In today's newsletter, go-broke dates for Medicare and Social Security just got closer, the Gordie Howe International Bridge is one step closer to completion and Michigan’s most booked campsite has lake views. |
Get ready for scorching temps this weekend |
Michigan is having its first major heatwave of the season today as temperatures are expected to climb into the 90s for most of the Lower Peninsula. One metro Detroit dessert shop is helping customers beat the heat by serving up unique ice cream flavors this summer. Mountain Dew soft serve is making a comeback this week only at Dairy Whip in Redford. The vegan treat, an annual summertime tradition, is available until Sunday, June 22. Speaking of unique eats, the inaugural Food Truck & Craft Beverage Festival is bringing 20 food trucks to Ionia on Saturday, June 21. Hosted by the Food Truck Festivals of America, attendees can experience Creole, Brazilian, and Mexican cuisine, craft beer, lobster grilled cheese, ice cream, smash burgers and more. |
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Mountain Dew soft serve at at Dairy Whip in Redford, Michigan. (Photo by Edward Pevos | MLive) |
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Major construction milestone reached in Gordie Howe International Bridge project |
Getting closer to completion: Less than 5% of construction work remains on the Gordie Howe International Bridge. After five years, the two massive tower cranes on both sides of the Detroit River are coming down. The bridge construction is expected to be complete in September. The bridge deck spanning the distance between the two towers measures just over a half mile (0.53 miles/853 meters,) making it the longest main span of any cable-stayed bridge in North America and the tenth longest in the world. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's office announced redevelopment projects for a pair of small downtowns in Southwest Michigan. The projects in Hastings and Coldwater add up to 140 new housing units, plus new community gathering spaces. The total capital investment is $34.8 million. The projects will be supported by the state’s Revitalization and Placemaking program. Getting an upgrade: Downtown Grand Rapids buildings will soon receive heating and cooling through electric-powered thermal energy thanks to new infrastructure coming online next year. Vicinity Energy, the district energy system that fuels over 120 buildings downtown Grand Rapids, unveiled its new 9-megawatt electric boiler on Wednesday, June 18, as part of its efforts to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. |
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Go-broke dates for Medicare and Social Security just got closer |
Running out of money: The go-broke dates for Medicare and Social Security‘s trust funds have moved up as rising health care costs and new legislation affecting Social Security benefits have contributed to earlier projected depletion dates, according to an annual report released Wednesday. Last year’s report go-broke — or the date at which the programs will no longer have enough funds to pay full benefits — was 2036. Meanwhile, Social Security’s trust funds will be unable to pay full benefits beginning in 2034. In politics: The Michigan woman who resigned in protest this year from her post as the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine is running for Congress. Bridget Brink announced Wednesday, June 18, she is running as a Democrat in the 2026 election for the state’s 7th Congressional District. "Hospitals will be overwhelmed": Healthcare professionals at Trinity Health Ann Arbor hospital are predicting how Republican lawmakers’ push to cut $800 billion from Medicaid would impact their patients and operations at the hospital. |
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Michigan, Army Corps reach compromise on harbor PFAS testing |
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it may dredge the Grand Haven inner harbor this fall as planned after reaching a compromise with state regulators to avoid certain areas suspected to contain toxic PFAS contaminants. The state agreed to let the Army Corps test the granularity of sediments downstream of Harbor Island as a screening tool for now, rather than test specifically for PFAS chemicals. Trouble in the water: The city of South Haven has approved $55,000 related to the creation of a new lifeguard program, though some officials are concerned about the city’s direction on the issue. In May, South Haven approved a resolution saying it intends to establish a lifeguard program at city beaches starting in 2026, estimating it would cost $1 million per year. Speaking of water: A lake in Portage will be unsafe for swimming for two days next week as the city applies weed treatments. Due to the chemicals, the city of Portage is telling residents not to swim in Austin Lake on Monday, June 23 and Tuesday, June 24, according to a Facebook post from the city. Residents also shouldn’t use the lake water for irrigation from June 23 to June 28, the post said. |
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Death of worker at Michigan high school followed ‘near miss’ earlier in day, report says |
Construction fatality: A 27-year-old worker died at Potterville High School when unsecured steel trusses fell, trapping him in an aerial lift. The incident, which also injured a second worker, followed a "near miss" earlier that day when trusses fell during a previous attempt. Brandon Champion reports this marks Michigan's 12th workplace fatality of 2025. Dark money investigation: A Republican fundraiser has pleaded guilty to providing false statements during an investigation into campaign finance violations tied to the Unlock Michigan petition drive. Sandra Baxter, 65, admitted to lying under oath about her involvement in what the AG called a "dark money scheme" designed to conceal donor identities during the 2020 effort to limit Gov. Whitmer's pandemic powers. Ryan Boldrey reports Baxter faces up to one year in prison when sentenced in August. Teacher sexual misconduct trial: A former Atherton Community Schools music teacher accused of having inappropriate relations with a 14-year-old student has received a new trial date of August 13. Jerry Cutting, 57, faces six counts of criminal sexual conduct in the first degree after incidents allegedly occurred at his home, the school, and local hotels. Dylan Goetz reports the case was delayed when the victim was not present at what was scheduled to be a plea hearing. |
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Michigan’s most booked campsite has lake views, but not where you’d expect |
Outdoor fun: Across Michigan’s 13,750 state park campsites, Campsite B3 in Pinckney Recreation Area’s Blind Lake rustic campground is the most booked spot for two years in a row. Just an hour from Detroit and a half hour from Ann Arbor, Pinckney Recreation Area has some of Michigan’s year-round campgrounds, making it a four-season slice of solitude. Once hiking in about 7 miles on the Potawatomi Trail, campers arrive to the small campground with just 10 campsites. Michigan is home to two of the best places to camp in the Midwest. The Dyrt, a camping resource with millions of user-generated reviews and photo, released its 2025 list this week. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore ranked at No. 5 on the list and the Northern Exposure Campground and RV Park landed at No. 6. New addition: Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park has purchased a fleet of three electric trams for visitors who want to ride on a narrated tour of the park. The trams, which replace an older diesel-powered fleet, provide an “eco-friendly and comfortable way to explore the park,” and feature wheelchair ramps for visitors with disabilities, according to a release. |
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Another week is in the books. |
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