It may not be ready yet, due to mild temps, but Marine City is telling local residents to “stay tuned.” A public ice rink has been installed at Nautical Mile Park on S. Water St. and is expected to be ready to use within the month. According to a recent Facebook post, as soon as the ice is safe,  an open to the public date will be announced. 

The ice rink has been a long time coming for Marine City. Since at least 2016, the Marine City Commission has considered ice rinks throughout the city, but ran into roadblocks brining the visions to reality. In the past, concerns about the cost and specifications of the rink prevented some members of the commission from voting to approve the purchase.

The current rink is already set up and just waiting for winter weather to make its arrival.

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.

If you have followed Detroit area news, you have likely heard about the “green ooze” that was seeping onto I-696 in Oakland County. There is a twist to the story that hits a little closer to the Blue Water Area and has caused great concern for local officials and environmentalists, including State Representative Shane Hernandez. 

The ooze was traced to a manufacturing facility in Madison Heights. It has since been brought to light that the owner of the Metro-Detroit facility has property in Marion Township, near Deckerville, and a container with the potentially hazardous material was noticed on that property, along with extensive debris.

According to the Sanilac County Emergency Management Office, officials have visited the site and contacted the EGLE concerning this property. The representative of EGLE informed Emergency Management that the site was inspected in 2017 and no hazardous materials were found on the site at that time. A copy of that report has been requested and Emergency Management has also requested a re-inspection of the property to ensure there is no hazardous material or other public health issues at this location.

Michigan State Representative Shane Hernandez, whose district covers the area in question, says he is “outraged by the situation” and vows to get to the bottom of it. According to Hernanez, “as part of the process, the state House Appropriations Committee will schedule hearings into this issue.” According to Hernandez, the hearings will focus on what, when and how officials responded with the information they knew.

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.

January is the time of year when people often make resolutions to get in shape or increase their fitness levels. Running is often part of those fitness resolutions. 

The Blue Water Race Series has been announced as a fun and competitive way to help area runners meet their goals while helping some good causes along the way. The Blue Water Race series encourages runners to “Make 2020 a year of good- doing good things for your body and mind and doing good things for the community.” 

There are six races on the schedule starting with the YMCA’s Leprechaun Loop in March. The other races include the Run for Recovery with St. Clair County Community Mental Health, the Artful Dodger raising funds for the St. Clair Art Association, the Algonac Pickerel Run benefitting the Lions Club, P.S. You’re My Hero Run which raises funds for victim’s rights, and the Tyler Kreitler Memorial Fund Friendsgiving Race. 

Participants who register for all six races receive a commemorative jacket. There are also prizes for the top finishers in the races. Find out more at the Blue Water Race Series website, bwrs.enmotive.com.

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.

Lake Huron Medical Center (LHMC) welcomes a new Chief Executive Officer today. Jose Kottoor has been named to the position following Jay de los Reyes’s resignation late last summer. According to Lake Huron Medical Center, Kottoor is bringing with him more than 20 years of administrative experience and extensive leadership capacities. Prior to joining the hospital, Jose served as Vice President of Operations/Chief Operations Officer for Beaumont Hospital in Wayne, Michigan. In that role, Jose was responsible for the oversight of a 185-bed full-service acute care hospital.

Jeff Smith, Chairman of the Lake Huron Medical Center Governing Board, said Jose’s experience and proven track record will ensure the hospital continues to meet the organization’s standards for delivering high-quality patient care.” Kottoor holds a master’s degree in Kinesiology from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. His role at Lake Huron Medical Center begins January 6, 2020. 

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.

Mr. James Kneebone, the Industrial Arts and STEM teacher at the Brown City Junior/Senior High in Southern Sanilac County is trying to purchase an American-made metal brake. In this instance, a brake is a metalworking machine that allows the bending of sheet metal. On his “Donors Choose” page, Mr. Kneebone says his “students are anxious to learn hands-on problem-solving skills.” For many of his students, this is their first experience with building. With the equipment, Kneebone feels it  “will ultimately help these same students become better problem solvers, to learn about process, order of operations and gain an appreciation for the metal forming craft.” 

He also said, “Utilizing the metal brake, student’s paper drawings will be transferred to sheet metal, cut out, bent and realized in three-dimensional objects.” As of the weekend, several hundred dollars had been raised toward the $2,700 goal which was launched on January 1. 

Michigan has several MiSTEM regions with oversight and funding by various state agencies, but funding specific equipment often falls on the community districts. The link to the page is https://www.donorschoose.org/project/metal-fab-problem-solving-lab/4706930/.

Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.