Local News

Lake Huron Medical Center (LHMC) is pleased to announce its August 2019 Employee of the Month, Fred Kuhr, and its August 2019 Volunteer of the Month, Ann Knill. LHMC is honored to have a strong team of staff and volunteers working hard to deliver high-quality care to the Blue Water Area.

Fred is an Environmental Services Tech and has been with LHMC since 2008. He was nominated by a peer who commented, “At the end of my shift, I was doing a discharge room and the curtains had previously been hung wrong.  Even with a ladder, I could not reach them. Fred came and fixed the hooks and hung the curtains even though it was time for him to punch out.  I truly appreciated the help. Fred is always pleasant if asked questions or for help. He is a true team player.”

Ann volunteers with the Trauma Department and has been volunteering at LHMC since March 2019.  She was nominated by employee who wrote, “Ann was instrumental in helping to prepare for the trauma designation survey in which we received zero deficiencies and a 3-years designation.  Ann has many years of experience in quality and safety during her employment at Chrysler. She helped prepare survey material by placing the data in binders in an organized manner.  She updated the PI board with fantastic pictures of our trauma team and make the board not so boring. Ann helped set up and deliver equipment for our Injury Prevention outing at the 4H during 110-degree temperature.  All of this she has done with a smile and enthusiasm. She is certainly an asset to our organization and our patients.”

Lake Huron Medical Center is proud of each of its employees and volunteers; and extends a special thank you and congratulations to all our team members, especially Fred and Ann as we celebrate their accomplishments.

To learn more about the programs and services offered at Lake Huron Medical Center, visit www.mylakehuron.com.  

The United Way of St. Clair County is celebrating their 95th Anniversary this week.  Founded in 1924, it is the oldest United Way in the State of Michigan. Formed by community leaders, the local United Way exists to provide a mechanism for everyone in the community to give what they can afford to support a network of accountable human services. Currently located on Military Street, the organization uses funds raised in St. Clair County to distribute to programs that provide services to residents of St. Clair County. The biggest fundraiser comes through an annual campaign that’s just been announced. The kickoff will be held Monday, September 9th at the Blue Water Convention Center in Port Huron. Michelle Shepley, Port Huron Community Bank President of Chemical Bank, will be the 2019 Campaign Chair, and the campaign will run through December. 

According to Diving With a Purpose, a national non-profit, a memorial is being dedicated to five Tuskegee Airmen who perished in accidents in the Port Huron area in the 1940s. During the middle years of World War II, Michigan served as an advanced training ground for many graduates of the famous all-African-American Tuskegee pilot training program. In recent years, the wreckages from two Tuskegee Airmen’s aircraft were discovered in the Michigan area. One wreck was located in Lake Huron and the other in St. Clair River.

In August 2015, a dive team consisting of volunteers from Diving with a Purpose and maritime archaeologists from NOAA mapped the site and wreckage of one of the pilot’s accidents, identifying his plane from pieces still intact from his instrument panel. Recently, DWP and NOAA recovered artifacts from the site for a memorial exhibition in the National Tuskegee Airmen Museum in Detroit. The group is now raising money through the Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Campaign to fund the design and installation of a memorial in Port Huron, culminating in an unveiling ceremony in the Flag Plaza along the St Clair River in Port Huron during the summer of 2020. Local groups including the Community Foundation of St. Clair County and DTE have contributed to the project. As of July, the fundraising efforts were at a halfway point.

This Sunday, many will head to the waters of the St. Clair River for the annual Float Down.  The U.S. Coast Guard has closed a portion of the St. Clair River to vessel traffic between Lighthouse Beach in Port Huron to Veteran’s Memorial Park in Marysville.  That stretch will be closed from 12 noon to 8 p.m. While the event is not sanctioned, local first responders are working hard to maximize participant safety.

The Coast Guard is asking participants to consider filing a float plan with someone who is not floating in the event.  A float plan tells officials your intentions in the event you do not check-in when expected. There is also an app available on the U.S. Coast Guard Detroit Sector Facebook page where participants can electronically file a float plan with the Coast Guard. Those in the Float Down are reminded by officials to have their ID and phone in waterproof storage and dress appropriately for the weather. Temperatures are expected to be in the 70s on Sunday, but it is still important to stay hydrated during the event. 

Flying into and out of St. Clair County is going to be on hold for a short time. Improvements and upgrades to the airport have been made in phases over the last few months, and the St. Clair County Airport will be closed for the next 10 days, according to Airport Director Kathy Reaume.  The closure is part of a 4.6 million dollar federal grant designated to renovating the runways. Reaume said she “is very pleased with the work being done so far, and that they are currently ahead of schedule.”  In addition to new asphalt on all of the surfaces, new electrical and lighting will be installed as well. Reaume also stated that the current complete closure is a result of construction on a cross-section of the two runways.  The airport is set to reopen on August 26th at 7 a.m. The airport services approximately 32,000 flights every year.  

St. Clair County Sheriff, Tim Donnellon, is concerned about the dangers involved in this year’s float down. With water levels at record highs, Donnellon wants floaters to know that this isn’t the same river they’ve floated in past years. What’s the big change? The current. With water levels so high, the current is much stronger, and those who make a choice to float without a paddle or a life jacket will not be prepared to deal with the power of the river. Many people take for granted that first responders will be out in full force during the float down, but Donnellon reminds us that the river can claim someone’s life in minutes, and the disorganization of the event prevents first responders from being able to quickly identify those in trouble.

If you’ve decided this event is worth the risk, Sheriff Donnellon urges common sense: wear a properly fitted life jacket, take a paddle, be prepared with water and sunscreen, and make sure all children keep their life jackets on. All minors are required to wear life jackets at all times, and those who don’t will be removed from the water along with their entire party. There are plenty of ways to enjoy the water safely, so make good choices to protect yourself, your friends, and your family this Sunday.