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Morning Briefing

FRIDAY, MAY 27, 2022

In today’s newsletter, Gaylord is ready to welcome tourists days after a deadly tornado, a Senate-approved bill package would cut Michigan's gas tax for the summer and Michigan colleges see the worst spring enrollment decline in the country.

Memorial Day weekend is almost upon us. But be prepared for Fourth of July weather.

Memorial Day is set aside each year to remember those who died while serving in the U.S. military. In Michigan, we also refer to it as the unofficial start of summer. And, it is going to really feel like summer. 

According to MLive's Chief Meteorologist Mark Torregrossa, the weekend is going to start out with more typical temperatures and continue to heat up. As Monday's Memorial Day holiday arrives, it is forecast to be sunny, hot and humid.

That forecast should help you plan for the long weekend. And if you need ideas on how to spend your time, check out some Memorial Day events we've included further down in today's newsletter.

Curated by Jessica Shepherd

Michael Markey Jr. speaks to the Michigan Board of Canvassers. Markey is one of five candidates who was disqualified from the Michigan governor race.

Five GOP governor candidates are officially disqualified. But they say lawsuits are next.

GOP governor field cut in half: Five Republican candidates for governor will be kept off the August primary ballot after a deadlocked Board of State Canvassers voted 2-2 Thursday. The five candidates did not have enough valid signatures to qualify, it was decided. Their campaigns were said to have submitted thousands of fraudulent signatures.

It's not over yet: Some of those disqualified from the racehave vowed to take legal action in an attempt to reverse the board's decision.

More candidates disqualified: It's not just gubernatorial candidates who were disqualified during Thursday's hearing. In total, 19 candidates were blocked from Michigan ballots this election season.

Read more

Gaylord is welcoming summer tourists just days after a deadly tornado ripped though town.

'We're open:'"Gaylord is welcoming everybody back into our area,” said Eileen Tussey, general manager of the Fairfield Inn & Suites, one of 19 hotels in town. “We’ll be pleased to have them and welcome them with open arms. Gaylord is a strong community. We cleaned up really fast in this town."

Much of Gaylord was unscathed: Although the May 20 tornado touched nearly every person in Gaylord, most of the city remains intact. Major structures like Otsego Memorial Hospital and city hall were spared, and power was restored in less than two days. Main Street and hotels were spared, as well.

A tight-knit community: Volunteers poured into affected areas to clear debris, a tornado relief fund raised more than $300,000 within days and supplies flowed to churches and community organizations. Now, residents say one of the best ways to help Gaylord is to visit the town.

Read more

What Michigan communities have planned for Memorial Day this year.

Events across the state: There is so much going on during this long weekend. The Flint area has parades and fireworks. Mackinac Island has a special observance planned. In Kent County, events are switching back to in-person attendance this year after virtual events in 2020 and 2021. There's also plenty planned in the Ann Arbor area, Kalamazoo County and Jackson County. Oh, and don't forget mid-Michigan.

Honoring the fallen: We have compiled all of the Michigan Memorial Day events in a list here, so you can find the perfect way to commemorate the holiday.

Opening weekend: Visitors will return this weekend to Michigan's Adventure. And Saginaw's splash pad is opening in time for those hot temps. (Same in Bay County!)

Read more

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Gas prices would drop by 50 cents during the summer months under this proposed tax cut.

A summer vacation for taxes? With the average cost of gasoline in Michigan above $4.50 per gallon heading into Memorial Day weekend, the state Senate voted to temporarily nix taxes to reduce the price by about 50 cents and help summer travelers.

What happens next? The package of bills that contains the temporary tax cut now heads to the Michigan House. If approved there, it would need a signature from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Speaking of driving: MDOT is removing a majority of its lane closures across the state for the long weekend, in an attempt to ease traffic troubles for Memorial Day holiday travelers.

Read more

A new report shows Michigan colleges saw the nation's worst spring enrollment dive.

A 15% decline: College enrollment across Michigan plummeted 15% during the spring semester this year, dragged down by a 20% hit to four-year public universities, a new report shows.

Michigan's numbers stand out: Michigan was the only state to experience a double-digit percentage decrease. Michigan outpaced the national 4.7% decline in college enrollment this spring, the data shows.

Speaking of college: A group of inmates recently received their college degrees from Calvin University after completing their coursework while behind bars.

Read more

We'll see you on Tuesday.

The Morning Briefing is taking a long weekend for the holiday. But we will return on Tuesday.

Until then, you can find the latest Michigan news by visiting MLive.com. If you value the hard work of Michigan journalists like the reporters we feature here, consider becoming an MLive subscriber.

Enjoy your weekend. We'll see you next week.

— Jessica Shepherd

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