The Times Herald from Port Huron, Michigan • Page 3

MONDAY, APRIL 26, 2010 www.tmeTimesHeralo.com TIMES HERALD, PORT HURON, MICHIGAN 3A DISCUSS LOCAL NEWS City Editor Angela Mullins: (810) 989-6257 Night City Editor Matt Schoch: (810) 989-6288 OCAL 5TATE County with worst bridges to get fixes flnjgshgpald Saginaw in line for two-year, $42 million repair on 1-675 and bridges that they are traveling under may be dropping concrete onto their vehicles," he said. State bridges aren't the only ones in poor shape. The Saginaw County Road Commission counts 49 bridges out of 218 that are either structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. In each category, it counts 33 as structurally deficient and 16 as functionally obsolete. "Are they a safety hazard? No, not really," said Road Commission Manager Brian J.

Wendling. "But are they in the condition we would like to have them in? The answer is reconstructions this year, crews are redecking and repairing the northbound lanes of the Henry G. Marsh Bridge in a $15 million project along Interstate 675 over the Saginaw River and M-13. They continue to work on other overpasses and bridges in the first major repair and reconstruction of the freeway since it opened in 197L "Our aim in completing the two-year 1-675 project was to improve the road and bridge conditions," said spokeswoman Anita Richardson However, Michael A. Nys-trom, the trade group's executive vice president, said the The Associated Press SAGINAW Saginaw County's status as home to the worst state bridges in Michigan could diminish as part of a two-year, $42 million rehabilitation of Interstate 675.

The Michigan Infrastructure Transportation Association, a trade group, rated the county at the southern tip of Saginaw Bay as the worst in Michigan for state bridge integrity a year ago with 49 of -'V pi FTC wwm I.TTmi.'.H.IM ONLINE EXTRA Visit the Road Watch section of the Times Herald's Web site to find out which roads are under construction in the area. state hasn't spent enough to fix the problem. "Since we have not found a way to invest more adequately, my sense is that the number ofbridges that are in poor condition will continue to actually grow if nothing is done, and motorists will have to live with the fact that bridges they are traveling over are crumbling -S. i recent study found 18 of women in the United States have been raped. In addition, rates of sexual assault remain startlingly high for students in high school to college.

A 2007 survey of high 'school students found nearly 12 of girls and nearly 4 of boys had been forced to have sexual intercourse at some point in their lives. A college-level study found 15 of undergraduate women had been victims of at least one completed sexual assault since entering college. Safe Horizons, a United Way partner agency in St. Clair County, provides a variety of services for victims of sexual violence. Safe Horizons' First Response Team provides 247 advocacy and support to survivors Times Herald photos by LINSEY TAIT RIDE FOR BABIES: Wearing rain jackets, Connor, left, and Kyle Clayton, 4- -year-old twins from Macomb, are pulled in their wagon Sunday down Huron Avenue for the March for Babies event to benefit the March of Dimes.

The light rain did not stop walkers from completing the 5-mile loop from St. Clair County Community College, around downtown Port Huron and back. Hundreds take a first step for babies Times Herald Hundreds of people took to the streets Sunday in support of the March of Dimes March for Babies. The money raised supports programs in the area that help women carry full-term pregnancies and fund research. The walk has been taking place since 1970 and raised a total of $1.8 billion so far.

Nerds On Site also was at the event collecting food for the Mid City Nutrition soup kitchen. The march started at 9 a.m. at St. Clair County Community College. The food collection is one of the company's Fill the Beetle to Feed the People events.

LI ft reporting to hospital emergency rooms. Safe Horizons also provides counseling and legal advocacy to sexual assault survivors. By working together and pooling our resources during this month, we can highlight sexual violence as a major public health issue and reinforce the need for prevention efforts. Safe Horizons is a nonprofit organization that provides shelter and support services to all survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and homelessness. All services are free and confidential.

To learn more, call the 24-hour crisis line at (888) 985-5538. For information about volunteering, call (810) 985-4950, Ext. 213. A LITTLE RAIN NEVER HURT: Participants walk down Huron Avenue in rain gear with umbrellas in hand Sunday for the March for Babies event to benefit the March of Dimes. The walkers made a 5-mile loop from St.

Clair County Community College, around downtown Port Huron and back to the college in the light rain. GAS GAUGE Lowest Port Huron- area gas prices reported to MichiganGasPrices.com as of 10 p.m. Sunday: Z.8Z Speedy 3786 Pine Grove Port Huron 2.82 Speedy 2020 Water Port Huron 2.82 Speedy 1301 10th Port Huron 2.82 Speedy 4446 Lapeer Road, Port Huron 2.82 Speedy 805 Pine Grove Port Huron For the latest reported prices, check our Web site at www. thetimesherald.com. IN BRIEF Author Watts to be sentenced today A Toronto author convicted March 19 of assaulting, resisting and obstructing a border officer at the Blue Water Bridge is expected to be sentenced today.

Peter Watts is scheduled to be in St. Clair County Circuit Judge James Adair's courtroom at 2 p.m. Information his online court record shows the recommended sentence is 180 days in jail with credit for one day served and 60 days suspended upon payment of $1,600 in fines and costs. A jury found Watts guilty of refusing to comply with orders during a random inspection at the bridge. An officer testified at trial that Watts tried to choke him.

Woman in court on embezzlement A 48-year-old Port Huron Township woman charged with stealing money from St. Edward On-the-Lake Catholic Church has a plea hearing at 1:45 p.m. today in St. Clair County Circuit Judge Daniel Kelly's courtroom. Jacalyn O'Boyle is charged with embezzlement $100,000 or more.

O'Boyle worked for the church for 15 years. The missing money was discovered during a July audit. Submit your news at newsbriefsthetimesheralL com. STATE Royal Oak might lock out festivals ROYAL OAK The Royal Oak City Commission will consider locking out any competition to the Arts, Beats Eats festival during Labor Day weekend. The Macomb Daily reported Sunday that a proposed ordinance the commission in the Detroit suburb will consider May 3 says no permits will be issued for special events in an area adjacent to Interstate 696 during the four-day Labor Day weekend festival or the two days prior.

The festival is making its debut in Royal Oak's popular downtown entertainment district after being in Pontiac for 12 years. It's expected to draw more than 200,000 people. Mayor Jim Ellison said he doesn't want to give the festival too large of an area to control. Bay City to install bulletproof glass BAY CITY Officials in Bay City are installing a bulletproof security counter at the city's Accounts and Receivables Department after complaints about utility bills and water and electricity shutoffs have left clerks nervous. Department supervisor Tina Cooper told The Bay City Times workers have had numerous threats in the past few years and have resorted to hitting a panic button to summon police at least 10 times since it was installed in 2008.

From wire reports I Rroakinn news iPl on your cell phone Text THNEWS to 44636 (4INF0). "ft the 97 rated in poor, serious or critical conditioa Current Michigan Department of Transportation data shows Saginaw County has 45 state bridges that are structurally deficient, The Saginaw News reported. However, half of those 45 are along Interstate 675, where overpasses and bridges are under reconstruction or repair as part of a rehabilitation project now in its final months. In. one of the biggest bridge .1 for Disease Control and one in six women and one in 33 men are sexually assaulted in their lifetime.

Statistics don't paint the whole picture because many victims are afraid to tell the RICK GARCIA DO GOOD CORNER UmtxlWUy l.CIjif Cjy police, family or friends about the violence. April has been designated Sexual Assault Aware in a statement. "By donating the hearts of harvested wild turkeys for our research, turkey hunters can help us make strides." Professor Jian-Ping Jin, chairman of the Department of Physiology at Wayne State University School of Medicine, is working with Kwiecien They plan to further analyze the heart mutation this summer. "We are using turkey hearts because it would be nearly impossible to conduct this type of analysis in human hearts while practicing ethical standards," Kwiecien said. "Also, this particular mutation is only found in a few animals, and wild turkey hearts are the most practical for this type of Month highlights sexual assault awareness In March, Allison, a freshman at a Michigan university told her mother she and her classmates were heading to south Florida for spring break.

Her mother was concerned but trusted her daughter would be careful because she did not drink alcohol and her friends, were from her hometown. Two days later, Allison's mom received a call from authorities at the emergency room in south Florida: Allison had been sexually assaulted by two college-aged men at the complex where hundreds of young adults were staying. As careful as she was, Allison was at the wrong place at a bad time. According to the Centers Researchers seek ness Month with the goal of increasing public awareness about sexual violence namely sexual assault and rape and educating people about preventing sexual violence. Creating safe communities is everyone's responsibility.

Focusing on prevention contributes to an environment in which people are safe in their relationships, homes, neighborhoods, schools and workplaces. Sexual violence violates a person's trust and feeling of safety. It occurs any time a person is forced, coerced andor manipulated into any unwanted sexual activity. Rape is a crime. It is motivated by the need to control, humiliate and harm.

According to a release from the White House, a more information For instructions on how to harvest, store and ship wild turkey hearts, hunters can visit www. nwtf.org and click on in disease study study." Kwiecien is seeking to confirm published data that analyzed only three wild turkey hearts. He is seeking at least 30 turkey hearts from hunters for the project but will accept more. Michigan's spring turkey hunting season began this month and is scheduled to run until May 31. Directions on how to preserve and ship turkey hearts are posted on the National Wild Turkey Federation's Web site.

"Helping withheart research at Wayne State University is just another opportunity for us to lend a hand," said'Steve Sharp, regional field supervisor in Michigan for the National Wild Turkey Federatioa wild turkey hearts Wayne State asks hunters to help The Associated Press DETROIT Medical researchers at Wayne State University have asked hunters in the state to donate the hearts of harvested wild turkeys for researching heart disease and congestive heart failure. The National Wild Turkey Federation recently joined the Detroit school in making the appeal Researchers hope tests using wild turkey hearts could lead to medical breakthroughs for combating heart problems in humans. "There is a mutation in the heart of a wild turkey that lowers the incidence of heart disease and congestive heart failure," Tim Kwiecien, a Wayne State premedical student, said Submitted photo Looking like mom could pay Do you look like your mom? Does a little spa time sound soothing? If you answered yes, consider entering the Times Herald's mother-daughter look-alike contest in time for Mother's Day (May 9). Post your best look-alike photos to our reader gallery at www.thetlmesherald.com, and send a copy of the original to amullinsgannett.com. Be sure to Include your names, ages, where you live and daytime and evening phone numbers.

We won't print any of that information but need it in case we need to contact you. The winning mother-daughter combo will be treated to a spa package for two, each receiving a one-hour massage, facial and manicure a $120 value at Envy Day Spa, 2291 Water Suite 12. Port Huron. The deadline to enter is May 4..