Local News

Following the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Health Department recommendations regarding COVID-19, and citing the safety of event participants, staff, and the community, McLaren Port Huron has canceled the 29th Children’s Fun & Fitness Festival, scheduled for March 21.

The annual, free event was scheduled to give children the opportunity to become familiar with the hospital environment in a way that is fun, active, and geared to them. Late Tuesday night, Governor Gretchen Whitmer declared a State of Emergency in Michigan after she announced the first two cases of presumptive positive tests of Coronavirus in Michigan. One case is in Macomb County and another in Wayne County. The CDC’s recently released guidelines advise to evaluate events that gather large groups of people together. The McLaren Port Huron event typically draws hundreds of children and parents to the hospital.

People who have the Coronavirus may experience: runny nose, sore throat, cough, fever and difficulty breathing. Anyone with symptoms is advised to first call the doctor’s office before going in.

Shawn Shackelford, Principal at Central Middle School in Port Huron Schools, has received the Macomb Celebration of Black Excellence’s Educational Impact Award. Mr. Shackelford was bestowed with the honor at the 2nd Annual Celebration of Black Excellence held at Baker College in Clinton Township on February 22. 

When asked what the award meant to him, Mr. Shackelford said he was honored and humbled. He reflected on his childhood in Mount Clemens and credited the “black excellence that (he) saw growing up.” He said that he lived in the neighborhood of the first black doctor and police officer in his community, and that those people along with his aunts, who were the first in his family to go to college and eventually become teachers, defined excellence for him. He credited his parents, who attended the ceremony, for instilling a strong work ethic in him and his brother, which allowed them to serve their country in the U.S. Army. Mr. Shackelford said he is “but a reflection of all those great people.”

Macomb Black Excellence gave out awards in the areas of community involvement, athletics, business, education, visionary leadership, and the arts.

Monday’s Port Huron City Council meeting revolved heavily around biking in the area. The main topic of discussion that led to public comment addressed funding the “Bridge to Bay” Bicycle Trail. The council approved authorization of a $300,000 DNR grant application to fund the gaps in the “Bridge to Bay” bike trail. If awarded, the offer would be accepted and local match funding would be provided. The matching funds would come from private funding, according to City Manager James Freed at the meeting. 

During the public hearing regarding the issue, resident James Soto, an SC4 philosophy professor and cyclist, addressed the non-recreational bike paths in the city, or lack thereof. He said that the “plan does not address real and serious cycling deficiencies…in the city,” including Gratiot Avenue, which he called “staggeringly dangerous.” He was concerned with the safety of riders getting to the “Bridge to Bay” trail. Soto also addressed 10th Street, where bicyclists are not necessarily biking for recreation, but for transportation. 

Freed said that the city has implemented a “whole host of remedies to address the issue” with cooperation from multiple agencies and the cycling community. At the end of the meeting, Councilmember Anita Ashford requested a future SEMCOG presentation to address the bike safety questions.

A local teenager is expanding his outdoors business and getting his products on the shelves of local stores. Andrew Raymo, who is just 16 years old and a resident of Fort Gratiot, is the owner of Big Drew’s Custom Outdoor Goods, where he makes and sells custom painted lures and hand tied flies for fishing. 

Andrew’s fishing products are on the shelves at Anderson’s ProBait in Port Huron and just made their debut at Jay’s Marine Hardware in Downtown Port Huron. Andrew said he has stocked some new colors at Jay’s and it is the perfect location for anglers to stock up their tackle boxes on the way out onto the water. The young entrepreneur also sells on his website and at shows like the upcoming Home, Sport, and Garden Show in Port Huron. 

Andrew says he started making his own lures around the age of 14 and was encouraged to make it into a business. He describes himself as a “local kid trying to get into the outdoors business” and was sure to thank his family and friends for their encouragement. Andrew is a Junior at Port Huron Northern High School and enrolled in the Blue Water Middle College where he is pursuing an Associates in Science with hopes of having a career in the Outdoors industry.

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.

Four suspects have been arraigned following a pair of raids last week by the St. Clair County Drug Task Force (DTF). According to the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office, on March 2nd at about 7:00 p.m., the DTF executed a search warrant at a home in the 1100 block of Division Street in the city of Port Huron. Once inside the residence, members of the Drug Task Force located and seized about $600 worth of crystal methamphetamine, two firearms, drug paraphernalia and cash. Duane Doan, a 39-year-old man from Port Huron was arrested at the scene and lodged at the St. Clair County Intervention and Detention Center (IDC). Doan was arraigned in 72nd District Court and charged with delivery-manufacture of methamphetamine, possession of a firearm by a felon, among other charges with a bond set at $25,000 cash/surety. Doan will be back in court for a probable cause hearing on March 17th at 9:00 a.m. 

The next day, on March 3rd, at about 9:00 p.m., a raid was executed at the Clair Inn Motel in Marysville. Members of the Drug Task Force located and seized about $1,300 worth of Xanax pills, a small amount of crystal methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. Three suspects were arrested at the motel and lodged at the IDC, then arraigned in 72nd District Court. Miguel Hulbert, a 23-year-old man from Kalamazoo is charged with delivery-manufacture of analogue pills and bringing contraband into a prison. His bond was set at $10,000 cash/surety. Julius Robinson, a 22-year-old man from Mattawan, Michigan is charged with bringing contraband into a prison and lying to a police officer. His bond was set at $5,000 cash/surety. Christopher Steinmacher, a 22-year-old man from Port Huron is charged with possession of analogue pills, carrying a concealed weapon and maintaining a drug house. His bond was set at $5,000 cash/surety. All three are scheduled for a probable cause hearing on March 17th at 9:00 a.m. in 72nd District Court.

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.

It could be said that FIRST Robotics Team 6344, the Yale Jiggawattz’, had an electrified performance at the FRC Milford District Event Friday and Saturday where the team wrapped up their weekend ranked third among the 40 teams competing. While the team’s alliance was knocked out in the quarterfinals, they left Milford with a 10-4 win-loss record and the Industrial Design award sponsored by General Motors.

While Yale stood out with its top-three performance, other Blue Water Area Robotics Alliance teams had solid performances Friday and Saturday. Also competing at the Milford District Event at Milford High School in Highland Township was Team 5167, the Marysville Vi-Bots, who finished the weekend ranked 11th with an 8-6 win-loss record. Knocked out in the quarterfinals, the Vi-Bots brought home the Team Spirit Award sponsored by Fiat Chrysler.

Three BWARA teams competed at the Kettering University II District Event in Flint. Finishing at the top of the rankings among those teams was Team 5046, the Jacked Up Jackets from Memphis High School. The Jackets made it to the semi-final rounds where they were knocked out in back-to-back losses finishing up their weekend play with a 11-6 win-loss record. The Jackets were winners of the Excellence in Engineering Award sponsored by Delphi.

Also competing at Kettering from the area Friday and Saturday was Team 7192, Cros-Lex High School’s Blue Thunderneers. The Thunderneers wrapped up their weekend ranked 14.

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.