Early Wednesday, St. Clair County deputies rushed to a house fire on the 4300 block of Yankee Road around 2:20 a.m. Two people—a 73-year-old woman and a 16-year-old girl—managed to escape to the front porch, but another woman was still trapped inside. Fire crews from the St. Clair Area Fire Authority rescued her through a second-story window. The victim, 47-year-old Laura Bramlett, was taken to McLaren Macomb Hospital, where she later died. Sheriff’s detectives continue to investigate the cause of the fire.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

Monday night, St. Clair County deputies responded to a home alarm on Pine Ridge Drive. When they arrived, they found a green Ford Bronco running in the driveway — it had been stolen. The front door was forced open, and police soon heard movement in the nearby woods. Two suspects were caught walking in the area, and a third was tracked down at a fast-food restaurant, thanks to a citizen tip. Guns were stolen from the home. All three suspects are now behind bars.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

A Port Huron man accused of shooting his three children will face a mental competency hearing next month. Forty-four-year-old Jeffery Smerer is charged with killing his 17-year-old son and seriously injuring his 12- and 13-year-old children during a shooting on September 11th. Prosecutors say the hearing on February 27th will determine if Smerer can claim insanity as part of his defense. If allowed, a jury could find him not guilty by reason of insanity or guilty but mentally ill. Smerer faces 10 felony counts, including open murder.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

The St. Clair County Board of Health voted unanimously Wednesday to support Medical Director Dr. Remington Nevin’s call for more vaccine choice. The move adds local backing to Nevin’s recent memo urging greater focus on informed consent and parental decision-making. The meeting turned tense as residents clashed over state vaccine policy, prompting an early adjournment. The board’s recommendation headed to the county commissioners for review Thursday morning. The next Health Board meeting is set for February 18th at 9 a.m. in downtown Port Huron.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

Due to dangerously cold conditions, the following will be closed on January 23rd. Please your your business or district website for more details.

St. Clair County:

• Algonac Community Schools
• Blue Water Choices
• **Life Skills Centers
• Capac Community Schools
• Cardinal Mooney Catholic High
• Community Enterprises of St. Clair
• Creative Employment Anchorville
• East China School District
• East Shore-Leadership Acdmy
• Harper Woods CCI Center
• Holy Cross Catholic
• Immaculate Conception Elem- Ira
• **Archdiocese of Detroit
• Lapeer Life Skills
• Life Skills Bright Futures
• Memphis Community Schools
• Port Huron School District
• St. Clair TEC
• **St. Clair County RESA
• Westfield Charter Academy
• Woodland Develop Center
• **St. Clair County RESA
• Yale School District

Macomb County:

• Academy of Warren
• Anchor Bay School District
• Angel’s Corner Center
• Arc of Macomb County
• Armada Area Schools
• Arts Acdmy in the Woods
• Assumption Center
• Assumption Nursery
• Austin Catholic High School
• Center Line Prep. Acdmy
• Center Line Public Schools
• Chippewa Valley School District
• Clinton Twp. Senior Ctr.
• Clintondale Community Schools
• Creative Employment Clinton Twp.
• Creative Employment Washington Twp.
• Cross of Glory Lutheran
• **Lutheran-Wisconsin Synod
• DeLaSalle Collegiate High
• Eastpointe Community Schools
• Eaton Acdmy
• **Macomb Int School District
• First Friends Montessori
• Fitzgerald Public Schools
• Fraser Public Schools
• Frontier International Academy(K-5)
• Elementary K thru 5
• Great Oaks Acdmy-Warren
• **National Heritage Academies
• Harper Woods CCI Center
• Huron Academy
• **Charter School Partners
• Immaculate Cncptn Catholic-Warren
• Immanuel Lutheran-Macomb
• **Lutheran-Missouri Synod
• International Acdmy of Macomb
• Chippewa Valley School District
• L’Anse Creuse Public Schools
• Lake Shore Public Schools
• Lakeview Public Schools (Macomb)
• Lapeer Life Skills
• Life Enrichment Academy-New Haven
• Life Enrichment Academy-Warren
• Chippewa Valley School District
• Lutheran High-North
• **Lutheran-Missouri Synod
• Macomb Acdmy
• **Macomb Int School District
• Macomb ISD-Edu Service Ctr
• **Macomb Int School District
• Macomb ISD-Special Ed Pgms
• **Macomb Int School District
• Macomb Montessori Acdmy
• Merritt Acdmy
• **The Romine Group
• Michigan Collegiate
• Michigan Math and Science Academy
• Michigan Montessori Childrens Acad
• Montessori Childrens Acdmy-Clinton
• Mt Clemens Community Schools
• Mt. Clemens Montessori Acdmy
• **Charter School Partners
• New Dawn Academy
• New Haven Community Schools
• Noor International Acdmy
• **Hamadeh Educational Services
• Parkway Christian
• Peace Lutheran-Shelby Twp
• **Lutheran-Missouri Synod
• Prevail Acdmy
• **National Heritage Academies
• Reach Charter Acdmy
• Richmond Community Schools
• Rising Stars Acdmy
• Romeo Community Schools
• Roseville Community Schools
• Roseville Community Schools
• Social Resources Macomb
• South Lake Schools
• Spark’s Little Learners Acdmy
• St. Anne Catholic
• St. Isaac Jogues Catholic
• St. Joan of Arc Catholic
• St. Joseph’s Acdmy-RAY TWP
• St. Lawrence Catholic School
• **Archdiocese of Detroit
• St. Mary Catholic-Mt Clemens
• St. Peter Lutheran-Eastpointe
• **Lutheran-Missouri Synod
• St. Peter Lutheran-Macomb
• **Lutheran-Missouri Synod
• St. Peter’s Lutheran-Richmond
• **Lutheran-Missouri Synod
• St. Thecla Catholic Elem
• Trinity Lutheran-Clinton Twp
• **Lutheran-Missouri Synod
• Trinity Lutheran-Utica
• Utica Community Schools
• Van Dyke Public Schools
• Warren Consolidated Schools
• Warren Woods Public Schools
• Westfield Charter Academy

Michigan’s cannabis market is kicking off the new year under pressure. For the first time since recreational sales began six years ago, marijuana sales slipped 3% last year to just over $3 billion. Now, a new 24% wholesale tax—meant to fund road projects—is hitting dispensaries hard. Industry leaders warn higher prices and job cuts could follow, as many companies say they can’t afford to absorb the cost. Lawsuits challenging the tax are moving forward, but for now, businesses and customers are bracing for more expensive weed.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet