Morning Briefing

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2023

In today's newsletter, a new study shows a reason for severe COVID outcomes in children, an update on snow in Michigan and three people are sentenced in the murder of a Flint security guard.

Ben is coming back, Lions fans!

I'll let you in on a little secret — sometimes it's hard to come up with something to write about in this space at the top of the Morning Briefing. Some days it comes so naturally and the words just seem to flow out of my fingertips onto the keyboard. But that wasn't the case for this newsletter.

Sometimes waiting helps. And once I spotted the news that Offensive Coordinator Ben Johnson has decided to stay put with the Lions in Detroit, I knew it was worthy of sharing here at the start of today's newsletter.

And yes, I have more Lions news down there in slot No. 4 today. I have shared a lot of Lions news in these last few months. That will likely taper off since the season is over. But not before I remind you to subscribe to the Dungeon of Doom podcast, because there is a special episode coming this week.

Curated by Jessica Shepherd

In honor of Penguin Awareness Day, Grand Rapids’ John Ball Zoo is celebrating its successful penguin breeding program. On Friday, Jan. 20, the zoo is highlighting its 24 penguins, who range in age from 4-year-old Chester to Agnes, the zoo’s oldest penguin at 32 years old. (Cory Morse | MLive.com)

Electric vehicles could put a $95 million hole in Michigan's road budget.

A possible funding gap: Michigan could lose $95 million a year for road repairs as electric vehicles become more widespread. That’s because gas taxes largely fund road construction, and electric vehicle drivers currently pay no state or federal gas taxes.

A look at the numbers:The average Michigan driver of a gas-powered vehicle pays about $400 a year in road fees, according to a report. Electric vehicle drivers pay between $262 and $298. For gas-powered cars this breaks down to $150 for registration and about $250 for gas taxes. And for varying electric vehicles and hybrids, most of the cost comes from annual registration fees.

ICYMI:Both Michigan and the wider Great Lakes and St. Lawrence binational region could become a world leader in the high-quality, voluntary carbon offset market to the possible tune of $783 billion in revenues by 2050, according to new research.

Read more

Children with COVID and another viral illness are more likely to have severe outcomes.

A new study shows: Children who had a coinfection, meaning COVID and another respiratory illness or illnesses, had worse outcomes. About 12% of the 566 hospitalized patients had another infection and 45% of them had severe outcomes. Only 22% of those with only COVID had a severe outcome, said researcher Dr. Amit Bahl.

Weekly COVID numbers: The state has watched its seven-day average for confirmed cases dip each of the last four weeks, from 1,582 cases per day as of Dec. 20 down to 718 cases per day as of Tuesday, Jan. 17. See the full weekly report here.

In other health news: Michigan begins PFAS blood testing in Oscoda after years of pressure.

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Missing the snow? You might be seeing some wintery conditions in parts of Michigan.

Winter storm? Well, don't get too excited. We aren't all in the snow area for the system that has prompted a winter storm watch for 30 counties. But if you are missing snow cover because you want to participate in winter sports, this might be good news for you. Check out the forecast.

Free snowmobiling weekend: Snowmobilers will have the opportunity to enjoy a free weekend of trail riding this winter thanks to the debut of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ free snowmobiling weekend in February.

Winter biking: Fat tire bikers can rip around a frozen U.P. lake this winter in one of Michigan’s top biking destinations. The purchase of new grooming equipment will now allow for groomed fat bike trails around Calumet Lake within Calumet Lions Park.

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Let's do our favorite sports roundup, checking in on Lions, Spartans and Wolverines news.

Lions: Life is good for the Lions post season. The free agents are telling the team they want to come back for next season. And though he made a huge impression, Dan Campbell showed his modesty by expressing feelings that he does not deserve coach of the year honors.

Spartans: Life in the Big Ten isn’t easy. Following a seven-game win streak that put Michigan State in a tie atop the league standings, the Spartans lost back-to-back tough games at Illinois and at home vs. Purdue on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Let's talk about it on the latest Spartan Confidential podcast.

Wolverines: The news broke Monday that Jim Harbaugh is staying in Ann Arbor. Here's a look at what's being said nationally about his commitment to the Wolverines. Plus, here's the latest on Michigan's men's basketball team.

Read more

'It'll never be over for us,' victim's family says after 3 are sentenced in Family Dollar shooting.

Family Dollar case: Craig Munerlyn was shot on May 1, 2020, inside the Family Dollar store where he worked as a greeter and security guard in Flint. More than two years later, his family reacted to the sentencing of three people involved in the killing.

Life in prison:Three defendants in the fatal shooting of Munerlyn were sentenced Tuesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole. They were all previously convicted of first-degree premeditated murder.

Mother seeks information in son's killing:Someone knows what happened to Trevor Wickliffe Woolery. That’s what his mother Pam Hannula believes. But three months after Woolery was found dead, presumably killed by a hit-and-run driver near Ann Arbor, his family is still looking for those answers.

Read more

You're all caught up.

It's already Wednesday and you've already taken time to get informed on the latest news.

But there will always be more to learn by finding the latest Michigan news at MLive.com. And perhaps you'd like to consider becoming an MLive subscriber.

Have a wonderful Wednesday.

— Jessica Shepherd

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