Local News

Protecting the lives and safety of students and staff at our educational facilities is extremely important. In 2021 the office of Community Policing Services or (COPS) approved an almost $28,000 grant under the 2021 COPS STOP School Violence: School Violence Prevention Program to the Port Huron Police Department. The funds are used to enhance school safety for Port Huron area schools and the community college. 

The grant provides funding for local departments to train for events in which the students or staff are met with a dangerous assailant. Training will provide first responders with information on how to respond, quickly engage the assailant, and stop the threat. It will also provide training in tactical first aid, coordinating with Fire and EMS, securing the scene, and more.

Training began on Tuesday, August 9th, and a larger event is planned for Thursday, August 11th at St Clair County Community College located at 323 Erie Street, in Port Huron. During the training event, there will be a large number of first responder vehicles and personnel on campus, so don’t be alarmed. 

Recent improvements such as the implementation of the School and College Resource Officer program and the police department’s Active Assailant Response Training (A.A.R.T.) initiative are examples of showing concern for, and making safety a priority for our local school district.

Reporting for WGRT – Choze Powell

This Saturday, you may see a variety of people dressed in wedding attire running through Pine Grove park and along the waterfront near the Blue Water Bridge. Why will they be running? To raise money for A Beautiful Me.

The Runaway Bride 5K run and 2 mile walk starts at 8 AM on Saturday, August 13, 2022, and includes a mini-reception with raffle prizes and awards for 5-K timed-winners of the race.

You can register for the run/walk and buy raffle tickets online at ABeautifulMe.com. The raffle is for a unique experience to board the Lakes Pilot boat and touch a freighter out on Lake Huron. Raffle tickets are $10 each, and the winner will be drawn after the run.

Karen Palka, Founder and Executive Director of A Beautiful Me said, “Our beloved mascot ‘Ruby the Runner’ has been seen around Michigan recruiting runners and walkers to say ‘I DO’ if they are willing to start the race. We are grateful for our many sponsors, including our lead sponsor, Beacon Wealth Group. ”

A Beautiful Me provides confidence-building programs and workshops for girls in 3rd – 12th grade, and all proceeds raised from The Runaway Bride will support their work in the community.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

The Port Huron and Detroit Railroad Historical Society has dissolved their non-profit, but they have created a lasting legacy by sharing their remaining assets with the community and creating the Tunnel City Railway and Transportation Heritage Fund, in a collaboration with the Community Foundation of St. Clair County.

Jackie Hanton, Vice-President of the Community Foundation of St. Clair County, said, “The final Port Huron & Detroit board put thoughtful, transparent and careful planning in place when dissolving to honor the donors who supported the organization over the years.”

The Port Huron and Detroit Railroad Historical Society was started in 2008 to preserve and protect the historically significant properties associated with railroad history in Michigan. They put out the call for a new Board of Directors last year after having to restructure. After no one volunteered to lead the non-profit, the Society started the long process of dissolving its assets.

Hanton said, “The Community Foundation is proud to carry forward a piece of support for restoration and preservation of items from our railroad, maritime and military history.”

For more details on the Tunnel City Railway and Transportation Fund, visit the link below:

https://www.stclairfoundation.org/tunnel-city-railway-transportation-heritage-new-fund/

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

The St. Clair County Health Department has issued an awareness bulletin regarding Monkeypox, which has been declared a public health emergency nationwide by the CDC. In the bulletin, Liz King, the Director – Health Officer at the Health Department advised that county residents not panic, but be aware, as one case of Monkeypox has been reported in St. Clair County.

King said that Monkeypox is very different from COVID-19 in several ways: it is not “novel” like COVID was. It has been around for a long time and much is known about it. There are treatments and a vaccine.

The Health Department is investigating communicable diseases and conducting surveillance for outbreaks.

Monkeypox is a virus that is spread through close contact with an infected individual who has symptoms. It can also be spread through prolonged face-to-face contact, or contaminated materials such as clothing or bedding, although less commonly. Brief interactions with an infected person are not considered to be high risk.

Symptoms include headache, fever, muscle aches, exhaustion, and swelling of the lymph nodes, followed by a rash, and lesions one to three days after the onset of illness. The illness can last up to three weeks.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland