Local News

Rising water levels are a major concern, and we all know the water levels are high along the St. Clair and Black Rivers. This has some residents calling for a no wake zone, especially on the Black River. However, City Manager James Freed is reminding residents that the Black River falls under the jurisdiction of the DNR, not the Coast Guard when it comes to no wake zones. The DNR can issue an emergency order for a no wake zone only if a state of emergency is declared by the State and, currently, a state of emergency has only been declared by St Clair County. Again, this is a developing situation and likely will be throughout the summer. We’ll keep you updated as the story develops. 

Every day first responders put their lives on the line and even more so when on a call. Recently, a St. Clair County Sheriff’s Deputy was presented with a department Lifesaving Award. Deputy Stacie Miller was called to the scene of a house fire in Fort Gratiot Township shortly after 10:00 p.m. on May 9th . When she arrived, flames were coming out of the windows of the residence. According to St. Clair County Central Dispatch, there was a 70 year old woman in the residence who was handicapped and unable to exit. Deputy Miller went to the entrance of the fully engulfed home and assisted Norma down the ramp. She was then transported by Tri-Hospital EMS to McLaren Port Huron. Sheriff Tim Donnellon states that he is proud of Deputy Miller’s quick actions at the scene. Without regard for her personal safety, she went in and got the homeowner out. Without Deputy Miller’s fast response, the woman likely would have died in the fire.” Congratulations to Deputy Stacie Miller for protecting the lives of St. Clair County citizens. 

Due to ongoing high water levels on the Great Lakes and adjoining waterways, the City of Port Huron will be providing sandbags on an as-needed basis to City residents. If you are a resident of the City of Port Huron in need of sandbags, you do not need to request or make an appointment. Residents can pick up the sandbags any time of day at the Department of Public Works Warehouse located at 1812 Bancroft Street. The sandbags will be outside of the facility. For more information about the sandbags and high water levels, you can call the City of Port Huon at 810-984-9770.

Throughout Michigan and the Midwest, prolonged wet weather and flooding have put farmers in a difficult position as the spring planting season is coming to a close. With unprecedented rainfall, farmers have had to delay planting and adjust management practices. MSU Extension has a statewide network of agricultural educators tracking growing conditions, speaking with farmers and writing educational articles about how farmers can adjust to these inhospitable conditions and difficult choices. Jeff Dwyer director of MSU Extension said “The crisis facing Michigan agriculture right now is acute, and we hear heartbreaking stories every day from our educators who work with farmers. These families need support now more than ever.” For more information about the MSU Extension Managing Farm Stress program, visit extension.msu.edu/farmstress/. To access the suite of resources and information available from MSU Extension, visit extension.msu.edu

A motorcycle crash in Fort Gratiot Township Sunday afternoon seriously injured a motorcyclist. According to St. Clair County Sheriff Tim Donnellon, a 46 year old Fort Gratiot man was riding his Harley Davidson southbound on Lakeshore road shortly before 5:00 p.m. A 20 year old man from Yale was driving his 2009 Ford Fusion northbound and turned left in front of the motorcycle in the 4500 block of Lakeshore. The motorcycle crashed into the car head-on, ejecting the man from the bike. The motorcyclist was transported by Tri-Hospital EMS to McLaren Port Huron Hospital and later transferred to Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. Neither the driver of the car nor his passenger, a 20 year old man from Columbus Township was injured. The Sheriff’s Office Accident Investigation Unit was called to the scene of the crash, which remains under investigation. It is believed drug use by the driver of the car was a contributing factor in the incident. 

On June 22nd, Gregory T. Stremers was appointed to the State Bar of Michigan Government Law Section Executive Board as Chairperson. The Government Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan represents local community interest for Cities, Villages, and Townships. The Section provides education, information, and analysis about local government issues through meetings, seminars, and filing legal briefs to the Appellate Courts including the Michigan Supreme Court on issues important to local communities. Stremers has been in law practice for 26 years in St. Clair County representing local government and the people of Sanilac and St. Clair County. Greg is a partner in the law firm of Touma, Watson, Whaling, Coury, Stremers & Thomas P.C and a past president of the St. Clair County Bar Association.