Local News

Saturday, October 5th is the last day to get your ticket for the Port Huron Sports Hall of Fame 43rd annual induction banquet. Three former Port Huron Northern Huskies along with the 1990-1991 boys basketball team will be inducted, along with three former Port Huron High School Students.  

The Huskies inductees include Jim Burnell who will be recognized for his athletic accomplishments, Adam King who is being awarded for achievements in track, and Rodney Shaw who will be recognized for his accomplishments in wrestling, football, and track.  Port Huron High School will be represented by Kristie Berry Lashbrook who played softball, Adam Roach a former track athlete, and Troy Burrell, a former football player. The Port Huron Sports Hall of Fame honors the lives and achievements of Port Huron’s finest athletes, coaches, teams, and others.  The event will be held at the SC4 fieldhouse on October 12th. Tickets can be purchased through the McMorran box office.

Have you ever wondered why the chrysanthemum, or mum as it is traditionally called, is most popular in the fall? Chrysanthemums are a photoperiodic, flower which means they bloom in response to shorter days and longer nights.  The Northern Hemisphere provides the perfect climate for the flowering plant.  

It was first introduced to the Western world in 1753.  The name chrysanthemums comes from combining the word chrysos, meaning gold, with anthemon, meaning flower.  Of course, many have shortened the name to just “mums”.  

Michael Murphy, owner of Christopher’s Flowers in Port Huron said, mums are most popular this time of year, “because the warm days and cooler nights make the perfect storm for them to grow well.”  He also added that “they are bright, and bring a lot of color to the fall.” He also explained that there are some “hearty mums” that may come up year after year after planting, but he cautioned that particular variety is getting costly, and harder to find.

The St. Clair County Community College (SC4) Board of Trustees will fill a vacancy on the board at a special meeting on October 8th at the college. The seat was left vacant after board member John Adair resigned on September 13th. In his resignation letter, Adair cited his personal life and professional responsibilities as reasons for his departure from the board.

The deadline to apply to fill the vacant seat was September 30th, and the board received 13 applications. The individual that fills the vacancy will serve until the end of what would have been Adair’s term, December 31, 2020. Board Chair Dr. Nicholas J. DeGrazia said, “he is confident that the board will find a person that will help shape the long-term vision of the college and maximize the college’s impact on the community.” A full list of candidate names can be found on the college’s website.

The company responsible for the management of the Blue Water Convention Center has changed. The 40,000 square foot convention center, opened in 2015 at a cost of $9 million, and  SMG had been the venue management company that operated the Blue Water Convention Center since its opening. This week however, SMG merged with AEG, a facilities management company, to form ASM Global.

The new company, ASM Global, is headquartered in Los Angeles and has offices worldwide. ASM Global has over 61,000 employees and operates over 300 different venues around the world. Bob Newman, President and CEO of ASM, said the merger, “marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter in the industry and one that will establish a new standard of excellence in managing live experiences.”

Manufacturing Day is an annual event celebrated nationally on the first Friday in October. The event is designed to encourage companies to open their doors to students, teachers, and others to show them the realities of a modern manufacturing plant, and the careers associated with that business. 

St. Clair County RESA is in its fifth year of sponsoring the national event in St. Clair County. RESA will be bussing 1800 sophomores from the seven St. Clair County school districts to 15 local manufacturers over a six-day period. The students will learn about the company they visit and watch some of the work as it takes place. They will also have a chance to talk with employees at the companies about their careers. Associate Director of Education Services at RESA, Rachel Verschaeve said, “[it’s] a chance to break down some of the stereotypes that people may have about today’s manufacturers.” Manufacturing Day is part of RESA’s “Design 4 the Future” initiative which looks to make sure every high school senior has a plan for life after high school is complete.

Reporting for WGRT – EBWtv

Are you looking for an artful way to spend your Friday? This Friday, the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) in Port Huron will host the annual fall Art Hop. The event, which takes place twice a year, was originally a creation of the Blue Water Young Professionals. The DDA is now responsible for Art Hop which is a celebration of the arts. It will be from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in downtown Port Huron. 

Art Hop is a night of art, music, food, fun, and community. As participants walk along the sidewalks in downtown Port Huron various art will be displayed in and around the local businesses. Spa 223 owner Christina Ward said, “Art Hop is a lot of fun and creates a nice synergy with businesses and the art community.” Her business will be featuring Dan Barthel this year. Ward said “Barthel is a photography artist, who also happens to be Spa 223’s UPS driver. 

Reporting for WGRT – EBWtv