George James

We all know teachers and school district employees who inspire us and go above and beyond for their students. Maybe you think of your middle school physical education teacher who started a nonprofit to teach students about art and music, or an administrator who visits the homes of students in need, or maybe a custodian who fundraises for school programs. Educators often are lifechangers for students and one local educator has been nominated for a LifeChanger of the Year award.

LifeChanger of the Year is an annual program recognizing K-12 educators and school employees across the country, and Ms. Kathy Kish, Principal of Indian Woods Elementary, has been nominated for the national award. Ms. Kish joined Port Huron Schools in 2017 after a long career as a teacher, counselor and administrator in a neighboring district. According to the nomination by Port Huron Schools Executive Director of Student and Staff Services Tracie Eschenberg, Ms. Kish does not just work with students and their families during typical school hours. She goes to their neighborhoods to make connections, from staff Christmas caroling and back to school home visits, to group bike rides and Popsicles with Principal Kish. 

In addition to leading the school, Ms. Kish coordinates with other local charitable organizations to provide for the needs of her families. One of those is Tires and Treads, a nonprofit that serves to collect and provide gently used clothing (especially shoes), as well as funding so that elementary schools can replenish their supply of these items, should they run out. Ms. Kish also created an outdoor food pantry, which is filled weekly by staff and other donors. The pantry is open to families and the Kimball community.

Community members can vote for Ms. Kish to win the LifeChanger award by visiting Port Huron Schools social media pages or visit LifeChangeroftheYear.com

At the end of September, we broke the news that John F. Farrell-Emmett Elementary School in the Yale School District had been chosen as a 2019 National Blue Ribbon School. This is a rare honor that only went to thirteen schools in Michigan. The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program recognizes public and private elementary, middle, and high schools based on their overall academic excellence or their progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups. Every year the U. S. Department of Education seeks out and celebrates great American schools demonstrating that all students can achieve high levels.

 The 212 students of the Emmett Elementary school, their families, and the Yale School District have been celebrating this honor for a month now, and the excitement peaked this past weekend when Teacher Erin Kavanaugh, Assistant Superintendent Joe Haynes, and Principal Bob Watson took a trip to Washington, D.C., to receive the honor in person and attend educational opportunities. 

Mr. Watson told us that the event had a host of guest speakers and workshops with a message that resonated the most with him: the importance of building relationships.  He said he “thought about how this award is not something that was earned in just one year, but the product of a group of people working together for several years to create a sense of family with a focus on creating a safe learning culture for everyone.” 

Mr. Watson said that one of the presenters used the analogy “this is the Super Bowl and we just won it.”  We got a student’s perspective on what makes Farrell-Emmett such an exemplary school. Mackey M., a fourth grader at the school told us that one of the things that makes his school so special is that the teachers “make it great to learn with fun stuff to do and a whole bunch of activities, like building catapults.” Mackey is not the only one who thinks Farrell is a great school, as their 2019 National Blue Ribbon School status proves.

‘Tis the season for secret Santas and surprise gift giving. It’s also the season for online scams disguised as fun ways to spread holiday cheer. The “Secret Sister” gift exchange is very popular this year, with the promise of each individual participant receiving a deluge of gifts in the mail if they only add their address to a list and mail out one little gift. 

This seemingly fun scheme has been around for decades, first by old fashioned snail mail, later by email, and now using social media. As tempting as a mailbox full of candles or chocolates may seem, these gift exchanges are illegal. According to the Better Business Bureau, these are really pyramid schemes that are considered illegal gambling in the eyes of the law.

Anything that relies on the recruitment of individuals to keep the program going is a pyramid scheme, and once the cycle is broken, someone is left with an empty mailbox and disappointment. 

If you are asked to join a gift exchange program that relies on recruitment and sending a gift to strangers, you are asked to report it, either on social media or directly to the Better Business Bureau. Participants are actually subject to prosecution for mail fraud if the postal service is involved. If you really want to send a gift to a stranger, there are a multitude of local charities that would love to be the object of your generosity.

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.

The Port Huron Schools Community Relations/Marketing Director, Keely Baribeau, has been named the 2019 recipient of the Gerri Allen Outstanding School Communicator Award by the Michigan School Public Relations Association (MSPRA). Ms. Baribeau has served on the MSPRA Board of Directors since 2015. 

The statewide award annually recognizes a “practicing Public Relations professional in a public school, district, educational agency, service center or intermediate unit.” Baribeau said, “It is a true honor to be nominated by Superintendent Cain and to have the support and endorsement of a group of professional communicators of the caliber of the MSPRA membership.” Baribeau has been a communication professional for more than 20 years, starting her career as a television producer/writer in Los Angeles. Her communications colleague and fellow MSPRA Board member, Garth Kriewall, who is also a local resident, presented her with the award.

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.

The Sanilac County Sheriff’s Office is reporting a serious home accident that occurred just last week. It happened at approximately 7:06 p.m. on November 14 when Sanilac County Central Dispatch received a 9-1-1 call from a subject reporting a cabin explosion with injured persons on hunting property off of Ubly Road near Argyle. The Sheriff’s Office responded to the area along with the Argyle Fire Department and located the property in the 4200 block of Ubly Road in Argyle Township. 

The initial investigation has determined that a 30 year old male from Sandusky and a 43 year old male from Lynn Township were attempting to light a propane heating stove inside a cabin when an explosion had occurred. It was reported that one of the men was blown through the wall of the cabin and then outside. The other was able to escape from the cabin. The cabin was overcome by fire and was a total loss when emergency personnel arrived on scene.

The two victims were transported to Deckerville Hospital by Sanilac EMS for treatment of their injuries. A third victim, 13 years of age who was outside on the porch of the cabin during the time of the explosion, escaped with minor injuries and was not transported by EMS. Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.

It’s no secret that Michigan has some of the highest auto insurance rates in the nation. Recent bipartisan legislative efforts to reform the system and lower rates are reported to be paying off, at least in the short term, for area drivers. 

In Michigan, drivers can now choose their level of coverage, between lifetime medical benefits after catastrophic accidents to much lower levels of coverage. According to a report from the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association released last week, the lifetime benefit rate is being reduced from $220 to $100, with the rate for lower coverage being removed completely, starting in July 2020. 

Local Farm Bureau Insurance agent Dan Ochoa told us that it is really a matter of give and take with the new insurance reforms, and while people can now choose to opt out of unlimited coverage for catastrophic accidents, they should be aware that their health insurance may not cover injuries from auto accidents, which could open the door to massive uncovered medical bills in the event of a serious injury.  Mr. Ochoa recommended that consumers be careful to make sure their coverage is properly coordinated to avoid being left without medical coverage. The complicated structure of Michigan auto insurance is closely tied to medical costs and the Claims Association credits medical cost controls for the rate decrease.

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.