St. Clair County

Ducks Unlimited, DNR, Audubon Work to Enhance St. Clair Flats

The St. Clair Flats area, located in the southern tip of St. Clair County, is home to a diverse bird species and is a destination for kayakers and canoers who want to view the interesting wildlife. The area is getting revitalized with the cooperation of Ducks Unlimited, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, and Audubon Great Lakes.

Kali Rush, Michigan Regional Biologist for Ducks Unlimited said, “As society develops more and more of our landscape, natural areas such as St. Clair Flats take on an even greater importance for people and wildlife. We are proud to work with the DNR and Audubon on public lands that are so close to Metro Detroit and in the middle of a major bird migratory route.”

The wetlands not only serve as a habitat for birds but prevent flooding and filter water. Agencies have already been working on improving the 2600 acres of wetlands, but the next phase includes replacing water-management infrastructure to better control water levels and improve habitat on 1500 acres of wetlands on Harsens Island.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

SC4 and Wayne State Partner for Engineering Degree Program

St. Clair County Community College and Wayne State University are partners in a program to make it easier to launch a STEM career with an Engineering Degree.

Students will be able to earn most of their general education credits at SC4 and then to transfer “seamlessly” to Wayne State for a bachelor’s degree. They will be able to earn their Associate of Science degree while working toward the Wayne State transfer.

SC4 President Dr. Deborah A. Snyder said, “We know many SC4 students transfer on to earn four-year degrees and have gone on to lead in cutting-edge industries, but too many others lose interest in crucial STEM subjects or encounter barriers along the way.”

Snyder said that the community college can do more to inspire, educate and prepare students and cited the Challenger Learning Center and the Wayne State partnership as ways to “help students save on tuition costs and time as they pursue a bachelor’s degree from one of Michigan’s most innovative four-year institutions.”

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Selah Butterfield & Kara Kaercher Young Artists in Michigans Thumbcoast

Young Artists Making Their Mark wsg. Kara Kaercher & Selah Butterfield

 

How do young artists share their work and build community? Kara Kaercher and Selah Butterfield join us this week to talk about how they are building their businesses and sharing their art with the community.

Kara Kaercher, Kara’s Arts & Crafts, specializes in acrylic pour and painting along with teaching classes and creating jewelry. She shares how leading classes at Foundry and working on the public mural downtown Port Huron help her connect with her community.

Find Kara here: https://m.facebook.com/KarasArtandCrafts/?_rdr

As a digital artist, Selah Butterfield has built a 50,000+ person following on social media platforms where she shares and demonstrates her digital drawing skills.

Find Selah’s work here: https://selahsketches.carrd.co/

Listen to the WGRT Local NEWS podcast on your favorite podcast app every Friday for in-depth interviews with people from around Michigan’s Thumbcoast!

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June 4th River Run to Benefit VNA & Blue Water Hospice

If you have ever had an experience with hospice or home care, you know how important it is. There’s an easy and fun way to show your support for Visiting Nurse Association and Blue Water Hospice. The River Run is a 10K, 5K, 3-mile Walk, and 1-mile Fun Run that raises money to provide care for all patients, regardless of their ability to pay.

The River Run will be held on the morning of Saturday, June 4th at Marysville Park. Registration is open now, with reduced rates and a t-shirt included through May 22nd. Sponsorships are available and volunteers are needed to assist with the race. Packet pickup is June 3rd.

Angela DeLaere, president and CEO of VNA & Blue Water Hospice, said, “This is our largest annual fundraiser for VNA & Blue Water Hospice, and we rely on the support of our very generous community, and after a two-year pandemic break, we’re excited to be back.” 

For more information about supporting VNA and Blue Water Hospice with the River Run,  Sign up at www.vnabwh.org/river-run or call VNA at (810) 984-4131. 

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

“Children’s Storytime” Theme of Port Huron Rotary International Day Parade July 13th

It’s time to start planning your entry if you are going to be part of the Port Huron Rotary International Day Parade. This year’s theme is “Children’s Storytime”. This is the 102nd year for the parade, which kicks off the Blue Water Festival, leading up to the Port Huron to Mackinac boat race.

Registration is now open for community organizations and businesses to get a place in line for Port Huron’s biggest community gathering.

The parade will be held on Wednesday, July 13th with a 6:30 p.m. start time. The parade route begins at Huron and Glenwood and continues south through the downtown Port Huron business district, turning east from Military Street onto Oak Street and ending at Desmond Landing.

Cash prizes up to $450 are awarded to the parade entries that best represent the theme of “Children’s Storytime”, show originality and craftsmanship, show best costuming, and show a high level of effort. There is an entry fee for parade entrants.

For more information, go to :

http://paradeday.net

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Thumb Land Conservancy Announces New Projects

The Thumb Land Conservancy has several projects underway, all made possible with volunteers and community collaboration across several counties in Michigan’s Thumb.

The Thumb Land Conservancy is constructing an informational kiosk at the Bidwell Sanctuary in northern St. Clair County. The kiosk is funded by a grant from the Bioregion Reparation Fund.

The Conservancy is also working on the Duthler Ridge Sanctuary in Lapeer County, which was acquired last year. The Sanctuary is located in Dryden Township. It is named after Surveyor Rick Duthler, who was instrumental in the property acquisition. The Duthler Ridge Sanctuary is described as located on a narrow ridge on the east edge of a huge forested valley, nearly one mile across and two miles long, with a series of lakes and wetlands at the bottom.

The Conservancy is also working to protect 40 acres in Huron County. The land is a mix of swamp and forest and its conservation will protect pollinators that are vital to the ecosystem.

Go to WGRT.com for a link to more information about the Thumb Land Conservancy and how you can help preserve the natural wonders in Michigan’s Thumb.

http://www.thumbland.org/

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland