The Going PRO Talent Fund, formerly known as Skilled Trades Training Fund, makes awards to employers to assist in training, developing and retaining current and newly hired employers.  The Michigan Workforce Development Agency has announced the winners for the fiscal year 2019.  The grant funds have been awarded to five companies in St. Clair County, totaling $82,940.    Training funds awarded are used in is short-term and customized training to meet employee skills requirements for hiring needs and to help close skills gaps for existing employees.  Training must lead to a credential or skill that is transferable and recognized by the industry.   The Going PRO Talent fund ensures that Michigan’s employers have the talent they need to compete and grow and individuals have the skills they need for in-demand jobs.    St. Clair county grant recipients for the 2019 fiscal year include:

Blue Water Controls       Clyde                                      $5,184

Brenner Electric              Marine City                         $12,000
Britt Manufacturing       Port Huron                          $35,766

Centracore                       St. Clair                                $16,490
Cogent Hex                      Port Huron                          $13,500

“Each year, the EDA and our workforce development partners encourage companies to apply for Going PRO Talent Fund grant program.  Working jointly with our partners, we’ve offered informational sessions over the past several years to help educate our companies about this grant opportunity.   This year’s awards will provide industry-recognized training for 60 St. Clair County residents, benefiting their companies and their own personal career development,” said Dan Casey, CEO of the EDA of St. Clair County.   The Economic Development Alliance works closely with Macomb/St. Clair Michigan Works! and regional educational partners to align training and industry needs and make sure our companies are aware of workforce talent resources, training and funding opportunities.

The Port Huron Police Department has been awarded a grant for a drug collection unit as part of CVS Health’s medication Disposal for Safer Communities Program.  The new unit will be located at the police department’s lobby on the ground floor of the Municipal Officer Center located at McMorran Blvd., Port Huron and according to Captain Marcy Kuehn, will provide residents with a safe and environmentally responsible way to dispose of unwanted, unused or expired medication, including controlled substances.  Kuehn says the new drug disposal unit will help to reduce the amount of unneeded medicine in residents’ homes and decrease the potential for prescription drug abuse, which has soared in recent years, especially among teenagers.  Proper drug disposal also helps to prevent the contamination of local landfills and water supplies from unused medication.  This new drug collection unit site is open to the public from the hours of Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

January is National Radon Action Month – an opportune time for St. Clair County residents to test for radon in their homes. Testing is the only way to know if you and your family are at risk for health issues caused by radon, an invisible, odorless gas. Free radon test kits are available to residents during the month of January at the St. Clair County Health Department, 3415 28th Street in Port Huron.  Radon is a naturally-occurring, radioactive gas that comes from the breakdown of radium, found in soil and rock. Outdoors, radon is diluted by the atmosphere to safe levels. However, radon can concentrate in indoor air and lead to elevated and harmful radon levels. Radon enters buildings through openings in the foundation floor or walls (sump openings, crawlspaces, floor/wall joints, cracks, etc.) and can become trapped inside.  Environmental Health Director, Steve Demick, encourages residents to take advantage of this opportunity to learn about radon and test their home for this gas. “Radon exposure is considered the second-leading cause of lung cancer after smoking,” Demick said. “Fortunately, testing is easy and high radon levels can be lowered.” “You can’t see or smell radon, so people tend to ignore the possibility that it might exist at high levels in their homes,” said Kevin McNeill, Sanitarian. “Winter is the ideal time to test for radon because the windows and doors are closed.”  For more information contact the Environmental Health Division at (810) 987-5306 or visit www.scchealth.co or www.epa.gov/radon. Follow us on social media @scchdmi.

There is a great program coming up this Thursday at the Marysville Library.  According to St. Clair County administrator Karry Hepting the library is presenting “Helping Birds Through Winter”, featuring Wild Birds Unlimited of Macomb.   It will take place on Thursday, January 17 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. and will answer questions such as “do birds need our help to make it through the winter”.   The event will discuss bird survival skills, impacts to their environment and how our choices in planting trees, shrubs, and flowers can make a difference.  The public is invited to attend at no cost, however registration is required as the event is limited to 30 participants.  Registration according to Hepting can be accomplished by call the library Main Branch, or logging on to the library’s website and registering there.  Marysville Library is located at 1175 Delaware in Marysville.

The suspect in an officer-involved shooting on Pine Grove Avenue between Church and Elmwood Street has been arraigned.   On Saturday, January 5^th at 7:16 a.m. Port Huron Police Officers were dispatched to the McDonalds at 2509 Pine Grove Avenue on a report of a man stabbing himself in the parking lot.   The suspect, who was armed with a knife and covered in blood, charged the officers in an aggressive manner.  According to Police Captain March Kuehn, one of the officers, acting in self defense, shot the suspect multiple times.   On Friday, January 11, Genio Scott Morgan, a 21 year old from Lexington was arraigned on one count of carjacking; two counts of a dangerous weapon-carrying with unlawful intent, two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, two counts of resisting and obstructing and habitual offender.  A bond of half million dollars cash surety was set set.  Morgan is in the custody of the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office and a pre-hearing date is set for Tuesday, January 22, 2019