Local News

Because we live in this beautiful Blue Water Area we tend to take for granted the massive ships that pass through on a daily basis.  The first settlers in our area saw boat traffic as well, but the ships were a little different than those that pass by today. They still had the same function of transporting goods and raw materials around the Great Lakes Region, but their beauty and craftsmanship are timeless.

We know them simply as “Tall Ships”,  and they sailed through our area recently enroute to the Tall Ship Celebration being held in Bay City from July 18th through the 21st. These are reproductions of ships that sailed in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s. Bay City is a host port for the TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE®, a series of races and rallies organized by Tall Ships America. If you want to see the ships a little closer to home, they’ll head back this way August 9-11 for a tall ships celebration right across the international border in Sarnia.

This highly-anticipated Blue Water Fest kicks off tonight with the Rotary Parade at 6:30 p.m. Tomorrow is Family Night produced by Operation Transformation and later there will be Fireworks at Desmond Landing. Friday will see many different events like Silent Disco, Mannequins Making a Difference, The “Taking it to the Streets” fashion show, Boat Day Yoga by Port Huron Yoga, and so much more. 

From the Huron Stage to the Quay Street Zebra Bar Lot to the Bell’s Oasis Tent Stage, live music will be playing Thursday and Friday. Of course, don’t forget to stroll along the Black River and check out the boats that will be racing on Saturday in the 2019 Bell’s Beer Bayview Mackinac Race. Speaking of Saturday, don’t forget to have Breakfast Dockside presented by the Blue Water Kiwanis Club and Chemical Bank.  It is being held from 6:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the bank’s downtown location on the river. Festival admission is FREE to the general public. For more information and the musical lineup visit thebluewaterfest.com.

The studio was bursting with activity when we had a visit from a group of 4-H Ambassadors. This group of kids and teens shared their favorite things about the fair and got us all excited about what we could experience at the St. Clair County 4-H & Youth Fair at the Goodells County Fairgrounds this week. Whether you go for the food, the animals, or the action in the Rimrock Crater, the fair really has something for everyone. Enjoy listening as the kids tell us all about it:

It was a weekend of emotional highs and lows in St. Clair. The Sheriff’s Office has been searching, since Friday evening for 21-year-old East China man and St. Clair High School graduate Riley Gleason. The Sheriff’s Office released information yesterday that shed light on what possibly lead to the tragic event. They say Gleason was on a boat behind the St. Clair Inn when he jumped into the river.  Two friends who were with Gleason said that he immediately began calling for help. One of the friends said he threw a rope and then a flotation device to Gleason, but neither worked. He then jumped into the water and was able to grab Gleason. However, Gleason eventually slipped from his grasp and went underwater.

Deputies from the Sheriff’s Office Marine Division and a St. Clair Fire Department boat were called to the area shortly before 9:00 Friday. The Sheriff’s Office Dive Team was dispatched shortly after. Rescue operations continued through yesterday evening. In the wake of this terribly unfortunate event, the community has come together in many ways. Sunday morning a prayer vigil was held at the boardwalk and now a Meal Train along with a donation site have been set up to assist the family in this difficult time. 

Beginning Wednesday, July 17, 2019, the City of Port Huron will be making improvements to 13th Street between Water Street and Lapeer Avenue.  These improvements will include new asphalt pavement, concrete curb and gutter, sidewalks and drive approaches and water main replacement.  This project will be partially funded with a federal grant and the voter-approved street millage funds.

13th Street will be closed to thru traffic until approximately the middle of November.  Please follow the posted detour utilizing Water Street, 17th Street, 16th Street, and Lapeer Avenue. If there are any further questions regarding this matter, please contact the Department of Public Works.

With the weather heating up in the Blue Water Area we may see more Ozone Action Days.  The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality is the agency that determines what constitutes an Ozone Action Day.  Officials at the Michigan DEQ take into account several different factors when determining the severity and nature of an ozone action day. Specific parameters play a significant role: solar insolation, cloud cover, temperature, wind speed and direction, and the presence or absence of precipitation.

Emission factors also contribute. Emissions, though, are not measured on a continuous basis as ambient ozone monitor concentrations are. Emission information is taken into consideration upon general knowledge and historical data.  Some activities that affect emission data are refueling or topping off vehicles, using gas-powered lawn equipment, and even using charcoal lighter fluid. Activities that can have a positive impact on air quality are carpooling, biking to work, delaying or combining errands, and using water-based paints. For further information visit deqmiair.org