DTE Plans to Spend Big to Trim Trees, Prevent Future Outages

After pressure from the Governor and Attorney General, utility providers are reaching out to customers to let them know that they are working on preventing lengthy power outages due to storms.

Weather-related electricity outages have been common recently and the length of the outages has been deemed unacceptable by government officials.

DTE contacted customers last week to let them know that the electricity provider is making some changes to try to get the grid under control. Trees are a big part of the problem, so tree trimming is at the forefront of the effort right now.

In the emailed letter to customers, Jerry Norcia, President and Chief Executive Officer of DTE Energy, said, “As we look at our data from this past nine weeks, we can see that trees are responsible for nearly all the time many of you have spent without power during the extreme weather events of this summer. Our electric service area experienced five tornadoes and eight storms with tropical force wind gusts of 39 to 74 miles per hour.”

DTE is spending $70 million over the next year to increase tree trimming projects and increase its tree trimming workforce by 30%.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Signup is Open for Fall Port Huron Rec Programs

Who’s ready for fall? The Port Huron Recreation Department is. Registration is underway for fall programs.

Nobody makes the most of partnerships like the Rec Department and this fall is no exception. They are partnering with the Friends of the St. Clair River to bring a Tree Trackers class to Sanborn Woods. The free class is for all ages.

They are also partnering with the St. Clair County Genealogy and History Society to host a guided tour of Lakeside Cemetery to hear the stories of prominent citizens who are buried there.

The Athletic Factory is partnering for a Bitty Basketball series for 1st and 2nd graders to be held at their gym on 10th Street in Port Huron, and the YMCA is partnering for the “Y on the Fly” programs.

Old favorites like Little Ninjas Karate, Fencing, Yoga, Dance and many others are also on the schedule. There is a full roster of art classes for a variety of ages and special events like the Halloween Stroll and the 5K Law Enforcement Torch Run.

https://d721f890-20f6-4799-98ef-6e373ba52f19.filesusr.com/ugd/fc6623_11761f0eaf5d4dc690e2fbce5caeb3e2.pdf

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Midwest Ag Leaders Remind That Buying Local is Best

There’s no better time of year to be buying local. Fresh-picked tomatoes off the vine, local sweet corn, sunflowers, and all of late summer’s bounty awaits hungry shoppers at Farmer’s Markets and roadside stands.

The Departments of Agriculture in seven mid-western states have made a video asking residents to buy locally grown and made products to support state food and agriculture economies.

The ag leaders say that buying fresh produce or dining at a farm-to-table restaurant can have big impacts on local economies. Choosing local foods at grocery stores can make a difference as well.

The officials from Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio, and Kentucky all shared their appreciation for food and agriculture workers, who are always essential workers, who continued to work through the pandemic to feed America. They called them “a key piece to the fabric of our neighborhoods and communities”.

The collaborative video effort of the Midwest states is hoped to remind viewers that local products like fruits, vegetables, flowers, and other products are not only the freshest and highest quality but also a huge help to local economies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrX-7CBYYkU

Reporting for WGRT- Jennie McClelland

You Can Help Local Woman Celebrate 100th Birthday

If you feel like doing something nice for someone, here’s your chance. A local woman turned 100 years old this month, and the community is asked to help celebrate with well wishes and cards.  

Anne Culling of Visiting Nurse Association and Blue Water Hospice told us that Ms. Helen Lavley, one of their private nursing patients, turned 100 on September 6th. A party was held in her honor at Grace Episcopal Church, given by family and friends.

Helen’s neighbors in Vicksburg Hall in Marysville hosted a party as well. Helen has been blessed to maintain independent living as she enters her second century.

Although the internet couldn’t have been imagined when Ms. Lavley was born in 1921, it is useful for sending wishes in 2021. Community members can go on the VNA and Blue Water Hospice Facebook page to share their wishes or they can send an email to marketing@vnabwh.com.

If you prefer to send an old-fashioned card through the old-fashioned mail, go to WGRT.com to get the mailing address.

Happy Birthday 100th Birthday to Helen Lavley from WGRT!

Cards can be mailed to Helen c/o VNA and Blue Water Hospice at 3403 Lapeer, Suite B101, Port Huron, MI 48060.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Sanilac County Farmers Can Apply for Assistance

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) granted a primary disaster designation to Sanilac County due to drought conditions experienced over the growing season.

Farmers in Sanilac County and the contiguous counties of Huron, Lapeer, St. Clair and Tuscola can apply for assistance from the USDA Farm Service Agency. Governor Whitmer also requested assistance under the Federal Crop Insurance Program.

Farmers in these counties should contact their local Farm Service Agency for more information.

The Sanilac County Farm Service Agency can be reached at (810) 648-2998.

 

 

Saturday’s Thumbfest Celebrates Folk Music

If you like folk music, this weekend’s Thumbfest is for you. Lexington will host the music festival on Saturday, September 4th from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. throughout the town.

Thumbfest began in the 1990s and has since developed into a late summer tradition, organized by the dedicated volunteers in the Blue Water Folk Society.

The festival is free to the public thanks to many commercial sponsors and donors, but donations are accepted. Those who attend will need to bring their own lawn chairs. Both food and craft vendors will be onsite.

There are seven stages with full schedules of musical acts, along with a community sing tent and a jam tent, among others. There are opportunities for those who brought their instruments to join into some performances.

Thumbfest is a family-friendly event with special areas for children to make music, as well as a drum circle. Camp Cavell is hosting special activities for kids.

Shuttles will be running throughout the festival, with service every 15 minutes along the route. The full lineup of musical acts can be found at bluewaterfolk.org.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland