George James

Over the weekend, the St. Clair Allied Veteran’s Cemetery was filled with local residents who volunteered to place remembrance wreaths on the graves of fallen heroes while saying each and every veteran’s name aloud. The remembrance ceremonies were part of a nationwide event called “Wreaths Across America.” 

This year, the local activities were organized by Jowett Family Funeral Home. The original goal was to raise money for 975 wreaths. The goal was exceeded with 994 wreaths sponsored. Volunteers included local Boy Scout troops, families and non-profits organizations. Kelly Klemmer, who volunteered, said “the whole experience was humbling, moving,and such an honor to pay respects to those that have fought for our freedoms.” She said her “boyfriend is an Army Veteran, so when [they] first heard about the mission and the event, [they] were on board immediately.” It was the couple’s first year participating, but Klemmer said they will definitely be back because “it truly was rewarding.”

The national event has been taking place for more than 20 years, beginning at Arlington National Cemetery. This year, wreaths were laid at over 1,600 locations across the United States.

Reporting for WGRT, I’m Karly Hurley.

Good news for Michiganders and locally, Gratiot Park users, as the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has announced its disbursement of $25 million into projects to enhance public outdoor recreation. 

The City of Port Huron was awarded a $50,000 grant to pay for development of inclusive play equipment at Gratiot Park to include access pathways, site amenities, and renovation of play equipment and basketball courts. The century old park is proposed to get accessibility upgrades and compliance with modern safety regulations, according to the DNR. The fund was established in 1976 to support conservation and recreation. 

The grants are subject to legislative approval. Gratiot Park is located on the north end of Port Huron, near the Blue Water Bridge. It is within walking distance of the convention center and many neighborhoods. The upgrades should improve safety and accessibility for playground users.

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.

Returning cans and bottles to the store to get your deposit back is a way of life in Michigan. It is also a tried and true fundraising tactic as people are generally willing to “donate” their deposit to little league teams and 8th grade class trips in exchange for not having to stand in line at the bottle return area of the grocery store. 

That practice might grow if a bill to expand the scope of the bottle deposits makes it through the legislature. Legislation was introduced last week to add non-carbonated beverages to the list of returnable cans and bottles. The original bottle law was passed in 1976 to reduce litter.

Most cans and bottles returned now are recycled, but the market for recycled plastic is dwindling. The bill was introduced by two Democrats from Kalamazoo who hope to encourage responsible consumption. The bill addresses the added burden to retailers in accepting and storing the increased volume of returnables and has provisions for fraud enforcement. The bills have been introduced in both the House and the Senate. They have a long way to go and a lot of details to work out as the discussion of expanding the bottle bill continues.

The Huron Lightship is a fixture in Port Huron, but the historic high-water levels have given the community a bit of a scare as the ship has looked like it might float away. That was never a real concern, as the ship is buried deep into the ground next to Pine Grove Park, but water was indeed touching the ship for the first time since 1972. 

The raising of the seawall to ensure that the National Historic Landmark remains undamaged is wrapping up. Andrew Kercher, spokesman for the Port Huron Museums, told us that the community had “come out of the woodwork” when he broached the issue of needing to raise the seawall. The threat of damage from impending ice floes was not far from his mind, as sandbags were not cutting it. The Acheson Foundation alone put $20,000 toward the effort. The City of Port Huron has paid the remainder of the more than $30,000 total bill, with help from Thumb Welding, to pump out the water and raise the sea wall. 

The Lightship has national designation and will be celebrating its 100th anniversary soon, but its protection and preservation falls on local municipalities and organizations.

The Port Huron Police Department, working closely with the community to fight against and eliminate crime in Port Huron, has developed many new crime prevention programs, but there is one that is regularly seeking the public’s help. The C.A.P.T.U.R.E. Association, which stands for crime awareness and prevention through a unified reporting effort helps to facilitate and aid crime prevention activities by the Port Huron Police Department.

According to the city of Port Huron’s website, the C.A.P.T.U.R.E. Association consists of a number of civic minded volunteers who represent a cross section of the community, such as the Police Department, financial institutions, media, insurance companies, and more that meets regularly to review, plan and implement programs and activities related to Crime Prevention and recommend awards to the Secret Witness Hotline Program participants.

In addition, the Association features “Port Huron’s Most Wanted,” “Crime of the Week,” or a crime prevention tip of the month which is where the general public can help. If you have tips on crime, the week’s most wanted (which can even pay in some cases) or want to be involved in the group’s efforts, call 810-987-6688.

Each year, many people prepare for 25 days of Christmas to watch some of their favorite Christmas movies. Many people know the movie, “A Christmas Story,” and many may even watch it every year. Fans of this movie can experience the movie in real life as the house from the movie is both a museum and hotel. 

Brian Jones is the man behind it all, who has been a long time fan of “A Christmas Story” and bought the Parker family home in Cleveland. For more than 10 years, the family home has been acting as a museum while it took Jones two years to renovate it and add the hotel. With about 80,000 visitors per year, Jones even went as far as buying an old car that resembles the one in the film. He even created a gift shop for fans to enjoy as they stay or come to visit. 

The cost of staying at the house depends on the dates as it can cost between $445-$995 per night and staying for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day can rise to $4,995 per night. If you’re simply looking to take a tour, adult tickets are $13 year round. 

Adapted from the Today Show’s “The house from ‘A Christmas Story’ is now a museum and hotel” by Brittany Loggins.