In today’s newsletter, only one of 10 ballot initiatives submits signatures by the state's deadline, a lone white man takes to the streets of Muskegon with a Black Lives Matter sign and the out-of-pocket costs of childbirth. |
No, that's not Tom Cruise. It's a Michigander! |
Some people have really interesting jobs. Add to that list Michigan's own U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Christian “Griff” Frasher. He doesn't just get to pilot a fighter jet, he gets to do it in the movies.
The Eastern Michigan University graduate got to fly for the blockbuster everyone's been talking about, "Top Gun: Maverick." And while filming, he needed to pass for movie star Tom Cruise, so they gave him a spray tan and a helmet, in case he was spotted in the films's footage. Keep an eye out while giving it a watch.
And if you are interested in newsworthy cameos, a duck from down south made its way to Ann Arbor this week and attracted a lot of attention from birdwatchers.
Now let's fly through the rest of today's newsletter. |
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The former Valley View Pork LLC “Hilltop Farm” near Walkerville. Michigan EGLE is investigating PFAS contamination in the surrounding soil and groundwater. |
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Where a tannery spread sludge on a Michigan farm, a PFAS problem grows. |
Along the Newaygo and Oceana county borders: The former Valley View Pork farms near Walkerville are at the center of a Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy investigation into PFAS groundwater and soil contamination after leather tannery sludge waste was spread on fields there starting in the mid-1990s. But the problem is potentially much bigger: It’s the potential spread of contaminants beyond the local area that most concerns environmental activists, who worry that hogs raised in concentrated animal feeding operation style may have been, inadvertently, putting contaminants into the general national food supply. One of many: Although the state of Michigan has been actively searching out PFAS pollution for about five years, regulators learned of the Walkerville problem by happenstance. And it is now added to a list of PFAS sites across the state. |
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Just one Michigan ballot initiative submitted signatures. Nine others let the deadline pass. |
1 of 10:On Wednesday, with 10 legislative initiatives collecting petitions due to the Secretary of State by 5 p.m., only one delivered the paperwork. Some did not gather enough signatures, and others – even though organizers said they had enough signatures – decided not to turn them in.
Voter ID campaign finds fraud: A ballot drive to tighten Michigan voting laws and require voter IDs is one of the nine that didn't move on in the process. Now circulators will aim for action by the state legislature after finding thousands of fraudulent signatures among its stacks of petitions.
Court appeals rejected: After being disqualified for the GOP governor race primary in Michigan, three candidates filed appeals. Courts have already rejected appeals from Perry Johnson and Michael Markey Jr. |
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Why a lone white man in Muskegon spreads Black Lives Matter message through rain and shine. |
Meet Bob Lindsay: If youlive in Muskegon, you've probably spotted a lone white man holding up a "Black Lives Matter" sign near the intersection of Henry Street and Sherman Boulevard. No matter the weather or the temperatures, his one-man rally continues multiple times each week.
Why is he there? “I’m a peace activist,” Lindsay said during a recent installment of his regular protest. “I’m discussing issues that affect peace in the country.” He calls the Black Lives Matter movement a “core civil rights issue” – one in which he says politics don’t belong.
See him in action: We headed out recently to see Lindsay spread his message to Muskegon motorists. You can see our video here.
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Are childbirth costs covered? The Supreme Court says 'yes,' but parents paying bills diasgree. |
The cost of childbirth: “We definitely see patients who are under-insured or who have large copays and deductibles, even with insurance, for childbirth care upwards of thousands of dollars,” said Dr. Halley Crissman, a Michigan obstetrician and gynecologist.
The average total: From 2016 to 2019, privately insured families paid an average of about $3,000 out-of-pocket for maternal and newborn hospitalizations alone, according to a 2021 study led by Michigan Medicine, based in Ann Arbor. Research contradicts Alito: Such research contradicts an argument articulated by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito in a draft opinion that would strike down Roe v. Wade. The opinion stated childbirth costs are covered by insurance or government assistance. |
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Diving into summer fun, we have a look at concerts, ferry rides and more. |
Summer concerts are back: The summer concert season is now underway, with shows scheduled across Michigan. Our friend Ed Pevos has the list of this month's concerts, so you can dance into this beautiful season.
Hop on a ferry: Sometimes a ferry is just a means of transportation, but sometimes the adventure is the ride. Shepler's has some exciting ferry excursions that will help you see a number of gorgeous Northern Michigan locations. Check out their offerings.
Take a summer stroll: Nichols Arboretum is a natural gem located in Ann Arbor. Affectionately known as "The Arb," it's filled with trails, plants and wildlife. You can just head there and explore (you really can't be disappointed anywhere you look here), or you can check out this list of 10 beautiful spots you should visit on your next (or first!) trip.
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