In today's newsletter, three more tornadoes confirmed from severe storms on Thursday, father sues Michigan CPS workers after 3-year-old found dead in freezer, and a dune buggy business unearths fossilized lightning. |
It's farmers market season in Michiganđ„ |
I come from a long line of amazing cooks who were also skilled at growing their own gardens. Alongside beach days and summer camps, warmer weather also meant tomato sandwiches and baking cobblers with freshly picked blackberries from my grandma's backyard. If gardening isn't an option for you, your nearest farmers market is a perfect way to pick up fresh fruits, veggies, baked goods, and flowers, while supporting local vendors. Here are a few farmers markets to check out in Ann Arbor, Holland, Flint, Saginaw, and Kalamazoo. |
|
|
An MLive file photo of a vendor selling fresh produce at the Holland Farmers Market. (Audra Gamble | MLive.com) |
|
|
A $2M grant was supposed to revive a mobile home park. Then residents got 4 days to get out. |
Mobile home park redevelopment: A piece of printer paper stuck to Tina Riggsâ front door gave an official notice: she had four days to move out. Riggs was shocked by the letter given to residents of Kristana Manufactured Home Park on Friday, March 28. It said due to âdeclining occupancy rates and the inability to maintain the communityâs infrastructure,â the park would close on Tuesday, April 1. The water was shut off at the park, located in just five miles north of Lansing in Dewitt Township, the next day. Funding freeze: A redevelopment project, which promises to overhaul a distressed mobile home park and create a new stock of affordable housing, secured a $2 million earmark in the state budget last year. But the legislator who sponsored the grant says the funding is now on hold after the park abruptly closed, the water was shut off and itâs been operating without a license. It's been five years since the Edenville Dam failed and caused water to rush south, overwhelming the Sanford Dam and flooding parts of the Tittabawassee and Saginaw rivers. More than 10,000 people across Michigan had to be evacuated due to the flooding. Here's a look at how mid-Michigan residents are still rebuilding their lives and homes after the floods. |
|
|
3 more tornadoes confirmed from severe storms, bringing statewide total to 9 |
Tornado touchdown: The line of severe storms that rocked Michigan for hours Thursday night produced three more tornadoes, the National Weather Service survey teams confirmed Saturday. This brings the total of confirmed twisters from that night of severe weather to nine. Two of the latest confirmed tornadoes occurred in Allegan County, the NWS team in Grand Rapids said. Another started in Kent County and whirled into Ionia County. Widespread damage and power outages from severe thunderstorms Thursday night have caused Kalamazoo County to declare a local state of emergency. Among the hardest-hit areas on May 15 was Galesburg, where an EF-0 tornado touched down, leaving behind significant damage. In environmental news: Researchers will be conducting nightly deer counts in Kent County over the next two weeks to collect data on local deer populations. |
|
|
Father sues Michigan CPS workers after 3-year-old found dead in freezer |
"Duty to intervene": Chayce Allen, 3, suffered extreme trauma at the hands of his mother before he was found dead in a broken basement freezer in 2022. His father, Juwan Allen, says Michiganâs Child Protective Services failed him by repeatedly returning him to an abusive household, despite clear signs of harm, according to a lawsuit filed last month against 13 state CPS workers. Allen argues gross negligence and a failure by CPS to remove the boy from his motherâagainâcontributed to his injuries and untimely death. Saturday night crash: Murder charges are pending against a 24-year-old man accused of hitting and killing a pregnant woman and her unborn child in a Monroe County crash, police said. On the mend: A Michigan State Police trooper shot three times in a shootout with a suspect Friday evening has been released from the hospital. State police announced at 2:23 p.m. Saturday, May 17, that the trooper had been released, thanking medical staff at Sinai Grace Hospital in Detroit for their care, MSP posted on X. |
|
|
What is the year-old Michigan company named in Trumpâs $600B investment deal? |
Saudi-Michigan investment deal: A year-old Michigan company, Shamekh IV Solutions, plans to invest $500 million to build an IV fluid manufacturing facility in Detroit as part of Trump's $600 billion Saudi Arabia partnership. Chairman Stephen Shaya tells Danielle James the project could create 300-500 jobs when construction begins in 2026, though the company has minimal history, having been incorporated just last year. Trump's tariffs: A West Michigan tool and die manufacturer feels conflicted about Trump's tariffs, which help level the playing field with China but create market uncertainty for customers. Brian McVicar reports that Walker Tool & Die president Jeff Umlor told Sen. Gary Peters he'd prefer targeted, long-term tariffs specifically for the tooling industry rather than broad import taxes that disrupt supply chains. Biden's cancer diagnosis: Former President Joe Biden, 82, has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has spread to the bone, The Associated Press reports. Despite the severity indicated by his Gleason score of 9, doctors note the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for "effective management." Biden, whose health was a major concern during his presidency, is currently reviewing treatment options with his family and physicians. |
|
|
Dune buggy business unearths fossilized lightning measuring over 2 feet from Lake Michigan dunes |
A rare find: A Lake Michigan business has captured lightning in a bottle â well almost. The Mac Woodâs Dune Ride team unearthed a fulgurite, or a piece of fossilized lightning, while prepping its trails this spring. Fulgurites are natural tubes of glass that are formed when lightning strikes sand. The Silver Lake Sand Dunes are one of the rare areas where fulgurites are known to be found and the family of Mac Wood has become local experts on the scientific spectacles. A new attraction: John Ball Zoo is pushing forward with plans to build a large-scale aquarium in Kent County, and a waterfront site for the estimated $370 million project could be announced in the coming months. Start booking: Reservations for the Idema Explorers Camp at Ottawa Countyâs Ottawa Sands Park are now open, after months of anticipation. Campers can reserve their stay starting May 23 and beyond on a rolling 12-month basis, Ottawa County announced this week. |
|
|
Thanks for starting your day with the Morning Briefing. We'll be back bright and early tomorrow with more top news from around Michigan. In the meantime, you can catch up on the latest Michigan news at MLive.com. If you value the work of our journalists, consider becoming a subscriber. See you tomorrow! - Cara Hackett |
|
|
Ready for positive, feel-good coverage of life in the Mitten? Curated from our best travel, outdoor, food, entertainment, photos and videos - immerse yourself in the place we love and the place we call home. Explore new dining, cabin rentals or how to view the next meteor shower. Join MLiveâ€com's Tanda Gmiter and the Life & Culture team every week. Your next adventure is waiting! Sign up here. There's one caveat: This is an exclusive newsletter for MLive.com's loyal subscribers. Not a subscriber? That's OK. You can receive a few weeks of the newsletter as a free trial. Click here to sign up. |
|
|
WANT TO SHARE THIS NEWSLETTER WITH A FRIEND? |
Did someone share this newsletter with you? Click here to never miss a day! |
|
|
To contact the newsrooms for any of our publications regarding technical support, news tips, classified ads and other inquiries, please click here. |
|
|
Unlimited Digital Access to MLive.com. |
|
|
Start today for $1 (cancel anytime) |
| |
|
Start today for $1 (cancel anytime) |
| |
|
INTERESTED IN ADVERTISING
OR SPONSORING OUR NEWSLETTERS? |
|
|
You received this email because you opted in to the newsletter. To ensure receipt of our emails, please add newsletters@update.mlive.com to your address book or safe sender list. MLive Media Group 169 Monroe NW Grand Rapids, MI 49503 Contact us | Unsubscribe | Privacy Policy |
|
|
|
