Local News

Two sisters in Port Huron Schools have started a nonprofit to assist their classmates with feminine hygiene products. Cassidy Middleton, a Port Huron Northern junior, and her sister Kenzie, a 7th grader at Holland Woods Middle School, collaborated with their mother, Heather Carleton a teacher at Northern, to start “The PHN at PHN”.

“The PHN at PHN” stands for The Period Hygiene Network at Port Huron Northern. Cassidy, Kenzie, and Ms. Carleton have received over 500 donated items this month, and they have placed them in the girl’s restrooms. Students who need products may take them free of charge.

In a press release, students noted that their mission is “to eliminate lost instructional time and embarrassment over the need for menstruation products.” They also said that the service “is proven to increase attendance and improve a young woman’s self confidence.

Port Huron Northern Principal Alycia Shagena said, “We are always so proud of students who step up and support others. These girls have shown thoughtfulness and really made an impact on their peers.”

Those who wish to donate can find The PHN at PHN on Instagram and Facebook, drop items off at Port Huron Northern or Holland Woods Middle School, or order things through the group’s Amazon wish List.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

If you’ve ever been driving down Court or Union Street in Port Huron and had someone pull alongside you as if you were travelling on a two-lane road, you may have wondered which one of you were right. Are Court Street and Union Street one-lane roads or two-lane roads? And what are drivers supposed to do at the intersections?

Eric Witter, Port Huron City Engineer and Director of Public Works, said Court Street and Union Street are one-lane roads with parking permitted on both sides.

He also noted that there are no pavement markings or lane lines because there is only one travel lane, and drivers can pull alongside one another at intersections if parked cars are not in the way and they are proceeding in different directions.

The bottom line: drivers should form one line in the center of Court and Union Streets, and they can pull to the right, left, or stay in the center at intersections depending on the direction they’re traveling and available space.

For those who travel these city streets frequently, knowing the rules yourself may not prevent encountering deviations by other drivers. If someone begins driving alongside you as if the road had two lanes, you may have to slow down and let them pass to avoid issues when the road narrows due to parked cars. Additionally, even though both of these streets are clearly marked as “One Way”, it’s possible you may face another driver coming toward you travelling the wrong direction.

Whatever the case, be observant of the drivers, pedestrians, and bikers using these streets, and use caution when encountering someone who doesn’t seem to know the rules of the road. This is especially important after dark when there is a higher incidence of wrong-way driver accidents.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued the following statement after the Oxford High School shooter pled guilty to all charges.

“My thoughts are with the students, teachers, staff, and families of Oxford High. I hope this outcome offers them some peace after last year’s horrific shooting.

“I want to thank Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald for her hard work on this case, all the first responders and local law enforcement officials who responded to and investigated the shooting, and the countless community leaders—teachers, parents, and pastors—who brought the community together to heal.

“Also, I am grateful to the Michigan Legislature for their collaboration on bipartisan legislation to invest additional resources into Oxford Community Schools to help them hire mental health professionals, enhance security, and offer additional learning time to students in the wake of the tragedy.

As Michiganders, we must do more to protect each other from gun violence. Let’s work together on background checks, secure storage, and red flag laws—commonsense gun violence prevention measures to keep our communities safe.”

Submitted by Governor Whitmer’s Office

It may seem early to talk about Christmas events, but McLaren Port Huron Foundation just announced plans for the 2022 Festival of Trees.

Festival of Trees will take place in the hospital’s South Tower Lobby, a new tradition that was started during the COVID-19 pandemic. New this year is a free family movie night at McMorran Place Theatre on Sunday, December 11th at 1 PM.

In a press release, the hospital remarked that the decision to host the event at the hospital instead of returning to an off-site location was “in the spirit of serving our community in the best way possible.”

Before the pandemic, Festival of Trees was hosted at the Blue Water Convention Center and McMorran Place prior to that. The decision to move it to the hospital’s lobby hasn’t hampered the Foundation’s ability to raise funds during the event, and this year’s fundraising will support the purchase of new breast imaging equipment for the Demashkieh Women’s Wellness Place.

Tree designers have already been chosen, and the public can see their artistry by visiting McLaren Port Huron Hospital from Thanksgiving through the New Year.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand