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Morning Briefing

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2023

In today's newsletter, some lawmakers want answers from utility companies after prolonged outages, extra grocery money is ending for 1.3 million Michigan SNAP recipients and see how much Michigan counties received in marijuana tax.

It's no longer February! Let's start March off with a few smiles.

I don't know about you, but February just doesn't excite me. I try to make the best of it, but I'm always happy to see that calendar flip to March. So, while I'm usually pretty cheerful, I'm extra chipper today. I decided that's a good reason to share some stories that added to my joy this week.  

My friend and colleague Justin Engel has a particularly fun story about a racy poem Madonna wrote in her high school yearbook. And get this — you could buy it, for the right price.

Justine Lofton shared the news of a family dog saving a toddler from a Michigan apartment fire. Our hats are off to you, Blue!

And Emily Bingham has the info about snagging sweet treats (and some knowledge) during Michigan Maple Weekends. Yum!

Curated by Jessica Shepherd

Michigan State University's women's gymnastics team won the program's first Big Ten regular season championship this week, sharing the title with the University of Michigan. (Photo courtesy of Matt Mitchell | Michigan State athletics)

Ice cover on the Great Lakes hits record lows. Experts say it's 'not just a one off.'

Less ice on our lakes: Ice formation remained minimal on the Great Lakes this winter and climate scientists said it’s an outcome of a warming climate. In fact, less and less ice cover is expected on the lakes in future years, which experts said will lead to further effects on the environment.

You can see the difference:Each of the five Great Lakes experienced warmer than average air temperatures in January, and they all maintain widespread open water conditions this winter, according to the U.S. National Ice Center.

While we are discussing ice (and snow): It might be meteorological spring as of today, but that doesn't mean we are done with winter weather. Some Michiganders could see up to six inches of snow later this week. 

Read more

Utilities built major influence in Michigan politics. Could ice storm outages erode it?

Some legislators are fed up: A growing number of legislators want the state’s largest utilities to answer for the extended outages that left Michiganders in the cold after recent ice storms. Rep. Reggie Miller said her colleagues are already discussing calling in utility company executives for legislative hearings.

Looking at the money: Both DTE and Consumers are for-profit companies. The day the first ice storm swept through Michigan, DTE announced year-end financials which touted a $1.1 billion profit in 2022. Less than two weeks prior, the company had asked regulators for sign-off to raise rates 13.9% in 2024.

Speaking of the ice storms: We have answers to common questions about handling ice storm-damaged trees.

Read more

Extra grocery money ends for 1.3 million Michigan residents as SNAP debate kicks off.

Extra grocery money ending: Today, 1.3 million Michiganders who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, formerly called food stamps, will have their benefits reduced. And emergency allotments enacted during the pandemic are ending as federal lawmakers debate how much to spend on SNAP for the next five years.

Experts are 'very concerned': Most people will see their benefits drop by at least $95 a month but some could see declines of $250, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Combined with rising food costs, anti-poverty experts warn a hunger cliff now looms for those facing the benefits cut.

More in public interest: Should you be able to carry a gun while voting? Michigan lawmakers hear debate.

Read more

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See which Michigan counties got $1 million or more in marijuana tax.

Millions from marijuana:The Michigan Treasury over the next several days plans to dole out $59.5 million to 160 local municipalities and 64 counties that allowed retail marijuana sales during fiscal year 2022.

A new annual high: That works out to $51,841.21 per retail or microbusiness allowed to operate between Oct. 1, 2021 and Sept. 30, 2022, about $4,600 less per license than was distributed in 2021, but a cumulative statewide increase of $17.3 million. You can check out how much money was distributed to Michigan counties and individuals municipalities here.

Speaking of state funding: The Michigan Strategic Fund on Tuesday approved an $8 million grant to demolish and eliminate blight at the former Marquette General Hospital.

Read more

A Michigan surgeon escaped a deadly earthquake. He aches for those who didn't.

The scariest half hour of his life: Bara Zuhaili had just escaped a collapsing hotel room and buildings were crumbling to the ground in every direction. Zuhaili gauged his chances of survival were slim if he ran through the destruction caused by the 7.8-magnitude earthquake in Turkey. But staying put also meant he risked being crushed. Luckily, he made the right decision.

Three weeks later: Zuhaili, a Flint-area surgeon is back in the comfort of his home with his wife and three young children. He’s back to performing surgeries and working on his next degree from Johns Hopkins University. But he can’t get the nightmare in the Middle East out of his head. More than 47,200 have been reported dead, according to the Associated Press.

Michigan man dies in Nevada plane crash: A Michigan man has been identified as the pilot of medical transport plane that crashed in a Nevada snowstorm, killing all five people onboard.

Read more

We are marching into March.

My month is already off to a great start, since you decided to join me here in the Morning Briefing.

All month long, you can find the latest Michigan news by visiting MLive.com. And don't forget, it's a always a good time to become an MLive subscriber.

Have a wonderful day!

— Jessica Shepherd

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• No break in Flint City Council tension as Mays forced out of another meeting

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