port huron

Hometown “Rising Star” Jazmyn Thomas Returns to Port Huron as New Administrator

The City of Port Huron has announced the appointment of Jazmyn Thomas as the new Community Development Program Administrator. Thomas will be in charge of community development strategies and the disbursements of federal Community Block Grant funding.

Thomas got started in her career working as an intern for the City of Port Huron in 2012. Thomas is a Michigan State University graduate with a degree in Social Relations and Policy. She graduated with honors with her master’s degree in Public Administration from Oakland University.

After building her career working as a Grant Management Specialist for Macomb County, Thomas is back with the City of Port Huron, where she serves on the Community Foundation’s Equity and Inclusion Committee, the Port Huron Police Department’s Community Resource Champions Committee, and the St. Clair County Diversity Initiative.

Port Huron City Manager James Freed called Ms. Thomas a “rising star in public policy” and said,  “No one understands the needs of our community better than someone who grew up in our neighborhoods. Ms. Thomas was raised here and that’s why we are excited she will help shape our city’s future.”

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Winter Storm Coming to Blue Water Area

A winter storm watch goes into effect Wednesday morning and is predicted to affect our area until Thursday evening. According to the National Weather Service, total snow accumulation could reach between 8 to 14 inches.

The winter storm is expected to cover most of the central United States, and it will bring a variety of wintery weather hazards such as snow, sleet, and freezing rain. The winter storm watch in our area affects the counties of Sanilac, Shiawassee, Genesee, Lapeer, St. Clair, Livingston, Oakland, Macomb, Wayne, Lenawee, and Monroe.

Temperatures will actually be warmer today through Thursday with a projected high of 39 degrees today and 34 degrees on Wednesday, before dropping back into the teens on Friday and reaching single digits in the evenings over the weekend.

Last year, winter storms in February resulted in more school and business closures than any other calendar month. For information on closings and delays, visit WGRT’s website and click on news <HERE>.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

James Freed City of Port Huron

Freed Wins Community Leadership Award for Addressing Unfunded Liabilities

Port Huron City Manager James Freed has won the 2022 Community Leadership Award, given by the Michigan Municipal Executive Association.

Freed was nominated by Lake Isabella Village Manager Tim Wolf in a letter that was endorsed by fifteen city and county officials. In the nomination, Freed was commended for his work in turning around the finances of the city and avoiding impending bankruptcy.

In accepting the award, Freed said, “I am deeply humbled by the recognition of my professional peers. However, this is an award for the entire Port Huron community. We simply could not have made the achievements we have made without the strong and steady leadership of Mayor Repp and the City Council.”

Freed continued, saying, “Their leadership, coupled with the sacrifices of our employees and the understanding of an engaged community about complex issues, made Port Huron a state leader. This award is not about me, but more a reflection on our community as a whole to come together and tackle generational problems.”

Freed’s work in addressing the unfunded liabilities of the City of Port Huron was described as “groundbreaking” by the Michigan Municipal Executive Association.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Chilly Fest Brings Family Fun to Downtown Port Huron Saturday, January 29th

Chilly Fest is back. The annual celebration of chili and being chilly will be held on Saturday, January 29th in Downtown Port Huron.

The event coincides with a weekend of Silver Stick Hockey Tournament games and the PoHo Hot Cocoa Race.

The mostly outdoors event will have a s’more station and carriage rides on McMorran Boulevard, along with a Chilly Corn Hole Tournament to be held from 2:00-4:00 p.m.

Instead of sampling chili in a crowded tent, organizers have planned a “Chili Crawl” where score cards can be purchased for $5, giving participants access to chili samples at nine downtown businesses.

There will also be a Cocoa Crawl and Penguin Hunt going on all day, along with displays of ice carvings at many downtown businesses. There will be an outdoor Kid’s Zone in the Superior Mall Parking Lot from 1:30-2:30 p.m.

Chilly Fest is the result of a lot of collaboration between Downtown Port Huron, Port Huron Parks and Recreation, Blue Water Young Professionals, and corporate sponsors.

A link to the full schedule can be found below.

https://www.chillyfest.org/?fbclid=IwAR0_LZUET3LVqdFwwH2g4H0eU897a0PCIQ5nZL_B7qPUlHMykAy_dt4Pqxw

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

PHS Asks Community to Complete Federal Funding Survey

Stakeholders in the Port Huron Area School District are asked to complete a survey to gauge the public’s priorities as the district makes plans to spend federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, or ESSER III, funding.

The survey asks students, parents, staff, and community members to give their feedback on what is important to them.

The survey lists a variety of spending options and asks respondents to rate them as essential, high, medium, and low priority, and not a priority. The survey ends on January 31st.

The short survey asks about implementing instruction in both face-to-face and remote learning formats, interventions for struggling students, instructional materials, and summer learning opportunities. The survey also asks about opinions on after-school tutoring and extra instructional days. There is an opportunity to rate the importance of family engagement and social-emotional programming, as well as technology, facilities, and COVID-19 mitigation investments.

A link to the Survey.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Big Money Headed to Port Huron and St. Clair County From American Rescue Plan

The City of Port Huron and St. Clair County will be getting big checks from the federal American Rescue Plan. Port Huron has been allocated $17,959,874 and St. Clair County is receiving $30,908,749 total with first payments being distributed this week.  

The money is for mitigating the effects of the pandemic and the shutdowns. It is to be used to bring back lost jobs, provide premium pay to essential workers, make up for lost revenue, and invest in infrastructure.

The race is on to identify projects and obligate funds by the 2024 deadline. The spending rules are enforced by the U.S. Treasury with fund distributed through the state treasury.

State Treasurer Rachael Eubanks said, “Local units of government should take their time to plan to use these dollars in a viable and sustainable manner that will have a lasting impact. The Michigan Department of Treasury continues to be a resource for helping local officials navigate through the ARPA process.” 

Governor Gretchen Whitmer called the money “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity”.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland