George James

St. Clair native and baseball standout Jake Cronenworth has been acquired by the San Diego Padres in a recent trade from the Tampa Bay Rays. According to the Durham Bulls, the Triple A affiliate of the Rays whom Cronenworth played for in the 2018-19 season, the pitcher earned 2019 Bulls Team MVP honors, in addition to International League Midseason and Postseason All-Star nods, posting a .334 average along with 75 runs and 45 RBI. The 25-year-old paced the circuit in batting average and on-base-percentage, in addition to ranking third in on-base plus slugging and ninth in slugging percentage.

Cronenworth, originally a pitcher, saw time at the mound last season. He had seven appearances (six starts) with the Bulls, yielding two unearned runs while punching out nine batters, but he also has the flexibility to play the infield. Prospectors guess that’s where he’ll play with the Padres. Cronenworth was originally selected by Tampa Bay in the seventh round of the 2015 MLB Draft. According to reports, it’s likely he might see the National League field with the Padres this year.

Two food recalls on opposite ends of the nutrition spectrum are worth noting as you are preparing to make lunch or dinner. Certain Fresh Express salad mixes and frozen White Castle hamburgers have been recalled for possible contamination. 

Fresh Express has recalled their Sunflower Crisp Salad Kits for suspected E.coli contamination.This is a different strain from the recent romaine lettuce recall and at least eight people have gotten sick. If salad is not your thing, you might have some frozen White Castle cheeseburger or hamburger sliders in the freezer. Listeria is the concern with the frozen burgers as listeria is a very serious pathogen, but there have been no reported cases of exposure. 

You can check the Center for Disease Control’s website to check your sliders to see if they are affected. If you have unfortunately experienced any illness, and you think it could be from a contaminated food product, check with your doctor as your physician will need to report it to the Health Department. The risk of exposure to either product is slim, as they should be off of store shelves or expired by now, but it doesn’t hurt to be aware and check your refrigerator and freezer.

Reporting for WGRT, Kelsie Kaczperski.

Lakestone Bank & Trust has been part of the Yale community for over 20 years. Although the name has changed over time, the investment in the Yale community has remained constant. The Yale Branch was in need of some updates, and after a complete renovation of the bank, they held the grand reopening on December 2. 

According to spokesperson Sarah Lawrence, the bank has all new furniture, carpet, artwork, and signage. She told us that the bank prides itself on being a community bank that provides the best service to its customers, and reinvests in local communities. After a few months of working around the construction, both employees and customers were happy to see  this cornerstone of commerce in the city fully open and renovated. 

The Yale Branch Manager, Stephanie Schaefer, chose Yale Public Schools as the beneficiary of the branch’s monetary gift in celebration of their Grand Reopening. They presented the gift to school administrators during the celebration, as they are a significant member of the Yale community. Lakestone Bank & Trust is headquartered in Lapeer and has fifteen locations.

Reporting for WGRT, Kelsie Kaczperski.

There is good news for seventh graders in the Blue Water Area in the form of free memberships to the YMCA. The Blue Water YMCA is offering free memberships to 7th graders who attend public, private or homeschool. Seventh graders have been chosen for this gift, valued at $200, because “Research shows that 7th grade is a critical time in a young person’s life when exposure to risk factors greatly increases”, according to the Y. 

Another factor is that school sports become more competitive and not every student gets the chance to be on a team. The YMCA can offer athletic and recreational opportunities to anyone regardless of ability. To get the membership, 7th graders need to show their school ID or report card and bring a parent to help them sign up. The membership includes use of the Duffy Wellness Center, two pools, gym, exercise classes, and special activities for 7th graders. 

The 7th grade membership value can be applied to a family membership, if desired as well. The free membership is good through August 31, 2020. This venture has been made possible through sponsorship from Cawood Auto and the employees of the YMCA.

Reporting for WGRT, Kelsie Kaczperski.

Elf The Musical will be playing at McMorran Place this weekend, put on by the Port Huron Civic Theater. There are ninety cast members, half of whom are kids. The work that has gone in to preparing and training these young actors has been substantial. Civic Theater Board Member and “Mommy Elf”, Kammie Fabian-Gaytán, told us that “It has been a blast to work on this Christmas production. With the dancing, singing, costumes and sets all designed by our own community, it’s guaranteed to put you in the holiday spirit”.  

The production is directed by Leah Tyrell and Amy Fabick. Ms. Fabian-Gaytán told us that “The highlight of the show is the energy Bruce McFadden II brings to the character, Buddy. The energy inspires the rest of the cast during their tapping and swing dance numbers.” 

The musical is described as the tale of Buddy, a young orphan child who mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported back to the North Pole. Unaware that he is actually human, Buddy’s enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth. Ticket prices range from $12 to $15 for the Friday through Sunday shows with special pricing of only $5 for seniors on December 13 at 2 p.m.

Reporting for WGRT, Kelsie Kaczperski.

‘Tis the season for giving as there are many charities and organizations that help children and families in need in the Blue Water Area. We report on them often, especially during the holiday season, however, there is one group of young people who sometimes slip through the cracks. Those are foster children who have aged out of the system and could really use some extra Christmas spirit and some gifts right now. 

Each case is different, but their common bond is that they are trying to take charge of their lives after being in foster care. They are not eligible for Department of Health and Human Services programs because their cases have been closed but they are monitored through the Michigan Youth Opportunities Initiative. According to a memo from Sunshine Ratliff, MYOI Coordinator for the St. Clair County Department of Health and Human Services, these youths are aged 17 to 24 with some that are young parents, in school, live independently, and are in the workforce. 

If you are interested in helping Sunshine out with sharing the holiday love, she needs you to take action quickly. To help support these young people, please email her at ratliffs2@michigan.gov where she will direct you to a website to sign up for gifts.

Reporting for WGRT, Kelsie Kaczperski.