities are offered through the company’s Century Complete brand, which offers an online Buy Now process. Collectively, the communities will feature a variety of single- and two-story single-family homes, starting from the upper $100,000s.

Burton Estates in Burton feature single- and two-story new homes up to 2,009 square feet with unfinished basements, four bedrooms, two to three baths, granite countertops, and stainless-steel appliances included.

Corunna Estates in Corunna feature two-story new homes up to 2,009 square feet with unfinished basements, four bedrooms, 2.5 to 3 baths, and also have granite countertops, and stainless-steel appliances included.

Fox Run Estates in Davison start in the low $200,000. They are single- and two-story new homes up to 2,009 square feet with unfinished basements and brick siding. These homes also have four bedrooms, 2 to 2.5 baths, and include granite countertops, and stainless-steel appliances.

For more information, visit here.

DMC Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital Offers Micro-invasive Option for Carpal Tunnel
DMC Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital in Commerce Township is one of the first hospitals in Michigan to use a unique, less invasive treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome.

The treatment involves the use of ultra-sound and an instrument known as the SX-One MicroKnife, which is equipped with a tiny blade that is inserted into very small incision in the wrist to perform a procedure known as carpal tunnel release.

Carpal tunnel syndrome involves pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness in the hand that is caused by pressure on the median nerve in the wrist brought on by swelling of the transverse carpal ligament. This ligament along with the median nerve and the tendons that allow the fingers to bend, go through a passage in the wrist called the carpal tunnel. Because that tunnel is narrow, when that ligament becomes inflamed, the nerves and tendons are pinched.

Typically, CTR surgery involves making an incision several inches across the wrist to sever the transverse ligament to relieve the pressure on the nerves and tendons.

This new treatment requires a very small incision and uses ultrasound to find a pathway to the transverse ligament through the carpal tunnel, eliminating the need for a large incision.  Once in the carpal tunnel the tiny blade cuts the ligament. The treatment can be performed in fewer than 10 minutes using a local anesthetic. Patients may experience less pain and scarring, shorter recovery times, and typically can return to normal activities in days. Patients can be in a cast for as long as six weeks following a typical open CTR surgery.

“This is an exciting option for patients who suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome but have hesitated to seek treatment due to concerns about undergoing surgery and long recovery times associated with some treatment options,” says Dr. Nicholas Moore, an orthopedic specialist affiliated with DMC Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital, who has treated a number of patients using the device.

Carpal tunnel syndrome affects more than 12 million Americans and results in 650,000 surgeries every year.

My Eyelab Saginaw Store is First in Michigan
My Eyelab, a retail eye health provider that originated in Jacksonville, Fla., has opened a location in Saginaw, the brand’s first store in Michigan.

“We are excited to bring our first My Eyelab store to Michigan and show the local communities how convenient and affordable eye care and eyewear can truly be,” says Kissel Goldman, senior vice president of operations for My Eyelab. “With its strong demographics and growing population, Saginaw provides us with an ideal growth opportunity, and we look forward to expanding throughout the state of Michigan even more in coming years.”

My Eyelab has led the optical industry in ocular telehealth by leveraging proprietary innovative software technology to provide patients with affordable eye exams, eyeglasses, and contact lenses, according to the company.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit here or call 989-402-3016.

Lansing-area Medical Providers Join Pinnacle GI Partners
Lansing-based Michigan Gastroenterology Institute and Capitol Colorectal Surgery have joined Pinnacle GI Partners, which has several locations in metro Detroit, to form the largest provider of gastrointestinal services in the state. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The move creates an entity representing 40 providers, including 21 gastroenterologists, three colorectal surgeons, and 16 advanced practice providers.

Michigan Gastroenterology Institute was founded in 1988 and provides gastrointestinal care to communities in mid-Michigan. The gastroenterologists and advanced practice providers deliver digestive health services through 12 facilities in the Lansing area.

“We have joined with Pinnacle GI Partners to expand our practice and enhance our ability to offer innovative clinical solutions that will improve the quality of care for our patients,” says Dr. Scott Plaehn, president of MGI.

Capitol Colorectal Surgery has been serving patients in mid-Michigan for more than 40 years.

