Get Your Tickets to Port Huron Town Hall

Port Huron Town Hall is kicking off its 2021-22 speaker series on October 4th with Newspaper Columnist and Author, Rochelle Pennington.

This is the 67th season of Port Huron Town Hall which took a break last year due to gathering restrictions for large events. The purpose of the events are to present lectures and entertainment for cultural, educational, and charitable purposes.

The five lecture series takes place at McMorran Place Theater on Monday mornings at 10:30 AM. Tickets can be purchased for the entire series or for individual lectures.

This year’s speaker luncheons are already sold out, but tickets are available in persona at the McMorran box office, by phone, or by printing and mailing a form. They are not currently available online.

Future speakers for this year are Spencer Stone, Former Air Force Staff SGT; Derek Hough from Dancing With the Stars; Amy Dickinson, Syndicated Advice Columnist; and Lara Logan, Former CBS Chief News Correspondent.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Stars of Life 2021 - Photo courtesy of Michigan Association of Ambulance Services

Local EMS Heroes Recognized in Lansing

The Michigan Association of Ambulance Services honored several area first responders at at the Stars of Life ceremony in Lansing. The ceremony celebrates “ambulance professionals who go above and beyond the call of duty in service to their communities or the EMS profession.”

Angela Madden, Michigan Association of Ambulance Services Executive Director, said, “After serving on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic for more than a year, Michigan’s EMS professionals deserve our utmost appreciation. Stars of Life is about honoring the unsung EMS heroes who work day in and day out to protect their communities and provide life-saving care to Michigan residents.”

Honorees from our area were Kathryn Fanson, Paramedic at Tri-Hospital EMS; Chloe Messinger, EMT at Tri-Hospital EMS; and Kellon Rickert, Paramedic/Deputy Chief of Richmond Lenox EMS.

Kathryn Fanson and Chloe Messinger were recognized for resuscitating a patient who lost his pulse during transport, and Kellon Rickert was honored for his hard work and dedication to his career at Richmond Lenox EMS.

Stars of Life 2021 - Photo courtesy of Michigan Association of Ambulance Services
Stars of Life 2021 – Photo courtesy of Michigan Association of Ambulance Services

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

S.O.N.S. Offers “Your Future Now” Career Program

S.O.N.S. Outreach is planning a “Your Future Now” Career exploration program to be held at Port Huron’s Harrison School. The program was created with input from students coordinated by Generation Z and the Ralph C. Wilson Foundation.

The program will expose students in grades 7-12 to career opportunities in the trades. Careers in HVAC, computer programing, welding, masonry, plumbing, electrical work, and carpentry will be featured, along with robotics. There are opportunities for paid internships.

The program will be held after school on Mondays through Thursdays from 2:45-6:00 p.m. with tutoring, meals, and occasional field trips. There will also be time for kids to just unwind with games and activities.

An Open House will be held on Thursday, October 7th from 4-6 p.m. at Harrison School located at 55 15th Street. The program begins on October 11th. 

To sign up or to get more information, parents can go to sonsoutreach.org or call S.O.N.S. at 810-334-6710.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Update Your iPhone ASAP

Phones get viruses, too. If you have an Apple iPhone, you will definitely want to install the latest update as soon as possible. Spyware called “Pegasus” has been discovered to be able to infect iPhones without even a click, leaving the user totally unaware and vulnerable to unwanted surveillance. iPads, Apple Watches, and Mac computers are also at risk.

Journalists have been targeted specifically, but anyone is vulnerable. The virus was first detected when a Saudi Arabian activist was hacked and investigators traced the Pegasus virus back to an Israeli firm. The spyware is called “zero-click” because of its ability to infect invisibly. It uses the iMessage app to get in and can access camera, microphone, and messages.

Apple has developed a patch to fix the problem. To safeguard your device from this hacking attack, plug it in, go to Settings, click “general”, then click “software update” and click “install now” to update to iOS 14.8.

If you’re concerned, you’re not alone. The vulnerability could have affected 1.65 billion Apple products.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Scarecrow Saturday to be Held at Fort Gratiot Pond

Break out the flannel shirts and pour a glass of cider; fall is officially here. To ring in the season, Fort Gratiot Township is hosting Scarecrow Saturday this weekend at the Fort Gratiot Pond off of Parker Road from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

The annual event is being modified with social distancing and the removal of hands-on activities, but there will still be plenty to do to keep families entertained, and candy stops are still part of the fun.

Sharon Wilton, Fort Gratiot Township Community Development Director said, “Fort Gratiot Township has continued to provide this free event for a number of years and we enjoy seeing the smiles of the children!”

A firetruck and sheriff vehicle will be onsite for the kids to check out, and local firefighters and law enforcement officers will be there to talk to the children.

There will be an animal show in place of the traditional petting zoo, along with a magician scheduled to do two shows at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

The pond will be full of action as radio-controlled sailboats will be out on the water to entertain the crowds and food trucks will be onsite.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Motor Bella Camp Jeep 2021 - Jessie Wiegand

Motor Bella Public Show Starts Thursday

Pontiac, Michigan — Motor Bella, this year’s stand in for the North American International Auto Show, opens to the public on Thursday, September 23rd @ 9 AM. The show has all the usual sparkling new vehicle models on display along with ride-along experiences and performance track demonstrations.

Parking for the event is off-site at the Williams International Lot off Opdyke Road at 3938 Campus Drive. Parking is $20 per vehicle, and it’s recommended to pay for your parking pass online along with your tickets for admission. There are shuttles running from the Williams Lot to the show throughout the day. Overflow parking is also available in other locations as noted on Motor Bella’s website <HERE>.

The show is spread out over the M1 Concourse property which includes off road and performance tracks, private garages, vehicle displays, and vendor areas. Motor Bella promises to be the future of auto shows by combining vehicle viewing, education, and ride-along experiences.

Ride-alongs include an off-road trip through Camp Jeep, a RAM TRX trip that takes you flying over hills at over 100 MPH, and a Ford Bronco obstacle course among others.

Tickets to the public show are $15 for adults on Thursday and Friday, $20 on the weekend, and there are discounts for seniors, children, and passes for families.

Learn more at MotorBella.com

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand