| TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2024 |
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In today's newsletter, 28 school buses spell out ‘we love you’ to terminally ill driver in hot air balloon, Michigan EV battery projects win $355M in federal energy grants and Michigan residents are weigh in about how to fund road repairs. |
Summer isn't going anywhere just yet |
We are officially two days in to the fall season but the summer temperatures are still hanging around. Another wave of warm weather is on the way to Michigan. MLive meteorologist Mark Torregrossa predicts that we could experience afternoon highs in the 70s and a few days reaching 80 degrees will probably occur within a week. A few clouds and showers could bring temperatures down this Tuesday. Speaking of summer, this is the last week to tour Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore's Au Sable Light Station until next year. Known as the “Beacon of the Shipwreck Coast," the light tower is 86 feet high and overlooks exposed shipwreck remains along Lake Superior. |
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The Ottawa County Parks and Recreation Commission is setting out on five kayak tours throughout October to see fall colors. (Photo Courtesy of Ottawa County Parks & Recreation) |
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28 school buses spell out ‘we love you’ to terminally ill driver in hot air balloon |
Heartwarming: When asked to speak about bus driver Mike Hoekstra, Hudsonville Public Schools’ Transportation Director Rob Matthews said, “everybody looks up to him.” That was especially true on Thursday, Sept. 19, when Hoekstra, who is terminally ill with stage four colon cancer, took a hot air balloon ride. To his surprise, gathered below him were around 50 Hudsonville bus drivers, mechanics and school officials with a unique message - “we love you” - spelled out using school buses. A cut above: A few dozen Michigan universities and colleges are rated as gold level at supporting military veteran students, according to the Michigan Veteran Affairs Agency. Here's a look at the 44 schools that made the cut. Also in education: Western Michigan University’s three labor unions delivered a symbolic blow last week to the university with a vote of “no confidence” in WMU President Edward Montgomery’s leadership. The votes come as the WMU-American Association of University Professors is negotiating its contract with the university, but hasn’t been able to settle on a pay increase for professors. |
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Michigan doctors used ‘fake patients’ in $28M opioid scheme, feds say |
Nine people have been accused of operating a three-year, multi-million-dollar conspiracy to illegally distribute prescription drugs in Southeast Michigan. The group, including three doctors, were charged Friday, Sept. 20, according to an indictment unsealed by U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan Dawn Ison. The indictment alleges Sharlene Dawson, also known as Sharlene Crawford, 55 from Detroit, hired three doctors to work at P&A Aftercare in Southfield from June 2021 through September 2024. The doctors, Charles Wasson, 70 from Orchard Lake; Maurice Potts, 65 from Detroit; and Bruce Kaplan, 83 from Commerce Township; are accused of writing controlled substance prescriptions for a “cadre of ‘fake’ patients,” without medical need, in exchange for cash payments, a news release said. The approximate value of the prescriptions, distributed illegally, is $28 million. Health care coverage: As businesses struggle with rising health care plan costs, employees can expect to shoulder more of the burden, according to a recent survey by the American Society of Employers. |
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Keep gas tax or adopt pay-per-mile system? Michigan residents are split |
Fix the roads: When it comes to funding road repairs, Michigan faces an annual shortfall upwards of $3.9 billion, which has sparked consideration for new revenue sources. An estimated one in four Michigan residents consider a “road usage charge” the most fair way to fund the state’s road repairs. Of the more than 19,000 residents who gave their input on the future of road funding via online survey in early 2024, the other options people considered most fair were to keep the gas tax (23%) or fund repairs using the state’s general fund (31%). In the water: High concentrations of toxic PFAS chemicals found in surface water foam this summer on Muskegon Lake have West Michigan scientists scratching their heads. Although there are known legacy sources of PFAS in the Muskegon Lake watershed, experts say the recent increase in shoreline foaming is new and unexplained. Ludington State Park has been closed for nearly three weeks but that has not stopped would-be visitors from trying to visit the 4,800-acre destination. However, all its campgrounds are closed for a 10-month construction project that began the day after Labor Day. Most of its trails and day-use areas are also closed. The park is scheduled to reopen on July 1 after $3.2 million in upgrades, mostly to its roads and parking lots. |
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Michigan EV battery projects win $355M in federal energy grants |
A Michigan startup that aims to source critical minerals from mine waste is among four projects receiving millions in grants from the federal government aimed at boosting domestic battery production. Houghton-based Revex Technologies is poised to receive $145 million from the U.S. Department of Energy as part of $355 million in grants going to other advanced battery manufacturing projects in Muskegon, Flint and Van Buren Township. More jobs: A $175 million project is slated to bring an electric vehicle battery materials company to Flint’s historic Buick City. The investment is expected to create hundreds of jobs and play a key role in revitalizing the local economy, signaling a new chapter in Flint’s industrial resurgence. Why now?: The grants are part of a Biden-Harris administration effort to reduce dependence on China and other foreign producers of advanced battery materials necessary to electrify the U.S. and continue a transition to clean energy sources. |
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Tahquamenon Falls has wheelchairs, all-terrain Track Chair for use on park’s paved trails |
Outdoors for all: There’s more than 35 miles of trails running through Tahquamenon Falls State Park − many of which are paved and becoming even more accessible to all hikers. The state park has several donated wheelchairs available to borrow for free at both the Upper and Lower Falls day use areas, including an all-terrain, motorized “Track Chair” at the Upper Falls’s Fact Shack. Something to do: Enjoy dozens of brews, including beer, mead, cider and spirits while overlooking Lake Cadillac this weekend during the Cadillac Craft Beer Festival. The Saturday, Sept. 28, event also includes live music, food and retail vendors, and yard games. "Better in Boots" tour: Pine Knob has announced a big-time musician for its first concert announcement of the 2025 summer concert season. Multi-Platinum entertainer, Thomas Rhett, is the first official concert to be announced for the amphitheater in Clarkston on Friday, August 8. |
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Let's get this Tuesday started. |
Thank you for joining me on today's edition of the Morning Briefing. As always, you can catch the latest Michigan news at MLive.com. While you're there, consider becoming a subscriber. I hope you experience joy today! — Cara Hackett |
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