“Through our partnership with MGI and CCS, we can continue to provide excellent gastrointestinal care throughout Michigan,” says Dr. Partha Nandi, president of Pinnacle GI Partners. “Our esteemed partners at MGI and CCS share our vision of preserving independent physician practices and leveraging the best practices of our organization.”

Pinnacle GI Partners is part of H.I.G. Growth Partners, a growth capital investment company in Boston.

UV Angel Installs Air-treatment Technology in McDonald’s Locations in Chicago, Dallas, Houston
Grand Haven-based UV Angel is partnering with certain McDonald’s franchise owners to help create safer and cleaner environments for customers and staff at multiple locations in the Chicago, Dallas, and Houston markets.

Under the partnership, the McDonald’s locations were equipped with UV Angel’s proprietary ultraviolet light surface and air technology. The room-level source control technology works continuously to neutralize surface and airborne bacteria, viruses, and fungi to reduce the risk of exposure to infection-causing agents. Unlike building-level source controls, such as HEPA filters and UV-C HVAC units, UV Angel technology targets pathogens at their source, where and when they are spread.

UV Angel’s technology was originally designed and tested for use in hospitals to neutralize deadly pathogens and reduce the risk of hospital-associated infections. The company’s Adapt surface technology mounts over high-touch areas — like touchscreens and keyboards — and uses ultraviolet light to autonomously treat the surfaces after every human interaction.

“The recent pandemic highlights the need to add controls right at the room level and source of potential contamination,” says Tom Byrne, CEO of UV Angel. “While our company started in health care, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the use of our technologies in many different industries looking to create measurably safer indoor environments for staff, customers, and families. We are proud to partner with business owners to bring next generation technology to McDonald’s locations in Houston, Dallas, and Chicago.”

The technology is mounted at the ceiling level and continuously draws room air into a sealed chamber, where it is treated with UV-C light to destroy airborne pathogens. This engineering control system operates independent of the HVAC system for automated continuous source-level environmental air treatment.

For more information on UV Angel’s technology and products, visit here.

Xenith and Detroit Sports Commission Partner to Offer High School Scholarship
Detroit-based innovative football equipment company Xenith, and the Detroit Sports Commission have partnered to announce the inaugural Xenith Prep Kickoff Classic Scholarship.

The $1,000 scholarship is an action resulting from the Xenith Prep Kickoff Classic Community Summit: Racial Inequality and Sport, which took place on Sept. 30. This event featured local community leaders and football coaches speaking on the need for conversations on racial injustice and change in Detroit-area communities.

“Xenith seeks to understand, elevate, and support our athletes on and off the field.” Says Ryan Sullivan, CEO of Xenith CEO. “During the Xenith Prep Kickoff Classic Community Summit both Xenith and the Detroit Sports Commission committed to specific follow-up actions. The Xenith Prep Kickoff Classic Scholarship is just one of those. On Monday, Jan. 18, we will also release a toolkit to guide teams in holding courageous conversations on race and we will continue to use the Xenith Prep Kickoff Classic platform to initiate change and address racial inequality.”

To qualify for the Xenith Prep Kickoff Classic Scholarship Award, the applicant must be a current high school senior (graduating in the class of 2021); reside in Michigan, and identify as Black or African American. The award must be used for enrolled post-secondary education during the 2021-2022 academic year.

The application process requires the applicant to respond in a 3- to 5-minute, self-produced video to two questions on the topic of racial injustice:

  • How has sport helped you overcome and/or address barriers related to race?
  • How can sport be used to address issues of racial inequality in our community?

The scholarship application is available here and will close at 11:59 p.m. on March 15.

“We are proud to announce the inaugural Xenith Prep Kickoff Classic Scholarship and follow the substantive and important conversation from the community leaders and high school football coaches who spoke so passionately at the community summit event organized and hosted last fall,” says Dave Beachnau, senior vice president of the Detroit Sports Commission. “When we founded the event in 2005, our stated goal was to be inclusive and provide an opportunity for schools from all around Michigan to participate in a bowl-game like atmosphere at a college facility.”

The 2021 Xenith Prep Kickoff Classic event will be played on the opening week of high school football in Michigan at Wayne State University in Detroit in accordance with public health and safety guidelines in place at that time.