local news

Port Huron Northern AD Jason Kasparian Named Regional Athletic Director of the Year

Port Huron, MI — Jason Kasparian, the Athletic Director at Port Huron Northern High School, was selected as the 2021 Regional Athletic Director of the Year by the Michigan Interscholastic Administrators Association (MIAAA).

Mr. Kasparian is in his 11th year as both Athletic Director and Assistant Principal at Port Huron Northern High School. His leadership roster includes Macomb Area Conference President for the 2018 season, and current chair for the Sportsmanship and Technology Committees with MIAAA, along with several committees for the Michigan High School Athletics Association. He has also coached soccer, little league, and basketball at various levels and is considered the champion of the effort to raise $141,000 to replace the gym floor at Port Huron Northern.

John Hartley, a fellow AD in the region said, “Jason Kasparian is a loving and caring husband and father, a ‘do the right thing’ type of person, and someone I am honored to call a great friend and colleague. I feel I speak for the Macomb Area Conference when I say I am proud to have Jason Kasparian represent us by being named MIAAA Region 10 AD of the Year.”

Port Huron Northern High School Varsity Boys Basketball Coach Brian Jamison echoed Hartley’s remarks, saying Kasparian’s “personality, work ethic, and character put him in a special class of people.”

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Veterans Can Learn to Paint Like Bob Ross

St. Clair County Veterans have an opportunity to paint like Bob Ross. The St. Clair County Department of Veterans Affairs and St. Clair County Community Mental Health have teamed up to bring Ted Simpson from Nature’s Brush Studio to the CMH Auditorium for an engaging art class.

The class is open to 20 St. Clair County Veterans, and it takes place on April 17th from 11 AM until 2 PM. Interested vets need to register now by calling (810) 966-3755 or emailing Wendy Martindale at St. Clair County CMH (wmartindale@scccmh.org) to secure their spot.

Organizers encourage participants to arrive 10 minutes early for the class, and they will provide a light snack during the event. COVID-19 safety practices will be in place, and masks are required during the class.

Ted Simpson, owner of Nature’s Brush Studio, is a Certified Bob Ross Instructor. He believes everyone can paint like Bob Ross, even if they’ve never picked up a brush. Simpson teaches group and private lessons both in his home studio in Farmington Hills, Michigan and for various groups and organizations at their locations.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

St. Clair County Animal Control Looking for Donations to Help with Rescued Animals

The St. Clair County Animal Control needs help from the public as they deal with an influx of recovered animals from two suspected animal hoarding cases in the past two weeks.

Concerned residents are asked to donate Clorox bleach, Dawn dish soap, cat litter, and towels.  They can be dropped off between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. at the Animal Control office at 3378 Griswold Road.

The most recent case involved suspected cat hoarding at a home in Burtchville Township. Sixteen cats were taken from a residence by animal control after thirty-one cats had already been removed by private citizens. A recent seizure in Port Huron rescued nineteen cats and three dogs.

The Anxiety and Depression Association of America describes animal hoarding as “the compulsive need to collect and own animals for the sake of caring for them that results in accidental or unintentional neglect or abuse”.

In both cases, the animals were discovered after citizen complaints that resulted in search warrants being issued. Upon searching the properties, officers found unsafe conditions for the animals and seized them for rehabilitation. The animals will need a few weeks to get healthy and will then be ready for rehoming.

Animal Control is also asking for financial donations to offset medical costs for the animals.

Financial donations can be made at paypal.me/sccanimals.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Federal Tax Due Date Extended – State & Local Remain the Same

The U.S. Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced this week that the due date for filing and paying 2020 federal income taxes has been extended. The new due date is May 17, 2021.

Even though the deadline has been extended, the IRS is still encouraging people to file their taxes as soon as possible.

IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig said, “Even with the new deadline, we urge taxpayers to consider filing as soon as possible, especially those who are owed refunds. Filing electronically with direct deposit is the quickest way to get refunds, and it can help some taxpayers more quickly receive any remaining stimulus payments they may be entitled to.”

This extension only applies to federal taxes. State of Michigan income taxes are still subject to the April 15th deadline, and City of Port Huron Income taxes are due on April 30, 2021.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

 

Officer Huisman Achieves Status as National SRO Practitioner

Port Huron, MI–School Resource Officer Dennis Huisman was recently recognized by the National Association of School Resource Officers as a National SRO Practitioner. To achieve that status, Huisman had to meet certain qualifications that included training, a commitment to school-based policing, and leadership in the school-based field of law enforcement.

School resource officers are not security guards, but rather sworn law enforcement officers that are placed in schools to ensure the safety of students and staff and to foster positive relationships with youth. Having school resource officers in place has been proven to minimize property damage in schools, prevent student injuries, reduce the need for schools to call 911, and increase the feeling of safety among students and staff.

Officer Huismen has been a school resource officer since March of 2018 when the program began as a partnership between the Port Huron Police Department and the Port Huron Schools. His recognition as a National SRO Practitioner identifies him as one of the elite School Resource Officers in the nation, and it signifies a high commitment to the youth in our community.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Additional COVID-19 Variants Identified in St. Clair County

St. Clair County, MI — The SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 variant that originated in the United Kingdom was first identified in St. Clair County in February, and the Health Department has just reported three more cases in the county.

Even though the B.1.1.7 variant has been shown to be more contagious, currently, it doesn’t seem to cause more severe illness or affect clinical outcomes.

Dr. Annette Mercatante Medical Health Officer of the St. Clair County Health Department (SCCHD) said, “We (SCCHD) are doubling down with variant case investigations. Suspect cases will be contacted more often and required to quarantine for 14 days vs. 10. Since the variant can be more contagious, the virus could potentially infect more people with less exposure.

The recommendations for protecting oneself against the new variant remain the same as the COVID-19 prevention practices health organizations have been encouraging for the last year. Wear a mask, observe physical distancing, wash your hands, avoid crowds, and follow isolation and quarantine guidance. The Health Department also recommends getting vaccinated when the vaccine becomes available to you.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand