George James

New Program Can Help Pay for Household Internet

Working from home is commonplace for both students and employees in a variety of occupations. One thing they all have in common is the need to have reliable internet access.

A new program has been launched to help households pay for internet access. The Affordable Connectivity Program is being administered by the Federal Communications Commission.

The new program follows the Emergency Broadband Benefit that temporarily helped almost nine million people afford internet service during the pandemic.

The new program covers $30 of the monthly bill and gives a one time $100 credit toward a connecting device.

To qualify, families must meet income requirements of 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. For a family of four, the income threshold is $53,000. Receiving federal benefits like SNAP or Free and Reduced Lunch can also be factored in qualifying for the internet assistance.

Most Michigan internet access providers participate in the program. To get the full details and to sign up, go to the link below.

https://acpbenefit.org/

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Chilly Fest Brings Family Fun to Downtown Port Huron Saturday, January 29th

Chilly Fest is back. The annual celebration of chili and being chilly will be held on Saturday, January 29th in Downtown Port Huron.

The event coincides with a weekend of Silver Stick Hockey Tournament games and the PoHo Hot Cocoa Race.

The mostly outdoors event will have a s’more station and carriage rides on McMorran Boulevard, along with a Chilly Corn Hole Tournament to be held from 2:00-4:00 p.m.

Instead of sampling chili in a crowded tent, organizers have planned a “Chili Crawl” where score cards can be purchased for $5, giving participants access to chili samples at nine downtown businesses.

There will also be a Cocoa Crawl and Penguin Hunt going on all day, along with displays of ice carvings at many downtown businesses. There will be an outdoor Kid’s Zone in the Superior Mall Parking Lot from 1:30-2:30 p.m.

Chilly Fest is the result of a lot of collaboration between Downtown Port Huron, Port Huron Parks and Recreation, Blue Water Young Professionals, and corporate sponsors.

A link to the full schedule can be found below.

https://www.chillyfest.org/?fbclid=IwAR0_LZUET3LVqdFwwH2g4H0eU897a0PCIQ5nZL_B7qPUlHMykAy_dt4Pqxw

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

PHS Asks Community to Complete Federal Funding Survey

Stakeholders in the Port Huron Area School District are asked to complete a survey to gauge the public’s priorities as the district makes plans to spend federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, or ESSER III, funding.

The survey asks students, parents, staff, and community members to give their feedback on what is important to them.

The survey lists a variety of spending options and asks respondents to rate them as essential, high, medium, and low priority, and not a priority. The survey ends on January 31st.

The short survey asks about implementing instruction in both face-to-face and remote learning formats, interventions for struggling students, instructional materials, and summer learning opportunities. The survey also asks about opinions on after-school tutoring and extra instructional days. There is an opportunity to rate the importance of family engagement and social-emotional programming, as well as technology, facilities, and COVID-19 mitigation investments.

A link to the Survey.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Wild Green Winter Game Nights Coming to Downtown Port Huron

The Friends of the St. Clair River are hosting a unique series of Game Nights with a twist. The Wild Green Winter Game Nights will be held at Border Keep Games in Downtown Port Huron and will feature games highlighting nature.

The Friends of the St. Clair River work to be good stewards of the St. Clair River and to provide educational opportunities to the community about the important ecosystem. Staff from Friends of the St. Clair River will be on hand to help with the games.

The tabletop games will simulate hiking, building food webs, and adapting to the ecosystems. Game players will also explore birding and other outdoor pursuits while staying warm and cozy during the coldest time of the year.

The game nights will be held on January 28th, February 25th, and March 25th at 7:00 p.m.  A $5 per person donation to Friends of the St. Clair River is suggested. A donation includes a beverage voucher. Refreshments will be available from Border Keep Games.

Border Keep Games is located at 942 Military Street in Downtown Port Huron.

Registration information can be found at the following link.

https://www.facebook.com/events/901116207262410/

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Soo Locks Get Full Funding to Complete Upgrade

The Soo Locks are vital to Great Lakes shipping, allowing freighters to navigate between Lake Superior and Lake Huron. They have been in need of modernizing for a long time and the money has now come through from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to invest in the locks.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has announced that they are investing $479 million to fully fund the Soo Locks. Previous allocations partially funded the $1.3 billion total cost. The new lock is planned to handle larger vessels and prevent a failure of the existing locks which would be catastrophic to the economy and national security.

Responding to the announcement, Governor Gretchen Whitmer said, “I applaud the US Army Corps of Engineers for making a $479 million investment in the Soo Locks to finish the project, protecting tens of thousands of jobs and uplifting our economy.” 

Over 7000 ships pass through the Soo Locks every year carrying 86 million tons of cargo. The locks enable smooth passage despite a 21-foot elevation difference between the two lakes.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

MDOT Prepares for $563 Million in Bridge Repair Investment

The State of Michigan is expected to receive $563.1 million in federal money to build, repair, or replace bridges, as part of a $27.5 billion national infrastructure investment.

Paul Ajegba, Director of the Michigan Department of Transportation said, “The Michigan Department of Transportation welcomes this historic infusion of resources to back our efforts to repair, replace, or rehabilitate Michigan’s bridges.”

MDOT plans to replace 24 bridges and help local road agencies repair 129 local bridges. The federal specifications include reinforcing bridges to accommodate climate change and to make them pedestrian and bicycle friendly, as well as reducing detours due to weight restrictions for heavy vehicles like buses and trucks.

Ajegba said, “We will collaborate with our local partners and stay focused on investing these resources where they are needed most, fixing bridges in critical condition in counties across Michigan.”

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland