A major half-billion-dollar industrial project is set to transform St. Clair County starting this September, when construction begins on the first 250-thousand-square-foot manufacturing facility in Port Huron Township. Developer Interstate Capital plans future sites in Marysville and Kimball Township, complete with new utilities and a two-mile access road along I-94, to capitalize on the Blue Water Bridge and rail tunnel for cross-border trade. Officials say the developments will host only manufacturing companies offering jobs paying more than twenty dollars an hour.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

Local drivers and travelers will soon see smoother crossings at the Blue Water Bridge thanks to a major upgrade now moving forward. The Michigan Department of Transportation will break ground Thursday on the second phase of the three-hundred-million-dollar plaza expansion at the bridge annex. This part of the project reconfigures the southern plaza by moving toll operations, adding a new U.S. Customs inspection facility, relocating Duty Free Americas, and more. Officials say the on-site work will not disrupt traffic, with completion expected in 5 years.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

Construction has started on a new splashpad at Germain Park, bringing 14 exciting water features to give families a fun way to cool off this summer and beyond. The $535,000 project, part of the park’s bigger revitalization plan, is funded by federal, provincial, and city dollars along with a $100,000 gift from the Rotary Club of Sarnia-Bluewaterland. Once finished, the splashpad will offer a safe, refreshing spot for children of all ages right in the heart of the city’s 60-acre park.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

A small group of just seven residents turned out for a public hearing in Port Huron on Monday as St. Clair County health officials considered new local rules for adding fluoride to community drinking water. Two people spoke, with one urging officials to keep fluoridating at the recommended safe level to protect children’s teeth and reduce painful dental visits, while another called the regulation unnecessary and worried about future political shifts at the EPA. The short hearing drew eight written comments as well, with no vote taken.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet