Local News

Port Huron’s paper mill is running again — and it’s bringing new jobs and momentum to the Blue Water Area. Legacy Port Huron Paper officially relaunched last week at the old Domtar site, with Governor Gretchen Whitmer joining local leaders to mark the comeback. A $24.5 million private investment and state support helped restart operations. The BMI Group plans to share the site’s steam and power systems among multiple businesses. About 40 workers are back on the job now, and that number could reach 200 by ’28 as production expands.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

As Michigan gears up for boating season, marina workers and boat owners are stripping away winter plastic wrap — but it doesn’t have to end up in the trash. The Michigan Recycling Coalition’s Recycle Run program is back, collecting boat shrink wrap statewide to turn it into new materials like composite decking. Registration is now open at michiganrecycles.org. Communities that gather at least 15 bags qualify for free pickup starting June 1st. Last year, Michigan boaters kept over 120,000 pounds of plastic out of landfills through the effort.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

St. Clair County Community College has tapped longtime Skippers alum Dion Cox as the new head coach for women’s basketball. Cox, who spent over 10 years assisting the men’s program and once played for SC4 himself, now takes the reins of a team he knows inside and out. College leaders say Cox’s deep ties to the community and commitment to student success made him the perfect choice. The Port Huron native says he’s excited to shape a winning culture while helping players grow both on and off the court.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

Sarnia’s new zoning draft could make supportive housing far harder to build, even as demand keeps rising. The issue is parking rules that may force projects into council hearings, where several housing plans have already been delayed, cut back, or turned down. City data and recent projects show the pattern clearly. A 50-unit George Street supportive housing proposal was scaled down, then rejected, and now heads to the Ontario Land Tribunal in May. More than 900 households needing affordable housing, plus hundreds more facing homelessness.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

Hundreds of local students turned the Port Huron Museum into a colorful showcase on April 10th. The museum unveiled “One District, Many Voices,” a collection of 280 artworks by kindergarten through 12th graders from Port Huron schools. From paper mache to portraits, the pieces fill the Carnegie Museum through April 26. Art teacher Courtney Werden helped fund and organize the event with the Port Huron Schools Endowment Fund, calling it a rare K‑12 celebration. A Highlight include a first grader’s hibernating hedgehog.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

Two ATV riders from Cass City were hurt Saturday evening in a crash at North Van Dyke and Seeger Roads in Greenleaf Township, just north of Sandusky. Deputies say the pair, ages 63 and 62, tried turning left and failed to yield to a northbound Volkswagen driven by a Wisconsin man. The ATV riders were thrown from their vehicle and taken to Covenant Hospital in Saginaw with non‑life‑threatening injuries. The driver of the car wasn’t hurt. Alcohol may have played a role, and neither ATV rider wore a helmet.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet