Morning Briefing

MONDAY, MARCH 13, 2023

In today's newsletter, this Michigan bird’s song means spring is on its way, Michigan State earns No. 7 seed in NCAA Tournament and why businesses have struggled to stay open at this Ann Arbor location for 50 years.

Upcoming concerts in Michigan you may want to put on your radar.

This summer's lineup of concerts has several different artists coming to our state, you're bound to find someone to see. We'll start off with who's performing at the 2023 National Cherry Festival: Theory of a Deadman and Skillet, Jordan Davis, Chicago, and comedians Jeff Foxworthy and Larry The Cable Guy.

Rockin’ the River in Bay City will have popular bands such as 38 Special, Styx and Joan Jett & the Blackhearts. Kid Rock will spend an entire weekend back home in July for his "No Snowflakes" tour. The Cure will perform in Michigan for the first time in two decades. And Pentatonix will visit in September.

Coming up sooner is Lonestar with concerts in both Flint and Jackson this weekend.

Curated by Jamie Rewerts

Post-it notes with positive messages are stuck to a wall at Michigan State University

An aerial view of Marquette Harbor Lighthouse on Lake Superior in Marquette, Michigan on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023. See more postcard worthy images from wintertime in the Upper Peninsula here. (Joel Bissell | MLive.com)

A ranking of Michigan cities by how old their homes are

Where does your city land? Some of the oldest housing stocks in Michigan belong to the western Upper Peninsula and the Detroit area, according to an MLive analysis of U.S. Census survey data. This includes all types of occupied housing units, including houses, apartments and mobile homes.

On the other side: Meanwhile, places with the newest homes include the outer suburbs of Detroit and Grand Rapids and much of West Michigan. Here’s a look at which communities have the oldest and newest homes.

Speaking of age: This Lake Michigan beach town is gearing up for a months-long celebration of its 150th anniversary, including concerts, fireworks and a ball.

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Michigan State mass shooter said he was hated loner: ‘They made me a killer’

Police have released the handwritten letter of the Michigan State University mass shooter that showed his apparent despair because he believed people hated him. Warning: The letter has graphic language.

More information: Anthony McRae also said he was the leader of a group of 20 who planned other mass shootings, including in Lansing, Colorado Springs and New Jersey. Investigators, however, say McRae acted alone, MSU Police and Public Safety said in a statement issued Friday, March 10. For MLive’s full coverage of the MSU mass shooting, go here.

Also in East Lansing: Magic Johnson announced that he would be creating the Earvin Johnson Sr. Scholarship Fund in honor of his father who recently passed away. The goal is to help support incoming minority students at Michigan State University because of his father’s “love for MSU, young people and education.”

Read more

This Michigan bird’s song means spring is on its way

Searching for a sign of spring? Then keep an ear out for the distinctive call of the red-winged blackbird. This boisterous wetland dweller is one of the first migratory birds to return to Michigan in late winter and very early spring, making its unmistakable voice a true harbinger of the change in seasons.

Be on the look out: Michigan residents are being asked to help stop the spread of an invasive pest this spring. The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is calling on Michiganders to look for and destroy egg masses of the spotted lanternfly — a colorful, invasive planthopper that can cause damage to fruit crops, trees and other vegetation.

Also in the sky: The transition from winter to spring has a special treat in store for stargazers: An eerie celestial glow known as “zodiacal light” may be visible in our darkest night skies during the coming weeks.

Read more

Michigan State earns No. 7 seed in NCAA Tournament, will open vs. USC

Go Green: Michigan State’s 25th straight trip to the NCAA Tournament will start with a short drive. Michigan State earned a No. 7 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament bracket, unveiled on Sunday evening. The Spartans will open the tournament with a matchup against No. 10 seed USC in Columbus, Ohio.Click here for a printable .pdf version of this year’s NCAA tournament bracket.

Left out: The Michigan men’s basketball team was not selected for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2015. The Wolverines earned a 2 seed in the NIT and will host Toledo at Crisler Center on Tuesday. For women's basketball, Michigan will open the NCAA Tournament against one of the winningest teams.

For Michigan hockey: The second-seeded Wolverines and fourth-ranked Wolverines scored three goals in the first 11 minutes and rolled to a 7-3 victory over No. 3 seed and No. 9 ranked Ohio State in a Big Ten semifinal Saturday at Yost Ice Arena. It now has a chance to defend its Big Ten Tournament title next week.

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Businesses have struggled to stay open at this Ann Arbor location for 50 years. Why?

Background: The building that housed go-to spot Delta Restaurant & Pizzeria at 640 Packard St. in Ann Arbor is empty, with multiple cracks visible in one of its windows. In the last 50 years, there have been nine businesses, including Delta, that have come and gone in the location.

Some ideas: With close proximity to University of Michigan students, the space makes some business sense, but sparse parking and a lack of non-student patrons have plagued many businesses that have tried to make a go of it there, according to real estate experts and the families of some of the former businesses owners.

A potential future boon to 640 Packard St. is the UM Central Campus housing projects recently approved by the university’s Board of Regents, Chaconas said. Those will add 2,300 beds in the area by 2025, and 2,000 more after that.

Read more

And the week has begun.

Thank for you joining me today on the Morning Briefing.

As always, you can get the latest Michigan news at MLive.com. While you're there, consider becoming a MLive subscriber.

Have a great day!

— Jamie Rewerts

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