Choze Powell

The Port Huron Town Hall speaker series started back up in October, and organizers are planning for their next guest, Spencer Stone, to appear on McMorran’s stage in November.

Spencer Stone is a former Air Force Staff Sgt. who is best known for being part of the group that stopped a terrorist attack on a Paris-bound train in 2015. The events that unfolded that day were featured in the movie The 15:17 to Paris directed by Clint Eastwood. Stone and his friends played themselves in the movie.

To get tickets to Spencer Stone’s presentation on November 8th at 10:30 AM, you must visit the McMorran Box office in person Monday – Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM or Saturdays from 9 AM to 1 PM. Tickets are also available by phone at 810-985-6166 or by mail.

More information is available at porthurontownhall.com

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

On Monday, October 25, 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that would posthumously award the Congressional Gold Medal to the 13 U.S. military servicemembers who were killed in Afghanistan on August 26, 2021. The bill was initiated by Congresswoman Lisa McClain and co-sponsored by 325 members of Congress.

McClain said, “These 13 fallen warriors, along with many others, made the ultimate sacrifice. Each of them knew their duty, and they accepted the risks. Not many answer the call, but they volunteered anyways.”

Of the 13 servicemembers lost on August 26th,  11 were Marines, 1 was an Army soldier, and 1 belonged to the Navy.

• David L. Espinoza – Marine Corps Lance Cpl.
• Nicole L. Gee – Marine Corps Sgt.
• Darin T. Hoover – Marine Corps Staff Sgt.
• Ryan C. Knauss – Army Staff Sgt.
• Hunter Lopez – Marine Corps Cpl.
• Rylee J. McCollum – Marine Corps Lance Cpl.
• Dylan R. Merola – Marine Corps Lance Cpl.
• Kareem M. Nikoui – Marine Corps Lance Cpl.
• Johanny Rosario Pichardo – Marine Corps Sgt.
• Humberto A. Sanchez – Marine Corps Cpl.
• Jared M. Schmitz – Marine Corps Lance Cpl.
• Maxton W. Soviak – Navy Hospital Corpsman
• Daegan W. Page – Marine Corps Cpl.

“We often forget about the families who have lost even more. To be a Gold Star Family is an honor no one wishes for. We owe our sincerest gratitude to the families who eagerly awaited these 13 servicemembers return. These families bear the greatest burden of their loved ones sacrifice, and we can never thank them in a way that will make up for their loss,” said McClain.

The Bill now moves to the Senate for approval.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Watch for fraudulent charges, especially after using credit cards at gas pumps. That is the message from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development after routine inspections turned up a number of illegal “skimmers” at gas stations.

The skimmers are located inside the credit card payment devices and are used to fraudulently “skim” credit card information for illegal use. The inspections found skimmers in eight Michigan communities. None were found in the Blue Water area at this time.

Timothy Waters, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan warned,  “Criminals who engage in this type of illegal activity exploit and manipulate the very technology that we depend on to conduct secure financial transactions in the retail marketplace. “

Waters said, “The FBI and its local, state, and federal law enforcement partners are committed to protecting consumers, businesses, and financial institutions from fraud schemes conducted by criminal enterprises like this one.”

MDARD continues to look for skimmers during routine inspections and asks anyone who thinks they may have been a victim of such a crime to report it immediately.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

On October 21, 2021, Congresswoman Lisa McClain (R-MI) spoke on the House floor about the growing crisis at our southern border and urged the Biden Administration to stop the flow of illegal immigrants and drugs from coming over our southwest border.

For video of the speech, click here.

Her remarks, as prepared, are below.

Once again, I come before this chamber to ask when will this administration address the ever-growing crisis at our southern border?

Every day that passes, from sun up to sun down, our nation’s immigration laws are being violated by thousands of illegal border crossers.

For the life of me, I don’t understand why our Commander and Chief refuses to go and see the mess that he and his open border policies have created.

But I’ve seen this crisis myself, so let me paint him a picture.

In Fiscal year 2020, 458 thousand illegal aliens were apprehended at our southwest border.

In Fiscal year 2021, under President Biden’s “leadership”, that number skyrocketed to 1.7 million!

Last month, more than 12,000 illegal aliens from Haiti squatted under a bridge until President Biden’s Department of Homeland Security began moving them into the interior of our country.

The problems don’t stop with people coming in illegally. Illegal drugs from the border are coming to a town near you.

In Fiscal year 2021, Border Patrol agents at the southwest border seized nearly 900 pounds of fentanyl. Doing the math, that’s enough to kill nearly 200 million people.  That’s nearly two-thirds of our country!

To all my colleagues, I beg of you: We must fix this Biden Border Crisis.  It worsens with every passing minute.

I yield back.

Submitted by Congresswoman McClain’s Office

Port Huron, MI — The St. Clair County Drug Task Force seized multiple drugs and a gun during a raid in the city of Port Huron on Wednesday, October 20, 2021.

According to Sheriff Mat King, the DTF conducted an investigation into the sales of narcotics in the Port Huron area.  The suspect was located driving a vehicle.  When deputies attempted to stop the suspect, he fled.  The suspect, a 54 year old Port Huron man was eventually taken into custody.  A search warrant was then executed at his residence in the 900 block of Wall Street.  Once inside, members of the DTF located and seized about $11,500 worth of fentanyl, $7,200 worth of cocaine, over $4,000 in cash and a handgun.  

The suspect was arrested at the home and transported to the Intervention and Detention Center.  He is expected to face charges including possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, felony firearm, felon in possession of a firearm, fleeing and eluding, maintaining a drug house and being a habitual 4th offender.

The Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team and K-9 Unit assisted in the investigation.

Submitted by the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office

Cynthia Cutright has been working hard in her role as Downtown Development Authority Director to keep events and activities around Port Huron safe and fun. Now she gets to use her gifts in a new position as Special Projects Coordinator in the office of Port Huron City Manager James Freed.

Cutright has been busy innovating ways that downtown events and spaces could be used safely during the COVID-19 pandemic. She has worked with downtown business owners to organize Shop, Rock & Stroll, a weekly night of music, art, and shopping, and she has also led the efforts to create the pocket parks and utilize outdoor spaces throughout downtown.

The new position of Special Projects Coordinator will capitalize on Cutright’s organizational strengths that she’s proven while managing events such as Bluewater Fest, Art Hop, and ChillyFest while also giving her new opportunities to work on administering American Rescue Plan funds and future workforce housing initiatives in the city.

City Manager James Freed said, “Cynthia is one of the most talented, dynamic and proven leaders I have worked with. She has done an extraordinary job leading the DDA these last few years, especially during the unique challenges COVID-19 presented. The Department Heads and I look forward to putting her talents and skills to good use on a much broader scale.”

In response to her promotion, Cutright said, “It’s been a wonderful opportunity to serve the DDA and the downtown business community. I am proud of the progress we have made and look forward to this new opportunity to serve our residents and community,”

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand