In today's newsletter, preventing drownings along Lake Michigan, Consumers Energy is facing a $1 million fine and a look at which Michigan roads and trails are receiving upgrades. |
Let's get ready for summer ☀️ |
While June 20 is the official start of summer this year, many people also consider the Memorial Day weekend as the seasonal kickoff for summertime festivities. If you haven't finalized your summer bucket list yet, this list of five outdoor adventures might inspire you to explore Michigan's scenic side. Speaking of adventure, this sleep-away summer camp for adults in Southwest Michigan offers zip-lining, horseback riding, swimming, beer hikes and more. Whether you are chowing down on a Coney dog at Wimpy's Burgers or enjoying a day on Lake Huron, the picturesque beach town of Lexington is the perfect spot for a quick summer getaway. |
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Isle Royale National Park is home to some of Michigan’s 3,000 miles of water trails. (Photo: Keweenaw Adventure Company) |
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| Robots and beach traffic lights: Lake Michigan towns get creative to help stop drownings |
Deadliest Great Lake: After years of advocates pushing for changes and more investments in beach safety, the tide is turning in some communities along Lake Michigan. From robots and smart warning towers, to life-vest stations and the creation of a new lifeguard program, cities and safety advocates along Michigan’s west coast are looking for ways to reduce the number of drownings. Saving lives: Parents of a couple who drowned in Lake Michigan have teamed up to donate E.M.I.L.Y. (Emergency Integrated Lifesaving Lanyard) robots to the city of New Buffalo and Berrien County’s Silver Beach in St. Joseph. These are the only known municipal lifeguard programs operating in the state along Lake Michigan. On the water: A new kayak launch not far from Lake Michigan has opened in Southwest Michigan. The new Phoenix Kayak Launch is on the south branch of the Black River, located in South Haven. It opened earlier this month, it’s free to use and is ADA accessible. |
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Estimated bills, faulty meters lead to $1M fine for Consumers Energy |
Paying up: Officials with Consumers Energy agreed to pay a $1 million fine and change the way the utility charges customers after state regulators investigated complaints about malfunctioning electric meters and estimated bills. Going green: The city of Ypsilanti once again earned a gold ranking in a statewide sustainability challenge for 2023. The rankings by the Michigan Green Communities program reflect achievements in areas such as energy efficiency, climate adaptation and resilience, recycling, environmental justice and more. New name: Michigan State University is asking for help naming its new autonomous electric bus. A campaign to name the bus resulted in 120 unique submissions from MSU students. A committee narrowed the list down to a final four, and now it’s up to a public vote. |
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Brick Elementary first school in Michigan to get national STEM certification |
Washtenaw County's Brick Elementary School, part of Lincoln Consolidated Schools, is the first school in Michigan to secure certification from The National Institute for STEM Education, meaning Brick’s curriculum meets a high standard of quality as a STEM education center. Higher education: For the second straight semester, Michigan colleges and universities are seeing enrollment increases after multiple years of decreases. In case you missed it: The Biden administration says it is canceling the student-loan debt of an additional 160,000 borrowers in three specific demographics. The plan was announced by the Education Department and will result in an estimated $7.7 billion in forgiveness, according to the Associated Press. |
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‘Money is gone:’ West Michigan resident loses $400K in scheme targeting senior citizens |
Fraud: Two people, including one person from Flint, were sentenced to prison in a multi-million dollar international scheme that targeted senior citizens. A West Michigan resident lost nearly $400,000. What happened: Federal prosecutors said victims would receive warning messages on computers that a virus had infected their devices. Victims were told to call a number for help. The callers believed that they had reached a tech company, such as Apple or Microsoft, but they actually were talking to scammers in India. The schemers used a variety of tactics to scare victims into giving them money. Also in crime: A man shot and killed by police during a bomb threat was found to be in possession of a hoax device, according to Michigan State Police. The 44-year-old Oceana County man was fatally shot Saturday night, May 25, after an hours long standoff with Michigan State Police. |
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Can an old trail learn new tricks? Michigan’s Potawatomi loop gets reroutes and upgrades |
Sprucing up: Built in the 1960s, The Potawatomi Trail is showing its age.A partnership between the state park and a collection of local mountain bikers that aims to give it a facelift. Together, they have assembled nearly a half-million dollars to fund restoration and improvements to the Potawatomi loop, split between Washtenaw and Livingston counties. Road repair crews will be back out in full force across Michigan following the three-day Memorial Day holiday weekend. The state’s Department of Transportation has more than 100 road projects scheduled to close lanes, ramps, and full segments of major roadways until Saturday, June 1. Under repair: The Michigan Department of Natural Resources will temporarily close nearly a dozen facilities in the Upper Peninsula. Located in Marquette and Baraga counties, the closures will begin this week and are primarily for road and parking area improvements. |
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Hopefully you're starting this Tuesday feeling well rested after the long holiday weekend. Catch up on the latest Michigan news at MLive.com. If you value the work of our journalists, consider becoming a subscriber. See you bright and early tomorrow morning! — Cara Hackett |
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