Local News

Downtown Port Huron is gearing up for a weekend of smoky flavor and family fun as The Wrigley Center hosts its Barbeque Throwdown, this weekend. Pitmasters will battle for bragging rights while specialty food vendors, live music and beverages fill Grand River Ave. Organizers say the festival offers something for every age, from competition barbecue to hands-on activities for kids. Gates open at 4 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday, running until 11 each night. Details and registration are online at thewrigleycenterfestivals.com.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

A twenty-six year old Port Huron man is dead after his vehicle rolled over on eastbound I-94 near Wadhams Road in Kimball Township late Saturday night. St. Clair County deputies say the man was partially thrown from the vehicle and trapped underneath it after leaving the roadway around eleven-forty p.m. Kimball Township Fire and Tri-Hospital EMS crews responded but couldn’t save him. Investigators believe speed and alcohol played a role in the crash, and say no other vehicles were involved. The Crash Investigation Team is on it.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

More than 300 people gathered in Port Huron Monday for a chamber luncheon spotlighting growth across St. Clair County. Congresswoman Lisa McClain said the area has received more than $14 million in federal funding since ’22, with $6 million more for the Black River Canal awaiting Senate action. She urged residents to attend upcoming meetings and speak up as officials weigh new data center proposals. Leaders also touted new housing, industrial projects and expanded mental health services.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

A road rage argument that started on I-69 ended in gunfire on M-53 near Imlay City, and police say the shooter is now behind bars. 34-year-old Shaun Wagner of Peck fired at least one shot into a victim’s vehicle during a dispute last Wednesday, with the bullet lodging in a seat after tearing through the rear window. A search of Wagner’s home turned up the weapon along with more guns and ammo. He was later arrested in Battle Creek and now faces four felonies, including assault with intent to murder.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

Sarnia’s air is set to get cleaner, but the St. Clair River could take in a new kind of discharge. Imperial Oil’s new scrubber at its Christina Street refinery is expected to keep nearly 5,700 tonnes of sulphur dioxide out of the air each year. Capturing that pollution creates wastewater, and Imperial is asking Ontario for approval to treat and release up to 219 million litres of it into the river annually. The province has not yet decided whether to approve the plan.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

Port Huron’s Night and Day sculptures at McMorran Plaza have their original green look back. About 24 people braved the drizzle Thursday to celebrate the $35,000 restoration, which also brought new lighting and fountain upgrades. A Detroit-area conservator stripped the uneven patina and applied a fresh green finish that officials say matches sculptor Marshall Fredericks’ original vision. The Night and Day Ball fundraiser paid for all of it. The sculptures will need rewaxing every couple of years.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet