St. Clair County

PTM Corp GM Supplier Quality Excellence Award

PTM Corporation Receives GM Supplier Quality Excellence Award

Fair Haven, MI –General Motors Corporation grants an award to suppliers that meet and exceed its rigorous quality performance standards. PTM Corporation, a metal stamping plant in Fair Haven, MI, secured the GM Suppliers Quality Excellence Award for 2019.

The production facility at PTM Corporation passed an audit by GM that included a comprehensive quality assessment covering all facets of production. GM requires defect-free parts, on-time product delivery, and reaching quality standards above its minimum requirements.

Donna Russell-Kuhr, President, CEO and Co-Owner of PTM, said, “It makes me extremely proud for PTM to receive the GM 2019 Quality Excellence Award. This is a direct reflection of the wonderfully diversified and talented associates we employ who live our PTM Code Item #1 “Deliver exceptional performance and peace of mind to our customers.”

PTM has produced millions of metal stampings for its clients since 1972. They specialize in detail part design, prototype, tool build, and high-volume production.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Return to School Roadmap Details Multiple Plans Districts Must Adopt

On Wednesday, Governor Whitmer signed an Executive Order requiring every school district in Michigan to develop and adopt a plan based on several public health scenarios. Each plan is required to follow details outlined in the MI Safe Schools Return to School Roadmap which was created by the Return to Schools Advisory Council and the COVID-19 Task Force on Education.

The Roadmap details requirements for PPE, hygiene, cleaning, spacing in classrooms, screening for symptoms, and athletics among other things. It is divided up into required, strongly recommended, and recommended practices. Required safety protocols must be implemented by all schools that serve students in grades preK – 12.

Four scenarios were presented in the Roadmap based on which phase of the MI Safe Start Plan a region is in when the Fall 2020 school year starts.

  • Schools open for in-person instruction with minimal required safety protocols (MI Safe Start Phase 6)
  • Schools open for in-person instruction with moderate required safety protocols (MI Safe Start Phase 5).
  • Schools open for in-person instruction with more stringent required safety protocols (MI Safe Start Phase 4).
  • Schools do not open for in-person instruction and instruction is provided remotely (MI Safe Start Phases 1-3).

Schools are not permitted to provide in-person instruction of any kind in their region if they are within Phase 1-3 of the pandemic, and all athletics are suspended. Remote learning would be activated, and technology support would be required for students and teachers. In-person instruction can resume during Phase 4, and most safety protocols are required until a region reaches Phase 5 and strongly recommended until a region reaches Phase 6.

Michigan is currently in Phase 4, which means the state can begin in-person instruction with more stringent safety protocols if nothing changes between now and fall. Protocols include face coverings for all staff and students (except during meals), access to supplies and encouragement of proper to hygiene, screening students & staff for COVID-19 under cooperation with the local health department (along with responding to positive results), prohibiting indoor assemblies, and other requirements for transportation, athletics, and protecting medically vulnerable students and staff.

$256 million in new funding is being provided to implement school safety measures.

You can read the full MI Safe Schools Roadmap <HERE>

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

 

 

Four Arraigned in Port Huron Twp. Stabbing Case

Port Huron, MI — Four people have been arraigned on multiple charges following an incident on June 24th in Port Huron Township which left one dead and another injured.

In 72nd District Court in Port Huron Friday, 19 year old Brandon Williams of Roseville was charged with armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, assault with intent to commit great bodily harm or attempted murder, felony firearm with a pneumatic gun and habitual 2nd offender.  Joseph Gigliotti, a 21 year old man from Macomb County’s Washington Township was charged with armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, assault with intent to commit great bodily harm, and felony firearm with a pneumatic gun.  Eighteen year old Joseph Smith of Burtchville Township was charged with armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, felony firearm with a pneumatic gun, resist and obstruct and being a habitual 4th offender.  Alexandra Dillon, an 18 year old woman from Warren was charged with armed robbery.

