Kate Voss had a flurry of messages this week when Google’s business profile started showing her Downtown Port Huron café as permanently closed. Voss wants to assure her customers and the community that she’s open and going strong.

As far as she knows, the Google business listing was changed by a hacker, and a friend was able to quickly resolve the issue.

The Google listing for Kate’s Downtown currently has the correct information and hours which are Tuesday – Saturday from 10 AM – 2 PM.

Kate’s Downtown recently celebrated its 9 year anniversary in Downtown Port Huron and is best known for its quaint interior, delicious food, and friendly staff.

Voss’s warm personality makes every guest feel like family, and her positive response to this recent issue demonstrates her desire to encourage others rather than dwell on the setbacks.

“Whomever the person is that decided to try and inconvenience us today…I encourage you to try & redeem yourself! Do something good for someone else. It’s very rewarding…way better than sabotage,” said Voss on Facebook.

To learn more about Kate’s Downtown, visit http://katesdowntown.cafe/

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

The Hallway Entertainment has a new escape room debuting this weekend, and those who love tales of magic and wizardry will want to check it out.

The new Wizard School Escape Room sends puzzle-solvers on a quest to recover a magical element from the office of the school’s headmaster. In the one-hour experience, players will encounter riddles, clues, maps, and interactive puzzles that engage almost all of their senses.

Up to six people at a time can attempt to escape from the Wizard School room, and the cost is $25 per person.

Carol Hall, owner of The Hallway Entertainment, said “Escape rooms bring out the best in everyone. Some people take charge, some think out of the box, some are great at decoding puzzles, and some learn that they need to speak up to have their ideas heard.”

She recommends the escape rooms for families, corporate team-building, or just having fun with your friend group. The Hallway Entertainment is currently booking the Wizard School room along with Murder Mystery and Sunken Freighter Mystery rooms. They also host Game Show nights for bigger groups and have a rentable space for kids called Kid City.

To learn more, visit TheHallwayEntertainment.com

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Organizers of Halloween activities are inviting the community to join them at their candy-laden fall festivities. If you’re looking for something fun to do with the kids this weekend, check out these events submitted to the WGRT Community Bulletin Board:

Lake Huron Woods is hosting Oktoberfest from 2-6 PM on October 29th. Trick or treating will begin at 5:00pm.  Learn more <HERE>.

Port Huron First Church of the Nazarene on Garfield Street is hosting Trunk or Treat on October 31st from 4:30 – 7:30 PM. Grab a free hot dog or snacks before or after you walk through their family-friendly trunks! In case of inclement weather, the event will be rescheduled for November 6th. Learn more <HERE>.

Trucks and Treats are coming to the Kimball Township Fire Department! Head over to station 1 on Allen Road or Station 2 on Henry Street from 5-8 PM on October 31st. Firefighters will be passing out candy, and kids will be able to see the fire trucks up close! Learn more <HERE>.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Bats are a little creepy, but they are also an important species. It’s International Bat Week, and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources wants to remind Michigan residents that bats are vital to the ecosystem.

Many species of bats are declining in numbers and some are federally protected, so if you have bats in the attic, they need to be relocated, not exterminated.

The DNR says that bats are helpful because they eat pests like mosquitos and sometimes act as pollinators. Bats have been falling ill to “white-nose” syndrome in the area, which causes them to wake up early from hibernation. Infected bats don’t make it through the winter as their fat stores are depleted prematurely.

Bat houses that are placed away from people are a good way to peacefully co-exist with bats in your neighborhood. To learn more about bats, the Friends of the St. Clair River are hosting a “Bat Hike” at Columbus County Park on Friday, October 29th at 10:00 a.m. Registration information for the bat walk, as well as information about constructing bat houses, can be found below.

Bat Hike on Oct 29 at 10 am at Columbus County Park. Register at https://form.jotform.com/212904885991166

https://batweek.org/install-bat-house/?fbclid=IwAR0BD02ZzCxY1FQzDv2SbRQXUDNLzpJWVgdK7XYJ8PaozMf-8j2M7Nt49lM

Reporting for WGRT -Jennie McClelland

The Knowlton Ice Museum in Port Huron offers a unique look into the history of ice delivery in the 1800s and early 1900s. The museum is expanding its hours to increase opportunities for the public to view their collection.

The Knowlton Ice Museum will be open Tuesdays – Saturdays from 11 AM – 5 PM. Cost to visit is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors (age 60 and older), and $2 for kids aged 6-10. Children 5 and under are free.

Shelly David and Emily Reitzel have been working hard to inventory what the museum claims is the largest collection of ice-making equipment and memorabilia in the United States.

In a press release, Reitzel said, “So many things here are one of a kind. You can try to go to Google and research things, trying to describe anything you can about the item, and there’s nothing. They have items here that I don’t think they have anywhere else — it’s very unique.”

The Knowlton Ice Museum is part of the legacy left by Mickey and Agnes Knowlton, and it is funded in part through their endowment fund held at the Community Foundation of St. Clair County. The Ice Museum is one of 6 museums in the city of Port Huron.

To learn more visit The Knowlton Ice Museum’s Facebook page here:

https://www.facebook.com/knowltonmuseum

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand