Local News

According to Diving With a Purpose, a national non-profit, a memorial is being dedicated to five Tuskegee Airmen who perished in accidents in the Port Huron area in the 1940s. During the middle years of World War II, Michigan served as an advanced training ground for many graduates of the famous all-African-American Tuskegee pilot training program. In recent years, the wreckages from two Tuskegee Airmen’s aircraft were discovered in the Michigan area. One wreck was located in Lake Huron and the other in St. Clair River.

In August 2015, a dive team consisting of volunteers from Diving with a Purpose and maritime archaeologists from NOAA mapped the site and wreckage of one of the pilot’s accidents, identifying his plane from pieces still intact from his instrument panel. Recently, DWP and NOAA recovered artifacts from the site for a memorial exhibition in the National Tuskegee Airmen Museum in Detroit. The group is now raising money through the Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Campaign to fund the design and installation of a memorial in Port Huron, culminating in an unveiling ceremony in the Flag Plaza along the St Clair River in Port Huron during the summer of 2020. Local groups including the Community Foundation of St. Clair County and DTE have contributed to the project. As of July, the fundraising efforts were at a halfway point.

This Sunday, many will head to the waters of the St. Clair River for the annual Float Down.  The U.S. Coast Guard has closed a portion of the St. Clair River to vessel traffic between Lighthouse Beach in Port Huron to Veteran’s Memorial Park in Marysville.  That stretch will be closed from 12 noon to 8 p.m. While the event is not sanctioned, local first responders are working hard to maximize participant safety.

The Coast Guard is asking participants to consider filing a float plan with someone who is not floating in the event.  A float plan tells officials your intentions in the event you do not check-in when expected. There is also an app available on the U.S. Coast Guard Detroit Sector Facebook page where participants can electronically file a float plan with the Coast Guard. Those in the Float Down are reminded by officials to have their ID and phone in waterproof storage and dress appropriately for the weather. Temperatures are expected to be in the 70s on Sunday, but it is still important to stay hydrated during the event. 

Flying into and out of St. Clair County is going to be on hold for a short time. Improvements and upgrades to the airport have been made in phases over the last few months, and the St. Clair County Airport will be closed for the next 10 days, according to Airport Director Kathy Reaume.  The closure is part of a 4.6 million dollar federal grant designated to renovating the runways. Reaume said she “is very pleased with the work being done so far, and that they are currently ahead of schedule.”  In addition to new asphalt on all of the surfaces, new electrical and lighting will be installed as well. Reaume also stated that the current complete closure is a result of construction on a cross-section of the two runways.  The airport is set to reopen on August 26th at 7 a.m. The airport services approximately 32,000 flights every year.  

St. Clair County Sheriff, Tim Donnellon, is concerned about the dangers involved in this year’s float down. With water levels at record highs, Donnellon wants floaters to know that this isn’t the same river they’ve floated in past years. What’s the big change? The current. With water levels so high, the current is much stronger, and those who make a choice to float without a paddle or a life jacket will not be prepared to deal with the power of the river. Many people take for granted that first responders will be out in full force during the float down, but Donnellon reminds us that the river can claim someone’s life in minutes, and the disorganization of the event prevents first responders from being able to quickly identify those in trouble.

If you’ve decided this event is worth the risk, Sheriff Donnellon urges common sense: wear a properly fitted life jacket, take a paddle, be prepared with water and sunscreen, and make sure all children keep their life jackets on. All minors are required to wear life jackets at all times, and those who don’t will be removed from the water along with their entire party. There are plenty of ways to enjoy the water safely, so make good choices to protect yourself, your friends, and your family this Sunday.

The Blue Water Area Fallen Heroes Community Banner Program was introduced by members of the St. Clair County Allied Veterans Council, the St. Clair County Department of Veteran Affairs, and a student leadership class project from Croswell – Lexington High School as a way to honor the community’s military heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice to their country. St. Clair County has over 550 service members who have died in service to their country from World War I to the current War on Terror.

The Community Banners will feature the fallen heroes’ photograph, rank, name, branch of service, war conflict, age, and city in which they resided.  The St. Clair County Veterans Council is reporting that they have scanned 197 images of the 568 St Clair County GI’s who died while in service. The group is asking that the community continue to help find family and friends of those lost to complete the project. Right now, the focus is on finding individuals who served from Vietnam to the present. The project is at no cost to family members, and a full list of those the group is currently trying to find can be found on the St. Clair County Veterans Council’s Facebook page.  

The National Recreation and Park Association along with the Walmart Foundation have been opening up new opportunities for healthy living and eating across the country. A recent grant from the organizations made way for a new and innovative program at Palmer Park this summer. Beginning in June and running through the end of August, Grow Buddies is bringing together adults and kids of all ages over gardening, healthy food, and nutrition.

The program offers fun ways to introduce healthy eating habits and learn about gardening while having fun outside with “old” and “new” friends. Grow Buddies pairs seniors with kids attending Camp Palmer to create innovative raised bed gardens in the recently developed Sprout City playground. According to Kim Harmer who works with special projects at Palmer Park, “One of the reasons (they) started this is because some seniors who were coming in for the lunch program were arriving early. Staff observed that the seniors  were interested in the kids’ camp activities which prompted the park staff to create this unique program.” Activities through the program include gardening, harvesting, taste-testing and more, which Harmer says, has “inspired many kids to try new things and discover healthy foods and snacks.”