Construction on Blue Water Bridge Starts Monday, May 9, 2022

A small construction project will start Monday, May 9, 2022 at the Blue Water Bridge plaza and last until Wednesday, May 11, 2022.

Bridge maintenance is scheduled to accommodate installation of new tolling software for commercial traffic entering Canada. The construction starts at 7 AM Monday, and it should be complete by 7 PM on Wednesday.

During the construction, all loads will be limited to a maximum width of 12 feet. Bridge traffic isn’t projected to slow down too much, but there could be some delays for commercial traffic during the construction.

Once the work is complete, new software will be in place to assist with collecting tolls from commercial traffic which should improve operations at the toll booths for the future.

The construction is part of Governor Whitmer’s plans to fix Michigan’s roads and bridges. Whitmer said, “This year, thanks to my Rebuilding Michigan Plan and the recent, bipartisan Building Michigan Together Plan, Michiganders will see more orange barrels and cones than ever before as we move forward at record pace to fix roads and bridges across Michigan. We’re fixing our roads with the right mix and materials, so they stay fixed, without raising taxes by a cent. Today’s projects will improve ride quality, reduce congestion, and extend the service life of these critical roads.”

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

The Thumb Michigan Facebook Group wsg. Todd Carmody & Terri Hoag

 

Join a conversation with Todd Carmody and Terri Hoag about the Thumb (Michigan) Facebook group. Learn why Todd decided to start the group and how Terri celebrates our area as the Blue Water Ambassador.

In this episode, Jessie, Todd, and Terri talk about:

  • Sharing positive news about the community
  • What it takes to administrate the group
  • Using photography to showcase local businesses
  • How The Thumb group connects people to unique aspects of our community

Learn more about the Thumb Michigan Facebook group here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/195464297712532

Listen to the WGRT Local NEWS podcast on your favorite podcast app every Friday for in-depth interviews with people from around Michigan’s Thumbcoast!

Find the podcast on Spotify, Apple, or Facebook!

 

The WGRT Local News Podcast is part of the WGRT 102.3 FM Podcast Network. For the latest episodes of all of our featured podcasts, visit our website here:

https://wgrt-1023-fm-podcast-network.captivate.fm

The WGRT Local News Podcast is produced by the following team members:

Executive Producer: Jessie Wiegand

Audio Engineer: George James

Administrator: Jessie Wiegand

Marketing: Jessie Wiegand

Follow WGRT Local News on Facebook here:

https://www.facebook.com/WGRTlocalnews

 

MDHHS Publishes 2022 Eat Safe Fish Guide

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has released their 2022 Eat Safe Fish Guides to educate anglers about the safety of Great Lakes fish. The main concern is mercury contamination, which could build up in the human body if too large of a quantity of fish is eaten.

There are statewide guidelines, as well as recommendations for specific bodies of water. The guide is just that: a guide. There are no laws or rules, but the information is provided as a service, after lab testing of fish from different lakes, rivers, and streams.

Eating fish is generally healthy, but pollution does have an effect on the safety of certain fish. The chemicals of concern in Michigan are mercury and PCBs, PFAS, and PFOS.

For the Blue Water Area, the Guide recommends no more than six servings of walleye per year from the St. Clair River, but one or two servings of walleye per month, depending on the size of the fish caught, is safe from Lake Huron.

Southeast Michigan EAT SAFE FISH GUIDE  

Reporting for WGRT -Jennie McClelland

As Picnic Season Arrives, Be Mindful of Food Safety

Spring brings celebrations and gatherings, many of which include serving food. Keeping food safe and preventing food born illnesses is easy if a few precautions are taken.

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is reminding consumers to be careful with food as warm weather makes its way to the state.

Tim Slawinski, MDARD’s Food and Dairy Division Director, said, “Whether you’re packing a picnic, for a sporting event or outdoor recreation, or planning a backyard barbecue, it’s crucial to follow simple food safety tips to protect your family and friends from foodborne illness.”

Those steps include frequent handwashing, preparing as much at home as possible as opposed to at the destination, and making sure the cooler has plenty of ice. Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.

If foodborne illness is suspected, MDARD wants to know. Local health departments should be contacted first. They will report to MDARD, which will investigate to determine if it is an isolated incident, or if a common food source is a culprit.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

St. Clair County Parks & Rec Office Moving to Goodells

The St. Clair County Parks and Recreation office will be closed Tuesday, May 10, 2022 through Friday, May 13, 2022. The current office location at 200 Grand River Avenue, Port Huron, Michigan, will be  permanently closed. 

The new County Parks office will open at Goodells County Park, 8254 County Park Drive, Goodells,  Michigan, on Monday, May 16, 2022. The office will be in the former Garden Center. Office hours will  be Monday through Friday, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm. Staff members are excited about the opportunity to work  onsite at Goodells and to be more accessible to park patrons.  

County Parks staff will be available on a limited basis from Tuesday, May 10, 2022 through Friday, May  13, 2022. Emails and phone calls may not be answered in a timely manner during this move. All staff  emails and phone numbers will remain the same.  

Submitted by St. Clair County

East Shore Leadership Academy Encourages Fun and Safety

Students at East Shore Leadership Academy in Port Huron had a couple of big announcements this week as students experienced an in-person Zoo for the Day and received news of a safety grant from the State of Michigan.

The Exotic Zoo arrived on Monday, May 2nd, and students were able to get an up close view of animals while learning topics that meet the Michigan state curriculum standards.

East Shore Leadership Academy also learned this week that they are the recipients of $41,738 grant from the State of Michigan. The grant is part of a state funding initiative of $10 million from the Competitive School Safety Grant Program.

Governor Whitmer announced 150 awards from the grant program which will help schools make safety improvements to their buildings and retain and recruit more teachers.

Nancy Gardner, ESLA School Administrator, said, “ESLA will use the safety grant money for new interior door handles, two-way radios for all staff, defensive barrier lock systems for all doors, and increasing security by adding a double door entry-way.”

To learn more about East Shore Leadership Academy, visit https://www.eastshoreleaders.com/

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand