Local News

Drivers in St. Clair County should expect delays as multiple road projects kick off this week. Burns Road, between Card and Richman, will have intermittent lane closures for ditching work. Fish Road near Jarvis will be fully closed for a day to replace a culvert. In Port Huron Township, Wadhams and Griswold roads, as well as Dove and Michigan roads, will see lane closures while traffic signals are upgraded. These signal projects are expected to continue through mid-January. All work is weather dependent, so schedules may change.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

Tri-Hospital EMS and the American Red Cross are holding a holiday blood drive in Kimball to boost local supplies that often drop during winter. The drive runs this Friday, from 11 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. at Tri-Hospital Station 5,@ 5248 Horseshoe Trail. Officials say donated blood is vital for accident victims, surgeries, and serious illnesses. Donors should bring a photo ID, eat well, and stay hydrated. Appointments are recommended to keep the process smooth.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

A judge has denied a request for a new trial in the decades-old murder case of Karen Umphrey in St. Clair County. Douglas Laming, convicted in October of ’24 for her rape and murder, sought a retrial, claiming his trial lawyer failed to challenge key testimony and that the jury wasn’t properly warned about his co-defendant Anthony Harris’s motives. Judge Cynthia Lane rejected the motion Friday, saying the jury had enough information about Harris’s plea deal and the evidence was properly presented. Laming is serving life without parole.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

Thirteen students from the St. Clair County Technical Education Center (TEC) showcased their skills at the Region 7 HOSA Competition on December 5th at Saginaw Valley State University. Competing against 14 other schools, TEC students participated in 11 healthcare events after weeks of preparation. Six students earned top honors and will advance to the Michigan State HOSA Conference in April, including Marysville’s Braylon Rogan and Jaden Cole, and Yale and St. Clair students Julia Ferguson, Leah Francek, Stella Raymo, and Amelia Waidelich.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

A Florida man has been sentenced in Tuscola County for a deadly September crash that killed three members of the Putnam family. 55-year-old Pavel B. Shchukin received one year in jail for each of three moving violation causing death charges and was ordered to pay $1,425 in fines and court costs. The charges follow a crash on September 26 in Ellington Township, where Shchukin’s semi-truck ran a stop sign at Hurds Corner and Deckerville Roads, hitting the family’s Jeep.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

In Tuscola County’s Kingston village, a police encounter ended in a shooting last Tuesday night. Michigan State Police troopers were called to a Koylton Township home around 8:30 p.m. to take a 54-year-old man into custody under a court-ordered mental health hold. When officers found him in a vehicle, the man reportedly pulled a weapon, prompting shots to be fired. A sergeant was injured in the hand, treated, and released, while the man died at the scene. MSP’s investigative and crime teams are handling the case, which remains active.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet