The Times Herald from Port Huron, Michigan • Page 1

Page ID Sunday July 26, 1987 Governors meet to tackle states' troubles Page 3a Today's weather Partly cloudy, warm Details, Page 15A Saturday's lottery Daily: 277 Daily-4: 1678 Lotto: 2, 10, 11, 19, 29, 44 Tigers beat Angels; close in on Yankees i I 1 A Port Huron. Miehiaan A Gannett Newspaper I $100 I 1 1 1 1 foaaffffD oouti ST. 1 A Lightning bolt hits seamen Coast Guard man in critical condition By TOM MURPHY Times Herald Reporter A U.S. Coast Guard seaman was in critical condition at Port Huron Hospital after being struck by lightning behind the Port Huron Coast Guard station during Saturday's storm. The victim, Jeffrey Boggess, 19, of Dandridge, remained in the intensive care unit at the hospital Saturday night, said Steve Eagar, officer in charge at the station.

Four other Coast Guard men and the victim were standing on the seawall at 3:55 p.m. when the lightning struck. The four were treated at Port Huron Hospital and released, said Eagar. The four others were identified as Petty Officer Greg Bergeron, 30, of Midland; Fireman Paul Ledford, 24, of Detroit; Seaman Todd Tummons, 24, of Hiawatha, and Seaman Doug Cirk-sena, 23, of Des Moines, Iowa. The five men were trying to assist boaters coming in from Lake Huron during the storm, said Eagar.

"They were waving down the boats and trying to slow them down as they approached the Blue Water Bridge," said Eagar. The lightning bolt struck Boggess and knocked the four others off the wall. No other boats capsized or sank during Saturday's storm, but the Coast Guard assisted several disabled vessels, including one that was taking on water. Another boater dislocated a shoulder, said Eagar. Also related to the storm, about 850 residents were left without power in the city's north end near Parker and Krafft roads at 4:15 p.m.

due to downed power lines, said Benjamin Tallerico, director of customer and marketing services for the Detroit Edison Thumb Division. Power was restored to the homes by 7:30 p.m. As of 9 p.m., about 20 St. Clair County residents were still without power, said Tallerico. There were no accidents reported involving spectator boats watching the Port Huron-to-Mackinac Island Sailboat Race, said Eagar.

"In general, the crowd going to the race through the Blue Water Bridge and the St. Clair River behaved themselves very well," said Eagar. "But there are always a few exceptions." (v! fc: isi. a jBt-as-jya Island Yacht race, skims wind out 70 find Boat By TOM MURPHY Times Herald Reporter Boat Night 1986 was considered one of the worst in the city's history, but one police official said this year's festival "was just about as bad." Capt. Fred Mitchell of the Port Huron Police Department said when his shift ended at 5 a.m.

Saturday, about 70 people in comparison to 65 last year had been arrested on charges of disorderly conduct, open intoxicants in public, resisting arrest and throwing water The Pied Piper, record-breaking winner of the Chicago Lake Huron at the start of the Lazy breeze takes of sails at start Night arresting experience 1 4 TfT The Big Day Mackinac race More in Sports Section Race story Skipper's diary Mackinac notebook boat, does well with winds coming at it. Pied Piper fares well with the wind at its back. The lack of wind eliminated the most colorful aspect of the race, the spinnaker sails. The large sails are used only when winds are at the boats' back. Sixteen boats were late scratches, leaving 286 to begin the 259-mile race to the island.

Among them were 11 from the Blue Water Area. After the delay, each class started at 10-minute intervals with no major problems. Weather conditions for most of the start were calm. Sunny skies dominated, with temperatures in the low 80s. More importantly to the sailors, winds were out of the east-northeast at about five knots and waves were minimal.

Sunday report A walk through the newly opened inn, Page 1B Inn is something more than a beautiful hotel, it's the start of something exciting." The theory that the tourism folks kick around is that the hotel that opened Thursday will do more than boost the local economy with new wages and travelers' dollars. If developer Donald W. Reynolds can make a go of his See TOURISM, Page 4A i it's -r IWXjT M. Contest waits 50 minutes for air current By BRIAN MARSHALL Times Herald Sportswriter The start of the 1987 Port Huron-to-Mackinac Island Sailboat Race began slowly but ended with a flash. The wind disappeared for the start of the first race, delaying the scheduled 11:45 a.m.

start by about 50 minutes for the first of 18 classes of boats. It was the first delay for any reason in several years. The final class, composed of the largest boats in the race, barely got under way at 3:25 p.m. when a thunderstorm rolled across lower Lake Huron from the west. The lightning and ominous clouds sent many of the spectator boats scampering for harbor.

The storm appeared to have no effect on the race. Winds are expected to remain from the west or north today, with about a 30 percent chance of thunderstorms. Those conditions would favor Dutch Schmidt's Sassy over Dick Jennings' Pied Piper for first-to-the-island honors. Sassy, a heavier "This year the crowd seemed to start earlier, and there seemed to be more people this year. I'd say it was just about as bad (as last year)," said Mitchell, who has patroled 31 Boat Nights in his career.

Friday's party ended earlier than last year, he said. "Last year, we had officers in the streets until 5 a.m., but this year we cleared out at 4 a.m. We don't know why everyone left it was bothering us that everyone left so early," he joked. The 75,000 partiers left empty cans and bottles and other litter the banks of the Black and St. Clair rivers wishing they were on the water in a boat.

Some oohed, some aahhed. Some pointed, some waved. But everyone stared at the boats and their crews. Viewers afloat near the starting line in lower Lake Huron spent their day eating, watching, swimming and watching the boats although not necessarily in that order. "The weather was great," said Jerry Oden of Port Huron.

"You Spectators gush about excitement of race Times Herald JIM 5ZAB0 Port Huron race Saturday. in the downtown area. At 5 a.m., a crew from the Department of Public Works swept through the city and collected as much of the trash as possible, said Mitchell Despite the number of minor offenses, Mitchell said tnere were no serious problems Fn day. Police did report several incidents, however, including: I.arrv Gamble. 27.

of 607 Taylor, Port Huron, told police he was beaten and roDDea Dy three white males who jumped from a bush near the 800 block of See BOAT NIGHT, Page 2A had a breeze but the sun was hot "You can't see it anywhere else," said Randy Zeeman of Lake Orion. "It couldn't have heen anv better." Greg Gryzymkowski of De troit, said: "It's something you have to do. Land bound observers also had a eood time Cheryl Gural of Port Huron Darked her motor next to South eastern Michigan Gas Co. Fri- See SPECTATORS, Page 2A boat Race, the Blue Water Festival and the Silver Stick Hockey Tournament draw so many people that many stay in Sarnia hotels. The Thomas Edison Inn is expected to keep more of that business on the U.S.

side of the border. But the key for long-term success, said Lucretia I. Sterling, executive director of the Blue Water Area Tourism Bureau See GUESTS, Page 4A 9857171 By ROSE DANIEL Times Herald Reporter Donald Budnick was convinced of one thing Saturday: He needs a boat. "Next year, I'll be on the river watching you people up here," said Budnick of Irnlay City, who plans to buy a powerboat to get a better view of the Port Huron-to-Mackinac Island Sailboat Race than the one he had this year from the shore of the Black River. Budnick wasn't alone.

Hundreds of people jammed Inside Today Tourism groups hope Edison Inn opens floodgates Business 1 Markets 2C Classified 5-1 6C Movies 1 4 A Crossword Sports 1-6D Editorials 12A Spotlight 1B Farm 5A Television 1 -28E Homes 3C Travel 6B Landers 3B Working Local 1-4A World 1C Hotel sets sights on convention business By DAVID POULSON Times Herald Reporter The Thomas Edison Inn will draw economic development to Port Huron like moths to its namesake's light bulb. That's the hope of local tourism and development officials who say the inn will help make the Blue Water Area into a year-round convention site similar to Traverse City. "I honestly don't know of any definite plans," said Miles "Mike" Benedict, director of the Port HuronMarysville Chamber of Commerce. "But it's reasonably certain to me that the Edison The Thomas Edison Inn isn't too picky about what lures its guests. "We look for conventions, business travelers, vacation travelers," said resident manager David Klinesteker.

"Business is business, and we like to get it where we can." Some of the guests will be health nuts captivated by a fat-farm weekend package that emphasizes the hotel's exercise equipment and pool. Four news sections 88 pages Deaths reported Robert L. Burns Clarence Clark Gerald F. Lane John H. Langolf John E.

Moncrief Richard Severson Rose M. Siemen Kathryn B. Smiley Death notices, Page 2A Paid obituaries, Page 4A But with 14 meeting and banquet rooms that can be arranged to accomodate up to 500 people, inn officials are after a hefty chunk of convention business. "The occupancy rate has never been that great in the area," said hotel developer Donald W. Reynolds.

"We need business travelers, '(as well as) people who use the area as a resort in the summertime." Each year events like the Port Huron-to-Mackinac Island Sail HERALD AND USA TODAY, CALL FOR HOME DELIVERY OF THE TIMES.