Local News

St. Clair’s Rotary Club and St. Clair Realty kicked off their annual SOCKTOBER drive, collecting new children’s socks and underwear for families in need through October 31st. Students at Pine River and St. Clair River Elementary Schools are competing to see which class donates the most, building on last year’s 1,200-pair total. The effort is led by local Rotary members Judy and Allison Shaune, with St. Clair Realty’s Jerry Emig sponsoring pizza parties for the winning classes. Community members can drop off donations at Neiman’s Family Market or Northstar Bank.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

Blue Water’s longtime home-care agency has a new name. After more than 70 years serving St. Clair County and its neighbors, Visiting Nurse Association & Blue Water Hospice is now called Blue Water Home Care & Hospice. Leaders stress nothing else is changing. The nonprofit remains locally governed and independent, with the same staff and the same home-health and hospice services across St. Clair, Sanilac, Lapeer and Macomb counties. The new name will roll out over the next few weeks.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

A bright butterfly mural behind Twisted Scissorz Salon honors the memory of Jason Schultz, a tow truck driver killed by a drunk driver in ’16. Painted in ’23 by artist April Cutler, the mural serves as a somber reminder of road safety. Jason’s sister, Jenn Schultz, commissioned the artwork and now plans a second mural to coincide with the 10th anniversary of his death. She hopes it will remind drivers to slow down and move over for emergency responders, a law updated in Michigan to protect people on the roadside. National Move Over Day was on Saturday.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

Port Huron Police say a medical emergency occurred Thursday morning near the student drop-off area at Woodrow Wilson Elementary, but no students were in danger. Staff called 911, and EMS, Fire, and police quickly responded. The individual was taken to a local hospital for treatment. The person was outside the school, and students were never involved. Police shared updates on social media to reassure the community.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

The St. Clair County Health Advisory Board voted 5-2 Wednesday to back a proposal that could ban adding fluoride to local drinking water. The move supports Medical Director Dr. Remington Nevin’s recommendation to draft county regulations stopping fluoridation. Nevin says new studies show health risks may outweigh benefits. Health Officer Elizabeth King will review the plan before any rules are made. For now, water systems stay the same, but the proposal could reshape how fluoride is used across St. Clair County.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

A Port Huron woman accused of killing a man at a local gas station faced a judge last week. Thirty-six-year-old Amber Lee Oile was denied bond after being charged with open murder in the shooting death of 30-year-old Reginald Franklin of Detroit. Prosecutors say Oile followed Franklin to the Marathon station on Military Street after a domestic dispute, then shot him multiple times outside the pumps. Security footage reportedly captured the incident. Police later arrested Oile without incident. This marks Port Huron’s fourth domestic-related homicide of the year.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet