The Blue Water Area Robotics Alliance, Algonac High School’s  91st ranked Team 5860, the Full Metal Muskrats, will join Port Huron and Port Huron Northern’s Team 3667, the Mecanum Knights and Richmond High School’s Team 4130, the Blue Devils, at the FRC World Championship April 24-27, 2019, at Cobo Hall in Detroit.  Michigan is allotted space for its Hall of Fame team members and an additional 80 teams at the World Championship. Those 80 are determined by the 80 teams with the highest number of ranking points (the FIRST  measure of success), for a total of 90 spots at Worlds. Ranking points are earned throughout competition play and by winning awards at an event. Advancing to the World Championship at Cobo Hall are:

Team 3667, Port Huron and Port Huron Northern high schools’ Mecanum Knights
Team 4130, Richmond High School’s Blue Devils
Team 5860, Algonac High School’s Full Metal Muskrats

BWARA Teams competing at other FIRST levels at the World Championship in Detroit are:

Team 15222, Algonac Moon Muskrats, FIRST Lego League, Jr.
Team 17377, Memphis Bee Coders, FIRST Lego League, Jr.
Team 9819, Algonac RoboRats, FIRST Tech Challenge
Team 8845, Wild Bees, FIRST Tech Challenge

The Blue Water Sportfishing Association will be holding their annual Salmon Stakes Fishing Tournament on Saturday, April 27, 2019 from 6:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the Voyageur Restaurant in St. Clair, Michigan.  The fishing tournament begins at 6:00 AM with weigh-in beginning from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM.  All proceeds will benefit Quota Club of Port Huron, a non-profit since 1952, whose primary focus is to serve the deaf, hearing and speech impaired, as well as, disadvantaged families in St. Clair County.  According to Jeanne Wilson of the Quota Club, this is group’s largest fundraising event.  Wilson says family events will be available from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM, including a fishing pond for the kids; raffles and 50/50 drawing for grown-ups and other family-friendly activities.   Sponsorships are still available, and if you would like more information contact  Jeanne Wilson at (810) 385-4743, flipperagain@att.net or Traci Cedar at (810) 479-7637, tcedar3@gmail.com.

The City of Port Huron has entered into a Consent Judgement with the Days Inn that has been approved.  The Judgement calls for a transformation in the business practices of the Days Inn and calls for significant investment into the property. According to Port Huron City Manager James Freed, failure to comply with this agreement could result in the Hotel closing for up to a year.  Freed said the city’s goal was simple.  He stated “our community will not tolerate this type of establishment harboring and enabling criminal activity, and this needs to change. We believe this agreement, if properly executed can achieve that goal.”  In February of this year, the City filed a Verified Complaint against Port Huron Nights, Inc., the owner of the Days Inn Hotel in Port Huron located on Pine Grove Avenue, just north of the Blue Water Bridge. In the complaint the inn was described as a public nuisance which is  defined as a building or place that is “used for the unlawful manufacture, transporting, sale, keeping for sale, bartering, or furnishing of a controlled substance”  and also, the building itself was found to pose serious fire hazards.

A lynx that was captured last month in the Thumb area has been released in the Upper Peninsula.  The lynx was captured on a farm in the area of Ruth and Harbor Beach in March.  There had been reports of the animal feeding on domesticated geese, and was captured by an Applegate trapper.  Once captured, it was taken to Howell nature Center in Livingston County and was later transported to the Detroit Zoological Society.  At one point, it was discussed that the lynx would remain in a zoo or nature center.  DNR reports stated the animal had been behaving oddly and was easily approachable.  The female lynx was found to be less than a year old, weighed 18 pounds and was measured at more than four feet long.  It was treated for parasites, dehydration and a foot wound according to authorities at the DNR.  Canada lynx are classified as a threatened species under the endangered species act and fall under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  The animal was released in a remote area of Schoolcraft County, where, according to a news release, there is a large swath of public land with little human development.

As the sun goes down and the day ends, a luminous view is presented to the traveler who ventures out after dark. Michigan skies are home to one of the greatest star shows in the United States, and the new Pure Michigan commercial “Dark Sky” offers viewers a glimpse into these stunning celestial displays. The spot debuted April 5 and will continue to appear in cinemas and on national cable channels across the Midwest through mid-May.  Dark Sky is reinforcing the state of Michigan as a premier travel destination, even after dark. Aimed at elevating awareness of Michigan as a destination for stargazing and viewing of celestial events such as the Northern Lights, the new commercial reaches both young adventurer travelers and families, inspiring them to seek yet another dimension of Michigan’s natural beauty – the night sky.    “Our state offers Michiganders and travelers from across the country a stargazing experience that is unmatched,” said Dave Lorenz, vice president of Travel Michigan, a division of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the state’s official agency for promotion of tourism. “Michigan, and the Upper Peninsula in particular, offers optimal night sky viewing conditions and the best opportunity for sky tourists to view the Milky Way, the aurora borealis and more in their purest form.”  Authorities say Dark Sky will air before the start of PG and PG-13 movies playing in 261 cinemas across 2,021 screens in Michigan as well as Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Minnesota and Wisconsin. It is also showing on 12 cable channels nationally.  As part of the Dark Sky campaign, Pure Michigan is partnering with The Weather Channel to promote coverage of live meteorological events including the Aquarids Meteor Shower and the Full Strawberry Moon. In addition, Pure Michigan is continuing its successful partnership withOutside Online to highlight Michigan’s night skies. Custom content promoting the campaign will also be delivered to users via Spotify overlay advertisements. Residents and visitors travelling Michigan highways can soon expect to see digital billboards showcasing the Dark Sky messaging, offering brilliant views of Michigan’s skyscapes.  As home to state-designated Dark Sky Preserves located within six state parks, Michigan offers ample opportunity for stargazing. Dark Sky Preserves are protected against outdoor lighting fixtures and limit the use of lights by park-goers, ensuring little to no interference for the viewing of celestial happenings for years to come. In addition, Headlands International Dark Sky Park in Mackinaw City is the only internationally designated preserve in the state and provides an exceptional environment for viewing night sky wonders.  For more information on the Dark Sky campaign, to find dark sky locations and to learn inside secrets for optimal stargazing, visit the Dark Sky landing page.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer has proclaimed April as “Sexual Assault Awareness Month” in Michigan to draw attention to the widespread impact of sexual violence. Statistics indicate that in the U.S., 1 in 6 women and one 1 in 33 men have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime. Rape and other crimes of sexual violence have a devastating impact on the lives of victims and their communities. To create public awareness, Blue Water Safe Horizons is holding its’ 4th Annual Sexual Assault Awareness Walk. The walk will take place Saturday, April 27, beginning at a new location this year; the First Congregational Church of Port Huron. More than 100 people are expected to attend, raising awareness of sexual violence and supporting survivors  The walk is a family event.  Coffee and registration for the walk begins at 9:00 a.m. At 9:30 a.m., the nearly 2-mile walk will begin. The event is free of charge and will be hosted by Blue Water Safe Horizons staff and volunteers. A free breakfast at the church will follow the walk. Participants are encouraged to wear the color teal, which is the official color of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Official walk t-shirts may be purchased at Papaya Branch Boutique in downtown Port Huron. Donations also will be accepted at the walk.