St. Clair County

Area Mourns Passing of Jim Whymer, Beloved Local Sportswriter and Advocate

Port Huron, MI — The Blue Water Area is mourning the loss of Jim Whymer, who passed away on September 24th, at the age of 64. Whymer had been a fixture in the local sports reporting scene since the 1970s.

Whymer has been lauded as an advocate for area youth sports and a genuine friend to athletes, who went out of his way to connect with individual athletes and tell their stories. He was often seen officiating youth sports and recently worked as part of the athletics department at St. Clair County Community College.

Local parent, Stacy Thompson, recalled the special quality that Whymer had, saying, “He never forgot a kid he wrote about. He was an amazing man- such a loss for the community.” Thompson said that Whymer referred to her son with his team nickname, long after he had graduated. Such a story is common throughout the entire region as those who were involved in youth sports recall Mr. Whymer’s ability to make connections and reach out.

Mr. Whymer fought cancer for six years. He leaves his wife of 43 years, Patty, along with three children and one grandchild. A celebration of life will be held at a later date.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Volunteers Needed for Tree Planting Event

Friends of the St. Clair River, in partnership with ReLeaf Michigan and the Community Foundation of St. Clair County, is looking for volunteers to help plant trees along the Blue Water River Walk. The event will take place on October 17th from 8:45 – 12:00 PM.

The Blue Water River Walk is a riverside haven for wildlife and native plants, and this is a hands-on opportunity to add healthy plant life to the landscaping. New trees will improve air and water quality, reduce storm water runoff, and provide many other benefits to the park and the community.

Volunteers are asked to pre-register as a “family unit” or “unit of folks” who have been socially distant together, and equipment sanitization and social distancing will be maintained. Masks are required, and the event will take place rain or shine. Visit scriver.org to learn more.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

$500 Scholarships Given at Blue Water College Access Network Webinars

The Blue Water College Access Network is offering a series of webinars for students interested in career and college planning. In-person meetings are on hold due to social distancing, but the webinars keep local high school students on track with their college planning process.

The next webinar pertains to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, and it is scheduled for September 30 from 7-8 p.m. The FAFSA is a vital part of the financial aid process and students need to know how to fill it out correctly and on time so they can get the aid that they need for college.

The October 21st webinar is about Scholarships and Paying for College and the November 11th webinar is about Career Exploration. Industry experts will be sharing their expertise with students.

Students can register for the webinars at www.bwcan.org. Registration is open to all St. Clair County families and is free. At the end of each webinar, a $500 scholarship is awarded to a high school junior or senior participant.

Reporting for WGRT- Jennie McClelland

Michigan Small Business Week

Governor Whitmer proclaimed September 20th – September 26, 2020 as Michigan Small Business Week to recognize the thousands of small business across the state that keep Michigan’s economy strong and our communities united.

Governor Whitmer said,  “When our local businesses thrive so do our communities, families, schools, and economy. I hope this week will serve as a reminder of the positive impact small businesses have on our state. I encourage us all to do our part by shopping local now and throughout the year.

In Michigan, small businesses comprise over 98% of Michigan businesses and employ half of Michigan workers. Additionally, for every $100 spent at a local business, roughly $68 stays in the local economy, allowing both business and job growth.

 

St. Clair County Qualifies for Extra Help to Combat Hunger and Homelessness 

The United Way of St. Clair County has announced the receipt of a grant to assist agencies in St. Clair County to assist with hunger and homelessness. 

The $9,925 grant is from the Federal Emergency Food and Shelter Program, which was started by Congress in 1983. The United Way is one of six charities on the National Board for the program, which also has representation from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. 

United Way of St. Clair County was chosen for the grant based on data gathered state-wide to determine local needs and make responsible funding allocations. The deciding factors in the region include state counts of homeless populations, welfare caseloads, cost of living index, plant closings, and food stamp application levels. 

The funds are to be used to provide aid to homeless shelters, soup kitchens, food pantries, and organizations who provide emergency utility and mortgage help. Qualified agencies may apply for funding at uwstclair.org by September 28. 

Reporting for WGRT- Jennie McClelland

DTF Arrests Man Wanted in TX for Sexual Assault

Port Huron, MI —  Members of the St. Clair County Drug Task Force arrested a man yesterday afternoon, who was wanted out of Texas for multiple crimes.

According to Sheriff Tim Donnellon, the DTF was alerted by the Lubbock, Texas Police Department concerning a man wanted for sexual assault with a child and parole violation.  He is also a suspect in a car-motorcycle crash in Lubbock that killed two people.  Lubbock Police had received information that the suspect, a 29 year old man from Shallow Water, Texas was believed to be in the Port Huron area.

Shortly before 4:30 Tuesday afternoon, members of the Drug Task Force located the vehicle the suspect had driven up from Texas.  The car was located in the 2900 block of 22nd Street in Port Huron.  Several members of the DTF conducted surveillance on the vehicle for a short period of time.  The suspect came out to the car and was arrested without incident.

A search of the suspect found that he was carrying crystal methamphetamine.  He faces arraignment today in 72nd District Court in Port Huron on charges of possession with intent to deliver crystal methamphetamine, bringing contraband into a jail, maintaining a drug house, driving with no license and being a habitual 3rd offender.  He is also expected to face extradition to Texas on the other charges.

The Port Huron Police K-9 Unit and Homeland Security Investigations Division also assisted in the arrest.

Submitted by the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office