port huron

Holiday Visits Were Complicated Thanks to Closed Border

As the U.S.- Canadian border remains closed to non-essential travel, families with relatives in both countries have to make significant sacrifices to see loved ones. The Canadian regulations require a fourteen-day quarantine for those returning to the country after a trip to the U.S.

Port Huron Township resident Debbie Peloso went to great lengths to work with the Canadian Border Patrol to set up a holiday visit with her daughter, who lives and studies in Ontario. Picking up her daughter and bringing her back to St. Clair County was a carefully orchestrated process with a lot of supervision from authorities.

Peloso said that the Christmas visit was really a sacrifice on her daughter’s part. Once she got back to Ontario, her daughter had to subscribe to the ArriveCAN mobile app, which monitors her quarantine compliance. The rules turned a two week visit into a month-long commitment with the quarantine requirement. Peloso said she understands why the Canadian government is continuing the restrictions and felt it was a fair process.

The border has been closed since March 2020 and the current order extends to January 21, 2021, and is expected to be extended.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Little Black Dress Event Moves to Facebook Live for 2021

Port Huron, MI — The 15th Annual Betty Kearns Little Black Dress Event is moving to Facebook live for 2021. On  Friday, March 5th at 6 PM,  the committee will be streaming live from Kate’s Downtown Café. They have lots of fun planned for the event including raffles, memories, and support.

Raffle tickets can be purchased online at bluewaterlittleblackdress.org and sponsorships can be purchased in amounts from $500 to $3,000. There are no tickets needed for the event, simply visit the Facebook page <HERE> to view.

The Betty Kearns Little Black Dress Event was established in 2007 to raise money for local Breast Cancer Programs. The Betty Kearns Cancer Fund was established in 2016 to help all people fighting cancer. In 2020, the fund helped McLaren Port Huron purchase new equipment to help diagnose and treat prostate cancer. It also established a donor advised fund at the Ct. Clair County Community foundation to help St. Clair and Sanilac County residents who may need cancer treatment outside the Blue Water Area.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Mainstreet Memories Car Show Moving to Waterfront

Port Huron, MI — Mainstreet Memories, an annual car show in Downtown Port Huron, has announced plans for expansion in 2021. The non-profit is rolling out its plans for a bigger and better show this summer.

The group has raised $65,000 to benefit the Council on Aging serving St. Clair County since they started the event. They have had exponential growth in the car show each year since starting in 2015.

Previously held on Huron Avenue, this year’s show will be held at the Acheson Ventures downtown waterfront area. The advantages of the new location are cost savings, greater area for cars to park, and no need to close streets. In a statement on their facebook page, President Ron Steward said, “In discussions with the DDA, both groups feel comfortable with this change, and feel it opens new opportunities to grow and expand the event into a weekend long experience, the opportunities are endless.”

This year’s Mainstreet Memories Car Show is scheduled for July 31, 2021 and will be sponsored by Moran Automotive. More information is at mainstreetmemoriesph.com.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Lake Huron Medical Center Gets “A” Grade for Safety

Port Huron, MI — Lake Huron Medical Center has recently received the highest possible grade recognizing its efforts to maintain a safe environment for patients. The hospital received a 2020 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade of “A”. They have consistently received “A” grades since 2018.

Jose Kottoor, Lake Huron Medical Center Chief Executive Officer, said, “We are extremely proud to have earned straight ‘A’ grades for hospital safety since fall of 2018 because it reflects the commitment that Lake Huron Medical Center, our physicians, staff and nurses make – every day – when caring for patients.” He went on to say, “We have a safety culture at LHMC and process in place to earn the A grade consistently for the last several years. Our dedicated staff remains committed to providing the highest quality of care, even in times of crisis, to our community.”

Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group, said, “This ‘A’ is a testament to the care and commitment of those who work for Lake Huron Medical Center. With the current pandemic exposing existing flaws within the U.S. health care system, we appreciate you putting patient safety first. Lives depend on it.”

Safety grades can be found at hospitalsafetygrade.org.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Blue Water River Walk Erosion Control Underway

Port Huron, MI — The Blue Water River Walk in Downtown Port Huron is in the process of getting some significant restoration and protection work done this month. The Walk is part of the Bridge to Bay Trail and has seen some damage from fluctuating water levels.

The work is being funded with recent gifts totaling $150,000. Bill Butler, Board Chair for the Blue Water Land Fund, said, “We’ve been incredibly fortunate to receive major grants from the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation and the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Trails Maintenance Fund at the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan. We’ve also been blessed by other significant gifts from local private donors and the Michigan Trails and Greenway Alliance.” The Land Fund owns the River Walk.

The Community Foundation of St. Clair County is overseeing the work. Foundation CEO Randy Maiers said, “This section of the Bridge to Bay Trail is one of the most popular and widely used routes, and it’s in serious danger of being eroded away.”

It’s location so close to the St. Clair River makes the River Walk section of the Bridge to Bay desirable for recreation, but also subject to erosion. A new Master Plan has been implemented, as has investment in protecting it from damage from high water.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Latest Plan Calls for Blue Water Bridge Plaza to be Done in 2025

Port Huron, MI — The Blue Water Bridge Plaza Expansion Project has a completion goal for 2025, according to the Michigan Department of Transportation. The process was first talked about in the early 2000s and the city, county, and property owners near the project have been waiting for resolution for many years.

The plan calls for funding to be from a $26 million federal INFRA grant and the sale of bonds, along with Blue Water Bridge funds.

The original scope of the project has been reduced, but the price tag is still estimated to be at $300 million. The downsized plan will have less impact on local traffic on Pine Grove Avenue than the 2009 plan.

Getting shovels in the ground will take a while as another environmental re-evaluation and feasibility study will need to be done. Final design and bidding out the construction contracts won’t even begin until 2023. Actual construction is not expected to be completed until late 2025.

Five studies have already been done in the past two decades, and several city blocks have been cleared.  A million dollar mitigation settlement was paid to the City of Port Huron by MDOT as they lost the tax base from the cleared land.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland