Send new stories and press releases to JP at news@wgrt.com.

Local News

Sarnia’s Mitton Village Sees Community Improvements with New Public Spaces

Work is underway on a project that will see a new, permanent space for the public established in Mitton Village in Sarnia. 

Residents in the area may have noticed features of the pop-up parkette at the 135 Mitton St. South municipal parking lot being removed over the past week as the City prepares to reconstruct the lot and create a permanent parkette at the site.

Mitton Village is one of two Community Improvement Plan (CIP) areas identified for investments under the City of Sarnia’s 2020 plan. It is hoped that City-driven public-realm enhancements will encourage more businesses to invest in Mitton Village.

The parkette will feature tree-shaded areas alongside permanent seating and support infrastructure for active transportation.

The desire for public realm improvements was highlighted by the success of a pop-up parkette installed by the City in June 2022 with support from the Canada Healthy Communities Initiative. The pop-up parkette featured eight picnic tables painted by local artists, minor landscaping, and features such as a community bulletin board and Little Free Library.

Beyond complete reconstruction of the parking lot, the project will include the installation of new lighting, alongside decorative concrete, planters and tree wells for the parkette. Construction is expected to start this week and wrap up in November, with the parkette’s trees, plants, and street furniture to be installed in 2023.

Reporting for WGRT – George James

Seed & Soul Society Yard of the Year Photo by Choze Powell

Seed & Soul Society Receives Grant For Further Development

When it comes to educating the community about growing and maintaining their own gardens and food sources, Seed & Soul Society is leading the way in Port Huron.

Founded by Heather Fagan, Tyler Moldovan, and Shannon Raynard in 2021, Seed & Soul Society is a community nonprofit with the goal of ending food insecurity in St. Clair County. They were recently awarded a grant for $22,500 from Lush Cosmetics to help them further their mission.

Lush Cosmetics produces soaps, shampoos, fragrances and more that are vegan or vegetarian based. Operating facilities in 49 countries globally, they are a large manufacturer in the cosmetics world. Lush Cosmetics will be selling Seed & Soul Society charity pots globally, with a portion of the proceeds going to furthering the mission of Seed & Soul.

Seed & Soul Society received their grant at the Lush store located in The Mall at Partridge Creek in Clinton Township on Saturday. The grant will help them with developing ADA compliant gardens, social media presence and merchandising.

To learn more about Seed & Soul Society click here:
https://www.facebook.com/seedandsoulsociety

Reporting for WGRT – Choze Powell

Huron City Radio Releases Teaser For Supernatural Web Series

When you think of supernatural movies, Port Huron isn’t typically your first thought. Port Huron Producer/Filmmaker Daniel Williams is attempting to change that with his new web series, Gravid.

Williams is the founder of Huron City Radio, a fictitious radio station of pre-recorded shows edited together to produce entertaining content for its audience. When he isn’t working on content for Huron City Radio, Williams is probably working on one of his many other film related projects.

After wrapping up the filming, Williams has released a teaser for Gravid, a story revolving around a young couple returning to the wife’s hometown (Port Huron). During their trip they uncover dark secrets they never expected to find. The series is slated to release sometime this fall.

To view the teaser click on this link: GRAVID Teaser Trailer

Reporting for WGRT – Choze Powell

Henry Ford Health Announces Availability of New Early Detection Cancer Test

Henry Ford Health and GRAIL, LLC, a healthcare company whose mission is to detect cancer early when it can be cured, has announced Henry Ford Health as the first healthcare provider in Michigan to offer Galleri®, GRAIL’s Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) blood test. Henry Ford is among an early group of healthcare providers in the U.S. to offer this MCED test.

The Galleri test is intended for use in those who are at an elevated risk of cancer, such as individuals ages 50 or older. Some younger people may also have an elevated risk of cancer, which is why Henry Ford is making the Galleri test available to patients who are 22 years or older, have no history of cancer or have been cancer-free at least three years, and are not currently pregnant.

Galleri MCED test can detect many cancers that are not commonly screened for today to allow for earlier treatment, and can be incorporated into a routine healthcare visit.

Those who may be interested in the Galleri test should consult with their Henry Ford primary care physician to determine whether the test is appropriate for them.

Because the test is not currently covered by insurance, the Galleri MCED test is an out-of-pocket cost. Patients may be eligible to participate in the interventional PATHFINDER 2 study, which is evaluating the implementation and performance of Galleri in a clinical care setting. The study is currently enrolling individuals who meet the eligibility requirements, which include:

  • 50 years or older and receive care at Henry Ford Health.
  • Have never been diagnosed with cancer or have been cancer-free at least three years.
  • Are not participants in previous or ongoing GRAIL sponsored studies.
  • Henry Ford team members and their dependents who are enrolled in a Health Alliance Plan (HAP) of Michigan insurance plan may be eligible for a test at no cost.

To learn more about the Galleri test at Henry Ford Health, visit henryford.com/cancerbloodtest.

Reporting for WGRT – George James

St. Clair County Community Mental Health Voter Registration Drive

It’s voting season again, so make sure you are prepared to cast your vote by being informed on the candidates and more. To assist residents with voting and registration, the St. Clair County Community Mental Health (SCCCMH) facility is hosting a Voter Registration Drive.

Those interested in registering to vote can do so between 10 AM – 2 PM on Wednesday, September 28th at the SCCCMH Main Office. To be eligible to vote you must be 18 by the voting date of November 8, 2022. Other qualifications include being a U.S. citizen, a resident of Michigan, as well as being a resident of your city or township for at least 30 days by the upcoming voting date as well.  

To ensure there are no hassles or issues, individuals should be sure to bring their driver’s license, state issued photo I.D., or the last four numbers of their social security number. 

For more information, visit scccmh.org or call St. Clair County Community Mental Health at (810) 985-8900

Reporting for WGRT – Choze Powell

Great Lakes Water Authority Affected Area Water Main Break

Great Lakes Water Authority Says October for Return to Normal After Water Main Break

The Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) issued an update on the timeline for restoring water service to normal operations. The new projected date of completion for repairs and testing is October 5, 2022.

The new water pipe was installed and fully closed by September 6th, and the Lake Huron Water Treatment Plant began producing the 81 million gallons of water needed to fill up the main.

Once the main was filled with water, a flushing and disinfection process began that is taking longer than expected to complete.

Suzanne R. Coffey, P.E., Chief Executive Officer of GLWA said, “We want to thank everyone for their patience as we navigate this situation together. We know that extending the timeframe to return the transmission system back normal operations will further inconvenience all of the communities and their residents, but it is necessary for us to ensure that we complete this repair in a way that safeguards the public health and the system.”

Currently the only affected area with a Boil Water Advisory is the DTE Greenwood Facility.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand