New Museum Exhibit Features Fashions from Past

This spring and summer, the Port Huron Museum is featuring a new exhibit dedicated to Port Huron’s fashion past. Threads: From the Wardrobe of Port Huron’s Past is the result of the inventory process museum staff began last year, and it will be on display through July.

Lead exhibit designer Kayla Wendt said, “Threads is designed to appeal to a wide audience. The exhibit offers a glimpse of clothing throughout different time periods. I wanted to make sure there were local stories here that piqued the interest of everyone! You’ll see things like a scene of a 1920s summer picnic, and a night at the Desmond Theatre, but you’ll also see a scene of Service uniforms, and one of mourning attire.”

The exhibit includes some interactive areas where visitors can try on items and snap their own pictures with props and gear.

Entrance into the Threads exhibit is included in the price of admission to the Port Huron Museum’s Carnegie Center which is currently open from 10 AM – 4 PM Wednesday through Sunday.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Spero Pregnancy Center Updates Boutique

Port Huron, MI — The Spero Pregnancy Center in Port Huron has done some Spring Cleaning and is revamping its Baby Boutique. The Boutique provides free items to clients who use the services at Spero.

If you are doing some spring cleaning yourself, you may come across some items to donate to Spero.

Most of the items in the Boutique are donated by community members who either buy new items or donate gently used items. Donations are accepted from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Mondays through Thursdays.

Spero gladly accepts diapers, wipes, and baby toiletries. New cribs, along with new small toys and small stuffed animals with tags are accepted, as are infant car seats if they are new and in the original box.

Used items that are accepted include maternity and nursing clothes, parenting books, and children’s books for kids up to age five. Used strollers, high chairs, and other equipment are accepted if the serial number is visible and all parts are included with the donation.

Spero can not accept items for a child over 24 months, knitted or crocheted items, used baby clothes, used bottles, used breast pumps, or adult clothing. They also no longer accept used toys, baby walkers or saucers, or furniture.

For the full updated list of accepted and unaccepted donations:

https://bluewaterbabies.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/S-Material-Donation-Items-Accepted-2.pdf

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Sarnia COVID-19 Update for April 1, 2021

Sarnia, Ontario — The City of Sarnia recently made some adjustments to the province-wide public health and workplace safety measures in the Grey-Lockdown level, and a couple more will go into effect on April 12th.

The changes allowed for outdoor fitness classes and team sports training, limited outdoor dining, and modified outdoor capacity limits for weddings, funerals, and religious services. On April 12th, personal care services will be permitted to operate at either 25% capacity or five patrons at a time if they can be physically distanced.

As of Wednesday at 9:30 AM, there were 179 active cases of COVID in Lambton County and the rate of positive tests was 3.3%. Dr. Ranade, Medical Officer of Health, stated that around 99 cases have screened positive for a Variant of Concern (VOC).

Registration for the COVID-19 vaccine is currently open for individuals 70-74, and pre-registration is now open for some Phase 2 groups including essential frontline workers who can’t work from home. Visit Ontario.ca/bookvaccine to sign up.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

 

Home Depot Donates To Blue Water Habitat for Humanity Project

Port Huron, MI — Home Depot is partnering with Blue Water Habitat for Humanity to “Bring on Spring” by donating products to a Port Huron neighborhood revitalization project. Port Huron is one of 11 recipients nationwide.

Sean Walker, the Programs and Partnership Manager for the Home Depot Foundation said, “Home Depot is pleased to support the communities involved, including the Blue Water Habitat for Humanity, which has played a pivotal role in the Port Huron community for 31 years.”

Walker said, “Due to longstanding partnership of The Home Depot Foundation with Habitat for Humanity – and Habitat’s innate “doing” spirit – the partnership was a no brainer!”

While the exact project is still being worked out, CEO of the Blue Water Habitat for Humanity Ernest C. Werth-Toward said, “Spring projects will be coordinated by local Habitat for Humanity organizations. Blue Water Habitat for Humanity will select and coordinate the Bring on Spring project in Port Huron based on community needs.”

Home Depot had a good year. Walker said, “Spring is an important time for homeowners everywhere and it’s no secret that many folks took on DIY projects over the last year. The Home Depot wants to continue to empower that spirit of ‘doing’ by supporting the community.”

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

DNR Says Leave Baby Wild Animals Alone; They Will Be OK

Spring is in the air and nature-lovers are taking to hiking trails in wooded areas. What should one do if a helpless baby animal is found all alone?

According to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ weekly News Digest, nothing.

Hannah Schauer, wildlife communications coordinator with the DNR, said, “One survival strategy wild mammal moms use is hiding their young while they are elsewhere, but don’t worry; they will return periodically to nurse and care for the babies. This tactic helps young animals stay safer from predators while mom goes elsewhere to avoid drawing attention to where they’re hidden.”

Birds that appear to have a broken leg often pull on the heartstrings of well-meaning people, but the bird is probably fine.

Shauer said, “As we get later into spring and into the summer you might see fledgling birds hopping around on the ground, and this is completely normal. These fluffy youngsters are getting old enough to start trying to fly and need more space than the nest has. Their parents aren’t far and will continue to feed and care for them.” 

It is actually illegal to possess a wild animal in Michigan. If an animal appears in true danger, a licensed wildlife rehabilitator should be called.

Learn more about what to do if you find a baby animal and get a list of licensed wildlife rehabilitators at Michigan.gov/Wildlife or contact the DNR Wildlife Division at 517-284-9453.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Standardized Tests Still a Possibility for Public School Students

Michigan schools are off the hook when it comes to federal requirements for school accountability, but they are still in limbo when it comes to actually administering standardized “high stakes testing”.

The United States Department of Education waived the federal requirements for school accountability for the 2020-21 school year. The reason for the waiver is the disruption to instruction caused by the pandemic.

Michigan can now use testing to measure long-term goals instead of yearly benchmarks. The state is also required to identify schools for targeted support and improvement based on the 2020-21 data.

Districts are further encouraged to reduce the impact of “high stakes testing” by not holding poor scores against students and teachers when figuring grades, being held back a grade, teacher evaluations, and local school ratings.

Casandra Ulbrich, a Blue Water area native and President of the Michigan State Board of Education reacted to the announcement saying, “The waiver removes the federal ‘high stakes’ from the summative test, but still does not address whether schools will be required to administer the tests this year.”

Ulbrich said that the state is still awaiting a decision from the USDOE on the test waiver.  

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland