First Fridays Coming to Downtown Port Huron

Port Huron, MI — The Downtown Development Authority (DDA) for the City of Port Huron just announced a new initiative for Blue Water Area fun: First Fridays.

Beginning April 2nd, the DDA is teaming up with downtown businesses and stakeholders to provide themed, family-friendly events on the first Friday of every month from 5-8 PM. Coming up in April, visitors can look forward to an Easter-themed Shop Hop, a Sweet Stroll, and a Block Party.

Updates on themes and details will be available on the Downtown Port Huron Facebook page, and these events will compliment the Shop, Rock, & Stroll concerts that will start back up on Friday evenings in the spring.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

McClain Cosponsors Legislations to Strengthen Winter Commerce

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, Congresswoman Lisa McClain (R-MI) cosponsored the Great Lakes Winter Commerce Act that would clearly define the U.S. Coast Guard’s (USCG) responsibility for icebreaking in the Great Lakes. Currently, the USCG conducts Great Lakes icebreaking based on a 95-year-old Executive Order that fails to clearly define the USCG’s mission. This bill would update that mission to help ensure it meets the modern demands of commerce in the Great Lakes region.

Rep. McClain cosponsored the legislation alongside a bipartisan group of Great Lakes members including Reps. Gallagher (R-WI), Kaptur (R-OH), Dingell (D-MI), Joyce (R-OH), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Bergman (R-WI), Huizenga (R-MI) and Stauber (R-MN).

“This winter, towns along the St. Clair River are experiencing widespread flooding due to thick ice forming on the river. It’s apparent now more than ever that we need an additional heavy icebreaker in the Great Lakes region to meet the demands of the winter months and prevent flooding,” said Rep. McClain.

“In cold winter months, icebreaking helps keep our Great Lakes economy moving. But a lack of sufficient icebreaking in recent years has shown that Congress needs to modernize the Coast Guard’s icebreaking mission on the Great Lakes,” said Rep. Gallagher. “The Great Lakes Winter Commerce Act is a bipartisan, bicameral bill codifying an icebreaking performance standard to meet the reasonable demands of commerce. This will help ensure that small businesses in Northeast Wisconsin can continue shipping goods from point A to point B – no matter the month or the weather.”

“The shipping lanes throughout the Great Lakes are critical to the economic success of not only our region, but our country,” said Rep. Kaptur. “There is a long tradition of the Coast Guard’s important task to keep our shipping lanes free of ice in the winter so commerce can continue uninterrupted, but it’s time we modernize the mission. This legislation codifies the Coast Guard’s ice breaking mission on the Great Lakes and will provide Congress with a better sense of the demands associated with the mission. With a closer understanding we can allocate necessary resources more appropriately. I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their partnership in advancing this important legislation.”

“Because the Great Lakes power our region’s economy, we cannot allow thick ice to freeze our commerce and growth. With this bipartisan bill, we can ensure our shipping routes are open and accessible to the businesses who rely on them,” said Rep. Dingell.

“The Great Lakes aren’t just an invaluable natural resource, they’re also an economic powerhouse,” said Congressman Dave Joyce, Co-Chair of the House Great Lakes Task Force. “By codifying the U.S. Coast Guard’s icebreaking mission, our bipartisan legislation will help prevent shipping delays, revenue loss, and lost wages. I look forward to working with our colleagues on both sides of the aisle to get this bill signed into law so that we can preserve the Great Lakes economy and the more than 1.5 million jobs it supports.”

“As the Representative of a district that relies heavily on Great Lakes shipping and taconite, I know that delays in icebreaking on Lake Superior can take a serious toll on our economy. That’s why I am pleased to cosponsor legislation that will empower the U.S. Coast Guard to keep our region’s ports and harbors open, and subsequently, help spur our critical economic drivers,” said Rep. Stauber.

Insufficient icebreaking can lead to cargo ships being stuck in port for days at a time in winter months, with the Lakes Carrier Association estimating that this alone cost Great Lakes businesses nearly $1 billion in revenue in the 2018-2019 winter season.

The Great Lakes Winter Commerce Act would fix this problem by:

  • Codifying the USCG’s Great Lakes icebreaking mission into law with new performance standards.
  • Requiring the USCG to report to Congress on the operational costs based on meeting these new performance standards.
  • Requiring the USCG to report annually to Congress on their icebreaking activities on the Great Lakes.
  • Requiring the USCG to coordinate icebreaking operations with commercial vessel operators.
  • Defining ambiguous terms from the USCG’s Great Lakes icebreaking mission including “open to navigation” and “reasonable demands of commerce.”
  • Authorizing the appropriations of a new Great Lakes icebreaker at least as capable as the current Mackinaw-class icebreaking.

Submitted by Congresswoman McClain’s Office

ISO Releasing Virtual Concert

Lambton County, ON – St. Clair County, MI — The International Symphony Orchestra will release the next virtual episode of their Nexus Chamber Series on Tuesday, March 9th. This is the third edition of the five concert series filmed in a variety of locations.

ISO Executive Director Anthony Wing said, “Through all the shutdown and uncertainty, Nexus has enabled musicians between London and Detroit to get out and work again, while making the ISO’s work available to an online audience worldwide.”

The Nexus Chamber Series is filmed by two separate crews on each side of the border, and safety protocols are in place to protect the crew and the musicians. The last episode was filmed at St. Mary Lady of Sorrows Church in Port Sanilac, Michigan, and episode three takes place at 220 Genesis, the former Central United Church Sarnia.

For tickets, visit www.theiso.org

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

How Do You Feel About Your Tap Water?

Port Huron, MI — The Friends of the St. Clair River want to know how you feel about your tap water, and you can win a $25 Visa gift card for telling them.

A new 11-question survey published by the group seeks understand the community’s view of tap water that comes from the St. Clair River. Responses to the survey are anonymous.

The survey is available until March 31st, and participants can submit their email at the end of the survey to enter a drawing for the $25 gift card.

The Friends of the St. Clair River is focused on restoring, protecting, and enhancing the St. Clair River and its watersheds.

To learn more about the Friends of the St. Clair River and to take the survey, visit www.scriver.org.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Black River Ice Breaking Starts Sunday

Port Huron, MI — Many area residents enjoy snowmobiling on the Black River’s ice over the winter, but that season has come to an end. With temperatures rising and water runoff from melting snow, the river is no longer safe for recreational activities.

On Sunday, March 7th, ice breaking operations will begin on the river, and the bridges at Military, 7th, and 10th streets will be open intermittently throughout the day.

According to a press release from Chief Corey Nichols, Fire Chief of the Port Huron Fire Department, ice breaking will be conducted from the mouth of the Black River to the I-94 overpass.

Breaking up the ice in the Black River helps water flow freely to the St. Clair River and is part of the overall flood mitigation efforts in the area.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

More Teachers Eligible for $500 Checks

The MI Classroom Heroes COVID-19 Grants have been expanded to include teachers in the Great Start Readiness Program, Head Start, adult education, and young adult special education classrooms.

Teachers can get up to $500 for extra hours worked and extra supplies purchased during the COVID-19 pandemic. The new appropriation adds another $2.5 million to the program to allow for the teachers who were not previously included.

State Treasurer Rachael Eubanks said, “My staff has been working with school districts and other stakeholders to help ensure that all eligible teachers and support staff receive the MI Classroom Heroes Grants. We will work urgently to ensure these specific program teachers receive their much-deserved grant payments.”  

Teachers are eligible if they had performed at least 75% of their standard instruction workload in brick-and-mortar classrooms before moving to remote instruction on April 2, 2020.  The checks will be sent from the treasury in June. Eligible specific program teachers should consult the school entity where they worked during the 2019-2020 school year to ensure they receive a grant, according to the Treasury. 

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland