St. Clair County

Boat Night Organizers Looking for Vendors

Port Huron, MI — Downtown Port Huron has decided to close Huron Avenue during Blue Water Fest, and they are looking for arts & crafts vendors to fill up the streets.

Vendors can apply through an online application available on the Downtown port Huron Facebook page or <HERE> . The opportunity to have a booth on Huron Avenue is open to non-food vendors only.

Some downtown businesses will join the mix and set up tents in the street as well. The booths must be open on Thursday and Friday from 4 – 9 PM, but they may be open longer if the vendor desires.

Business vendors will pay a $250 vendor fee while arts & crafts vendors will pay $150 and nonprofits $100. This will be a great way to share your business with the foot traffic that spends time downtown during Boat Week and Blue Water Fest activities.

Although this year’s Boat Week activities were scaled down due to uncertainty about rules for public gatherings, a lot of favorites will still be present this year.

The Rotary International Day Parade is planned for Wednesday, July 21st, OT’s Family Night is planned for Thursday, July 22nd, and popular events like Mannequins Making a Difference and the Blue Water Fest carnival will take place that week.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

St. Clair County Looking for Input for New Master Plan

St. Clair County is updating its Master Plan and they need help from residents. They have created a website that asks residents what they would like to see in several different aspects of county planning.

One part of the website is a Community Ideas Board with interactive conversations. Right now the conversations include economy, environment, quality of life, recreation, transportation and mobility, and community development.

There is also an interactive map where users can share what they love and don’t love about St. Clair County. The options are for “Something I Like”, “Needs Improvement”, and “Think Big”, where users can share what they do with an area if money was no object.

There is also a survey with a rotating topic. The current topic is “Quality of Life”.

According to the Planning Commission, “A master plan creates a shared vision to enhance the quality of life for everyone in the county.  It provides a road map into the future for the county’s built, economic, and natural environments.”

The survey ends on July 31st of this year. The results will be shared on the webpage. 

https://stclairmpc.mysocialpinpoint.com/masterplan

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Hearing and Vision Screening at Health Department

The St. Clair County Health Department is offering free hearing and vision screening for any child entering preschool or kindergarten in the Fall.

All children must have a hearing and vision screening before entering kindergarten. Hearing and vision screenings can identify problems that could interfere with your child’s development and hinder their success in school.

Early diagnosis of a hearing or vision problem can help prevent permanent issues down the road.

Appointments are available at the main location on 28th Street in Port Huron, and walk-ins will also be accepted.

Screenings are available in June and July, Monday – Friday from 8:30 – 4 PM. Screenings are not available during lunch hour from noon- 1 PM, or on July 7th.

In August, screenings are available on Mondays from 10:30 AM – 6 PM (not available from 2 – 3 PM) and on Tuesdays – Fridays from 8:30 AM – 4 PM (not available from 12 – 1 PM).

For more information, call the Health Department at
(810) 987-5300.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

Family Night Planned for July 22nd

Port Huron, MI — Operation Transformation invites families to enjoy one of the area’s favorite parts of Boat Week: OT’s Family Night. The event is planned for Thursday, July 22nd from 5 – 9 PM.

This evening of fun for families takes place on the lawn just northeast of the 10th Street Bridge, and it features activities specifically geared toward children.

This year’s event will feature pony rides, a petting zoo, live music, carnival games, and giveaways.

Operation Transformation works with sponsors to provide the event for free to the community. This year’s sponsors are the James C. Acheson Foundation, Community First Health Centers, Kiwanis Club of Port Huron, Power 88.3/Hope FM, and Pollock Randall Funeral Home.

OT is also looking for volunteers, and interested people can contact Renee Hernandez at 810-966-8660.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Boating Safety App is Helpful Tool

With so many options for enjoying our lakes and rivers, water safety should be a priority in the Blue Water Area. The U.S. Coast Guard has an easy to use safety tool that may help in case of an emergency on the water.

The U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety App includes features to keep boater’s safe, help them report problems, and file float plans with the Coast Guard. Available through the App Store and Google Play Store, the free app is helpful for boaters of all types.

One feature allows water-goers to file a float plan that documents their planned trip with the Coast Guard. Before leaving the shore, boaters, kayakers, and paddleboarders can file the float plan on the app. If something happens and they do not arrive at their destination, the float plan could be a valuable asset for locating them.

The app also allows the user to report suspicious activity and hazards they notice on the water and contact the U.S. Coast Guard for assistance.

Learn more about the U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety app <HERE>.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

More Grants to Support Community Colleges

Nine community colleges will receive grant funding to support adult students in the Futures for Frontliners and Michigan Reconnect programs. One of those, St. Clair County Community College, will receive a grant to hire a college completion coach.

The grants are part of the State of Michigan’s  Sixty by 30 goal to ensure 60% of Michiganders will have a postsecondary degree or certificate by 2030. The credential attainment rate is currently 49.1%,

In the 2018-19 school year, the success rate for students attending all community colleges in Michigan was 23.8% after two years. The new grants are aimed at increasing the degree completion rates for the more than 88,000 Michiganders now enrolled in the Futures for Frontliners and Michigan Reconnect programs.

Susan Corbin, Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity acting director, said, “We know that it can be tough to juggle life – many who are returning to their studies will have jobs, family obligations and bills to pay which can get in the way of receiving that degree or certificate.” She believes “it will take more than just tuition assistance to get us to 60% by 2030.”

St. Clair County Community College will receive a $20,000 grant to hire a full-time AmeriCorps member to serve as a completion coach for adult students. Completion Coaches provide extra support and direction for students which increases their potential for success.

To learn more about the Michigan Reconnect program visit www.michigan.gov/Reconnect

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand