Send new stories and press releases to JP at news@wgrt.com.

Local News

Detroit Chosen for 2024 NFL Draft; Free Preview Party April 14th

The National Football League has selected Detroit as the host for the 2024 NFL Draft. The decision is expected to have huge economic impacts on the entire southeastern Michigan region.

Football fans have gotten more and more excited about the draft in recent years, and the event is expected to bring in hundreds of thousands of people. Along with the actual player draft, there will be a “Draft Experience” football theme park.

Who cares about the NFL Draft? A lot of people. Pre-covid, a crowd of over 600,000 attended the 2019 draft in Nashville, Tennessee. The event is televised over three days with 6.1 million viewers in 2021.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said, “The draft has become a prominent offseason event across the country, and we are excited to work with the Lions and their partners to bring the 2024 NFL Draft to the Motor City.”

The actual draft will be held in Campus Martius in Downtown Detroit, and the Detroit Sports Commission is hosting a free event on April 14th to give some previews of the Draft that is coming to the city in 2024.

Draft Preview Details

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Salon PiZazz Closing Its Doors

Correction 4/5/22 @ 11:12 AM: An earlier version of this story said that Salon PiZazz owner, Kelly Strilcov, will be retiring, which is not correct. Kelly Strilcov issued a statement saying she is “absolutely not retiring”. I apologize for the misunderstanding. – Jessie Wiegand

Salon PiZazz, a downtown Port Huron hair salon, is closing its doors after almost 20 years in business. The salon’s stylists will be transitioning to other local salons.

The salon had been awaiting a move while the owner of its building, Harrison Investment Properties, has been renovating the entire block. In a press release, Strilcov said the “renovations are taking significantly longer than initially projected, resulting in the decision by both parties to permanently close the doors of Salon PiZazz by the end of April.”

Harrison Investment Properties is the owner of the entire block on Quay Street which includes Wings Etc. They originally planned for Salon PiZazz to relocate from their storefront on the northwest corner of the building to a space overlooking the Black River.

Kelly Strilcov said closing the salon is bittersweet. “The daily behind the scenes responsibilities of ownership have never been my strong suit. Not having those will be a relief. However, what’s being lost brings much sadness.”

Strilcov will continue to coordinate Mannequins Making a Difference, the artistic hair, makeup, and modeling competition for charity that takes place during Blue Water Fest.

“With Salon PiZazz closing, the annual fundraiser will now provide opportunities for other area salon teams and stylists to design a mannequin to showcase their own talents and to Make a Difference for one of our local nonprofits,” said Strilcov.

To find out where Salon PiZazz’s stylists transition to, check salonpizazz.com or the Salon PiZazz Facebook page.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Nominate a McLaren Port Huron nurse for the DAISY Award

McLaren Port Huron is now accepting nominations for the DAISY Award. This award is an international recognition program that honors and celebrates the care nurses provide every day.

Nurses may be nominated by patients, families and colleagues. The award recipient is chosen by a committee and is honored at a public ceremony where he or she will receive a framed certificate, a DAISY Award signature lapel pin and a hand-carved sculpture entitled A Healer’s Touch.

To nominate a nurse from McLaren Port Huron, visit www.mclaren.org/mphDaisy and complete the nomination form. The first recipient of the DAISY Award will be honored Friday, May 6 to begin National Nurses Week.

The not-for-profit DAISY Foundation, based in Glen Ellen, California, was established by family members in memory of J. Patrick Barnes. Barnes died at the age of 33 in 1999 from complications of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), a little-known but not uncommon autoimmune disease. The care Barnes and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of patients and their families.

Submitted by McLaren Port Huron Hospital

Devin Scillian and the Arizona Son to Play SC4 Free Thursdays Series April 14th

St. Clair County Community College is bringing Devin Scillian and his band, the Arizona Son to town. If that name sounds familiar, there’s a good reason. Along with being a country musician, Devin Scillian is the longtime news anchor for Detroit’s WDIV news programs. Scillian also hosts the Sunday news program, Flashpoint on WDIV.

Scillian and his band play everything from traditional country to bluegrass to southern rock. They have produced four albums and many singles. Scillian and the Arizona Sun are big in Europe, having had a number one hit on the charts in Denmark.

The concert is part of the Free Thursday Concert Series, with performances at noon and 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 14th. Autograph and photo opportunities will be provided after the show, along with merchandise sales.

The performances will be held in the SC4 Fine Arts Theatre. Admission is free, but seating is limited and tickets need to be reserved.

Tickets can be reserved by calling 810-989-5709 or going to https://sc4.hometownticketing.com/embed/event/73?es=o2e25uh1m09rp9efjcjr1s9fa3&single=0

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Don’t Click that Link in Widespread Fraudulent Verizon Text Message

Verizon customers are vulnerable to the latest “smishing” scheme: getting a fraudulent text message from your own cell phone number. The best thing to do is to simply ignore the message. The worst thing to do is click any links.

The messages read “Verizon Free Msg: Latest Bill Processed. Thanks! Here’s a little freebie for you.” The message will use your own name and will have a link to click. Don’t fall for it. Clicking the link could install malware on your phone or could lead you to disclose personal information that will then be used for fraud.

Michigan’s Office of Attorney General has advised that cell phone users are careful when sharing their phone numbers. They should also be wary of texts, even if they appear to come from a familiar number. Never provide financial information to unsolicited texts or linked websites, and never click the links.

Don’t even reply with “STOP”. Doing so alerts the scammers that your number is legitimate and can open the door to further fraudulent texts and calls.

Verizon is aware of the scam and is working with law enforcement to find the culprits.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

New Law Gives Local Road Authorities Power to Make Construction Zones Safer

With road construction season underway, a new bill has been signed into law to protect the construction workers who are making Michigan’s roads and bridges safer.

House Bill 5286 was signed into law last week. The bill gives the Michigan Department of Transportation, county road commissions, or local road authorities the authority to implement traffic control measures. They are also able to use a digital message board to display the reduced speed limit required to protect safety.

The bill’s sponsor, State Representative Mark Huizinga, a Republican from Walker, said, “Having drivers reduce their speed when workers are present can decrease the likelihood of a tragic accident, but sometimes drivers don’t see the road crews until they are too close. By allowing for these modified signs, we can inform drivers about the presence of workers so they can follow the law and protect lives.” 

Construction labor unions are endorsing the bill, saying that it will help improve worker safety as the state works to rebuild its infrastructure.  

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland