Local News

The Port Huron Police Department has some good news to report this week.  They welcome Cadet Allison Groff to their department. Cadet Groff has been through the PHPD Explorer program and is a two-time graduate of the PHPD Youth Academy.  She was also recently awarded the Emily Knox Memorial Law Enforcement Scholarship.

The Port Huron Police Department also wants to encourage residents to help them fill a patrol vehicle this Saturday with food at Kroger on Krafft Road.  The food drive is called Zero Hunger Emergency Food Drive. It will be on July 27th from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the north end Kroger. The Port Huron Police along with Entercom Radio and Kroger asks citizens to help make a difference by donating non-perishable food items to children in need this summer.

More road work has commenced in Port Huron, as Michigan Avenue North of Quay Street is being replaced with new underground service including a new sanitary sewer line, new sidewalks, and a new roadway.  Michigan Street will be closed from Quay to McMorran, and access to the Quay Street lot will only be available from the Fort Street entrance. Jeff Payton, owner of the Vintage Tavern said, “the construction is happening right at the Vintage main entrance, ” but he also noted that the Vintage will remain open during road construction. The iconic restaurant used an aging sanitary sewer that traveled westward toward Huron Avenue as it exited the building. Payton says the work being done will ensure a more serviceable sewer leading from the Vintage and other businesses in the vicinity.  Port Huron City Manager James Freed expects the project to wrap up sometime in mid to late September.

St. Clair Riverfest presented by McLaren Port Huron happens this weekend in downtown St. Clair.  The River Classic Offshore Powerboat Races are the biggest part of Riverfest and will take place on Sunday.  Boats are expected to run throughout the weekend as they familiarize themselves with the course and do some fine-tuning.  The Powerboats race in different classes as part of the Great Lakes Silver Cup Series and the Offshore Super Series. As anyone who has been down there in past years can tell you, those boats are a sight and sound to behold. 

There are hospitality tents, family-friendly activities, and more. On Friday, The Spin Doctors will perform, and Blue Oyster Cult will perform on Saturday. They are giving away complimentary VIP tickets to each of the shows, and the drawing ends on July 25th.  To enter, head to the St. Clair Riverfest Facebook page. 

This weekend is the Yale Bologna Festival.  The event is in its 31st year, and it really has something for everyone.  From the crowning of the Bologna King and Queen to outhouse races to live music, there is going to be a lot to take in. The event starts on Friday and will run until Sunday afternoon. 

T.J. Minnie began selling bologna in 1906 from a small store on Main Street in Yale. C. Roy Inc. has carried on that tradition for many years, and C. Roy’s is still run by the Roy family.  The Yale Chamber of Commerce expects at least 20,000 people to attend this year’s event. Festival-goers can look forward to Fireworks on Friday night and the Big Bologna Parade on Saturday.  Visit the Yale Chamber of Commerce website for a complete schedule of events.

Cirque Italia is a traveling, animal-free, Water Circus, and it’s coming to Birchwood Mall August 1-4th! Are you wondering what a Water Circus is? It’s a modern twist on a classic show, and it takes entertainment to a whole new level! Water, technology, and performing arts are mixed up under a big-top tent to create a one-of-a-kind-show. There is an ultra-modern water curtain that controls every drop of water meticulously to create beautiful patterns and words as the water falls to the lagoon below. This is the backdrop for high-flying performers and some of the best circus artists from around the globe.

You can get your tickets to Cirque Italia by visiting their website or Facebook pages. The box office will also be open on-site at Birchwood mall on Tuesday, July 30th & Wednesday the 31st from 10 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. When the shows start on August 1st, the box office will be open from 10:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. Listen to WGRT 102.3 FM during the week of July 22nd, and keep an eye on our Facebook page too. We will be giving away tickets to several of our listeners!

The City of Port Huron expects to be saving some money pretty soon.  Port Huron City Manager James Freed informed city council members about some savings they can expect from refinancing bonds that funded the multi-year sewer separation project in Port Huron. The City estimated that they would have a new rate of around 3.15% when they refinanced.  The City received seven bids from banks looking to refinance those 2007 Sewer bonds.  Key Bank returned a bid of 2.58%. The result was significantly greater savings than anticipated.  The city will save a total of $338,091 by refinancing which is $135,786 more savings than they hoped for.