Morning Briefing

FRIDAY, JULY 21, 2023

In today's newsletter, tennis ball sized hail pummeled parts of Michigan, these two Michigan colleges are among the 100 most selective in U.S., and Berston Field House, a training ground for top athletes, celebrates 100 years.

Before you hit the road this weekend...

Michigan’s weekend forecast looks warm and welcoming, which means potential traffic congestion in the midst of construction season.

Still solidifying those weekend plans? Tequila fans will have their pick of over 100 types of tequila and mezcal at the Taco and Tequila Fest at Riverside Park in Grand Rapids on Saturday, July 22. Here are six things to know before you go.

A new bar arcade in Fenton will host its grand opening on Friday, June 21, and features 30-plus games, "adult lunchables" and plenty of nostalgia.

Curated by Cara Hackett

Tennis ball sized hail blasted Davison on Thursday, July 20, 2023 in a heavy thunderstorm. (Photo provided by Mitch Neeley)

‘Looked like my car went through a driving range,’ man says of damaging baseball-size hail

Damaging hail: One Davison resident says his car looked like it went through a driving range after baseball sized hail from Thursday's storm smashed out windows and caused body damage.

Aftermath: Large hail, strong winds and downed trees came with the storm that cut across the middle and and southeast part of Michigan, leaving more than 100,000 without power.

In case you missed it: Michigan will receive nearly $15 million in federal grant money to improve the electric grid and reduce the impacts of extreme weather.

Read more

These 2 Michigan colleges are among the 100 most selective in U.S., federal data shows

In higher education: The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor is the most selective college in the state, admitting about 20% of its nearly 80,000 applicants in 2021-22. Hillsdale College came is the second most selective college, admitting about 23% of its nearly 3,000 applicants in the same timeframe.The statistics come from the National Center for Education Statistics.

A record budget: In a Suttons Bay Public School cafeteria surrounded by students, parents and educators, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer gave the final OK Thursday, July 20, to the state’s $24.3 billion school aid budget.

Look it up: As Grand Rapids looks to shutter unused school buildings, see vacancy rates in your neighborhood.

Read more

Off-duty police officer in Lake Michigan rescue: ‘Do what you have to do’

Close call: Four people, including an off-duty police officer, helped rescue a Hudsonville family struggling in Lake Michigan. Eric Rottman, an off-duty Paw Paw police lieutenant, said he and the others just reacted, saying, "it was just something – you do what you have to do and go from there."

Beach and boat forecast: This weekend does not look like a great time to be out on the water. High winds and waves will generate choppy conditions on the Great Lakes, adding a deceptive danger for boaters.

Up North weather: Northerly winds will cool things off substantially during the weekend, with some overnight temperatures being below average for this time of year.

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Berston Field House, a training ground for Claressa Shields and other top athletes, celebrates 100 years

Through its 100-year history, Berston Field House has seen some of Flint’s best athletes, including former NBA players Jeff Grayer, Glen Rice, Trent Tucker and former Olympians Pam and Paula McGee. On Saturday, July 22, Berston will celebrate that history and its centennial with a special event in Flint.

Winner, winner: Michael Lorenzen extended the longest scoreless innings streak in baseball with seven shutout frames to lead the Detroit Tigers to a 3-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium.

Lions update: In an unexpected move, the Detroit Lions are releasing kicker Michael Badgley, as a league source confirmed to MLive.

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This Michigan blueberry farm has berries that ‘don’t exist anywhere else in the world’

Best berries: Home to over 22 types of blueberries with some that "don't exist anywhere else in the world" Blueberry Lane Farms will host its 75th anniversary celebration this weekend from Friday, July 21, through Sunday, July 23.

New arrival: The Harbor Princess—a boat with a storied history on two Great Lakes—has settled into its new home in Petoskey’s beautiful Little Traverse Bay, and is now offering sunset cruises on the bay.

What a show: Ed Sheeran nearly broke Garth Brooks’ Ford Field concert attendance record last weekend when more than 70,000 fans packed Ford Field.

Read more

That's all for now.

Another week is in the books. It's time to relax and kick up your feet.

Stay up to date with the latest Michigan news at MLive.com. While you're there, consider becoming a MLive subscriber.

Have a great weekend!

— Cara Hackett

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