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Local News

Deer Season Starts Monday

Hunting season starts Monday, November 15, 2021, and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources predicts that hunters can expect excellent conditions for the 2021 firearm deer season.

F/Lt. Jason Wicklund, DNR Law Enforcement Division, encourages safety and planning before hunters head out.

“Most of the violations that conservation officers encounter during firearm deer season are simple mistakes people make when they get caught up in the excitement of the hunt or forget to put safety first. We want people to be safe, so they have a good story to tell friends and family about their successful hunt,” said Wicklund.

The Michigan DNR is recommending 10 best practices for hunters including properly tagging deer, firearm safety, and respect for landowners.

Hunters that use state-managed land for hunting should be especially cautious of other hunters and remember that spots on state-land are first-come, first-served. Wearing 50% hunter orange is important for all hunters, but hunters using public land should wear as much as possible to make sure they are seen.

The 2021 Michigan Hunting Digest is available now and covers all rules for Michigan’s hunting season. The Digest also includes contact information for DNR offices around the state and coupons from sporting goods stores.

You can download the Michigan Hunting Digest <HERE>.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

 

MedExpress to Transition to WellNow Urgent Care

The MedExpress Urgent Care facility in Port Huron is transitioning to WellNow Urgent Care. MedExpress’s last day in business will be Friday, November 12th.

The new WellNow Urgent Care will open in the same location, according to a letter to patients from Dan Neely, the Vice President of Operations for MedExpress. 

WellNow has locations in Michigan. New York, Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois. WellNow offers similar services as MedExpress, including Covid-19 testing, x-rays and diagnostics, and treatment for illnesses and injuries. Like MedExpress, college students and kids can get physicals required for sports, camp, and more.

WellNow also offers a virtual visit option, similar to MedExpress and accepts most health insurance plans.

In the letter to MedExpress patients, Neely said, “We have greatly valued the privilege of providing health care to you and your family. It has truly been an honor to serve patients in the Port Huron community.”

MedExpress has been in business at the Pine Grove Avenue location in Port Huron since 2014. The new WellNow is expected to open on November 16th. 

A WellNow Urgent Care is also planned for Marysville, according to their website.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

No Charges Being Sought in McLaren Threat

On Monday, November 8, 2021, a call was received at McLaren Port Huron’s call center that caused the hospital to be placed on lock down. After both a physical investigation of the hospital and a review of the audio recording, Port Huron Police have determined there was no credible bomb threat.

When the call came in Monday morning, McLaren Port Huron was placed on lockdown and police began the investigation. The hospital was searched by officers and a Port Huron Police explosive detection dog.

Police spoke with the caller, a 41 year old Port Huron resident, who denied making the threats. However, he did make a verbal threat due to the hospital’s mask mandate. No arrests will be made, and the department is not seeking charges against the man.

McLaren Port Huron CEO Eric Cecava said, “The safety and welfare of our patients and employees are paramount. We Would like to thank the Port Huron Police Department for their quick response and comprehensive investigation.”

 

SC4 Presents Art Tribute to Professor Korff

A beloved professor at St. Clair County Community College will be remembered with a memorial art exhibition. David Korff’s work will be featured in “Timelines: Progression of a Vision.” The 44 works include watercolors, drawings, and collages.

The community is invited to check out the exhibit and share their thoughts in a journal which will be presented to the family of Professor Korff.

Korff taught at SC4 for thirty years until his 2011 retirement. He also held leadership positions at Lambton College of Sarnia.

Korff was a founding member of the Port Huron Art Initiative and served on the Art Committee for the Community Foundation of St. Clair County. He also served as a board member on the International Symphony and Port Huron Museum.

The art exhibit will be on display in the SC4 Fine Arts Gallery starting November 15th and ending December 17th. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The gallery is closed November 24-26.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Port Huron Housing Expands with Ordinance Change

If you have been looking for rental housing in the Port Huron area, or St. Clair County as a whole, you know that rentals are few and far between. To address this reality, Port Huron City Council adopted an ordinance change.

The change will allow Port Huron Housing to operate both the Public Housing Program and the Housing Choice Voucher, or Section 8, outside the city and county. The program can now expand into Sanilac, Lapeer, and Macomb counties. It is endorsed by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development and the collaborative model is being promoted statewide.

James Dewey, Executive Director of Port Huron, Marysville, St. Clair, and Algonac Housing Commissions, said, “Currently our Housing Choice Voucher program’s approved jurisdiction through HUD is all of St. Clair County and we would like to expand that to Sanilac, Lapeer and Macomb Counties because our clients are not having much luck finding available apartments within St. Clair County.”

Dewey said that the regional approach will also deconcentrate the use of vouchers within the City of Port Huron. A new low-income housing development is in the works in Fort Gratiot Township. 

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

OT Operation Transformation

Help Operation Transformation During Christmas Season

Operation Transformation has several opportunities for people to serve others during the holiday season. Outreach opportunities range from donating children’s books to bell-ringing for the Salvation Army Campaign.

Operation Transformation provides chaplain services to the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department and the City of Port Huron Police Department. This year, they will be blessing both departments with cards and a Christmas devotional.

OT is also collecting Christmas cards, wrapped mints, and stamps for their card project at the St. Clair County Intervention Center. Inmates at the center will receive a card from OT volunteers along with a new stamped card they can mail to their families.

Those interested in donating cards, mints, and stamps should drop them off at Operation Transformation by Monday, December, 6th. That’s also the deadline for donating children’s books that OT will distribute to kids in our community.

If you’d like to join OT in their bell-ringing efforts to raise money for the Salvation Army, you can sign up to help them on Saturday, December 11th at JCPenney in the Birchwood Mall. They are looking for volunteers to fill one-hour slots from 10 AM to 9 PM that day.

For more information about Operation Transformation, visit www.optrans.org

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand