Local News

Three runners from St. Clair County Community College are headed to Alabama to chase a national title. Port Huron freshman Samantha Langolf, Marysville sophomore Lillian Rutallie and Bad Axe freshman Makenna Gwisdalla qualified for the NJCAA Division 2 Women’s Cross Country National Championship after strong finishes October 30th at the regional meet at Goodells County Park. Langolf placed 6th, Rutallie finished 10th and Gwisdalla took 19th. The trio will run the 5-kilometer race November 14th in Huntsville. It marks the Skippers’ 2nd straight trip to nationals and their 3rd in 4 seasons.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

Women in St. Clair County looking for a new OB/GYN will have to wait until about January, as McLaren Port Huron finishes taking over the county’s only full-service obstetrics and gynecology practice. The hospital bought Northpointe OB/GYN in October, and it now operates as McLaren Port Huron Obstetrics and Gynecology with 4 physicians and 1 nurse practitioner, down from 8 doctors just a few years ago. Current patients will keep their doctors, and hospital leaders say recruiting more OB/GYNs to Port Huron is now their top priority.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

A Sarnia man has been convicted of running a drug operation out of auto-body shops across the St. Clair River from Port Huron. Justice Russell Raikes found Nathan Raaymakers guilty on 3 counts of possessing fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine for trafficking. Police raided 6 locations in Sarnia and Point Edward in January of ’22, seizing more than $171,000 in drugs, including 122 grams of pure carfentanil. The judge said the shops did little repair work and were a cover for dealing. A sentencing date will be set later this month.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

Port Huron voters shook up City Council on Tuesday, sending 2 newcomers to City Hall and ousting incumbent Bob Mosurak. Jeff Pemberton won his 3rd 4-year term with 4,567 votes, while small business owner Brian Farquhar and retired McLaren Port Huron facilities director Jack Belyea earned their first seats. Mosurak finished 4th with 3,314 votes, just 239 short of keeping his seat. The newcomers also replace Conrad Haremza, who chose not to run again. Results remain unofficial until the St. Clair County Board of Canvassers certifies them.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

Sarnia-Lambton travellers can now fly straight to downtown Toronto instead of making the drive or catching a shuttle to Pearson. Aspen Air Charters will fly twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, between Sarnia Chris Hadfield Airport and Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, bringing back scheduled passenger flights for the first time since Air Canada pulled out in ’20. Morning flights leave Sarnia at 7:30 and land in Toronto at 8:30, with return flights leaving at 5:20 p.m. and touching down back home at 6:30.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

Port Huron voters have handed Mayor Anita Ashford 2 more years to pursue her goal of drawing new residents to the city. Unofficial results from all 10 precincts show Ashford earned 4,222 votes, or about 44%, topping former City Council members Tim McCulloch with 2,747 votes and Alan Lewandowski with 2,521. Ashford campaigned on better communication with residents and less division on council. Both challengers thanked their supporters and wished the council well. The St. Clair County Board of Canvassers must still certify the results.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet