Local News

St. Clair County Central Dispatch along with several agencies across the state of Michigan experienced intermittent 911 outages early Friday morning. Problems began to occur shortly before 6:00 a.m. and lasted about two hours, with service being restored around 8:00 a.m. 

According to a press release from St. Clair County administration, it was determined the outage was a result of an update to a fiber network that resulted in technical difficulties. While the shortage only lasted a few hours, it raises an important question, what can you do if a call to 911 is not going through? First, did you know that you can text 911? Officials say to include a description of the emergency and be sure to include an address. There are also local dispatch centers that can be contacted directly. The number for St. Clair County Central Dispatch is (810) 985-8115.

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.

Tenants located in the building at 511 Fort Street in Port Huron, know to many as the former Fogcutter, have avoided eviction, but officials say “other issues could arise in the near future.” 

According to a letter tenants received from the City’s fire marshall, it was confirmed that the fire alarm, primary fire suppression system and fire pump are all in operable condition at this time, but “deficiencies” are still present that will require attention to bring operations to “satisfy adopted fire code.” A full building inspection is scheduled for February 18, according to the letter. 

The building was in danger of being shuttered by the City of Port Huron. The building was deemed unsafe to occupy due to fire alarms being nonoperational. Fire suppression systems found to be uncertifiable and unable to be verified, according to City Manager, James Freed. The owner of the building had until January 31 to address and correct the problems or the building would have been considered uninhabitable due to the safety concerns. There are currently 12 tenants in the building.

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.

The Marine City Chamber of Commerce has named Marine City native Kyla Hatcher as the new Executive Director. Hatcher, who graduated in 2017 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Advertising and Sales from Central Michigan University, has grown up in Marine City and worked at The Sweet Tooth for seven years, giving her first-hand knowledge of business in the area. Last fall, The Sweet Tooth owner and Chamber board member, Todd May involved Kyla in the city’s signature “Merrytime Christmas” festivities where Hatcher got a taste of working with downtown businesses through the Chamber on events.

In her new role, Kyla said she is “excited to make changes and have a say in events while representing the ‘younger generation.’” She said the big focus now, though, is the Chamber’s “Llama Races” in partnership with the Washington Life Center and a golf outing in May. With that, she said she wants to “talk to the community and understand what they would like to see next.”

Former Executive Director Erika DeLange announced her resignation in mid-January after four years in the position. Kyla said following DeLange that she “has big shoes to fill. She has done wonderful things for the city and area. She really rebranded the Chamber as a whole and increased the value of membership substantially.”

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.

Tax season is upon us, and the Michigan Department of Treasury reminds Michigan taxpayers that they may be able to receive the Earned Tax Credit or EITC. Thousands of eligible families missed out on this money last year because they didn’t file federal taxes or they didn’t know about the option. The average credit is around $150. 

Eligibility for the credit depends on the number of dependents and income. State Treasurer Rachael Eubanks said, “All eligible Michiganders should seek out this important tax credit.” 

Across the state, taxpayers saved about $110 million spread across nearly 730,000 filers. It is important to know that to get the Michigan credit, taxpayers must file a federal tax return, even if they don’t owe any taxes. If the federal EITC is granted, Michigan provides a 6% supplemental EITC. More information can be found at www.irs.gov/eitc or www.michigan.gov/incometax.

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.

The winter months are often considered some of the busiest for animal shelters. According to the ASPCA, approximately 6.5 million companion animals enter shelters every year. Adding a shelter pet to your family can be fulfilling, but what if you’re not ready or able to adopt?

Hartz Loving Paws supports companion animals in shelters through product donations and volunteer events. The company offers the following tips from the Humane Society of the New Braunfels Area in Texas for you to give back to pets in need even if you’re not ready or able to adopt.

1. Donate money or product.

Many animal shelters and rescue organizations have direct donation links on their websites. Monetary donations go toward pet food, medical attention and vaccines for the animals. Animal shelters and rescue organizations also often create wish lists with desired products. Shelters typically ask for pet treats, toys and grooming supplies.

Hartz Loving Paws has given more than $2 million worth of product to shelters and organizations since its inception in 2016.

2. Provide a temporary home.

An increased number of animals placed in shelters need foster care before they are ready to find their forever homes. Foster needs range from post-op surgical care to puppy growth care and medical support.

Food, medication and other supplies are typically provided when fostering, and the length of time a foster pet may stay in your home varies depending on the animal’s needs. Contact your local shelter to fill out an application. Once approved, your local shelter will work closely with you to find the right foster pet for your household.

3. Volunteer at your local shelter or rescue organization.

Animal shelters and rescue organizations offer numerous volunteer roles, such as dog walkers, adoption support and training support. Many positions don’t require prior experience and can be applied for on your local shelter or rescue organization’s website. Volunteer positions vary in expectations and demand, so there is a position for everyone.

You can also volunteer to participate in a shelter rebuild project. Hartz Loving Paws renovates shelters twice a year in partnership with GreaterGood.org’s Rescue Rebuild program. These teams work with shelters to create playful and welcoming environments for animals.

4. Take photos of adoptable pets.

Help animals find homes sooner by taking adoption photos for local shelters. Many people search for adoptable pets online, and with a great profile picture, animals have a greater chance at being adopted. If you’re new to photography, there are free training videos available on the One Picture Saves a Life website that show how to take better photos of shelter pets.

5. Become an advocate.

Follow animal shelters and rescue organizations on social media and reshare their content. Talk to your family and friends about the importance of caring for shelter pets while they await their forever homes and share how they can help.

Local non-profit group, Difference Makers, is celebrating the opening of their new recreation room at the Harrison Center. However, the goal of the group is much larger than simply providing a place for fun. Difference Makers Founder Ziyad Elassal says the overall goal is to help teens find their passion, figure out their goals, and then, with the help of mentors, reach those goals.

Difference Makers was created in 2018 to help empower at-risk youth in the community. The teens come from a variety of backgrounds and challenges but are welcomed into the group with open arms. Volunteer mentor Gin Pace says leaders have seen tremendous growth in the group’s kids, citing some who faced as many as 20 suspensions in the previous school year, compared to no suspensions in the current school year.

Difference Makers organizers are grateful for the community support from the Port Huron Area School District, the Community Foundation, and Eastern Michigan Christian Foundation, among others, who believe in the organization and support their work in the community. See the new “rec” room and learn more about the organization in this feature on ebw.tv