Choze Powell

The Port Huron Police Department investigated a school threat at Port Huron Northern High school at 1799 Krafft Road in the City of Port Huron.  On Monday, November 5 at 9:05 a.m., Port Huron School Resource Officer Dennis Huisman investigated a threat made by a Port Huron Northern student.  Multiple students had informed Officer Huisman that the 17-year-old Port Huron resident had been making threats to shoot up the school for the past few weeks.  Due to the suspect’s persistence, the other students told authorities.  The suspect responded to the Port Huron Police Department voluntarily for an interview.  Weapons that were accessible in the family’s home have been secured for safekeeping.  The suspect was suspended through Port Huron Schools and then lodged in the St. Clair County jail pending arraignment for Threat of Terrorism, a 20 year felony.

Voters are headed to the polls today to decide on three proposals.  One of the proposals is  a possible constitutional amendment which would establish a commission of citizens with exclusive authority to adopt district boundaries for the Michigan Senate, Michigan House of Representatives and U.S. Congress, every ten years.    The commission would be randomly selected by the Secretary of State.  The proposal would prohibit partisan officeholders and candidates, their employees, certain relatives and lobbyists from serving as commissioners.  It would establish new redistricting criteria and would not allow for disproportionate advantage to political parties or candidates.  Polls are open until 8 p.m. this evening.

There are three state proposals St. Clair County residents will be deciding on today’s ballot one of which would allow individuals 21 and older to purchase, possess and use marijuana and marijuana-infused edibles, and grow up to 12 marijuana plants for personal consumption.  The ruling would impose a 10-ounce limit for marijuana kept at residences and require amounts over 2.5 ounces be secured in locked containers.  It would create a state licensing system for marijuana businesses and allow municipalities to ban or restrict them.  It would also permit retail sales of marijuana and edibles subject to a 10% tax, which would be dedicated to implementation costs, clinical trials, schools, roads, and municipalities where marijuana businesses are located.  It would also change several current violations from crimes to civil infractions.  Polls are open until 8 p.m. this evening.

Today voters are heading to the polls to decide on a number of positions.  Locally, in the city of Port Huron three seats for city council need to be filled and the position of Port Huron Mayor is up for grabs.  Four candidates are running to hold the title of Mayor; those include current Mayor Pauline Repp, current city councilman Scott Richard Worden, Garth Gurnsey who has run for Mayor in the past, and newcomer, Tray Smith.    There are three seats available on Port Huron for city council.   Eight candidates are running.  Incumbent Councilwomen Anita Ashford, mayor pro tem, and Teri Lamb, a mid-term appointee, are going up against Lisa Beedon, Jon Hardman, Bob Mosurak, Art Payne, Jeff Pemberton and Marissa Williams. Councilman Rico Ruiz is not seeking re-election.

Last year five families were provided Thanksgiving Dinner by a Facebook Group called “State Of Emergency Port Huron”.  This year, they set a goal to double that number to ten, and have already signed up fourteen families in need.  Edric Eiermann is the administrator of the group and he says they will be collecting donations of food this Friday, November 9th between 5:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. at the Spirit Shoppe across from Lakeside Beach.  There will be hot chocolate provided for those who drop off food.  Edric says the Facebook page is where you start, by asking to join.  Once you have joined the group, you can nominate someone to receive the meal.  On the Facebook page you will also find the Thanksgiving menu request for food to donate.   If you would like to volunteer to deliver the food the Monday before Thanksgiving, please note that as well.   Eiermann says he came up with the idea of Thanksgiving meals to give to those in our community who might have fallen on hard times.

One of three proposals on today ballot is a proposal to authorize automatic and Election Day voter registration, no-reason absentee voting, and straight ticket voting, and will add current legal requirements for military and overseas voting and post-election audits to the Michigan Constitution.  It would allow a United States citizen who is qualified to vote in Michigan to become automatically registered to vote when applying for, updating or renewing a driver’s license and will allow a resident to obtain an absent voter ballot without providing a reason.  Voters would also be allowed to cast a straight-ticket vote for all candidates of a particular political party when voting in a partisan general election.  Three proposals to vote upon – polls are open until 8 p.m.