Local News

St. Clair County Community College’s nursing department and the Michigan Abolitionist Project (MAP) are partnering to present a human trafficking conference this afternoon, Monday, April 8, from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the college’s Fine Arts Theatre.  The conference not only aims to increase awareness and understanding of the global crisis but also will focus on human trafficking from a health care perspective, educating professionals in the field on the assessment and evaluation of potential victims.  The second annual seminar will feature remarks from keynote speaker Danielle Bastien, RN, DNP FNP-BC, an emergency room nurse at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. Bastien recently completed the DNP program at Wayne State University, where her doctoral thesis focused on human trafficking. She developed a policy for Henry Ford Health System which implemented changes to the triage and emergency department process to help better identify patients who are victims of human trafficking.  “We’re so excited to partner with MAP to host this important event at SC4,” said Patti Tibble, director of the college’s nursing program. “Human trafficking is a critically important topic to address as nurses and health care professionals, and we’re glad to help bring training and assessment tools to professionals in our region.”  Interested attendees can learn more and register online through the MAP website. Registration is $20, and the event will issue 2.5 continuing education contact hours for nurses. For more information, email porthuron@map-mi.org or call 810-748-9528.

Residents in and around the city of Port Huron are mourning the loss of one of our great historians, teacher, restaurant owner, and all-around great guy.  Rock Stevens and his wife Gayle brought the Atrium Café to Port Huron, delighting in serving delicious food with a hearty smile.  Stevens unexpectedly passed away this weekend having just posted on his Facebook page Friday morning, with a sunny humorous message and a perfect picture of a plate of food to served at the restaurant.  –  stating “Embrace This Day…May you find the best!”  Port Huron certainly found the “best” in Rock Stevens.  Photo credit: Amanda Catherine Photography.

The Community Capital Club (C3), a fund within the Community Foundation, the Economic Development Alliance of St. Clair County and The Underground Incubator, are pleased to financially support area entrepreneurs with the launch of the new Proving Grounds entrepreneurial fund.  The purpose of the fund according to Dan Casey, Chief Executive Officer of the EDA, is to provide seed capital to start ups after their launch at the early-revenue stage.  “We see a gap in the market that the new fund will fill,” Casey sated.   Currently, EDA manages a pre-seed fund called the Emerge Fund which provides seed capital to help a limited number of businesses get their start.  “The new fund is intended to help start ups after they’ve done the basics, when they are ready to begin selling their product or service,” Casey added Proving Grounds funding will assist pre-seed and early venture startups with “fuel funding” needed to grow their businesses faster.   Applicants must have a valid business plan, an identified target market that has product or service validation (proven market fit) and some form of sales already established.  The fund is perfect for entrepreneurial businesses that offer scalability beyond risk.  One of the goals of the new program is to prepare start ups to pitch to the broader Community Capital Club which is mezzanine-level funding.  “Members of C3 are passionate about business and about their community.  Contributing to the general prosperity of the region by helping worthwhile early stage and growth companies succeed is one of the primary goals of C3,” said Michael Wendling, Chair of the Community Capital Club.  “We’re trying to create a pipeline of companies to diversify and grow the county’s economy,” said Casey.  “Capital is the entrepreneur’s lifeblood, and it’s very difficult to access traditional forms of financing until a company has built a balance sheet.”  Casey noted that the Proving Ground Fund will invest in a limited number of companies based on available funding.  Interested entrepreneurs can contact EDA for more information at (810) 982-9511.

Proving Grounds Fund – How It Works:
            Entrepreneurs fill out a Proving Ground Application Form at at startunderground.com

• If Approved, the start-up will receive $10,000 for 5% equity of your company to the Community Capital Club (C3)
• The company will be enrolled in the Underground’s Virtual Incubator Program
• The Underground will help you set strategy goals and tactics, and establish an advisory board to oversee progress and mentor the entrepreneur
• Awardees must stay accountable by reporting metrics and discussing future plans
• Non-profits are not eligible for the Proving Ground Fund

The Knights are responsible for at least one ultrasound in every state, as well as in Puerto Rico, Brazil, Canada, Jamaica, Peru, and Africa.  Recently the Marysville Knights and St. Eds on the Lake Councils spearheaded an effort with other local councils to give a second machine to Spero to replace their old one.  Since 2009, the Knights of Columbus have donated ultrasound machines to pro-life pregnancy centers in a bid to give more women a choice alternative to abortion. The program, called “In His Image,” provides grants to pregnancy resource centers (PRCs) in order to replace ultrasound machines, which cost about $40,000 each.  Ultrasounds are a vital component of whether women choose abortion. When women see their baby on ultrasound, it dramatically influences them. They see the science that there IS a tiny person growing very rapidly, heart beating, THEIR baby often fully formed.  Women seeking an abortion need ultrasound to confirm a viable pregnancy. If non-viable, abortion is unnecessary. So many pregnancies end in miscarriage (between 20-30%) or have other medical conditions, that women may not need an abortion.  Now let me say that abortion is never necessary to save the life of a woman. A valid medical treatment would be to try to save BOTH, which may result in the unintentional death of the baby in ectopic pregnancy, or a woman in the operating room delivery her baby. Viable pregnancy through ultrasound confirms heartbeat, intrauterine placement, and gestational age.  Technology changes rapidly and the machines are very fragile, so new machines are needed at least every 5 years to get the best pictures.  The entire community is invited to a public Dedication on Wed. April 17, 4:00-5:30pm at the pregnancy center. And there is also an Open House Fri. April 26, 8am-2pm

Check your spots and prevent melanoma. Lake Huron Medical Center, in conjunction with the American Academy of Dermatology, invites you to attend a FREE Skin Cancer Screening. Local dermatologists will be on hand to discuss skin cancer concerns and provide a suspicious spot check.  Screening can find skin cancer at an early stage when chances for treatment success are much better. The free skin cancer screening will be held at the North Campus of Lake Huron Medical Center on Wednesday, May 15, 2019 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Lake Huron Medical Center is encouraging all residents of our community to come out for this FREE screening. As leaders in cancer care, it is our responsibility to keep you safe; starting with prevention. To register for this program, please call (toll-free): 888-637-2963. Registration is required for this event.
Named the “best in cancer care” by the Commission on Cancer, Lake Huron Cancer Center has
been recognized year after year for providing high quality, multidisciplinary, patient-centered
care to oncology patients and their families for more than 40 years. To learn more about Lake
Huron Cancer Center, please visit Lake Huron Medical Center online at mylakehuron.com.

The three men accused of breaking into Fronney’s Foods in Capac Sunday night were arraigned yesterday in 72^nd District Court in Port Huron.  Maliek Davis, 26 and Jalen Richardson, 25, both of Novi and Dezhon Colson, 23, of Detroit are all charged with breaking and entering a building with intent, possession of burglary tools and malicious destruction of property.  Deputies from the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to Fronney’s at about 10:00 p.m. Sunday on a breaking and entering alarm.  When they arrived, along with troopers from the Michigan State Police, it was discovered the building had been broken into.  A review of surveillance cameras provided a description of the suspect vehicle, along with a license plate.  A be on the lookout (BOL) broadcast was sent out through the region for that vehicle.  About an hour and a half later, the suspect vehicle was stopped by the Wixom and Walled Lake Police Departments in Oakland County.  The suspects were taken into custody.  Detectives from the Sheriff’s Office went to the Wixom Police Department and took custody the three suspects, who were transported to the St. Clair County Intervention and Detention Center.  The suspects are lodged at the IDC, each with a $100,000 bond.  Their next court appearance is a probable cause hearing at 9:00 a.m. on April 16^th.