business news

Participate In “Giving Tuesday” This November 29th

The holiday season tends to bring out the best in people, more smiles, more goodwill toward their fellow man, or woman, and just a general sense of being a little more kind. 

This Tuesday, November 29th, is “Giving Tuesday,” a day that encourages individuals to donate their time, and resources to nonprofits and charitable organizations. Giving Tuesday was created in 2012 as a joint project of New York City’s 92nd Street Y and the United Nations Foundation. 

With many of us more focused on spending due to the Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday promotions, Giving Tuesday is a way to counterbalance those days, and cause us to reflect on those who are unable to purchase gifts or those who may have less. In 2021 Giving Tuesday saw donors give almost $3 billion, not to mention those who donated their time or resources. 

Reporting for WGRT – Choze Powell

Support Local Business This Year With Small Business Saturday

Everyone is pretty familiar with the after Thanksgiving sale “Black Friday,” where retail stores offer consumers reduced prices on their inventory. Black Friday is a win for both the consumers as well as the retail shops, as it allows individuals to purchase Christmas gifts at a slightly lower price and helps the stores with their bottom line during the slower winter season.

Your favorite local stores in the Blue Water Area are undoubtedly going to participate in Black Friday, but were you aware of Small Business Saturday? Small Business Saturday will be this Saturday November 26th from 11AM – 7PM, and continues each Saturday until December 17th.

Local shop owners will have sales and deals on their items just as they would on Black Friday, with the same goal, to boost income and sales during the slower winter months. Support your local business owners and entrepreneurs this season, as you may find better deals than your larger corporations, along with the service and familiarity that smaller businesses provide. 

Reporting for WGRT – Choze Powell

New Waterpark Expansion Coming To Frankenmuth

If you live in Michigan you are probably familiar with Frankenmuth, “Michigan’s Little Bavaria.” Frankenmuth is known for being a Bavarian-themed vacation destination and tourist attraction that features the world’s largest Christmas store, horse drawn carriage rides, and more. 

The Bavarian Inn Lodge in Frankenmuth will be breaking ground Dec. 13th for their $80 million indoor waterpark expansion. With plans to add an additional 140,000 square feet, it will be one of the largest indoor waterparks in Michigan. 

The improvements will bring a new family entertainment center that will feature 20-plus attractions such as an adult swim up bar, wave pool, and water slides. This will be the seventh major expansion since the lodge opened in 1888, with plans for the new waterpark to be opened to the public in 2024. In the meantime guests to the resort will still be able to enjoy the current Family Fun Center.

Reporting for WGRT – Choze Powell

Michigan Sites To Be Redeveloped With $2.4 Million Funding

Plans to redevelop contaminated Mid-Michigan properties are on the way, with The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) awarding $2.4 million in brownfield grants and loans.

Brownfields are vacant or abandoned properties known or suspected to be contaminated. With the plans in place, these areas will be redeveloped to increase property value at the site, as well as for neighboring properties. 

A few of the plans include a senior and multi-family affordable housing development in Lansing’s Stadium District, workforce and affordable housing near the Kalamazoo River, as well as a mixed-use, live-work development in Kalamazoo. EGLE will be providing $20.7 million overall to fund the 67 projects statewide that will benefit from the brownfield funding.

Reporting for WGRT – Choze Powell

Kimball’s Brand Source Helping Those In Need

Black Friday/Small Business Saturday is coming this weekend to communities around the country, including the Bluewater area.  

In the spirit of giving back, Kimball’s Brand Source is donating 10% of their proceeds to the Arc of St Clair County. The Arc is a local non-profit organization that advocates for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities with a focus on autism. 

Everything at Kimball’s is included, and donations will also be accepted in the store. Kimball’s is located at 10th and Lapeer in Port Huron.

Reporting for WGRT – Choze Powell

Lake Huron Medical Center Earns Five Star Rating

When it comes to quality healthcare, there aren’t many who match the quality of Lake Huron Medical Center in Port Huron. They have earned the coveted five-star rating by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for the third year in a row. 

The five star rating is based on 50+ measures across five aspects of quality care, which includes: patient experience, safety of care, mortality, readmission, and timely and effective care. 

Lake Huron is one of 18 hospitals in Michigan to receive the five-star rating, and they credit the achievement to their commitment to providing compassionate patient care, focused on patient safety and satisfaction. 

Reporting for WGRT – Choze Powell