George James

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers got quite the surprise last week when they seized a human brain in international mail at the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron last week.

On February 14, CBP officers assigned to the Port Huron Area Port referred a Canadian mail truck that had just crossed the Blue Water Bridge for inspection in Marysville. During the routine mail operation, a shipment manifested as an “Antique Teaching Specimen” was targeted for inspection. Upon opening the shipment, CBP officers found the package to contain a human brain specimen inside of a clear glass mason jar without any paperwork or documentation in support of its lawful entry into the United States.

The shipment originated in Toronto, Canada and was destined for Kenosha, Wisconsin. Area Port Director Michael Fox said, “Individuals looking to import shipments such as this, need to remember that the Center for Disease Control and Prevention has a strict Import Permit Program that must be adhered to.”

CBP Agriculture Specialists in Port Huron are currently in contact with the CDC regarding the brain specimen.

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.

The James R. Leonard Center, on Goulden Street in Port Huron, has the potential to be bustling with activity once again after an investment from The Community Foundation of St. Clair County. The Athletic Factory, a local organization, received an $18,000 grant to use toward reopening the neighborhood center for youth programs.

The Athletic Factory’s mission is to “create recreational opportunities that support the positive development of St. Clair County and surrounding counties’ youth through athletic participation and competition, educational tutoring, and student-athlete college preparation”. They also strive to develop local athletes to be able to participate in competitive travel leagues.

The grant will assist in making possible a June 2020 programming schedule that includes free open gym for middle and high school kids, a seven-week ACT/SAT prep course, and a gaming area. The Athletic Factory has the organizational objectives of improving law-abiding behavior, improving self-functioning, increasing self-esteem, and improving school attendance, academic performance, and athletic skills.

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.

Dan Damman, the sole candidate running for Circuit Court Judge at this time, launched his campaign yesterday evening.

Born and raised in St. Clair, Damman has strong ties to the area. He graduated from St. Clair High School in 1994 and attended St. Clair County Community College before transferring to Michigan State University. He has his Juris Doctorate (JD) from Wayne State University Law School. Damman was the former Mayor of Marysville from 2013 to 2019 and also served on the city council there from 2011 to 2013. 

He is currently a partner at Winston & Damman, PLLC, and specializes in Criminal Defense, Family Law, and Personal Injury, representing clients in St. Clair, Sanilac, Lapeer and Macomb Counties. Dan also served the County of St. Clair in the Representative Assembly of the State Bar of Michigan.

According to Michigan’s court information, “The circuit court is the trial court with the broadest powers in Michigan. In general, the circuit court handles all civil cases with claims of more than $25,000 and all felony criminal cases.” The vote for the circuit court judge will be on the November ballot. There is still time for individuals to file to run against Damman. 

He has three more campaign events planned around St. Clair County to meet area residents. To learn more about the campaign or upcoming events, visit dandamman.com.

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.

United Way of St. Clair County (UWSCC) Executive Director, Douglas A. Dolph, has announced his retirement with current Campaign Director Brent Gillette set to fill the position.   Dolph has been with UWSCC for seven years, serving as Executive Director since 2014. Gillette has been with UWSCC since 2016. He brings over 20 years of local United Way involvement and over 28 years of strong fundraising, management, and public relations experience.  

Mr. Dolph’s retirement from the position is set for Apirl 30. According to the local United Way, he is known throughout the non-profit and business world for his assessing and negotiator skills, building bridges between people and organizations, and being well-connected in the community.  

 The United Way of St. Clair County reports that Gillette and Dolph have been working closely together to ensure a seamless transition. Mr. Dolph’s retirement gathering will be immediately following the UWSCC Annual Meeting on Thursday, April 30, 2020 at the Port Huron Elks Lodge.

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.

The City of Croswell has a cat problem and is now partnering with the Sanilac County Humane Society to solve it in a humane way. Croswell City Administrator Sam Moore said that they have seen an increase in the feral cat population in the city over the last two years. 

Kind-hearted residents who feed and care for the animals have become overwhelmed by the numbers. In response to the problem, the City has teamed up with the Sanilac Humane Society to get the cats healthy and rehomed. Moore said that there has been interest from local dairy farmers who are looking for a barn cat or two. Organizers of the project are asking Croswell residents to keep their house pets inside from February 19-22 and to refrain from feeding stray cats during that time period as well. Volunteers will be rounding up the strays during that time. The cats will then be sterilized, given vaccinations, and checked out for health concerns. The cats will be either rehomed by their new “adoptive” owners or returned to where they were found. The effort needs supplies and volunteers. Contact the Sanilac County Humane Society for more information.

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.

One way to shake the winter blues is to bundle up with a few hundred of your friends to celebrate Casey’s 14 years of business with the 8th Annual Carhartt Party this Saturday. The restaurant, located at 628 Huron Avenue in downtown Port Huron, has made the celebration a don’t-miss event over the years.

Owner Carrie Harris told us that she and her husband, Casey, started the party as a way to thank their customers and celebrate the anniversary of their opening of the restaurant. What started as a small pizza and sub shop has expanded into a full-service bar and restaurant with outdoor seating in the warmer months. Eight years ago, family and friends came in from out of town to celebrate with them and it snowballed into the mega-party that it is today.  

To accommodate the large crowd, the glass garage doors that surround the restaurant are opened in the middle of winter and patrons are encouraged to don their Carhartts or other winter gear and embrace the winter season. This year’s party is from noon to 6 p.m. and Carrie said that the event will continue as long as there are no problems. With that many people celebrating, safety is the top priority for the Harrises. They employ security and will be checking IDs of everyone who attends. She said they “never imagined our cure for the mid-winter blues would be so popular.” But it seems to be a case of “if you build it, they will come” and the crowds keep on coming to this annual party.

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.