A tough start to the Port Huron-to-Mackinac Island Sailboat Race over the weekend. 85 of the 193 boats dropped out after strong winds and equipment failures battered crews on Lake Huron. Race officials say all sailors have been accounted for and are safe, with nearby harbors stepping in to take in damaged vessels. Conditions improved to 10 to 12 knot winds and roughly four-foot waves, allowing the remaining boats to continue racing, with some reaching Mackinac Island on Sunday.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

Smoke drifting into Port Huron cut into crowds at Friday’s Blue Water street fair along Huron Avenue, where only a fraction of the usual vendors set up and attendance dropped from thousands to just a few hundred. An air quality alert tied to Canadian wildfires likely kept many away, though cooler temperatures in the low 80s replaced earlier heat warnings. Those who came still browsed booths, visited shops, and caught live music, while some events moved indoors. Vendors and visitors said it was slow, but still worthwhile.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

The 69th annual Robinson Tennis Tournament returns to Sanborn Park and the Port Huron Tennis House starting July 28th, promising a fun week of competition. Free events kick things off on July 27, with a kids play day for those 10 and under. Competition runs all week in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles, ending with finals and an awards ceremony on Sunday, Aug 2nd. Players enjoy complimentary clinics, T-shirts, tennis balls, on-site services like massage therapy, and a potluck barbecue. A T-shirt design contest is now open.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

A Macomb County man will spend the rest of his life in prison after a jury found 42-year-old Matthew Lewinski guilty of killing his ex-girlfriend inside his home in late ’20. Prosecutors say an argument turned violent when 52-year-old Courtney “Jerri” Winters showed up unannounced, ending with Lewinski choking her to death. He then hid her body in his basement for months. The crime surfaced after a medical emergency led family members to the home. Lewinski later confessed, and that statement helped secure his conviction and life sentence without parole. Authorities say the victim had not been reported missing during that time.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet