George James

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has announced that the regular Recreation Passport vehicle entry fee for residents will increase for the first time since January 2013. Residents shouldn’t panic just yet, as the fee is going from $11-$12. With the recreation pass, vehicles can access more than 100 state parks and recreation areas, 140 state forest campgrounds, hundreds of miles of state trails, historic sites, and other outdoor spaces starting March 1st.

All other resident Passport fees will remain the same, including those for motorcycles, mopeds and commercial vehicles. The change is due to a statutory provision to adjust the Recreation Passport fee based upon the Consumer Price Index as determined by the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. That statutory requirement was put into law when the Recreation Passport funding model was created in 2010 to ensure the funding source keeps pace with inflation.

DNR Parks and Recreation Chief Ron Olson said it isn’t widely known that Michigan state parks are largely self-supporting. The steady growth in Recreation Passport revenue has been a key part in helping the department tackle some high-priority areas.

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.

The U.S. Government is asking for local help to staff and complete the census. The census has been taken every 10 years since 1790, and according to the U.S. Census Bureau, “The goal of the 2020 Census is to count everyone who lives in the United States to determine congressional representation in the states and inform how billions of dollars in federal funds are distributed to states and local communities every year for critical public services and infrastructure, including health clinics, schools, roads and emergency services.”

A hiring event for census workers was recently held at the Michigan Works! Career Center, but there are more jobs available. Applicants can register online at 2020census.gov. Applicants are required to be at least 18 years of age with a valid mailing address and social security number. The temporary jobs pay $18 per hour, and they will last from May to July.

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.

Bella Bolla, the newest restaurant in downtown Port Huron, is hosting a new kind of event this Friday from 10 p.m. to midnight. Luke Marion, Co-Owner of Bella Bolla said, the idea “just came from experiences [he and family members] had when visiting Chicago and wanted to bring a cool and unique eating experience to Port Huron.” Marion said the “goal is just to give people something fun to do as well as reduce the stigma that there is nothing fun happening in winter.” The event will feature a lights-out eating experience to include glowsticks, dancing, electronic & house music, and of course, the restaurant’s signature brick oven pizza.

Tickets are available online and at the door (if not sold out) for $16 per person, and the ticket includes a personal 10″ pizza of your choice as well as a drink. 

Bella Bolla opened in the fall and prides itself on pizzas made from the freshest ingredients in a fast-casual pizza-eating experience. Marion also owns MIGardner just a few doors down from the pizzeria.

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.

Monday night’s Port Huron City Council Meeting was a quick one, but there were some important developments. Police Chief Joseph Platzer introduced three new officers, Officer Jesse Torrez, Officer Hannah Yadon, and Officer Anthony Garska, all from the Blue Water Area with diverse military and educational experiences. The department will also be looking for two more police officers later this year, with the pending retirements of two veteran officers.

At the meeting, the council also accepted a bid from Techni-Comp Composting Specialist, LLC, in the amount of $28,000.00 for clearing and composting the wood pile at Lakeside Cemetery. Per DEQ requirements, the burning of wood is no longer allowed, according to City Manager, James Freed.

The wheels were also put in motion to get the Skatepark construction started when the council voted to authorize and support the “acceptance of an Environmental Impact Grant from the Tony Hawk Foundation and the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation made available to the City of Port Huron in the amount of $50,000.00 in order to incorporate specific green technology designs at the proposed Optimist Skatepark Project.” City Manager James Freed recognized Nancy Winzer and Kim Harmer for “writing grants and chasing down money” to make the skatepark happen. Council members also recognized John Eppley of Alpine Cycle for his efforts in the skatepark project.

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.

St. Clair County Community College has announced the addition of two coaches to lead Skippers Athletics teams in women’s soccer and Esports. Todd Stank will serve as the women’s soccer coach and James Jordan will be the Esports coach.

Both women’s soccer and Esports were added to the college’s athletic offerings last fall. In doing so, SC4 became the sixth community college in Michigan to offer women’s soccer and was among the first 50 of 520 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) member institutions nationwide to field an Esports team.

The women’s soccer team will begin its play in 2020-21. The Esports team will begin NJCAA Esports competition this semester, potentially competing in Rocket League, FIFA 20, Overwatch and Super Smash Bros.

Stank has served as head coach at Rochester University (women’s), Waterford Kettering High School (women’s) and Capac High School (men’s and women’s). A former Michigan Olympic Development Program evaluator, Stank holds licenses from both the United States Soccer Coaches Association and the United States Soccer Federation. 

Jordan brings six years of Esports coaching and managing experience to the college. He has coached and competed at various skill levels from minor events to premier competitions against top talent from around the world. In 2019 Jordan coached and competed in various international competitions against top teams from Europe, South America and Oceania.

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.

The power of social media knows no bounds, and it’s been proven once again with an amazing story right here in St. Clair County. Three to four years ago, a community member from Marine City was driving on Short Road and noticed some items in a wooden box, including a purple heart with the name “William H. Upton” along with other military ribbons and medals.  

The box remained in the man’s basement until he recently brought it to the St. Clair County Department of Veterans Affairs in hopes the department could reach out further to the community to find the veteran, veteran’s family or next living relative.

According to Nancy Deising, Outreach Coordinator for the Veterans Affairs office, they “decided to use the power of social media to get the word out with what little was had about the veteran other than his name.”  

Within 3-hours, the daughter of the veteran was found.  After talking on Facebook, the precious items are set to be returned to the family this week.

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.