SC4 Invites Community to Strong Inside Book Discussion

The whole community is invited to a book discussion, sponsored by the St. Clair County Community College Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

The book is Strong Inside by Andrew Maraniss. Copies of the book are available for free through the SC4 Office.

The college is planning a guided book discussion with the author during the fall semester of 2022.

Strong Inside is a biography of Perry Wallace, the first African-American basketball player in the Southeastern Conference, playing for Vanderbilt University. The biography is set in the times of civil rights struggles of the 1960s.

Strong Inside won the Lillian Smith Book Award in 2015, among other accolades.

The author, Andrew Maraniss, is a contributor to ESPN and has written several other history and sports-related books.

https://sc4.edu/event/strong-inside-book-discussion/

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

All Kids Can Play Together with the Arc of St. Clair County’s Inclusive Recreation

Inclusive Recreation is a way to get kids of all abilities playing together and learning from each other. The ARC of St. Clair County has organized several opportunities for kids of all abilities to enjoy winter fun while fostering understanding of the things that make each kid unique.

Valorie Hudgens, Executive Director of the Arc of St. Clair County, said that the program helps build friendships between kids with disabilities and kids without disabilities.

The free recreation programs are geared toward children aged three to twelve, but teenagers often enjoy the interactions as well. Due to covid restrictions, all events will be held outdoors, so attendees should bundle up. Hudgens said, “Snow will not slow us down.”

The events are held outside the Community Rooms at Dulhut, Huron, and Gratiot Housing Developments. Participants do not have to live in the neighborhoods to participate. No RSVP is needed; just show up to have fun.

January’s Inclusive Recreation kicks off with Mystery Snow Fun.

The Arc is looking to expand its program into downriver communities in the future.

Call the Arc of St. Clair County at 810-989-9144 for more information.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Man Arrested for Port Huron Murder

Port Huron Police have identified Robert Kimin Tonchen as the 46 year-old Port Huron resident accused of murdering a woman on January 1, 2022.

Tonchen is charged with Open Murder, Tampering with Evidence, and Arson 4th Degree in the death of Stephanie Thompson. Thompson was found deceased in a parked vehicle in the 2700 block of Vanness Street in Port Huron with obvious trauma to her body.

Port Huron Police Detectives, the Major Crimes Unit, and the Michigan State Police Crime Lab are investigating the case, and Tonchen is scheduled for a court appearance on January 11, 2022 in front of the Honorable Judge John D. Monaghan.

If you have any information about this crime, please contact the Port Huron Police Department at (810) 984-8415 or send an anonymous tip to the CAPTURE Hotline at (810) 987-6688.

 

Community Worship Service Celebrates Unity in Christ

The “One in Christ” community worship serve to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy will take place at Marysville Assembly of God on Sunday, January 16th at 3 PM.

The annual service is sponsored by Operation Transformation and the Blue Water Area Churches, two organizations that facilitate collaboration and partnerships among local faith-based organizations and leaders.

Marysville Assembly of God is located at 1245 6th Street in Marysville, and this year’s guest speaker is Pastor Carl Miller. Pastor Miller is the founding pastor of Restoration Christian Community Church in Port Huron.

The service includes special music, scripture readings, and a performance by a dance ministry team.

For more information, visit optrans.org/otevents

Police Investigating Port Huron Murder

Port Huron Police are investigating the murder of a 33 year-old Port Huron woman. The woman was found deceased in a parked vehicle on Vanness Street in the early morning on January 1st.

The woman has suffered obvious trauma, and Port Huron Police Detectives and the Major Crimes Unit were called to investigate. Her body was turned over the the St. Clair county Medical Examiner’s Office, and her identity will not be released until completion of an autopsy and positive identification.

After executing a search warrant in the  2600 block of Manuel Street, the Port Huron Police Special Response Team arrested a 46 year-old Port Huron man in connection with the murder. He has been charged with open murder and is lodged at the St. Clair County Intervention Center.

If you have knowledge of this crime call the Port Huron Police Department at (810) 984-8415  or the Port Huron Police Department’s Major Crimes Unit at (810) 984-5383. 

Anonymous tips can be received through the CAPTURE Hotline at (810) 987-6688, emailed  through www.porthuronpolice.org, or texted by downloading the Port Huron PD app on apple  or android devices. Anonymous texts can also be received by texting the keyword CAPTURE and their message/tip to 847411.  

Submitted by the Port Huron Police Department

Passage of Pregnant Workers Fairness Act Urged by AGs

The U.S. Senate is being called upon by the Attorneys General of several states, including Michigan, to protect the rights of pregnant women. The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act has been introduced for consideration. 

The Act would secure the rights of pregnant women to be provided reasonable accommodations at work without fear of being pushed out of their jobs, according to a press release from Michigan’s Attorney General Dana Nessel.

Nessel said, “This legislation provides proper protections for pregnant workers who all too often face choosing between paying bills and ensuring a safe pregnancy.”

The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act is closely modeled after the Americans With Disabilities Act.

The coalition argues that people in low-paying jobs are disproportionately discriminated against in seeking reasonable accommodations like sitting instead of standing, taking more regular breaks, and temporarily avoiding certain activities like heavy lifting.

In the letter, the AGs said, “The PWFA will facilitate access to justice for these workers and also have positive implications on other issues that disproportionately affect women of color, such as severe maternal mortality and morbidity.”

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland