local news

Port Huron Police Youth Academy is Looking for Applicants

The Port Huron Police Youth Academy is accepting applications for the 2021 session. The Academy is a great way for high school students to get a taste of a career in criminal justice and public service.

The Academy will be held from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 pm. from June 28th through July 2nd at Port Huron High School. It is open to current 8th-12th graders who attend schools in St. Clair County.

Participants need to be in good physical condition and pass a health physical. Attendance is mandatory for the entire Academy and a graduation will be held on the last day of the session.

Tuition for the Academy is $50 with meals, uniforms, and equipment provided. Tuition assistance is available.

Participants in the academy will get hands-on training in the daily operations of a police department along with participation in physical training. They will build search scenarios, learn defensive tactics, and study traffic stop scenarios.

There will also be time to check out the K-9 operations and the Special Response Team as well as learning how evidence is processed.

Link to the application: https://tinyurl.com/ymkthjmk

Officer Dennis Huisman: 810-984-2671, phpdya@gmail.com

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Spadafore Named St. Clair County Undersheriff

The St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office has announced some personnel changes. Matt Paulus has retired as Undersheriff and Jim Spadafore has been promoted to the job. Matt Pohl has been promoted to Captain of the Road Patrol.

Undersheriff Jim Spadafore has a Criminal Justice degree from Ferris State and started working for the Sheriff’s Office in 2001. He has served as Lieutenant in the Drug Task Force and Captain of the Road Patrol.

Sheriff Mat King said, “I am excited to name Jim as our new Undersheriff. With his knowledge and skill set, I know he will do a tremendous job in serving the citizens of St. Clair County.”

Reflecting on Matt Paulus’ retirement, Sheriff King said, “Matt has worn many hats throughout his career at the Sheriff’s Office. I was pleased when he agreed to stay in a transitional capacity after I was elected Sheriff. He has been a great help in making the transition from Sheriff Donnellon to myself seamless.”

Matt Paulus’ retirement as Undersheriff comes after 35 years of service. After a brief retirement in 2017, Paulus was called back to serve as Undersheriff with former Sheriff Donnellon after the retirement of Tom Buckley.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Vaccine Survey Scams Circulating

The Federal Trade Commission is warning consumers about a new email scam that could be coming to your text or email inbox: a fake vaccine survey.

The surveys look like they are sponsored by vaccine manufacturers such as Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Moderna. They ask participants to take a limited-time survey about their vaccine experience and promise a reward in exchange.

When the consumer takes the survey, they are asked for credit card or banking information to cover the cost of shipping and handling for their reward. This is simply a way for scammers to receive your personal information and access your money.

For those who want to share their vaccine experience in a legitimate way, the V-Safe app is smartphone-based tool that uses text messaging and web surveys to inform the CDC of any side-effects experienced after the vaccine.

More information about the legitimate vaccine reporting tool is available at cdc.gov/vsafe

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

810 Phone Numbers Will Undergo Dialing Change

Port Huron, MI — There is plenty of time to get ready for a change affecting anyone with an 810, 616, 906, or 989 area code. Beginning on April 24th, callers are encouraged to start transitioning to 10-digit dialing instead of 7-digit dialing. In other words, dialing the area code along with the telephone number.

The change comes as a result of a new abbreviated dialing code for the suicide prevention hotline. The new code to reach the hotline will go into effect in July of 2022, and  the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) wants callers to be ready for the change well in advance.

The new code for the Suicide Prevention Hotline will be 988, which is currently being used as an area code in Michigan.

The Michigan Public Service Commission recognized that, “in order for 988 to dial directly to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, any area code that includes the 988 prefix must transition from 7-digit dialing (dialing without the area code) to 10-digit dialing (area code with the telephone number.”

Michigan residents calling numbers with an 810, 616, 906, or 989 area code can begin using 10-digit dialing at any time to get ahead of the change.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Landmark’s Wilton Selected as MAPSA Administrator of the Year Finalist

Kimball, MI — Landmark Academy in Kimball has something to celebrate. Landmark’s Superintendent Debby Wilton has been nominated as a finalist as the 2021 Michigan Charter School Administrator of the Year.

Wilton was a semi-finalist and one of only ten administrators chosen from among over 1500 charter school administrators across Michigan. According to MAPSA, the Michigan Association of Public School Academies, they received over 700 nominations from parents, teachers, school leaders, and students from urban, suburban, and rural areas statewide.

It was announced last week that Superintendent Wilton made it to the finalist round of just five administrators statewide.

Wilton has been Superintendent at Landmark since 2014. Landmark has around 800 students in grades Kindergarten through 12th grade.

Last year, Landmark Academy Teacher Bonnie Camm was a finalist for the 2020 MAPSA Teacher of the Year.

The winning MAPSA Administrator of the Year will be announced during Charter Schools Week on May 14th.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Learn How to Protect Butterflies in Your Backyard

St. Clair County, MI — Friends of the St. Clair River (Friends) is hosting a virtual chat to help residents learn how to protect butterfly species in the Blue Water Area.

Friends has been monitoring butterfly species for the last five years, and more than 50 species have been identified. Although butterflies appear to be thriving in most areas of St. Clair County, they are sensitive to environmental changes and require specific plants and conditions to remain healthy.

Melissa Kivel, Restoration Coordinator for Friends of the St. Clair River, said, “We can easily picture a butterfly drinking nectar from a flower, but as caterpillars these creatures require specific plants for food.  Monarchs, for example, can only survive on Milkweed. We are helping people become aware of the butterflies in their area and more confident in creating a welcoming habitat in which they can lay eggs and propagate”

To participate in the free butterfly chat on April 13th from 10 – 11 AM, pre-register at www.scriver.org/events.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand