Local News

Road work can really change your plans, so here’s what you need to watch out for around the area in this week’s road report. In China Township, Meisner Road between King and Indian Trail will have temporary lane closures for construction beginning today for approximately seven consecutive days. In Clay Township, Starville Road between Holland and Swartout will be closed for three days starting today and continuing through July 17 for a crossroad culvert replacement.

Over in Kimball Twp,  Main Street between Smiths Creek Road and Burns will be closed for approximately 28 days for replacement of the structure over Smiths Creek that started July 9. Also in Kimball, don’t forget that Wadhams Road between Griswold & I-69 will be closed for two weeks starting today for the construction on the railroad crossing.

Down in St. Clair Township, there will be temporary lane closures and closure of the shoulder on Wadhams Road at Fred Moore Highway through July 25 for construction on the roundabout. Finally, in Port Huron Township, 32nd Street between Dove and Petit will continue to be closed for construction until further notice. 

A yearly visitor is making its presence known in our area. They have even shown up on weather radar, as there is a large number of them descending in Macomb and southern St. Clair County.  The Mayfly, or commonly known by Michiganders as the Fish Fly, has 2500 different species and over 600 variations in North America alone. According to the website, Wild-Facts.com, the Mayfly is part of an ancient group of insects called Paleoptera which also includes dragonflies. Most mayfly species spend their immature lives in streams and rivers; however, there are a few that prefer the lake bed.  When these lake dwellers emerge, they typically emerge in great numbers. Their life after that is fleeting. They live anywhere from 30 minutes to one-day once they emerge from their aquatic habitat. Their only function once they emerge is to mate. 

The St. Clair County 4-H and Youth Fair begins today out at the County Fairgrounds in Goodells. There will be many different things to experience at this year’s fair.  Horse and Poultry judging take place Monday with the petting farm opening at 11 a.m. and the opening ceremonies for the fair, along with the crowning of the Fair Court, happen at 12 noon.  There are judging events and many other events happening throughout the day today and every day at the fair. A great way to see the schedule is by visiting their website or Facebook page.  At 7  p.m. tonight don’t miss the Flying Star Rodeo and Country Music by DeWayne Shaw. Tuesday is kids day at the fair and there will be many events centered around youth and a monster truck show to cap off the day.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) wants to remind residents to stay cool during these hot weeks of summer. Temperatures are expected to be in the 80s and above through next week, and outdoor summer activities are in full swing. That means a lot of people will be at risk for sun and heat-related illness.

MDHHS reviews data on illness caused by over-exposure to heat and sun, and there have already been more than 600 emergency room visits since July 1st due to sunburn, sun poisoning, heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and dehydration. This is an important time to remember that staying hydrated and taking breaks from the heat and sun are essential practices for preventing heat-related illness. In addition, residents are reminded to never leave children or pets alone in a car – even with the windows cracked. Temperatures inside a car can easily be double the temperature outside, and because a child’s body heats up three to five times faster than an adult’s, they are more susceptible to heatstroke.

For more information about how to protect yourself and your loved ones from heat-related illness, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website.

Twenty-five students from the Blue Water Area graduated from the Port Huron Police Department’s 2nd annual Youth Academy on Friday, June 12th. This week, students from many different high schools were introduced to topics such as traffic stops, drunk driving, building searches, domestic violence, constitutional law, physical fitness, and other areas pertinent to law enforcement. 

The Port Huron Police Department, with the help of the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office and the Michigan State Police, provides high school aged students education, mentoring and career readiness. The Port Huron Police Department offers many opportunities for young men and women to learn about policing through our Explorer and Cadet programs as well. You can learn more about the Youth Academy and get an inside look at some of the training students went through at ebw.tv.

Laura Rzanca has been named the Employee of the Month for June. She has worked at McLaren Port Huron for 13 years and currently works in Surgical Services.

Rzanca was nominated because she is a valued member of the surgical services team. Organized and focused, Rzanca is continuously learning and developing best practices to manage department activities both efficiently and effectively. She easily develops and fosters relationships with other departments. Actively participating in meetings and events with other departments allows her to understand the department’s needs so she can serve them better. Rzanca is a dedicated, hard-working employee. She brings a positive energy and personal touch to everything she does. She stays upbeat, looks for positive outcomes in difficult situations, and focuses on the good. She practices the hospital values every day and genuinely cares about delivering excellent, quality work.

 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.