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

Local News

Day-trip to Dow Gardens Wows Nature-lovers

It’s easy to feel like an inferior gardener when exploring the Dow Gardens, but few hobby gardeners can compete with the world-class gardens at the massive garden located in Midland, Michigan. Even the street on the way to the garden is lined with thousands of flowers.

Dow Gardens are about a two-hour drive from the Blue Water Area and it is a favorite destination for those looking to get out in nature and maybe get some inspiration for their own backyards. The Garden is currently hosting the Garden of Glass exhibit, which is the work of Michigan artist Craig Mitchell Smith, and features large glass flowers placed throughout the grounds.

The main attraction at Dow Gardens is the Canopy Walk which soars 40 feet about the forest floor and extends for 1400 feet. Kids of all ages can explore the different levels of the canopy with many opportunities for climbing and hanging out in a net suspended above the red pine forest.

Admission is $10 for adults and $2 for kids. The Gardens are open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and are closed on Mondays. They are open year-round and have programs for each season of the year. If you go, you will want to bring comfortable walking shoes. The entire Dow Gardens, including the canopy walk, is wheelchair accessible.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Be Careful Around American Dagger Moth Caterpillars

It is the season for beautiful caterpillars to be crawling around local yards. While most are harmless, both adults and children should be warned of the possibility of getting an itchy rash from touching a certain caterpillar that has been spotted in the Blue Water Area.

The American Dagger Moth caterpillar is a beautiful yellow caterpillar with long black hairs sticking out. It’s definitely the kind of natural wonder that a young child would want to pick up and show to Mom and Dad. 

The caterpillar’s natural defense mechanism is to poison with toxins on its hairs. The dagger-like hairs can inject poison into the skin of someone who touches them. A fallen hair from the caterpillar can even cause a problem.

The reaction to the caterpillar’s toxins can include a stinging sensation that ends up as an itchy rash. There is rarely any long-term problem, and anti-itch ointments generally suffice for symptom control, but a sting can quickly ruin a nature walk or a gardening project.

Children should be warned not to touch the caterpillars and anyone moving the caterpillars should wear gloves.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

9/11 Remembrance Ceremony Planned for Saturday

It’s been almost 20 years since Americans were frozen in front of their television screens watching terrorist attacks unfold in New York City, Washington D.C., and Pennsylvania. This Saturday, the community will remember the lives lost with a 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony at the International Flag Plaza.

The ceremony will begin at 9 AM on September 11, 2021 at the Plaza located on Thomas Edison Parkway just north of the Blue Water Bridges, and it features law enforcement officers, firefighters, E.M.T.s, and community leaders who wish to memorialize those who gave their lives to help others.

In the case of inclement weather, the ceremony will take place in the public meeting room of the Municipal Office Center in Port Huron.

In order to educate the next generation of Americans about the events of 9/11, the National September 11 Memorial and Museum in New York City in partnership with New York Life Foundation is offering access to a free webinar for students on their website.

Educators and community organizations can register for the on-demand webinar which will include first-person accounts of the attacks and their aftermath along with a live-chat with Museum staff – many of whom are survivors.

To register for the webinar, visit the museum’s website here:

https://www.911memorial.org/learn/students-and-teachers/anniversary-schools-webinar

Photo by Jessie Wiegand: National 9/11 Museum and Memorial - New York City
Photo by Jessie Wiegand: National 9/11 Museum and Memorial – New York City

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

 

Gov. Whitmer Calls on Legislature to Protect the Constitutional Right to Choice

Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer called on the state legislature to pass legislation repealing Michigan’s 1930s law criminalizing abortion, which is currently not in effect because of the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade. Repealing the law would ensure that the right to choose, which is supported by a significant majority of Michiganders, remains a right in Michigan, even in the face of continued, relentless attacks on Roe v. Wade.

“Recently, Texas passed a new, extreme anti-choice law that puts people’s lives at risk, and threatens healthcare workers. The insidious law essentially bans abortions, even in cases of rape or incest, and allows strangers to sue medical professionals or anyone who helps women get the comprehensive healthcare they need. It is a gross violation of the constitutional right to choose, and the Court’s decision to allow it to stay in place sets the United States on a dangerous path towards overturning Roe v. Wade.

“Unfortunately, there are more cases based on equally extreme state laws awaiting action in the Supreme Court that would completely overturn Roe v. Wade. If the court’s decision in the Texas case is any indication, a majority of justices are willing to throw out the constitutional right to choose that has been in place for 48 years and repeatedly upheld for decades.

“In Michigan today, abortion is safe and legal, but we have an arcane law on the books from the 1930s banning abortion and criminalizing healthcare providers who offer comprehensive care and essential reproductive services. Thankfully, that dangerous, outdated law is superseded by Roe v. Wade, but, if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe, that Michigan law and others like it may go back into effect in dozens of states, disproportionately impacting Black and brown communities.

“I call on the legislature to send Senator Erika Geiss’ bill that repeals our nearly-century-old ban on abortion to my desk. I have always stood with those fighting for their right to choose, and I will not stop now. I will stand in the way of any bills that seek to strip away fundamental rights from women or get in the way of doctors’ ability to do their jobs.”

Submitted by Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s Office

DTE Plans to Spend Big to Trim Trees, Prevent Future Outages

After pressure from the Governor and Attorney General, utility providers are reaching out to customers to let them know that they are working on preventing lengthy power outages due to storms.

Weather-related electricity outages have been common recently and the length of the outages has been deemed unacceptable by government officials.

DTE contacted customers last week to let them know that the electricity provider is making some changes to try to get the grid under control. Trees are a big part of the problem, so tree trimming is at the forefront of the effort right now.

In the emailed letter to customers, Jerry Norcia, President and Chief Executive Officer of DTE Energy, said, “As we look at our data from this past nine weeks, we can see that trees are responsible for nearly all the time many of you have spent without power during the extreme weather events of this summer. Our electric service area experienced five tornadoes and eight storms with tropical force wind gusts of 39 to 74 miles per hour.”

DTE is spending $70 million over the next year to increase tree trimming projects and increase its tree trimming workforce by 30%.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Signup is Open for Fall Port Huron Rec Programs

Who’s ready for fall? The Port Huron Recreation Department is. Registration is underway for fall programs.

Nobody makes the most of partnerships like the Rec Department and this fall is no exception. They are partnering with the Friends of the St. Clair River to bring a Tree Trackers class to Sanborn Woods. The free class is for all ages.

They are also partnering with the St. Clair County Genealogy and History Society to host a guided tour of Lakeside Cemetery to hear the stories of prominent citizens who are buried there.

The Athletic Factory is partnering for a Bitty Basketball series for 1st and 2nd graders to be held at their gym on 10th Street in Port Huron, and the YMCA is partnering for the “Y on the Fly” programs.

Old favorites like Little Ninjas Karate, Fencing, Yoga, Dance and many others are also on the schedule. There is a full roster of art classes for a variety of ages and special events like the Halloween Stroll and the 5K Law Enforcement Torch Run.

https://d721f890-20f6-4799-98ef-6e373ba52f19.filesusr.com/ugd/fc6623_11761f0eaf5d4dc690e2fbce5caeb3e2.pdf

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland