port huron

Hunter Hospitality Family House Open Ahead of Schedule

Port Huron, MI — The community has rallied behind the creation of the new Hunter Hospitality Family House and it is now open. The opening is ahead of the projected schedule.

The house provides lodging to families with loved ones who are hospital patients or who need to stay near the hospital for ongoing treatment. The Family House is a single unit designed to be a private refuge for families.

The house has a fully stocked kitchen and laundry room and has sleeping accommodations for six people.

Executive Director of Hunter Hospitality House, Tracy Willard, said, “We couldn’t have opened the Family House without the community’s generosity. A lot of companies donated time and services.  They believe in our mission, and we’re so grateful for their help with this expansion.”

The Family House is one of three properties managed by the Port Huron non-profit. The other two houses provide bed-and-breakfast style lodging near both hospitals in the city. 

The charity was established in 2011 in memory of Hunter Willard. The ribbon-cutting ceremony will be on December 7th, which would have been Hunter’s 30th birthday.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Youth Getting Hands On Experience with Police

Port Huron, MI — The Port Huron Police Youth Academy is in full action this week at Port Huron High School, and youth are receiving hands on experience working with local law enforcement.

The Academy for 8th – 12th graders started Monday and runs from 8 AM – 4 PM through July 2nd.

Monday’s session included classroom training on domestic violence situations including details about the law, how police respond to a domestic violence call, and when to make an arrest in a domestic violence situation.

The day of training culminated with Youth Academy participants responding to simulated domestic violence calls and putting their classroom training to work. Volunteers acted out scenarios, and Youth Academy teams worked with Police Department mentors to properly investigate and handle the situations.

Youth Academy participants will continue the classroom and hands-on training with traffic stops, building searches, and other police scenarios along with safety training with mock weapons and dealing with intoxicated individuals.

Graduation from the Academy is on Friday, July 2nd.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

Water Shut Offs and Penalties Reinstated

Port Huron, MI — The City of Port Huron is back to their normal procedures for delinquent water bills, so residents with past due bills will begin receiving past due penalties and possible shut off notices.

Bills reflecting these changes will begin arriving in July, and past due balances must be paid to avoid penalties and shut off of water service.

A six month repayment plan is available through the City of Port Huron for those who need assistance paying their bill and want to avoid disruption of water service to their homes.

Blue Water Community Action Agency offers emergency assistance to those who qualify for their services. Those interested can call their office at 810-982-8541 or fill out the online form on their website here: https://www.bwcaa.org/get-help

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Courts Rule in Favor of City in Chicory Building Lawsuit

The question of who will pay for the cleanup of Port Huron’s Chicory Building, which was destroyed in a fire in 2018, has been answered by the courts.

The historic building near the Black River was once a chicory production facility, dating back to the early 1900s. The building burned in a massive fire on June 22, 2018, and an oil leak was discovered a week later. The City of Port Huron cleaned up the oil leak and hauled away a large amount of asbestos at an expense of nearly $474,000.

The City took the owners of the property, Harshad C. Mehta and Shilpa H. Mehta, to court to recoup the costs. The lawsuit was brought before Judge Michael West in October of 2018, who ruled in favor of the city, awarding a judgment of full reimbursement for the cleanup plus interest.

The owners appealed the decision and it was finally decided last week, with the Court of Appeals denying the appeal and upholding Judge West’s decision.

City Manager James Freed celebrated the decision, saying, in an email to City Council, “We are grateful to the Courts for standing by our community as well. This decision provides excellent case law for municipalities across our state going forward.”

Reporting for WGRT- Jennie McClelland

Boat Night Organizers Looking for Vendors

Port Huron, MI — Downtown Port Huron has decided to close Huron Avenue during Blue Water Fest, and they are looking for arts & crafts vendors to fill up the streets.

Vendors can apply through an online application available on the Downtown port Huron Facebook page or <HERE> . The opportunity to have a booth on Huron Avenue is open to non-food vendors only.

Some downtown businesses will join the mix and set up tents in the street as well. The booths must be open on Thursday and Friday from 4 – 9 PM, but they may be open longer if the vendor desires.

Business vendors will pay a $250 vendor fee while arts & crafts vendors will pay $150 and nonprofits $100. This will be a great way to share your business with the foot traffic that spends time downtown during Boat Week and Blue Water Fest activities.

Although this year’s Boat Week activities were scaled down due to uncertainty about rules for public gatherings, a lot of favorites will still be present this year.

The Rotary International Day Parade is planned for Wednesday, July 21st, OT’s Family Night is planned for Thursday, July 22nd, and popular events like Mannequins Making a Difference and the Blue Water Fest carnival will take place that week.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Family Night Planned for July 22nd

Port Huron, MI — Operation Transformation invites families to enjoy one of the area’s favorite parts of Boat Week: OT’s Family Night. The event is planned for Thursday, July 22nd from 5 – 9 PM.

This evening of fun for families takes place on the lawn just northeast of the 10th Street Bridge, and it features activities specifically geared toward children.

This year’s event will feature pony rides, a petting zoo, live music, carnival games, and giveaways.

Operation Transformation works with sponsors to provide the event for free to the community. This year’s sponsors are the James C. Acheson Foundation, Community First Health Centers, Kiwanis Club of Port Huron, Power 88.3/Hope FM, and Pollock Randall Funeral Home.

OT is also looking for volunteers, and interested people can contact Renee Hernandez at 810-966-8660.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand