In today's newsletter, Michigan becomes 20th state to outlaw ‘gay panic’ defense, Old Farmer’s Almanac early fall forecast and the Tigers get shutout win in series finale. |
Who's ready for the weekend? |
The last weekend of July is upon us, and there’s a lot going on. This includes Michigan Brewers Guild’s 25th-annual Summer Beer Festival in Ypsilanti, the Munger Potato Festival and Grand Haven’s Coast Guard Festival, which is celebrating its 100th year! If you are traveling, be aware of the several road closures that are set to go into place for construction. Orange cone season ramps on! As far as the forecast goes, the general weather data shows an almost hot weekend on the way. We’d call it a sunny weekend, but wildfire smoke could be thick at times. |
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The Michigan Champion giant sequoia tree stands about 116 feet tall and 5 feet in diameter at Lake Bluff Farms in Manistee Township, Mich. It's one of three giant sequoias on the property, which is open to the public from dawn until dusk daily. (Justine Lofton | MLive.com) |
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Michigan, Canada officially connected by North America’s longest cable-stayed bridge |
It’s not open yet, but the Gordie Howe International Bridge has just become an official border crossing, connecting Michigan and Canada by the largest cable-stayed bridge in all of North America. It’s the latest milestone in the Bridge’s ongoing construction between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario. In the water: The wreck of a triple-masted schooner that carried cargo across all five Great Lakes for more than two decades before foundering in a fall gale in 1893 has been found in Lake Michigan. Bear-proof: National Park officials at Michigan’s remote wilderness island are again reminding campers they need to be vigilant to keep Isle Royale’s wolves from accessing food and trash near the campgrounds. |
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Michigan becomes 20th state to outlaw ‘gay panic’ defense |
Michigan is now the 20th state in the U.S. to outlaw legal arguments that someone’s sexual orientation justified assaulting them. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed into law the bill on Tuesday, July 23, banning the defense commonly referred to as “gay panic” or “LGBTQ+ panic.” Local politics: A conservative political fund bankrolled by a West Michigan apartment developer is campaigning against the Aug. 6 ballot proposal to raise Kent County’s hotel tax to fund projects such as Acrisure Amphitheater and a professional soccer stadium. End of an era: The number of Rite Aid stores closing in Michigan keeps growing as the pharmacy chain will likely be exiting the state entirely. Rite Aid has listed 165 closed Michigan stores in court documents – nearly all of the 185 currently operating – since declaring bankruptcy last year. |
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Old Farmer’s Almanac early fall forecast puts part of Michigan in the cool zone |
On deck: The Old Farmer’s Almanac has released its extended Fall 2024 outlook for the United States. In the outlook, much of the Lower Peninsula is in the below-average temperature group, while northern Lower Michigan and the Upper Peninsula is in the near average temperature group. Did you notice: Wednesday night, some locations in the Upper Peninsula dropped down into the lower 30s! One location even hit the freezing mark, in late July. How did this happen? High pressure is to thank. Think twice before hopping in: Water temperatures have plummeted for many West Michigan beaches Thursday morning as a cold upwelling occurred. With much warmer temperatures in the forecast, water temperatures should be able to rebound. |
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Lions’ David Montgomery can’t help but feel driven by NFC title game loss |
David Montgomery had a strong first season in Detroit, running for more than 1,000 yards and notching 13 touchdowns, winning his first division crown with a trip to the NFC title game as the cherry on top. But, with a taste of that success, the veteran running back can’t help but feel driven by the NFC title game loss to the San Francisco 49ers because it’s tough knowing how close they came to reaching the big goal at the end of the tunnel. Celebrity guests: The Detroit Lions training camp practice was full of stars, on and off the field. Fresh off his appearance at the Republican National Convention, Hulk Hogan showed up. Claressa Shields was also in the house and so were the hosts of the Bussin’ With The Boys podcast. In baseball: Six pitchers combined to throw nine shutout innings as the Detroit Tigers beat the Cleveland Guardians 3-0 on Thursday afternoon at Progressive Field. |
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In Ann Arbor’s Graffiti Alley, some say ‘Farts’ is art, others say it stinks |
It was about a year ago when someone first covered Ann Arbor’s Graffiti Alley with “Farts,” repeatedly spray-painting the word hundreds of times over. While it amused some, others saw it as defacing a beloved exhibit of street art and hurting the alley. A year later, whoever is behind “Farts” is still relentlessly painting the tag in the alley off Liberty Street. An update: Deiontreay Darell Craft, 26, was sentenced to life in prison Wednesday, July 24 in Kent County Circuit Court for the 2022 shooting deaths of two men in Grand Rapids. To know: Intruders are using bear mace on pets in a series of break-ins in Detroit, resulting in injuries and sickness. |
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Into the weekend we go... |
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. See on Monday! — Jamie Rewerts |
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