Local News

The excitement and nostalgia of Cedar Point’s classic lakeside experience will be celebrated in a whole new way in 2023 when the park opens The Boardwalk, a new themed area just steps away from the Lake Erie shoreline. It’s a modern interpretation of the Cedar Point of yesteryear. Guests can expect new rides, dining, and entertainment experiences along with improvements coming to the former Lakeside Midway.

One of the new rides is the Wild Mouse Roller Coaster with bright orange tracks, a nod to the park’s original Wild Mouse coaster. The new Grand Pavilion will house restaurants, lots of seating areas for socializing and relaxation, and viewing decks with unparalleled panoramas of Cedar Point, the Cedar Point Beach, and the Lake Erie shoreline.

Carrie Boldman, vice president and general manager of Cedar Point, said “The Boardwalk is our vision of what the classic Cedar Point Boardwalk would have felt like long ago: the sights, the sounds, the electricity of the experience – this new area captures it all.”

Carrie said that “lakeside attractions have always been a part of Cedar Point’s 153-year history” and that she “can’t wait for guests to enjoy this stunning new centerpiece of summertime fun.”

The Boardwalk is set to debut on the park’s opening day in May of 2023. 

Reporting for WGRT – George James

It’s that time of the year again for one of the longest yard sales in the Blue Water Area. Starting Friday the 12th and ending on Sunday the 14th, the M-29 to M-25 Antique Yard Sale Trail will bring over 150 miles of independently operated yard sales to our community. The sales will feature antiques and all of the other wonderful finds that come along with the yard sale experience. 

Stretching from New Baltimore and Algonac in the south, the Yard Sale Trail follows the beautiful St. Clair River up M-25/M-29. The yard sale passes through local communities such as Marine City, St. Clair, Port Huron, Lexington, Port Sanilac, Port Austin, and Harbor Beach just to name a few. 

While passing through these scenic locations, be sure to check out the local sites such as the museums, and unique shops. There are also plenty of restaurants and local diners to stop in for a bite to eat while enjoying all that the event has to offer. 

For more information on the event, contact sponsor Mary Teichow of Teichow’s Treasures at teichowtreasures@gmail.com

Reporting for WGRT – Choze Powell

The St. Clair County Farm Museum is preparing for its Fall Harvest Days on August 26th – 28th. This is the 38th annual celebration put on by the St. Clair County Farm Museum’s Board, and the weekend will be full of history, activities, and fun.

The St. Clair County Farm Museum is located at Goodells County Park, and they lease their buildings and farmland from the county. They rent the area for the Fall Harvest Days show, and the event is one of the ways they raise money to preserve the museum and its collection.

Fall Harvest Days kicks off on Friday, August 26th with threshing and sawmill demonstrations, and continues throughout the day with wagon rides, lumberjack shows, and food vendors.

Saturday, August 27th includes a Fiber Expo in the exhibit barns, a tractor pull, and a corn hole tournament. Saturday evening the band Blue Ridge will be playing in the beer tent from 6 -9 PM.

The fiber expo continues on Sunday, August 28th, and a special church service will be held in the historic church that sits in the tiny village of the county park. Visitors can also enjoy a pancake breakfast before or after the service.

The celebration concludes with a tractor parade, raffle, and awards ceremony around 4 PM on Sunday.

For more information visit: https://stclaircountyfarmmuseum.org/

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

St. Clair County Community Mental Health will provide a virtual summit focused on how substance use affects individuals, families, and the whole community. Registration is now open for the month-long summit made up of  hour-long virtual workshops taught by a variety of experts and professionals.

Workshops are free, and they are scheduled for a variety of weekdays and daytime hours from September 1st – 30th. Social workers, medical professionals, addiction professionals, and others can receive Continuing Education Credits for attending the webinars.

Debra Johnson, Chief Executive officer for St. Clair County CMH said, ““Recovery is most sustainable and successful when we uplift individuals and strengthen our community supports. Because of the accessible format of this series, we hope to include many professionals working in the health and human service fields as well as other interested community members.”

Speakers include Dr. Janis Romanik from Sacred Heart Rehabilitation Center, St. Clair County Sheriff Mat King, and Patrick Patterson from Blue Water Recovery and Outreach Center. There will also be presentations from medical doctors, university professors, and law professionals.

To learn more, and register for the Virtual Recovery Summit, visit scccmh.org. https://www.scccmh.org/events/recovery-summit/

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

If you keep up with local news sources like EBW.tv and The Keel Port Huron, you may know WGRT’s newest local news team member. Choze (Harold) Powell joined existing team members George James and me (Jessie Wiegand) this week, and you’ll be hearing his voice reporting on our airwaves soon.

Choze Powell is the Community Correspondent for The Keel, an online magazine focused on telling stories of talent and transformation in Port Huron and St. Clair County, and he’s the owner of Phantom Pen Media, a multimedia services company best known for its photography and video productions.

As an active member of the community, Choze volunteers for the YMCA of the Blue Water Area and Bridge Builders Counseling services, two key organizations that support youth and families.

Choze currently serves on the board of the Blue Water Area Chamber of Commerce, and he received the Chamber Choice award at the 2022 Eddy Awards ceremony in May.

The WGRT Local News team seeks to inform listeners about issues affecting the local community, connect them to people, businesses, and organizations who provide community services, and share news and announcements from credible sources.

We’re excited to have Choze on our team!

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand