local news

New CEO Appointed at McLaren Port Huron

Port Huron, MI — The McLaren Port Huron Board of Trustees has appointed Eric Cecava, MBA, as President and CEO of McLaren Port Huron effective Monday, Aug. 3.  Cecava succeeds Jennifer Montgomery, who accepted a new position at St. Luke’s Hospital in Maumee, Ohio.

Cecava has served as Chief Operating Officer at McLaren Port Huron since December 2018. In that role, he was responsible for overseeing the $40 million construction project of the North Tower, which included renovating inpatient units and the lab as well as building a new cardiovascular lab and office space for nursing administration and hospitalists.  He also led several hospital-wide process improvement initiatives to enhance service and quality.

“I am delighted that Eric has accepted the position, and I am confident he will continue to serve the hospital and the Blue Water community with the excellent leadership he has demonstrated over the past 18 months,” says Mona Armstrong, McLaren Port Huron’s chairwoman of the McLaren Port Huron Board of Trustees.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to continue to deliver on the promise of providing high-quality, accessible health care close to home,” Cecava said.  “I was drawn to McLaren Port Huron in 2018 because of McLaren’s great reputation across the state of Michigan, and I was attracted to the beauty of the Thumb region and the friendliness of people in the community. That feeling became even more evident as I interacted with the Board of Trustees, leadership, employees and the medical staff.”

Prior to joining McLaren Port Huron, Cecava served as Chief Operating Officer at Adena Health System in south central Ohio.  He holds an MBA from the Ohio State University.  A student of the renowned Lean Six Sigma process improvement methodology, he is a certified Black Belt.  He and his wife, Pam, have one son and live in Fort Gratiot.

DTF Arrests Man on Counterfeiting and Meth Charges

Port Huron, MI — The St. Clair County Drug Task Force arrested Benigno Santana, a 47 year old Port Huron man, on July 27th on a pair of warrants. The warrants included a circuit court bench warrant for failing to appear for sentencing on a conviction for delivery of methamphetamine along with a federal warrant regarding counterfeiting operations.

The suspect was arrested after being pulled over for a traffic stop and bailing out of his vehicle to hide in a residence in the 1100 block of Gillett Street in Port Huron. After the Drug Task Force received permission from the homeowner to enter the residence, the man was located and arrested without incident. 

Following the arrest, the DTF located about $23,000 worth of crystal methamphetamine along with several computers, printers, and storage devices believed to be used in the suspect’s counterfeiting operation the DTF and Secret Service had been investigating earlier this year.

Sheriff Tim Donnellon said, “I am extremely please and proud of our cooperative effort with the United States Secret Service. This investigation not only led to getting a drug dealer off the streets, but also a person ripping off business owners by passing counterfeit money.”

The suspect was arraigned on July 29th in 72nd District Court in Port Huron, and he is charged with delivery/manufacture of methamphetamine, resisting and obstructing police, use of police radio receivers/scanners in commission of a felony, and being a habitual 4th offender.

His bond has been set at $250,000 cash/surety, and he is scheduled for a probably cause hearing before Judge Mona Armstrong on August 4th. He is also expected to be arraigned on the Secret Service warrant at a later date.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

Majority of Survey Respondents Want Legal Pot Shops in Port Huron

Port Huron, MI — The City of Port Huron conducted a survey asking community members for their opinions on allowing marijuana dispensaries in the city. Over 1100 responses were gathered.

Over 70% of respondents were in favor of allowing marijuana dispensaries, and 17% wanted restrictions, while just over 10% of respondents said no to pot shops in the city.

There were a variety of comments. Many showed an impatience with the delays in allowing legal shops. Several comments stated that alcohol poses a greater risk than pot and that it is illogical to restrict a less harmful substance. Other commenters pointed out that legal dispensaries can offer a regulated and safer product than the marijuana people are buying from street dealers, which can be of questionable quality with suspicious ingredients. Still others said that they have a medical marijuana card and have to travel to other cities to get their legal products. The economic benefits of a new revenue source in the city were widely touted by the respondents.

There were also plenty of comments that expressed strong opposition to freely selling a substance that has long been classified as an illegal drug and concern was expressed for the odor caused by smoking marijuana.

The city’s current ban on marijuana dispensaries ends on September 30.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Return Your Absentee Ballots Before August 4th

With the August 4th primary election just around the corner, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson wants to remind absentee voters to get their ballots turned in on time.

Voters can still request an absentee ballot if they appear in person at their local clerk’s office. Because of the potential for postal delays, voters should both request their ballot and vote their ballot in the same visit.

More than 900,000 absentee ballots have already been returned, but more than 1.9 million were issued.

Michigan law states all ballots must be received by the clerk by 8 PM on August 4th in order to be counted. The fastest way to submit your ballot is to use the drop box at a city or township office, and voters may only return their ballot to the drop box of their own city or township.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

 

McLaren Port Huron June Employee of the Month

Port Huron, MI – Stacy Britz has been named the Employee of the Month for June. She has worked at McLaren Port Huron for 18 years, and currently works in Wismer Procedures.

Stacy was nominated by her peers because she lives the hospital values every day. She goes above and beyond to do what’s best for patients, consistently putting them at ease and making them comfortable. Stacy is a team player and a great resource for coworkers. Her strong work ethic is uplifting, making her coworkers want to be better nurses. She is kind, well-rounded, diligent, and trustworthy, and always has a smile for everyone.

This employee recognition is given to individuals who consistently live the values, mission and performance standards of McLaren Port Huron. Honorees are nominated by a co-worker, physician, volunteer, and/or customer.

To learn more about McLaren Port Huron, visit www.mclaren.org/porthuron.

Thumb Land Conservancy Aquires Property in Burtchville for Future Southern Lake Huron Coastal Park

Burtchville Twp. — MI If you grew up living near the shores of Lake Huron, you may have experienced the fascinating aspects that make up the region’s coastal forests. The large sand ridges and wetland swales along with diverse forests support many uncommon species and migratory birds which are a delight to nature enthusiasts.

Bill Collins, Ft. Gratiot native and Executive Director of the Thumb Land Conservancy, wants the public to have access to these unique coastal wildernesses, and the Conservancy’s newly acquired piece of property in Burtchville Twp. is a major step toward making that a reality.

“The coastal forest is a big part of what makes the Blue Water Area a beautiful place to visit, yet few understand its character and significance because there is so little public access,” said Collins.

The Thumb Land Conservancy and its partners just purchased a 42-Acre parcel of land on the north side of Metcalf Road. This parcel will become the Bidwell Preserve, and there are plans to create a trail system within the preserve that will eventually become part of a larger proposed park, the Southern Lake Huron Coastal Park, which hopes to connect other preserves in the area with the Ft. Gratiot County Park and Lakeport State Park.

The Southern Lake Huron Coastal Park will allow the public to experience all the wonders of the coastal forest from the inside.

“Imagine walking or biking for 4.5 miles through the forest, hearing the waves on the shore of Lake Huron, feeling the cool lake air, stopping to observe or read about the unique plants and animals, and ending your journey at Lakeport State Park or someday, continuing into Sanilac County and around the Thumb. This is what the Thumb Land Conservancy and its partners want to give the public,” said Collins.

The Bidwell Sanctuary acquisition was made possible by a $150,000 match grant from The Carls Foundation of Bloomfield Hills along with grants from The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, Consumers Energy Foundation, Cargill Inc. and Cargill Salt of St. Clair, the Community Foundation of St. Clair County, The Franklin H. and Nancy S. Moore Donor Advised Fund, SEMCO Energy Gas Company, and several individual donors.

The Conservancy is planning to hold a public dedication ceremony on October 3rd along with the Blue Water Indigenous Alliance of Port Huron (BWIAPH.org) during which the preserve will be given an Anishinaabe name to honor the original Native American inhabitants of our region.

The conservancy is seeking further assistance through volunteer labor and donation of materials to develop the park entrance and trail on the Bidwell Sanctuary. They also need individuals to help with long-term up-keep and planning. If you are interested, please contact them at 810-346-2584 or mail@ThumbLand.org.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Aerial Map of Preserved Land in northern St. Clair County