Deputies from the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office were called to the area of 25th Street and Dixon Street about 4:15 a.m. on June 24th for a felonious assault complaint.  They located 21 year old Nathan Chavarria of Port Huron Township lying on the ground with several stab wounds.  He was able to give information on his attackers prior to being transported to the hospital.

Officers from the Port Huron Police Department were able to locate the suspects a short time later in a red Cadillac.  Upon making contact with the subjects in the vehicle, it was discovered that 19 year old Jovonte Thurman of Mt. Clemens was deceased inside.  Gigliotti had also suffered stab wounds and was transported to a local hospital.

Detectives from the Sheriff’s Office investigated the crime and determined that the four who were charged and Thurman had made plans to rob Chavarria, who had agreed to sell them narcotics that morning.

Williams, Gigliotti and Smith had their bonds set at $250,000, while Dillon’s bond was set at $25,000.  All four are next expected in 72nd District Court for a probable cause hearing on July 14th at 9:00 a.m.

The incident remains under investigation by the Sheriff’s Office Detective Bureau.  If anyone has any information regarding this case, please contact Detective Kelsey Wade at (810) 987-1738.

Head On Crash Kills One, Other Driver Flees Scene

Berlin Twp., MI — One person was killed in a head on crash in Berlin Township early Friday morning, while the driver of the other vehicle fled the scene on foot.

Deputies from the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to Dryden Road and Cameron Road shortly after 5:30 a.m. on June 26th.  When they arrived, they observed a 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee on its side on Dryden, just east of Cameron Rd.  A 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis was found in the ditch in the area.

Investigation into the crash found that the driver of the Grand Marquis, 49 year old Robert John White of Capac was deceased.  The driver of the Jeep is believed to be a 39 year old Berlin Township man.

A search of the area was conducted by deputies, including a K-9 Unit, along with troopers from the Michigan State Police, an MSP K-9 Unit and agents from the United States Border Patrol.  The driver of the Jeep has yet to be located.

If anyone has any information regarding the crash, please contact Detective Chris Schwartzkopf at (810) 987- 1729.

Mussey Township Fire and Rescue, Tri-Hospital EMS and the St. Clair County Medical Examiner’s Office also assisted at the scene of the crash, which remains under investigation.

MI Passion Celebrating First Year and Crowdfunding with patronicity.com

Port Huron, MI — MI Passion Boutique in Downtown Port Huron is having a grand re-opening and one-year anniversary celebration tomorrow, Tuesday, June 30th. Starting at noon, the first 40 patrons will get gift bags. There is a ribbon cutting at 12:15.

MI Passion has had quite a year, but it is still hanging on and looking forward to a bright future. After opening last summer, MI Passion quickly outgrew its small storefront. The store relocated into an expanded space down the street at 229 Huron Avenue in late January. Just a few weeks later, everything shut down for the pandemic.

Anita Varty, owner of MI Passion, said she kept the business afloat through online sales and Facebook live presentations where she featured her merchandise. Varty said that she was unable to get any of the government relief aid available, but she was able to make the cut for an innovative crowdfunding initiative, one of just a handful in the area.

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is partnering with patronicity.com and matching grants to give a boost to local businesses that are important to communities. MI Passion is hoping to raise $4000 to help with their economic recovery.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

SC4 Launches Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Port Huron, MI — St. Clair County Community College now has an Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The purpose of the Office is to “advance the college’s efforts in providing educational access and support for all”, according to a press release.

The college will launch a national speaker series for the benefit of the community. Social Justice speaker Jen Frey will begin the series on October 9th, and a book discussion will commence this fall. Another initiative of the college is to make Juneteenth an officially recognized holiday on June 19th every year.

According to SC4 Board of Trustees chair Dr. Nicholas DeGrazia, “The new Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion will be instrumental as we continue toward our goals of growth, sustainability, and creating a stronger community that reflects the world we live in.” He also indicated that the entire board of trustees supports the creation of the Office.

The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion will be led by Jessica Brown, who has been with SC4 since 2014. Brown was the Director of the TRIO Student Support Services and is involved with the Global Diversity Advisory Council.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland