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Local News

March Is Women’s History Month Let’s Celebrate

There would be no life without our hard working mothers giving birth to us all and nurturing us to be the best that we can be. With the month of March being Women’s History Month, WGRT would like to give a big thank you to our female listeners for tuning in to our station.

Women’s History Month is a time set aside to acknowledge and recognize the achievements and contributions that women have made in our society throughout history. 

It began in 1982, designated as “Women’s History Week,” by 1987, after being petitioned by the National Women’s History Project, Congress designated the month of March as Women’s History Month.

Gone are the days when women could not vote, or participate in certain areas of society. We encourage young girls and women of all ages to believe in themselves and to embrace the power of their femininity. 

Reporting for WGRT – Choze Powell

2023 State Of The County Address Held In Port Huron

St. Clair County has a total population of approximately 160,000 people. An annual conference is held to give a review of how the county performed the year before, as well as what the future has in store for the area and it’s residents.

The 2023 State of the County Address was hosted by the Blue Water Area Chamber of Commerce and held at the beautiful Blue Water Convention Center. It featured guest speakers such as County Administrator/Controller, Karry Hepting and St. Clair County Board of Commissioner Chair, Jeff Bohm.

The speakers presented information to a crowd of over 400 individuals, with topics ranging from finances to future plans for the region.

New programs for the St. Clair County Sheriff Department and Health Department were discussed, as well as updates from the Economic Development Alliance (EDA).  There are also new jobs and businesses coming to the area that residents and tourists can look forward to. 

Reporting for WGRT – Choze Powell

Contaminated Water And Soil Dumped In Michigan Without Notice

On February 3, 2023 a major U.S. environmental catastrophe occurred in East Palestine, Ohio. A train derailment involving 38 train cars caused approximately 120,000 gallons of hazardous chemicals to spill onto the landscape. 

Cleanup crews then set fire to the spill, which released tons of toxic clouds into the atmosphere. The effects of the spill are still unknown, but the waterways connected to the Ohio River are potentially polluted and unsafe for many. 

The cleanup from the accident has left the state of Ohio with tons of contaminated soil and water, which was then shipped to Michigan and Texas without their knowledge or consent. 

US Rep. Debbie Dingell of Michigan says, “ I immediately called the governor’s office…none of the elected officials, none of the local officials, knew that this material was on its way.”

Reporting for WGRT – Choze Powell

Port Huron Township Fire Department Welcomes New Staff

When it comes to civil service jobs, being a firefighter or a police officer are two of the most noble and dangerous jobs one can take on to serve their community. 

The Port Huron Township Fire Department has recently hired new staff and promoted another to Sergeant within the department. 

Firefighters Martin, Jones, and Moran were sworn in on January 1st, for the full-time firefighter role, and Sergeant Vincent for the full-time officer role. 

Firefighter Moran was promoted to the rank of Sergeant to fill the vacant full-time officer role. Firefighter Ebejer was sworn in for the firefighter role on February 20th. 

Port Huron Township and the entire Blue Water Area would like to thank these brave men for their service to our community, as we wish you well in your new endeavors.

Reporting for WGRT – Choze Powell

The Lawrence House To Hold 2nd Annual Carmen Ziolkowski Poetry Prize

If you live in or near the City of Sarnia, and have an interest in poetry and the arts, you can register to enter the 2nd Annual Carmen Ziolkowski Poetry Prize. 

Carmen Ziolkowski was a member of the Sarnia-Lambton writing community. She studied journalism at Port Huron Junior College and taught creative writing at Lambton College. She also wrote three poetry books. Ziolkowski passed away in 2018 at the age of 94 years old.

The deadline for the poetry event is April 15th. All are welcome to participate, with an entry fee of $10 Canadian, or $5 if you are a member of The Lawrence House Centre for the Arts. Participants can submit up to three poems in English of up to 40 lines each. 

Winners can win up to $500, as well as having their works featured in a special issue of the Uproar Literary Blog. 

For more information, visit: lawrencehouse.ca.    

Reporting for WGRT – Choze Powell

The Detroit Institute of Arts Named Best Art Museum In The Country

Detroit is known as the “Motor City” due to its history involving the automotive industry, but they have more recently been recognized for having the number one art museum in the country. 

The Detroit Institute of Arts has been ranked number one by the editors from 10Best and USA Today. The results are based on reader votes which included 10 museum destinations in the U.S.  

The museum has approximately 65,000 works housed in its location, which makes it one of the largest collections in the country. It also contains over 100 galleries, a 1,150-seat auditorium, an art reference library, and a state-of-the-art conservation services laboratory. The DIA also boasts diverse collections highlighting Islamic, Oceanic, Native American, and African art. The General Motors Center for African American Art which was established in the year 2000 boasts a wide collection of art as well. 

To find out more information, visit: dia.org.

Reporting for WGRT – Choze Powell