Choze Powell

More Travel options Coming to Flint Bishop Airport

A quick trip to Vegas or Florida is about to get even quicker with the addition of Allegiant Airlines’ aircraft and crew bases to Flint Bishop International Airport.

Just a one-hour drive from Port Huron, the Flint airport is expanding its options with the Allegiant partnership. The expansion is expected to bring high-wage jobs to Flint as well, with locally-based crews that follow the “out and back” model and return home each night.

Along with Flint, Allegiant is expanding to Appleton, Wisconsin. Drew Wells, Senior Vice president of Revenue and Planning for Allegiant, said, “Flint and Appleton have been incredibly successful cities for Allegiant, where we’ve grown our operations steadily over the years. It makes perfect sense to establish aircraft and crew bases in these great communities, furthering our presence as a hometown airline.”

Wells said that the expansion will provide more options and more frequent flight offerings. In 2019, over 197,000 passengers flew Allegiant out of Flint. Non-stop destinations include Nashville, Las Vegas, and Phoenix, along with four Florida cities.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

U.S. Census Shows Slow Population Growth, More People in Big Cities

New 2020 Census Results have been released. The results are used for legislative redistricting data, as required by law.

Acting Census Bureau Director Ron Jarmin said, “We are excited to reach this milestone of delivering the first detailed statistics from the 2020 Census. We appreciate the public’s patience as Census Bureau staff worked diligently to process these data and ensure it meets our quality standards.”

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the data shows an increase in populations in metro areas compared to a decade ago. More people are living in big cities. Eighty-six percent of American’s live in metro areas, and the top ten largest cities all saw growth.

Overall, the total population grew at its slowest rate since the 1930s. Michigan’s population increased by 2%, with the largest growth on the west side of the state. Grand Rapids/Kentwood reached the one million mark in the population count.

A link to complete 2020 U.S. Census data can be found at WGRT.com.

https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/about/rdo/summary-files.html

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Weather Disasters May Attract Scammers

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel reissued two consumer alerts that tend to pop up when people experience damage from severe weather and a state of emergency is declared. She is urging consumers to look out for Government Imposters and Disaster Scams.

Gov. Whitmer declared a state of emergency for Armada Township last week in response to a tornado that went through the area on July 24th, 2021, and Nessel said that bad actors may try to take advantage of people cleaning up after storm damage.

Government Imposters contact consumers and tell them they’ve been selected to receive government funding to assist with repairs.  The scammers then ask the person to share their personal or banking information in order to secure or transfer funds.

Disaster Scams can come in the form of contractors or individuals who approach consumers, usually door-to-door, and use high-pressure sales tactics, confusing terms, and cash-only terms to encourage a quick sale.

“Unfortunately, bad actors look at storm cleanup as an opportunity to take advantage of victims who are desperate to repair damage right away,” Nessel said. “I continue to urge Michiganders to do their research before making any decisions that will impact your home or business.”

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides legitimate disaster relief, but individuals must register with them to establish eligibility. FEMA’s number is 1-800-621-FEMA

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

Yard Sale Trail This Weekend

The weekend-long M-29 to M-25 Yard Sale Trail starts today with over 150 miles of antiques, yard sales, and parking lot sales. Twelve Blue Water Area communities from Sebewaing to New Baltimore will participate.

In addition to the garage sales, the route travels through several quaint communities such as Marine City, St. Clair, Port Huron, Lexington, Port Sanilac, Harbor Beach, Port Hope, and Port Austen.  Those communities are full of unique shops and boutiques, museums full of local history, and wonderful places to enjoy a meal.

The event lasts through Sunday, so use caution if you are participating in this year’s sale or traveling along the shoreline. Shoppers are encouraged to shop on the same side of the street they have parked and not attempt to cross the busy highway.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Youth Trivia Night Coming up August 19th

The St. Clair County Substance Prevention through Early Action and Knowledge (SPEAK) Coalition is hosting a Youth Trivia Night for all St. Clair County school-aged youth. The event is at the YMCA of the Bluewater Area on Thursday, August 19th from 6 – 7:30 PM.

The SPEAK Coalition uses fun games and activities to promote healthy lifestyles among young people and educate them about the dangers of substance abuse. All activities are free to youth and fit with the organization’s mission which is “Striving for a healthier community by working together to prevent youth substance abuse.”

On Youth Trivia Night, young people will engage in a fun Q&A contest with questions about pop culture, history, health, sports, and substance use. There will also be a pizza party, and youth can win prizes and receive a free t-shirt.

To learn more visit the SPEAK Coalition’s Facebook page.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

Search for Macroinvertebrates at the River Walk Park

On Wednesday, August 18th from 6 – 7 PM, families can experience the final Wetland Wanderings program organized by Friends of the St. Clair River. The free outdoor exploration program will be at the Blue Water River Walk County Park  at 2200 Military Street in Port Huron.

This educational program will focus on macroinvertebrates, small aquatic insects that can be found in the mud of wetland areas. Macroinvertebrates are important to the ecosystem in wetlands, and they improve the quality of the water.

Melissa Kivel, Restoration Coordinator, will help participants search for the insects, sort them, and identify them. This activity will help assign a water quality score to the area and determine the health of the park.

Registration is required for this free event at www.scriver.org, and free parking is available at the Seaway Terminal lot located near the wetland area of the park.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand