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Local News

Port Huron City Council Looking for Candidates to Fill Vacancy

At the Port Huron City Council Meeting Monday, Lisa Beedon’s Letter of Resignation was received and filed, and now the Council is asking for letters of interest from qualified city residents to fill her vacated seat.

Beedon was elected to the St. Clair County Board of Commissioners in the November election, which led to her resign from the council effective December 31, 2020.

None of the candidates who ran for the City Council position in the November election received 25% of the popular vote; therefore, the City Charter states that the Council must take applications from interested persons and appoint someone to fill the vacancy.

Letters of interest and resumes from prospective candidates will be accepted through January 26, 2021. Any qualified and registered Port Huron City elector can apply, and they can submit their letters and resumes to the City Clerk.

On Monday, February 1, 2021, the City Council will hold a meeting to review the candidates and vote to appoint the new City Council member.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

Auto Show Cancelled for 2021 – Motor Bella Takes Its Place

The North American Auto Show won’t happen this year, but show officials have replaced the event with a new one in an outdoor setting. Motor Bella is described as a “bridge to the future”, and according to a press release, “the event will bring next-generation mobility and exciting vehicle debuts to media, show-goers, and automotive enthusiasts in a way never before experienced.”

The event is scheduled for September 21-26th at the M1 Concourse in Pontiac. The M1 Concourse is known as a place for people to keep, show, and exercise their vehicles and is described as an 87-acre playground for auto enthusiasts. It houses community garages, a performance track, and hosts a private Motorsports Club.

Motor Bella will take the auto show to a new level by offering vehicle showcases in action. Executive Director Rod Alberts said, “This all-outdoor venue, with adrenaline-pumping track activities and a full complement of OEM and technology exhibits, is going to offer the sights, sounds and even the smell of all that the new world of mobility has to offer.” 

To learn more, visit the event website <HERE>.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

DTF Busts Man With Meth in Port Huron

(Port Huron Township)  A 24 year old Berlin Township man has been arraigned on drug and other charges in St. Clair County District Court.

According to Sheriff Mat King, the St. Clair County Drug Task Force conducted an investigation into the sales of methamphetamine in the Port Huron area.  The investigation culminated on January 7th at approximately 8:00 p.m., when members of the DTF executed a traffic stop in the area of 24th Street and Griswold in Port Huron Township.  They made contact with Dustin Conlee and discovered that he had approximately $1000 worth of crystal methamphetamine in his possession.  Conlee also had an unregistered .38 handgun in his vehicle.

Conlee was arrested without incident and transported to the St. Clair County Intervention and Detention Center.  He was arraigned in 72nd District Court and charged with delivery/manufacture of methamphetamine, carrying a concealed weapon and felony firearm.  Bond was set at $20,000 cash/surety.  Conlee is scheduled to be back in court on January 19th at 9:00 a.m. for a probable cause hearing before District Judge John Monaghan.  

Conlee also faces a bond violation hearing for violating conditions of bond on an earlier methamphetamine possession case.

Submitted by the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office

State-Ordered Review of EGLE is Complete

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, or “EGLE”, has been under scrutiny since the handling of the environmental disaster that led to hazardous material leaking onto I-696 in Madison Heights. A review of compliance monitoring and enforcement procedures was ordered after the debacle in December 2019.

The review came up with eleven high-level recommendations to improve procedures but also noted that EGLE had strong internal policies, education, outreach and compliance assistance to regulated businesses.

The deficits noted include internal structures, staffing, and governance, management of cases, communication and collaboration, and use of data.  

EGLE Director Liesl Clark said, “The changes suggested in this report will help EGLE more quickly identify and address violations that can cause public health and environmental risks. It is important that EGLE accomplishes this critical role in a timely, transparent and consistent manner. The public and those we regulate should expect EGLE to make reasonable decisions that restore compliance with the law as quickly as possible.” 

A link to the full report can be found at:

https://www.michigan.gov/documents/egle/EGLE_Compliance_and_Enforcement_Report_2020_712405_7.pdf 

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

DNR Looking for Camp Hosts for State Campgrounds

Even in January, families who camp are looking ahead to summer and thinking about reserving their camping sites in Michigan State Parks. Those site fees can be waived for a special group of campers: Camp Hosts.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources, which manages the vast campground and park system, is looking for Camp Hosts to help with activities, programming, office work, and light maintenance. Thirty hours of service per week, including weekends and holidays, are required of camp hosts. In exchange, the site fees are waived.

There are also host openings at East Tawas and Presque Isle and Straits State Harbors where boat slip fees are waived for hosts.

According to the DNR, camp host applicants are screened and interviewed by park managers and selected on availability, familiarity of camping and state parks, special skills and knowledge of the area. Individuals and couples may apply. Applications are accepted year-round. Some campgrounds have already hired their hosts, but there are still many vacancies. A link to the page with vacancies and application instructions can be found at:

https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-350-79137_79767_79866_96973_96975—,00.html

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

McLaren Keeps Seniors Engaged With Virtual Programs

The Savvy Seniors program is an educational series offered by McLaren Port Huron Hospital for senior citizens and their caregivers. The programs are free to the community, and for now, they are completely virtual.

Programs scheduled for the New Year cover healthy physical activity, navigating the health care system, and coping with grief and loss. Participants can register for as many sessions as they’d like.

Registration is available through Health Access by calling 1-800-228-1484, and a link to the virtual presentations will be emailed a week prior to the sessions.

For more details about individual sessions and topics, visit the events page at WGRT.com.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand