Local News

The Blue Water Area has a lot for which to be thankful. This year, area churches will be collaborating to hold a Community Thanksgiving Service at the newly renovated St. Clair Inn on Riverside Drive in St. Clair. 

The service is free and the public is welcome. The one-hour long service begins at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 26. The format of the service is worship, reflection, and praise. The community service will include participation from eight area churches 

This service is a product of the work done by Blue Water Area Churches, which is a group of over 50 churches in the area whose purpose, they say, is to “connect, serve, and collaborate in the name of Christ.” If you need more information about the Community Thanksgiving Service, visit optrans.org for more information.

Donovan McDonald, a freshman at Croswell-Lexington High School, has been selected to represent the USA in the United World Games 2020 in Italy, Austria and Germany. At just 14 years old, McDonald will be one of the first in the area to compete at this event. The international sporting competition is set to be held in Austria in June of 2020. 

McDonald, a basketball player, will prepare for the competition by playing Junior Varsity (JV) basketball at Cros-Lex this season. He also plays year-round through different AAU programs. Donovan has aspirations of playing at the college level and is currently listed as the only Michigan player on the roster at this time.  

Student-athletes are chosen for the team based on a combination of their athletic ability as well as their academics, leadership ability, and character. The trip includes not only the international sport competition but also sightseeing and opportunities for personal growth and leadership development through international travel.

As the US ramps up its domestic manufacturing operations, a skilled labor force is in demand. That holds true for an Algonac manufacturer who will soon be holding two job fairs in hopes of filling many open positions. Eckhart is looking for more workers to join their team that manufactures products to assist other manufacturers with their assembly lines and also provides engineering services for a variety of industries,

Eckhart is holding job fairs on December 2nd at the Underground Business Incubator in the lower level of Port Huron’s Sperry’s building as well as December 7th at the Eckhart-Algonac location. Eckhart is looking for fixture builders, CNC machinists and programmers, welders, operators, machinists, and workers for the shipping and receiving department. Eckhart says they are on the cutting edge of manufacturing technology using automation, robotics, 3D printing, and engineering for companies like Stryker Medical, Tesla, John Deere and Boeing. 

The educational requirements range from a high school or associates degree and some vocational training to a four-year degree and technical training, with starting bonuses offered for some positions.

As the holiday season approaches, lives get busier and some daily tasks get pushed to the back burner. More specifically, laundry. We all watch that pile get bigger and lose the time to wash or put them away. Thankfully, lifestyle and motherhood blogger, Jessie Roberts, has the creative solution to solve your untidy laundry this season. 

When going out of town for the holidays or when you simply can’t find the time, all you need is a pile of clothes and a Christmas star. The blogger showcased her solution in a picture on Instagram last year, but it has recently gone viral after she reposted her festive fun. 

The mother of three and her family were heading out for some holiday travels when her husband reminded her of a mountain of laundry that needed to be done. Instead, Roberts molded the pile of clothes into a tree and placed a sparkling red star on top. Impressed with her work, Roberts admitted that she left it up for two weeks. 

So, if you’re worried about not getting your laundry done this Christmas, no worries. We all have to improvise every now and then! 

Adapted from the Today Show’s “See why one Australian mom’s unique Christmas tree went viral” by Terri Peters

Constantly throwing out plastic bags? Instead of throwing them out, why not donate them to those in need. 

For the past year and a half, Mats That Matter has helped to support those who may be less fortunate with mats made from your typical grocery bag. These mats are water resistant, bug proof, and provide insulating properties. 

ebw.tv had the chance to get the inside scoop with Nancy Klemmer, Co-Organizer of Mats That Matter. Nancy explained in the interview that they have been able to give out roughly 230 mats and that each mat uses about 700 plastic bags. 

Working with Colonial Woods, Mats that Matter could use all the help they can get. Although it is an easy process, it is quite time consuming. All skill levels are welcome to come and volunteer to help cut bags while meeting new people and helping support the community. 

If you’re looking to donate plastic bags, you can drop them off at the Council on Aging. Learn more in this feature.

The Port Huron Old Newsboys have been providing essentials like shoes, socks, and underwear to local children since 1927 and have no intention of stopping anytime soon. They survive solely on donations and volunteer service. You may recall seeing the Old Newsboys, their name coming from their status as newspaper carriers in their youth, standing on street corners to collect donations around this time of year. 

As the times have changed, so have the Old Newsboys. While they will no longer be standing at stoplights and street corners, they are definitely still running their campaign. As technology changes and print newspapers are fading away, the Old Newsboys have adapted as well. Donations can now be made online and at collection locations throughout the Blue Water Area, such as Eastern Michigan Bank and Power’s Diner.

The full list is on their facebook page. Families receive vouchers from the Old Newsboys which they take to the Fort Gratiot Meijer store to pick out their new items. The Old Newsboys are hoping to raise $70,000, 98.5% of which they report goes toward those essential shoes, boots, socks, and undergarments for local children.

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.