local news

Maggie’s Wigs 4 Kids Gets Help from Police Departments

Police Departments from all over the area have worked to raise money for Maggie’s Wigs 4 Kids. The non-profit provides wigs and support services for kids who are experiencing hair loss due to cancer, alopecia, blood & skin disorders, dog bites, and other medical issues.

The fundraiser is called “Pigs 4 Wigs” and took place over the month of November. Law enforcement officers put down their razors during No-Shave November and collected donations totaling over $24,000 to go to Maggie’s Wigs 4 Kids.

Founder and CEO Maggie Varney said, “We love our men in blue and we want the kids to know that their donation shows they care about the people in the communities they serve.” 

Varney said Pigs 4 Wigs has been gaining momentum and the police help her organization get the word out.

Departments from Chesterfield, Clinton Township, Romeo, and several other communities participated. Organizers are encouraging more departments to get involved next year.

Founded in 2003, Maggie’s Wigs 4 Kids of Michigan has served over 5,000 children & families. If you know of a child in need of their services, please refer them – the organization helps everyone, charges nothing and turns no one away. You can call the Wellness Center at: 586-772-6656, visit their website: www.wigs4kids.org or follow them on social media.

Sergeant Michael Collier from the Portage Department of Public Safety would like to get more police precincts involved. He can be reached at: collierm@portagemi.gov or (269) 329-4567  

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

MSP: “Drive Slow on Ice and Snow”

Driving in the snow is unavoidable in the Blue Water Area, but accidents due to the weather can be avoidable with precautions. The Michigan State Police have some tips for winter drivers.

The State Police report that over 220,000 accidents occurred during winter weather over the past four years with 370 fatalities, sadly. The main advice from the MSP is to “Drive Slow on Ice and Snow”. Most accidents can be prevented with reduced speed.

The MSP also say to be prepared for driving by clearing the snow off of your vehicle. That means having a snow brush or ice scraper on hand and taking the time to use it. Having safe tires is critical, as that is literally where the rubber meets the road when it comes to safe driving.

The MSP advises keeping six to ten car lengths between your car and snowplows. Don’t try to pass a snowplow and move over for stopped snowplows if possible. If you get in a crash with a snowplow, the plow will win as they weigh around 30 tons.

For more information about winter driving: https://www.michigan.gov/msp/0,4643,7-123-72297_64773_22760-539923–,00.html

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Tell Us Your Favorite Christmas Song and Movie

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without the music and movies of the season. Everyone has their favorite, but there are some common songs and films that everyone seems to love.

The most popular Christmas song, “White Christmas”, recorded by Bing Crosby in 1942, has sold over 50 million copies, but Mariah Carey’s 1994 hit, “All I Want for Christmas Is You” is at the top of every list of modern favorites.

Christmas is a time for love, but there are seasonal songs that everyone loves to hate. At the bottom of the favorite Christmas song list are both “Christmas Shoes” and Paul McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmas Time”.

As far as Christmas movies go, people are generally in the “National Lampoons Christmas Vacation” camp or the “A Christmas Story” camp. But the 1946 classic, “It’s a Wonderful Life”, holds the top Christmas movie spot on nearly every national list.

“Miracle on 34th Street”, “Home Alone”, and the various renditions of the Charles Dickens classic, “A Christmas Carol” are also perennial favorites.

Listeners can go to WGRT’s Facebook page to tell us what your favorite Christmas music and movies are. Happy Holidays!

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

What’s Your Favorite Christmas Cookie?

Cookies are hot right now. Bev Taylor, the owner of Port Huron’s Royal-T Cakery, said that cookies are flying off the shelves of her bakery.

When asked what the most popular cookie is this year, Taylor said sugar cookies are all the rage. Usually, chocolate chunk cookies are the most sought-after, but everyone seems to want sugar cookies during the holiday season.

Blue Water Area consumers are just slightly different from the national trends when it comes to cookie preferences, according to a recent survey from YouGov.

Nationally, chocolate chip edges out sugar cookies, with fudge coming in third. Whether or not fudge is a cookie is a debate for another time.

Those peanut butter cookies with the Hershey’s Kiss in the center have been a holiday staple for at least 50 years and they are near the top of the list this year as well.

Toward the bottom of the list are old standbys like jam print cookies and pfeffernusse. While most cookies are a variation of the mixture of butter and sugar and flour, throwing in flavors like anise and chai will land the cookie at the bottom of the list, where chocolate tends to land the confection at the top.

What’s your favorite? Go to WGRT’s Facebook page and leave your answer.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Going PRO Talent Fund Awards Grants to Local Businesses

Michigan’s Going PRO Talent Fund has awarded grants to Michigan Businesses to support high-demand, high-skill employment. The fund has been credited with creating 145,000 jobs.

In St. Clair County, grants were awarded to several businesses and municipalities including Medilodges of Port Huron, St. Clair, and Yale; BioPro, Inc. and Dunn Paper of Port Huron; Magna Electrical Vehicle Structures of Marysville, and Selective Industries of Marine City. Ira Township, Marysville, and Avoca also received grants from the fund.

Stephanie Beckhorn, director of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) Office of Employment and Training said, “With professional trades accounting for 530,000 jobs in Michigan through 2028, with approximately 47,000 openings expected annually, this fund plays a vital role in helping Michigan employers meet their talent needs by investing in their current and future workers.”

The program was launched in 2014. More than 5,000 Michigan entities have received funding, with over 1,000 getting funding this year.

To learn more about the Going PRO Talent Fund, visit Michigan.gov/TalentFund.  

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Port Huron High School Students Make Hydrogen Fuel Cell Car

The future is now for students in the Principles of Engineering class at Port Huron High School. The students created a Hydrogen Fuel Cell car.

The high school students are part of the “Project Lead the Way” STEAM course, where they learned about energy sources and completed a project on energy application.

The result of the work was a vehicle that runs off of a hydrogen fuel cell. The students built the car, wired the circuit boards, and engaged the motor. They compared the hydrogen fuel-cell car to a car run off of AAA batteries.

As part of the learning process, students calculated the speed and power output of the hydrogen fuel cells.

Hydrogen-powered cars are in development by many automobile manufacturers. Hydrogen fuel is much more expensive than gasoline but is also much more efficient. Hydrogen-powered buses are in use in some parts of Europe.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland