SC4 Plans Arab American History Month Presentation

St. Clair County Community College is looking ahead to April with the announcement of an Arab American History Month Presentation.

SC4’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion will be hosting David Serio of the Arab American National Museum on April 21st from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the Fine Arts Theater on the Port Huron campus. Registration has begun.

Serio is an Education and Public Programming Specialist with the Arab American National Museum. He will be leading explorations of the history, culture, and immigration of Arab Americans to the United States.

Those who attend will learn about ethnic and religious diversity in the Arab community and analyze stereotypes.

The Arab American National Museum is located in Dearborn, Michigan. The Museum is devoted to “documenting and sharing Arab American contributions that shaped the economic, political and cultural landscapes of American life.”

To register, please fill in the online form at: https://sc4.edu/offic…/news-and-events/event-registration/ or email dei@sc4.edu. 

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

DNR Reminds that Finding Dead Fish is Normal in the Spring

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has issued its annual reminder that there is no need to panic if you find dead fish in local waterways. Fish kills are common during the spring thaw.

Gary Whelan, DNR Fisheries Division Research manager said, “Winterkill is the most common type of fish kill. As the season changes, it can be particularly common in shallow lakes, ponds, streams and canals. These kills are localized and typically do not affect the overall health of the fish populations or fishing quality.”

If you suspect that there is another reason for a die-off of fish, of course, give the DNR a call, but most of the time, finding a dead fish, turtle, frog, toad, or crayfish is more a part of the circle of life in Michigan than it is an environmental concern.

Shallow water with excess aquatic vegetation and soft bottoms tend to lead to fish kill. Sometimes the dead aquatic life is not noticed until spring when things thaw out and become more visible.

For more information on fish kills in Michigan, visit Michigan.gov/Fishing. The public is welcome to report fish kills at Michigan.gov/EyesInTheField; such reports are valuable to the DNR’s ability to manage the state’s aquatic resources. If you suspect a fish kill is due to non-natural causes, call the nearest DNR office or Michigan’s Pollution Emergency Alert System at 800-292-4706.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

No Injuries at CityFlats Hotel Fire

Port Huron, 5:55 PM – According to Port Huron Fire Department Chief Corey Nicholson, Port Huron Fire Department and Auto-Aid departments (Port Huron Township, Marysville, and Fort Gratiot) responded to CityFlats Hotel in Port Huron for multiple reports of smoke from the building this afternoon.

Nicholson said, “A working fire was found in the rooftop elevator hoist room. Standpipe operations were established from an aerial waterway and an interior stairwell standpipe.” A standpipe is a system of water pipes built inside of multi-story buildings. They work like fire hydrants by allowing firefighters to connect to their water supply for fire suppression.

“The fire was extinguished with multiple handlines and overhaul is currently being conducted,” said Nicholson in a press release. He also said that no injuries were reported and the fire is still under investigation.

The Port Huron Police Department helped evacuate people from the building, and Tri-Hospital EMS responded to the situation to stand-by in case of injuries.

Reporting for WGRT- Jessie Wiegand

First Responders at CityFlats Hotel Port Huron for Active Fire

Port Huron, MI – Multiple area fire departments have responded to an active fire at CityFlats Hotel in downtown Port Huron. Port Huron, Ft. Gratiot, and Marysville fire fighters are on the scene and working to contain the situation.

We are actively monitoring the situation and will update as we receive information from officials.

Mike Henry Featured Artist for Art on the River 2022

Mike Henry, a Port Huron watercolor artist, will be this year’s featured artist at Art on the River.

Art on the River is a weekend-long art and music festival at Port Huron’s Kiefer Park. This year’s event will start on Friday, June 10th and run through Sunday, June 12th. Hours are from 3-9 PM Friday, 10 AM – 11 PM Saturday, and 10 AM – 4 PM on Sunday.

Henry will be creating an exclusive piece of art during the event, and he specializes in watermedia landscapes.

Henry started painting 18 years ago and hopes to become a stronger painter every year. A press release from Art on the River expressed Henry’s desire to communicate his love of light through inspiration, composition, value, and color.

To learn more about Art on the River, visit www.artontheriverph.com

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

The Women of The Copper Country Author to Speak at Library Event

The St. Clair County Library System is hosting a virtual presentation and Q&A session with award-winning author, Mary Doria Russell. Russell is the author of The Women of the Copper Country, a story about the mining community in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula in 1913.

Russell said she wanted to write a fictionalized account of the historical events that happened when a copper strike affected the mining industry and communities in Michigan’s Keewenaw Peninsula. The story’s protagonist is 25-year-old Annie Clements, based on the real-life story of Big Annie.

“Here was a 25-year-old woman who is central to a strike against the most powerful company in the most dangerous industry of her time. A child of despised immigrants. A housewife with a simple education in a time when women couldn’t vote and weren’t supposed to take part in public life. Somehow, she mobilized 10,000 miners and kept everyone going, day after day, month after month. So my task was to tell readers: What makes a woman like Annie Clements?” said Russell.

To register for the event, visit the library’s website <HERE>.

*CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story had an error in the book title.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand