George James

Port Huron, MI — The show will go on for Enter Stage Right, which performs on the Citadel Stage in Downtown Port Huron. They have received a Shuttered Venue Operators Grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

The grant will help pay overhead expenses as well as provide for upgrades to get the opening season off to a good start. The theatrical production company hasn’t been able to hold in-person shows since March 15, 2020.

Executive Director Regina Spain said, “Truly, the knowledge that no matter what, we’ll have our theatre and will be able to pay our artists takes away the fear of losing one more thing due to the pandemic. We’ve kept our artists engaged with trainings and ‘out of the box’ performances, but it’s a struggle and we’re incredibly excited to get back to our audience and community.”

 Out of 15,000 applicants, Enter Stage Right was one of the winners of the SBA grant. They are waiting on another grant from the Michigan Council of Arts & Cultural Affairs, which could provide additional benefit to the theatre.

The theatre will reopen during the first weekend of August with the “Will on the Water” production.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Port Huron, MI — The community has rallied behind the creation of the new Hunter Hospitality Family House and it is now open. The opening is ahead of the projected schedule.

The house provides lodging to families with loved ones who are hospital patients or who need to stay near the hospital for ongoing treatment. The Family House is a single unit designed to be a private refuge for families.

The house has a fully stocked kitchen and laundry room and has sleeping accommodations for six people.

Executive Director of Hunter Hospitality House, Tracy Willard, said, “We couldn’t have opened the Family House without the community’s generosity. A lot of companies donated time and services.  They believe in our mission, and we’re so grateful for their help with this expansion.”

The Family House is one of three properties managed by the Port Huron non-profit. The other two houses provide bed-and-breakfast style lodging near both hospitals in the city. 

The charity was established in 2011 in memory of Hunter Willard. The ribbon-cutting ceremony will be on December 7th, which would have been Hunter’s 30th birthday.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

The question of who will pay for the cleanup of Port Huron’s Chicory Building, which was destroyed in a fire in 2018, has been answered by the courts.

The historic building near the Black River was once a chicory production facility, dating back to the early 1900s. The building burned in a massive fire on June 22, 2018, and an oil leak was discovered a week later. The City of Port Huron cleaned up the oil leak and hauled away a large amount of asbestos at an expense of nearly $474,000.

The City took the owners of the property, Harshad C. Mehta and Shilpa H. Mehta, to court to recoup the costs. The lawsuit was brought before Judge Michael West in October of 2018, who ruled in favor of the city, awarding a judgment of full reimbursement for the cleanup plus interest.

The owners appealed the decision and it was finally decided last week, with the Court of Appeals denying the appeal and upholding Judge West’s decision.

City Manager James Freed celebrated the decision, saying, in an email to City Council, “We are grateful to the Courts for standing by our community as well. This decision provides excellent case law for municipalities across our state going forward.”

Reporting for WGRT- Jennie McClelland