Local News

Statistics say that children who have the opportunity to sample multiple sports are more likely to keep lifelong healthy habits. This was the inspiration behind an innovative project to increase access to sports equipment in communities, and Port Huron will be one of the first in Michigan to pilot the program.  SportPort is a mobile equipment unit powered by the YMCA of the Blue Water Area and a stationary lending site operated by the city’s Recreation Department. The SportPort program, through the mobile unit and SportPort lending library in McMorran’s Pro shop, will be a year-round program that allows participants to check out sports equipment like checking out a library book. 

Project Play: Southeast Michigan aims to encourage youth to be active with the SportPort equipment sharing program which will provide access to equipment for sports and opportunities to play at no cost. Project Play: Southeast Michigan is funded by the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation in partnership with The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan and the YMCA. This Saturday, February 22nd, at the St. Clair County Community College (SC4) Fieldhouse, a sample variety of the equipment will be available for the community. From 8:30-10:30 a.m., kids can try out sports including baseball, basketball, and volleyball through stations and games led by Skipper athletes. Attendees will also receive tickets for the Skippers’ afternoon basketball games.

The SportPort Program has regular hours depending on the location. Visit www.bluewaterymca.com/sportport for more details.

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.

Absentee ballots look a little different this year. The envelope from local municipalities is blue and white while the completed outgoing ballot is green and white. The change is intended to streamline processing for the postal service. 

The presidential primary in Michigan is set for March 10 and absentee voters need to get their request for a ballot into the local clerk quickly. Absentee ballots are available to all registered voters in Michigan thanks to Proposal 3 in 2018 which granted “no-reason” absentee voting. The deadline for overseas voters to receive the ballots has already passed, but stateside voters have until March 6 to request a ballot by mail or online and can walk into their city or township clerk’s office to get a ballot by 4:00 p.m. on March 9. Voters need to get their completed ballots into the local clerk’s office by 8:00 p.m. on March 10. According to the St. Clair County Clerk’s website, as of January 20, there were several local millage and bond proposals along with the usual whittling down of presidential candidates, of which there are 19 democratic candidates who filed by the December 19 deadline and four Republican.

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.

The Port Huron Police Department is offering citizens the opportunity to gain hands-on learning about law enforcement in the upcoming Citizens’ Police Academy. Throughout the seven-week course, participants can expect to learn about patrol, criminal law, crash investigations and more to give a perspective of what officers face in their everyday jobs.  

This year, the program will be held at the Elger Harvey Re-investment Center on 24th Street in Port Huron. The Citizens’ Academy will begin April 8 and take place every Wednesday night from 6 to 9 p.m. through May 20. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and all area residents are invited to apply, but the Port Huron Police Department says that preference will be given to residents of the City of Port Huron. Applications are due by March 18 and can be picked up at the Port Huron Police Department in the Port Huron Municipal Office Center or online at porthuronpolice.org.

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.

Port Huron, MI – Lake Huron Medical Center (LHMC) is pleased to announce its February 2020 Employee of the Month, Hannah Collins, and its February 2020 Volunteer of the Month, John Yurgens. LHMC is honored to have a strong team of staff and volunteers working hard to deliver high-quality care to the Blue Water Area.

Hannah is a Dietary Clerk in the Nutrition and Food Services department and has been with LHMC since 2017. She was nominated by a patient who commented, “Hannah is incredibly awesome!  She always has a great smile and a fantastic, caring personality. Her sense of humor keeps it very light hearted and is breath of fresh air. She truly enjoys her career and it’s quite evident in her care with every patient.  Hannah is very well versed in her field and she is very professional.”

John has been volunteering at the hospital since 2015 in various roles. John was nominated by a staff member who commented, “When rounding on a rehab patient, he told me how much he appreciated John visiting him.  John is a stroke survivor who frequently provides support to other patients. Our patient indicated John was “truly helpful” to him during this difficult time. John also shard his book of poems with him. Thank you, John for all the time and effort you give to our patients.  You are much appreciated by us all.”

Lake Huron Medical Center is proud of each of its employees and volunteers; and extends a special thank you and congratulations to all our team members, especially Vanessa and Chuck, as we celebrate their accomplishments.

To learn more about the programs and services offered at Lake Huron Medical Center, visit www.mylakehuron.com. 

Port Huron Parks and Recreation does not take the winter off. Director Nancy Winzer is sharing details on the projects that are underway or being planned right now. 

Knox Field on the south side of Port Huron is getting a brand-new playground. Winzer said that construction has been accelerated due to the mild winter so far and she expects that the park will be ready for kids by May. The department is waiting on the installation of mulch and safety inspections. Visitors to Knox Field can enjoy the new playground, which includes a zipline, along with the existing splash pad. Grills and chess boards will be installed soon. 

Gratiot Park, near the Blue Water Bridge, is next on the list for improvements and the city is working with Michigan Rehab Services to make it an inclusive park for kids of all abilities. 

The Optimist Skate Park, off of 10th Street on the city’s north side, is expected to break ground in the fall and renovations to the McMorran Plaza downtown are being proposed at the moment. Winzer said that her department is trying to make each park in the city a little bit different and have each one be a destination. Winzer said that community input as to what works and what doesn’t is crucial to the success of the park renovations. The goal is to have each park be “an innovative play experience within the next five to six years.”

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.

Planning efforts are ramping up for the Tuskegee Airmen Memorial that is planned for the Blue Water Flag Plaza in Port Huron. The project is in partnership with “Diving with a Purpose” which uses scuba diving to locate and preserve submerged artifacts that pertain to the African Diaspora. They use maritime archaeology to locate sunken slave ships and other artifacts that are a part of not just Black History, but the history of the human experience.

Lake Huron holds the wreckage of the plane that was piloted by Lt. Frank Moody, a Tuskegee Airman. It was discovered by accident in 2014, 70 years after the crash. The Tuskegee Airmen are credited with both helping to win World War II with their aviation skills and breaking down racial barriers that were common in the 1940s.

Kevin Totty, of the Community Foundation of St. Clair County, said, “The excitement of having this local history in our backyard is awesome. This is a historical community event that will produce a global impact.” The memorial is intended to be dedicated in August of 2020. Organizers are hoping to have Lt. Col. Alexander Jefferson, a 97-year-old Purple Heart-awarded Tuskegee Airman with local ties, present at the dedication. The project is a collaborative effort between Port Huron Schools, Port Huron Museum, the Community Foundation of St. Clair County, the NAACP, and DTE Energy.

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.