By Patti Samar As a woman of color, Jessica Totty has moved through the world very differently than her Caucasian/ white counterparts. She has raised her children differently; she has had to teach them different lessons about the world around them and the way they will be perceived. Every time she walks into a store, … More JESSICA TOTTY: Open Dialogue
By Patti Samar Jennifer Michaluk and Elizabeth King do not remember much of the months of March and April. Essential staff members and department heads at the St. Clair County Health Department, both worked around the clock, seven days a week, once the Coronavirus 19 pandemic hit the county. According to Justin Westmiller, the Director … More JENNIFER MICHALUK & ELIZABETH KING: Essential Staff
By Patti Samar Just like in any profession, there are physicians who are good at their jobs, and then there are those who stand apart from the crowd. Their lights shine so brightly, you can see them coming from far, far away. Annette Mercatante, M.D., is just such a physician. Our community is beyond fortunate … More ANNETTE MERCATANTE, M.D.: Keeping Us Safe
By Patti Samar I began planning this issue of Blue Water Woman a month or so into the pandemic. I decided to dedicate the issue and the stories to the women on the frontline who were facing the pandemic head-on in our community. I asked around, discovered some very good story ideas, and began the … More PATTI SAMAR: Shine the Light
By Dale Hemmila When you step into Salon PiZazz in downtown Port Huron, you are greeted by the gleaming chrome, glass, and mirrors that hair salons feature. But if you look beyond that typical luster, you will find an owner with a heart as glowing as the salon she owns. Salon owner Kelly Strilcov stands … More KELLY STRILCOV: Making a Difference
By Dale Hemmila Life, like a good book, sometimes it takes a chapter or two before the real story — the good stuff — really begins. Just ask award-winning singer and songwriter Julianne Ankley. The Jeddo-native did not start singing in public until she was in her 30s. Since that time, she has spent the … More JULIANNE ANKLEY: Musically Talented
By Patti Samar Editor/Publisher Marcia Haynes carries with her a favorite poem called “The Dash.” The poem explains that it is not the year of birth nor the year of death that tells the story of one’s life, but rather, the dash in between those years. Haynes’s dash is a long and productive one. Haynes … More MARCIA HAYNES: Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way
By Patti Samar Editor/Publisher Ila Shoulders is a woman driven by faith. Faith in the Lord has helped her through life’s ups and downs. And, over the past 100 years of her life, Shoulders has had reason to question that faith – and she’s certainly been given reason to question her faith in humanity itself … More ILA SHOULDERS: A Century of Civic Leadership
By Patti Samar Editor/Publisher Slow but steady wins the race. That cliché sums up the career of Port Huron Police Department Captain Marcy Kuehn. After joining the department in 1989 just a few months following her high school graduation, Kuehn slowly but surely completed her education – she eventually earned a master’s degree – all … More MARCY KUEHN: Problem Solver
By Patti Samar Editor/Publisher This year, more women will likely run for elected public office than ever before. “What difference does it make whether or not there are women in office?” some people ask. It has been proven that men and women approach problem solving in different ways. It doesn’t mean one is better than … More 2020: Year of the Woman