St. Clair County leaders have rolled out a new plan to protect residents during dangerous heat waves and freezing temperatures, creating a coordinated system to open emergency shelters when conditions turn life-threatening. Blue Water Community Action will lead efforts, managing shelter space, transportation, and support once alerts are triggered, such as wind chills below zero or heat indexes over 105 degrees. A new $20,000 crisis fund will help cover overflow needs, while local shelters and partners step in to expand capacity.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

Police in Warren say a five-day crackdown called “Operation Summer Heat” led to multiple arrests and the takedown of suspected drug and gun activity across the city. From July 14th through the 18th, officers teamed up with federal agents to serve four search warrants, seizing four illegal firearms, about $17,000 in cash, and a mix of drugs including marijuana, cocaine, meth, fentanyl, ecstasy, and psychedelic mushrooms. Officials say the coordinated effort targeted violent crime hotspots and shows how joint operations can quickly remove dangerous weapons and narcotics.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

A massive 740-foot cargo ship that ran aground along a busy stretch of the St. Clair River near Sarnia is back on the move after a coordinated recovery effort. The Algoma Equinox, loaded with grain and headed to Baie-Comeau, struck bottom Tuesday afternoon but remained stable with no injuries, leaks, or hull damage reported. By Wednesday afternoon, tugboats helped free the vessel, which then powered away on its original route as normal shipping traffic continued through the area without disruption.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

A 46-year-old woman has pleaded no contest to running a large-scale human trafficking operation tied to two massage parlors in Macomb County. Jingyu Jin, a Chinese national, owned businesses in St. Clair Shores and Sterling Heights that investigators say were used to exploit women brought from overseas for forced commercial sex. Authorities describe the case as one of the largest of its kind uncovered locally, with multiple victims rescued. Jin is scheduled to be sentenced September 3rd, while a co-defendant is already serving a lengthy prison term.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet