Local News

A Marine City business, The Sweet Tooth, celebrated its 10th anniversary this week, and it all started in 2009 with a layoff.

Seventh generation Marine City resident Todd May found himself without a job in 2009 and made the decision to open The Sweet Tooth. The first storefront for the business was only 1,000 square feet (including storage) according to May. The Sweet Tooth has now moved to a location more than double the size, right across the road from the original space in Downtown Marine City.

The sweet shop is known for its handmade items like clusters and truffles, the buy-in bulk wall, and unique candy offerings, that originate as far back as the late 1800s.

Todd credits the store’s success to the recent growth of Downtown Marine City as well as loyal customers he has served throughout the years. Presently, The Sweet Tooth is working on a new line of cookies as well as their new treat, the Chocolate High Heel.

Take a look inside the store and hear more about Todd’s story in this ebw.tv feature.

A Port Huron landmark, commonly known as the “Fogcutter Building” seems to have fallen into disrepair, as evident in a 7-day eviction notice issued to the tenants this week.

The Port Huron Office Center, located at 511 Fort Street in downtown Port Huron, is in danger of being shuttered by the City of Port Huron. The building has been deemed unsafe to occupy due to fire alarms being nonoperational. Fire suppression systems were also found to be uncertifiable and unable to be verified, according to City Manager, James Freed. The owner of the building has until January 31 to address and correct the problems or the building will be considered uninhabitable due to the safety concerns.

The building housed the fine dining restaurant, The Fogcutter, on it’s sixth floor, for decades. It closed in 2009. The sixth floor was most recently the home to Rix’s Rooftop Restaurant which closed in May of 2019 after two years in operation. The building currently has spaces occupied by several law offices and other businesses. Those tenants have been warned that eviction is imminent if the fire safety systems are not mitigated promptly. The building is owned by a private investor who purchased it for over $650,000 in 2010, according to county records.

St. Clair County Community College (SC4) Professor James Jones has received the 2020 Dale P. Parnell Distinction Recognition Award from the American Association of Community Colleges. In a statement from the college, SC4 President Dr. Deborah A. Snyder said, “Jim has devoted his life to giving back to others, and we are thrilled to congratulate him on this prestigious award. His dedication to the success of SC4’s criminal justice program is admirable as is his devotion to ensuring that his students gain hands-on knowledge and experience with criminal situations and scenarios.” His dedication to learning experiences outside of the classroom was also noted, along with his commitment to success for his students. He often takes his students to Detroit to shadow the Detroit Police Department and serves on several committees at SC4. Mr. Jones is a professor of Criminal Justice with degrees from both Ferris State and Wayne State. He has been teaching at SC4 since 1997. He worked as a full-time police officer with the City of Port Huron for 28 years before beginning his teaching career. He is a part time officer with the Marine City Police Department, currently.

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.

There’s no question that Port Huron is a “Hockey Town” and now there is an opportunity to turn that status into cash with the Kraft “Hockeyville” Contest. The winner of the contest gets the opportunity to host an NHL game and win $150,000 in arena upgrades. Both are welcome prizes for McMorran Arena, and the City of Port Huron Recreation Department is asking for local hockey enthusiasts to get on board. 

The first step is to nominate McMorran for the contest. Participants need to go to Krafthockeyville.com to get started. According to the website, you can “rack up rally points by completing the activities…And be sure to submit a genuine and heartfelt nomination, because it could get your community a spot in the Top 4!” The activities include stories, photos, and videos. They must be turned in by February 29th. 

After the arenas are nominated, judging takes place to narrow it down to four finalists, which will be announced on March 22nd. After voting takes place, the winner will be announced on March 29th. On the heels of a successful fundraising season for the new Port Huron Skate Park, the City hopes to continue the momentum with this chance for an upgraded hockey arena and the chance to go big-time with an NHL game.

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.

A China Township resident has been appointed to the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Task Force. Justin L. Morren, the Plant Director of the DTE Blue Water Energy Center, who holds a mechanical engineering degree from Pennsylvania State, was chosen as a “member who is knowledgeable about the operation of public utilities, who represents public utilities in the Lower Peninsula”. He was nominated by the chairman of the Public Service Commission to fill a vacancy from a member who resigned. His term began last week and goes until July of 2022. 

Scott Baldwin, of Fort Gratiot, is also on the Task Force. He represents county sheriffs and was nominated by the President of the Michigan Sheriff’s Association. His term expires in July of 2022 as well. As drones become more common and are used by everyone from photographers to law enforcement agencies to twelve-year-old kids, their impact on public safety and security is under review. The Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Task Force was formed in 2016 in Michigan to address the “commercial and private uses of UAS, landowner and privacy rights, general rules and regulations for safe UAS operations.”

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.

The Port Huron & Detroit Railroad Historical Society has new leadership.  The group has announced the retirement of Chad Thompson as President with Dan Meinhard taking over as the new leader and Geoffrey Hering in the role of Vice President.

In the announcement on social media, Meinhard said he looks forward to challenges ahead with hopes to recruit more members and volunteers to aid in growth and dedication for supporting the group’s mission statement. 

Port Huron is often referred to as “Tunnel City” in railroad circles, as it is the home of the international train crossing that tunnels under the St. Clair River. The Port Huron & Detroit Railroad Society, formed in 2007, is involved in events such as the Tunnel City Railway Show and restoration and preservation of historic train engines and equipment. They have several projects underway which are detailed on the group’s Facebook page. The Society’s headquarters are on 32nd Street in Port Huron.

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.