Local News

We reported about a month ago that the Coast Guard Cutter Bramble, which was stationed in Port Huron and served as a museum ship for many years, was on the auction block. The ship was indeed sold at an auction earlier this week in Mobile, Alabama. The highest bid was $80,000 from an unnamed bidder and the ship was listed for sale in 2018 for $1.65 million. 

During its time as a museum in Port Huron, it was used in the movie, “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice”, where it can be seen unloading a shipment of kryptonite. But unpaid bills seemed to be the Bramble’s kryptonite, as the recent owner who navigated it out of the Great Lakes and south to Alabama, was unable to pay for repairs and services to ready the boat for an intended journey through the Northwest Passage. 

The boat was seized by U.S. Marshalls after a court ruling in favor of Inchcape Shipping. The whole Bramble saga is actually part of a bigger bankruptcy, according to Business Alabama Magazine. It reported that “the vessel was in dry dock in Mobile for renovation by Epic Alabama Shipyard when repair bills became part of the uncollected assets of parent Epic Companies, a Houston maritime company that declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September.” The future of the ship is still in question, but her memories remain strong for the many former crew members and for the whole maritime community.

Reporting for WGRT, Kelsie Kaczperski.

If you went to college or you have a child in college, you have probably filled out FAFSA. Once you gather all the passwords and tax information, it’s really a pretty simple form. Still, many potential college students don’t fill it out. Governor Whitmer has announced a statewide FAFSA challenge aimed at increasing the FAFSA completion rate specifically for the high school graduating class of 2020.

FAFSA stands for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Filling it out is the first step toward getting financial aid and loans to pay for college. It is also generally required by colleges for private scholarship applications. Governor Whitmer is working with the Michigan College Access Network to try to push the FAFSA completion rate from 55.9% to 75% for outgoing high school seniors. The idea is that if the FAFSA is done, there is less likelihood of leaving potential cash on the table, like the $100 million in unspent Pell Grants that 25,000 eligible Michiganders didn’t get because they didn’t apply.

High Schools are invited to participate in the challenge with prizes ranging from student incentives and recognition to having the Governor or other dignitaries speak at their Decision Days in the spring.

Reporting for WGRT, Kelsie Kaczperski.

A long and successful career was recently celebrated at Woman’s Life Insurance Society. Edie Walters started as an administrative assistant in the Sales Department in 1984. After thirty-five years, Ms. Walters has retired as the Manager of Sales. Technology has certainly changed in the business world over the past thirty-five years, and Ms. Walters adapted with the changes. 

Chris Martin, national president, stated that “Edie has been a respected member of our Home Office team and has gained – and shared – a wealth of knowledge and experience over the years. Her ability to connect with members and agents on a personal level will be greatly missed… We wish her well as she begins this exciting new chapter in her life.” 

Woman’s Life Insurance has been a Blue Water area fixture for over a century, when a young teacher from Capac, Bina West, founded the company in the interest of giving women access to financial security. The headquarters of the life insurance company is located in their stately historic building in downtown Port Huron. We wish Edie Walters all the best in her retirement after an impressive thirty-five years.

Reporting for WGRT, Kelsie Kaczperski.

A north end Port Huron neighborhood takes their Christmas lights very seriously. The Sherman Woods neighborhood, located between Gratiot Avenue and Lake Huron, is known for its over the top light display with giant lit orbs hanging from the trees and impressive light displays on individual homeowners’ properties throughout the neighborhood. The light display has been growing and changing for many years, but this is the fourth year where the neighborhood has added “giving back” to their tradition. 

Last year, the Salvation Army received about $3,000 from the Sherman Woods placement. Donations are used to support the many programs of the Salvation Army, from Christmas deliveries of clothes, food, and toys, to summer camps, youth programs, and adult rehabilitation programs. Fred Kemp, Sherman Woods Homeowners Association president, said, “Our residents are proud of their displays and have been generous with their time and money to give back to the community.  Holiday season visitors to our neighborhood have also been generous with their contributions.” 

The Salvation Army will have a Red Kettle placed in the subdivision and the kettle will be manned by neighborhood residents. The kettle will be there for donations both this coming weekend, December 6 and 7, and the next weekend, December 13 and 14, from 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Reporting for WGRT, Kelsie Kaczperski.

The Blue Water Recovery Outreach Center Positive Impact Team is building a skating rink at Lincoln Park, on Port Huron’s south side. The team is made up of community members and people who are in recovery from substance abuse. These addiction survivors are trying to rebuild their lives by building relationships and one way to do that is through volunteering. 

The team is getting some help with the rink through partnerships with SMR Automotive, Blue Water Transit, D&M Dumpsters, and the City of Port Huron. The 100 by 100-foot ice rink will be constructed on December 22. The project was staked out earlier this week and many neighbors came out to see what was going on and were thrilled by the idea of an ice rink. There is already lighting in the park, and there is a fire hydrant nearby to make filling the rink easy. 

The Positive Impact Team was formed about a month ago and is dedicated to improving both the community and those in recovery. The team spent a few weeks getting approval from the city and collaborating with business partners to get the project started. Once the temperatures stay below freezing, as they usually do, skaters can look forward to a new place to skate outdoors.

Reporting for WGRT, Kelsie Kaczperski.

A historic event took place this week with a memorandum of understanding signed between the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe. The tribe will now manage the Sanilac Petroglyphs Historic State Park near Cass City in Sanilac County. This is the first state/tribal co-management of a state park in Michigan. DNR Director Daniel Eichinger, cosigner of the Memorandum of Understanding said that, “This partnership is a major step forward in strengthening the authentic interpretation of the Sanilac Petroglyphs site, which speaks to the connections of humankind to nature and the earth.”

The petroglyphs have been managed by the DNR since 1971. Petroglyphs are stone carvings dating back around 1400 years and are believed to be a part of a sacred site to the Anishinabe and part of the history of the Saginaw Chippewa tribe. Tribal elder, Bonnie Ekdahl, is quoted in a press release from the DNR as saying, “We know our Ancestors were thinking of us when they left the lessons in stone”. The tribe and the state are pursuing using advanced technology to record the carvings, as they are fading and weathering over time. You can check out the petroglyphs for yourself when the park is open over the summer months.

Reporting for WGRT, Kelsie Kaczperski.