Local News

St. Edwards on the Lake school in Lakeport is receiving a $25,000 technology donation of Dell computers on behalf of Intel and the Staples store in Fort Gratiot. Staples stores across the country were part of the contest. 

Five employees at the Fort Gratiot store formed a team and competed in the competition which was named, “Score with Intel Core.”  They ended up having the highest score in the country and won first prize in the contest. With the win, the team had the opportunity to select a school that would receive the technology donation. St. Edward’s was selected because one of the team members has a relative that works at the school. The school’s principal, Nancy Appel said she, “was very excited when [she] heard the news.” She also said there will be a presentation at the school on October 11th.  Staples Fort Gratiot Sales Manager, William Ruprecht said they were “happy to win the contest.”  

Reporting for WGRT – EBWtv

Vested Interest in K9s, a national company,  is giving away a Chevy Tahoe K9 vehicle to one law enforcement agency and the Marysville Police Department is in the running. 30 different K9 teams throughout the country were selected as finalists in the contest. Officer Justin Reeves and K9 Heiko from the Marysville Police Department are among the finalists. On the Marysville Police Department’s Facebook page it says their K9 team is donation based and a new vehicle would make a difference in the department. 

To vote for Heiko and Reeves, anyone can go to the Vested Interest in K9’s website and click on Reeves and Heiko’s picture, then cast a vote.  The site allows one vote per day from now until October 31st.

Vested Interest in K9s is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide bullet and stab protective vests to dogs of law enforcement, and related agencies throughout the United States. In addition to the 3,500 vests they have provided since 2009, they also have helped fund K9 medical insurance premiums, K9 medical first-aid kits, and K9 opioid reversal NARCAN kits.  

Reporting for WGRT – EBWtv

Stephanie Sobolewski has been named the Employee of the Month for August. She has worked at McLaren Port Huron for three years and currently works as a nurse aide on 4 North.

Sobolewski was nominated by her coworkers because she is an asset to their unit. She is dedicated to her work and her patients, is kind-hearted, compassionate and caring. Her patients often recognize her for going above and beyond for them. Sobolewski is a team player. She will do whatever is asked of her and always produces great results. She comes to work with a smile, always sees the bright side of things, and is an overall wonderful person.

This employee recognition is given to individuals who consistently live the values, mission and performance standards of McLaren Port Huron. Honorees are nominated by a co-worker, physician, volunteer, and/or customer.

To learn more about McLaren Port Huron, visit www.mclaren.org/porthuron.

The crowd hanging around Keifer Park in Port Huron Saturday afternoon was full of happy chatter and friendly inquiry. The main question, “What are you drinking?” Port Huron Beer Fest, an annual event sponsored by Citizens for a Vibrant Community and Wolverine Market, gave attendees a chance to celebrate their love of craft brews and sample some new things. Representatives from several Michigan breweries were on hand to offer suggestions and share a little about their brewing process and what’s new in the craft beer world.

Visitors to the event received fifteen tickets to use on samples of beer, mead, cider, seltzers, and wine. Members of the Pod’ems UP! podcast circulated the crowd interviewing people about how their palates were faring. There were many interesting comments about sour and wild ferment beers which are becoming more popular. The reviews ranged from various descriptions of repulsion to delight at the new and complex flavors. Some noted changes in what they liked this year expressing a preference for stronger flavors and more potent brews–proof that beer tasting is an important component of becoming a craft beer connoisseur.

Port Huron Beer Fest held its inaugural event in 2013 and has been going strong ever since. The event happens annually on the 4th Saturday in September, and it is the only beer festival of its kind in the area. If you’re up for trying new brews and hanging out with an enthusiastic group of fellow beer-lovers, you won’t want to miss next year’s event.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

The Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP) was awarded a grant of nearly $20,000 from the Governor’s Highway Safety Association and the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility. With this, the Michigan State Police are looking to have more officers trained to recognize drug-impaired driving. The grant will fund five additional Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) trainings for officers which will help them better observe drug impairment or a combination of drug and alcohol impairment in drivers. 

In 2018 there were 9,628 drunk drivers involved in traffic crashes in Michigan. 12 percent or 1,201 were suspected of using drugs. Michael L. Prince, Director of the OHSP said, “Drugged driving is deadly and poses a threat to not only the driver but also their passengers and other motorists.” Prince said, “This grant will allow [them] to train additional officers to recognize the signs of impaired driving before there are tragic consequences.” The two-day ARIDE sessions for officers begins this week. Other sessions are planned across the state until the end of 2019. 

The 30-day challenge started three years ago at Happy Dog Yoga Studio in Port Huron when Rhonda Jones wanted to combine physical and mental health around the holidays with helping others. Jones, the Owner of Happy Dog, began the program three years ago and it’s growing. The way it works is that participants choose a start date between October 1st – 28th. Once a start date is chosen,  individuals must practice on the mat 30 times in 30 consecutive days.

The giving comes with the requirement that participants bring a non-perishable food item for each in-studio class. Those interested in participating can stop by one of the Happy Dog Studios and buy a wristband and tote bag for twenty dollars. The net proceeds will be donated to Mid-City Nutrition. In addition to money raised from wristband purchases, the food items are also donated to Mid-City. Jones said, “If the challenge is completed, not only will [the organization] be feeding people, [participants] will get a free month of unlimited Yoga, a $90 value.”