Local News

The Port Huron Police Department is investigating a shooting that occurred on Monday, January 7.  At about 11:30 p.m. Port Huron Police Officers were dispatched to an apartment at Arbors of St. Clair Apartments in the 3200 block of Military Street for a disturbance followed by shots fired.  The 25-year-old female tenant stated, a 38-year-old male Port Huron resident, entered her apartment by force.  The male suspect was known to her and was attempting to assault her and her 30-year-old sister who was visiting.  The dispute was reported to be over a neighbor that lived near them.  The sister visiting from Detroit, told investigators she grabbed a handgun to defend herself and her sister shooting the suspect in the leg.  The suspect was treated at the hospital and lodged in the St. Clair County Intervention Center for Home Invasion.  The sister was lodged in the St. Clair County Intervention Center for Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

There will be some big shoes to fill at the end of February when current Director of St. Clair County Homeland Security and Emergency Management Jeff Friedland retires.  Friedland says he started in 1988 working for St. Clair County, working for almost one year.  He then left the county taking a position with the State Police working under Governor Blanchard, but it wasn’t to be.  He left that spot after about six weeks as, with the new administration and budget cuts, Friedland had the opportunity to come back to St. Clair County.  Marianne Acciavatti chairperson at the time, offered him the position of Emergency Manager.  Friedland says St. Clair County is a great place to work and he and his wife decided that working here would be better for their family as they raised young children.

After 9/11 the position was expanded to include Homeland Security and Friedland says that doubled the workload particularly with grant writing.  St. Clair County has a history of a community approach to planning and after 9/11 Friedland stated, that his idea was “we are all in this together: whether you are business, clergy, citizens;  it is not just responders.  When you look at events today, the true first responders are actually the people on the streets”.  He says it has been challenging, but it has been really great too, to see how the community has come together; “we have become a team, and that is what it is all about.”

When asked what accomplishment of which he is most proud, Friedland said, “it may sound cheesy, but I mean it, it is working for the residents of St. Clair County.  Our residents, our businesses, everyone steps up.”  He has tried to do his best and feels he has taken a lot of great people, put them together, have come up with great ideas, and the residents have benefited.

An event that stands out most in his mind is the Parahawks plane accident in Marine City in which ten people lost their lives.  Over the years, St. Clair County has experienced flooding, several Presidential declarations from weather, several spills in the river, the Hoover Chemical fire, and a tire fire at the site of a toxic dump where Friedland saw colors in flames that he never saw in the past or since, along with tornadoes and severe weather.  That is what he loved about the job, that no two days are the same.

What is he going to miss the most?  The people and helping provide safety for the residents. He mentioned the annual breakfast that began 23 years ago and continues to grow to several hundred attendees.  Special speakers at the event ranged from an incident and lessons, learned, weather disasters, to active shooter situations and how to make your communities more resilient.

What does the future hold?  He says he wants to do something part time and shed some of the responsibility.  He currently sits on four different federal councils and he has to be employed by a government agency to continue on.  So that is a consideration if he wishes hold those seats.  He says it is time for him and his wife to do more things at home and with his family.  Jeff has two out of three children in the area with five grandchildren ranging in age from 2 to 19.   He has set the retirement date for the end of February.

WGRT sends out best wishes and thanks to Jeff Friedland for the great work he has done in St. Clair County over the years.

FAITH Falcons (which stands for Faithfully Assisting In Teaching Homeschoolers) will again be offering spring sports for both boys & girls.  The group plans to have Varsity Boys Baseball, Varsity Boys Golf & Varsity Girls Soccer.  If there is enough interest in a younger boys baseball team, or a younger girls soccer team, we will have those teams, as well.  If you are interested in the younger teams, please register as that is the only way we know if there is enough interest (must be age 10 by 9/1/18 to register for the younger teams).  Information letters for each of the above listed sports can be found by register online.  Registration will continue through February 15th and practices will begin in March.  If you have any questions, please call- Deanna Ervin – FAITH Athletic Director – 810-625-2109.

Enjoy the early morning sunrise over the beautiful St. Clair River during the Rise & Shine 5K run/2 Mile walk on Saturday, May 4 at 7 a.m., along the River Walk in front of the YMCA at 1525 3rd Street in Port Huron.  Project Graduation is focused on providing the Senior All Night Party which happens right after Commencement each year.  The goal of Project Graduation is to provide a safe and fun opportunity for our newest alumni to celebrate their graduation with inflatables, laser tag, a casino, DJ, hypnotist and opportunities to win awesome prizes.   Early signup cost is $20.00, you can register online at www.runsignup.com.  Price increases to $25.00 after January 26, 2019 and $30.00 after April 1, 2019 through race day.  Special pricing for K-12 students.

One of the easiest ways to save money, according to General Manager, Corey Curtis at the Port Huron Township Menards is to save energy at home. He says, you can start by simply paying attention. People who are aware of roughly how much energy they use typically use less energy than those who aren’t mindful.
BE AWARE OF ELECTRONICS – Electronic devices draw power whenever plugged in, even if they’re turned off. TVs, video players, game consoles, laptops, phone chargers and other electronics are the biggest culprits. Plug them into a power strip that’s on a timer.   CHANGE FURNACE FILTERS – A furnace is the biggest energy consumer in a home.  When dust builds up on the filter, the system has to work harder and longer to draw in
return air. Check the filter often and replace it with a new one when you see gunk build-up.   PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR THERMOSTAT – The optimal winter thermostat settings are 68 degrees (day) and 55 degrees (night). If those numbers seem chilly, throw on a sweater, put a heavy blanket on your bed and let this fact warm you up: Turning down the heat 10 to 15 degrees for eight hours every night can save 5 to 15 percent on your monthly
heating bill. Control the temperature with your smartphone or a programmable thermostat.   WARM UP YOUR WATER HEATER – To reduce hot water use, wrap your water heater with an insulation jacket and cover the first 6 feet of water pipes connected to the heater with pipe insulation. Then, turn down the temperature.  BE SMART ABOUT LIGHTING – You’ve heard it before, but LED bulbs will save you big bucks. Replace your home’s incandescent light bulbs with LEDs and you’ll save!   WRAP YOUR WINDOWS – Use a window insulator kit with thin, plastic sheeting, similar to adding an extra pane of glass in terms of insulation.   STOP AIR LEAKS – Electrical outlets are common areas where heat escapes and cold air enters. To beef up insulation, remove the outlet’s cover plate, spray in a foam sealant and install a foam gasket over the outlet. Front doors can be another problem spot. Install weather stripping and replace it every few years. The majority of a home’s heat escapes
through the attic and basement. Reduce air leakage by sealing cracks with a foam gun and sealant: Put your hand in every corner and crevice to feel for cold air, then spray away.   USE YOUR MICROWAVE MORE – It’s more energy efficient than your stove. When you do use the oven, don’t let it heat longer than necessary and be sure the door’s seal is sound so heat won’t escape. Also, keep your stovetop clean to radiate heat more efficiently.  LET YOUR WASHER HELP DRY YOUR CLOTHES – Dryers can use the most energy of all household appliances, so add an extra spin cycle when washing to help wring out excess moisture from clothes. And remember to remove the lint from your dryer’s filter, which helps clothes dry more efficiently