George James

The St. Clair and Sanilac County Humane Societies have been awarded 2020 Animal Welfare Grants from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. The grants are funded by taxpayers who check the donation box for the Animal Welfare Fund on Form 4642, the Voluntary Contributions Schedule, when filing their state taxes. 

The state agency has distributed over $1.3 million since the option was rolled out in 2010. This year’s distribution was over $127,000 spread out amongst 23 registered animal shelters. The grants are meant to be used to support spaying and neutering of shelter dogs and cats and to increase the likelihood of the animals being adopted. The funds can also be used to reimburse the costs associated with legal investigations, such as animal hoarding cases or animal abuse. 

Humane Societies across the state had to request grants for specific purposes with about half of the applicants receiving funding this year. The Sanilac County Humane Society will receive $7,000 while the St. Clair County Humane Society will receive $6,000.

St. Clair County residents are divided over a recent “Gun Sanctuary County” resolution that was presented to the St. Clair County Board of Commissioners. According to District 7 County Commissioner, Bill Gratopp, the resolution was passed with the exception of the language about being a Sanctuary County.

Since the vote to pass the resolution with the amended verbiage, Second Amendment advocates have voiced concern for the altered wording. A group of more than 100 people rallied at last week’s Board of Commissioners meeting. A spokesperson for the Second Amendment March on Port Huron group, Joel Webb, stated that the purpose of the rally was to show the St. Clair County Commissioners that people in the county care about their rights. 

Webb further explained that declaring St. Clair County a “Gun Sanctuary County” would allow the county, in the event of an unconstitutional state or federal law being passed, to refuse to fund organizations that enforce those laws, which include the St. Clair County Sheriff and other police departments.

The Second Amendment March on Port Huron group brought two gun-related resolutions to the board at Thursday night’s meeting for future consideration by the St. Clair County Board of Commissioners.

(BPT) – Wine connoisseurs know something even more important than facts about vintages and varietals: It makes a big difference how your wine is served. From the correct temperature to the glass you drink from, how any wine is presented can change the entire experience.

And it’s not just about aesthetics – although a beautiful glass may enhance your visual experience, the size and shape of a wine glass can alter any wine’s aroma and taste, for better or worse. The size and shape of the glass affects not just how the wine responds to its environment (exposure to oxygen and temperature, for example), but how we drink it. The way you hold the glass, how you tilt your head (forward or back – consider a martini glass versus a wine glass), where your nose is centered as you sip and where on your tongue and palate the wine first hits can all impact your experience of the wine.

What do you need to know so your guests will experience your wine at its very best? Here are some guidelines.

Red wines

In general, the best glasses to enhance the bigger and bolder flavors of most red wines should be taller and have a larger bowl than glasses meant for serving lighter or more delicate wines. Larger glasses allow a wine to breathe more and permit the wine’s flavors and aromas to develop more fully.

For this reason, it’s also best to fill each glass only about one third full when serving red wines, to encourage more aeration.

White wines

The ideal glass for most white wines will be U-shaped, with a smaller bowl than when serving red wines. This helps prevent the wine from warming up too quickly, as whites are best served chilled. The more upright shape of the glass also allows aromas to be released sufficiently – without losing any aroma – for these lighter wines.

Even within the many varietals of reds or whites, however, there can be great differences. Specially designed stemware is often created to enhance a specific wine that may not be at its best in any other glass.

For example, Terlato Vineyards searched for the perfect glass to bring out the best in the fourth-generation family company’s Friuli Colli Orientali Pinot Grigio 2018. This Pinot Grigio is known for exceptional balance, complex, layered aromas and flavors with notes of ripe peach, apricot and pear, and a crisp, mineral finish. Bill Terlato and his daughter, Elise teamed up with Maximilian and Georg Riedel of the 300-year-old crystal company to develop a glass to optimize the flavors and aromas of their Pinot Grigio.

In the eyes of the Riedel company, wine glasses are not just about aesthetics, but are tools to help bring out the best in any wine. For Terlato Vineyard’s Pinot Grigio, they created a glass with a distinctly elongated bowl to heighten the mineral and fruity flavors of the wine. The narrower opening of the glass also helps the wine land in the mouth mid-palate, where taste buds are more complex.

This specially designed glass helps the wine taster “pick up on those little nuances,” observed Elise Terlato. “The mouth of the glass enhances the texture and layered complexities of the wine.”

Sparkling wines

When serving champagne, prosecco or other sparkling wines to your guests, flutes or a tulip shaped glass are recommended. These glass shapes allow the chilled wine to stay cooler longer. Whereas a wider glass would offer too much surface area, letting the delightful bubbles fizzle out more quickly. A narrower glass helps to preserve the carbonation of your sparkling wine.

For more information on how to receive the specially designed glasses, visit your independent retailer or go to www.uncorked.com and search for Terlato Vineyards Pinot Grigio 2018.

The next few months look to be a busy time in Fort Gratiot with local businesses expanding and moving into new spaces as well as businesses coming to the area for the first time. The Township is also seeing renewed interest in developing local properties for additional housing.

Fort Gratiot Township Supervisor, Rob Crawford, said in an interview this week that with the relatively mild winter, area construction projects have been moving along well, but the weather is still a factor in some of the projects. He says it’s likely that the Culver’s building will be completed in the near future, but warmer temperatures will be needed in order for the asphalt companies to pave the parking lot. There’s also been interest, but no confirmed tenants, for the former Golden Corral building. Godwin’s Furniture is expected to complete its move into the former Toys R Us building near early summer.

The PACE Program is purchasing property from Lakeshore Presbyterian Church and plans to create a facility for those who need medical assistance and possibly even a Senior Day Care.

As far as housing, two township properties are being considered for development. Lakeshore Woods on Lakeshore Road is undergoing a major expansion and there’s talk of Lake Huron Woods Senior Living Community expanding in the coming months, as well.

For complete details on all the projects in Fort Gratiot, go to ebw.tv.

Kimball Township’s newest business is officially open.  NOLA Cafe opened to the public this week after the final equipment installations and inspections. 

Kimball residents, Andrea and Christopher Shifflett, hope to share their love of New Orleans through New Orleans style food, beverages, and desserts as well as their classic New Orleans decor. They also want to incorporate the inclusive feel of the southern city, where everyone is welcome. Over the course of 10 years, they’ve tried four other times to create their dream. Andrea says they’ve hit roadblocks in previous attempts, but this time they have made it happened. 

This family-owned coffee shop’s signature beverage is the praline latte with other beverage specialties including hot chocolate and Bubble Tea. As far as food, the sharable muffaletta will be the featured item as well as a variety of homemade baked goods. The shop is located at 5287 Lapeer Road. The Blue Water Area Chamber of Commerce will host a grand opening ceremony for the cafe on March 13 at 4 p.m.

The Harsen’s Island St. Clair Flats Association has joined ranks with the Community Foundation of St. Clair County. The non-profit has established a fund with the Foundation, as announced on Wednesday. The Harsen’s Island St. Clair Flats Association came from a merger of the Harsen’s Island Improvement Association and the St. Clair Flats Association. 

The group works on advocacy for residents who are struggling with high water and the effects it has on properties as well as maintaining public spaces on the island in the southern part of St. Clair County and hosting events for the community. The group is the largest homeowner’s association in Michigan, according to their website. 

Harsen’s Island is a unique island community that relies on a ferry to get to jobs and commerce on the mainland. The Harsen’s Island St. Clair Flats Association maintains a Park and Ride lot for ferry commuters as well as a clean water station for boaters. The partnership with the Community Foundation is intended to provide long-term funding and opportunity for giving for the group that has been working to improve life on the island since 1925. More information about the association can be found on their website hiscfa.org.