WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2023 |
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In today's newsletter, Michigan nurses raise concerns about staffing levels, Whitmer rolls back some Michigan abortion regulations and why the Detroit Lions always play on Thanksgiving. |
Buckle up, Michiganders. It's almost time to hit the road for Thanksgiving |
As Thanksgiving kicks off tomorrow, more Michiganders are expected to travel this holiday, according to industry projections. AAA estimates more than 1.7 million state residents will travel at least 50 miles over the extended holiday weekend. Speaking of traveling, three years of construction work on I-69 in Calhoun County is wrapping up in time for Thanksgiving. Whatever your preferred travel method is this season, I hope you reach your destination safely and full of holiday cheer. |
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A drone image of Sue Grzegorczyk’s donated tree being set up in downtown Bay City on Monday, Nov. 20, 2023. (Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com) |
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Michigan has 8,500 open hospital jobs, and 50,000 nurses who aren’t filling them |
Staffing crisis: Nurses in Michigan are concerned about staffing levels they say make their hospitals more dangerous for patients and caregivers alike. Of about 62,000 registered nursing jobs throughout hospitals statewide, about 8,500 were vacant as of this fall, according to the Michigan Health and Hospital Association. Combine these unfilled positions with a decline in support staff, and nurses say they are responsible for more work, leading to exhaustion, burnout, and in some cases, worse health outcomes. Also in the workforce: Ford Motor Co. is moving forward with a scaled-back investment of an electric vehicle battery plant in southwest Michigan. The automaker will reduce the battery capacity and cut 800 jobs from the lithium iron phosphate battery plant. |
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Promising more to come, Whitmer rolls back some Michigan abortion regulations |
Reproductive Health Act: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer expanded abortion laws on Tuesday, repealing facility size requirements for abortion-providing facilities and a 1931 law that made it a crime for health care professionals to prescribe abortion medications. Next in line: The perks of being a member of Congress haven’t been enough to persuade four area Democrats to join the race to succeed Dan Kildee in the 8th Congressional District. On pause: After a food security program in Ottawa County announced it would have to suspend its operations due to budget cuts from the county, commissioners argued about whether to restore the program’s funding during their Tuesday, Nov. 21 meeting |
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Light snow system speeding up, probably covering Michigan before holiday period is over |
Let it snow: The end of the weekend should have fairly widespread snow moving across all of Michigan. This will likely be the first time this year that a thin coating of snow is on many Michigan roads. Here’s the forecast of rain and snow areas from Saturday night to Sunday evening. Also in weather: Next week a cold air mass is projected to move southeast across Michigan. With surface water temperatures between 45 degrees and 50 degrees, the water-to-air temperature difference will be large enough for periods of meaningful lake-effect snow. Shooting stars: The Geminids meteor shower will close out 2023 with one of the year’s most impressive stargazing events. This year’s meteor shower began on Nov. 19 and will peak overnight between Dec. 13 and 14, according to the American Meteor Society. |
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Why do the Detroit Lions play on Thanksgiving every year? |
Tradition: The Lions have continued to host the annual holiday game every year since 1934, except for the World War II era. Take a look back at how the tradition began, and what's at stake when Detroit hosts Green Bay on Thanksgiving at Ford Field. Speaking of Thanksgiving games: The Detroit Lions are one of the NFL’s hottest teams and the Green Bay Packers have lost five of their last seven games. Oddsmakers are now favoring the Lions by more than a touchdown for the upcoming annual Thanksgiving game at Ford Field. Not feeling it: Former Detroit Lions quarterback Scott Mitchell has scorched his portrayal in the “Bye Bye Barry” documentary that Amazon released on Tuesday, going after everyone from his head coach to even Eminem and Jeff Daniels. |
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The Festival of Trees returns to downtown Muskegon with a vintage holiday twist |
The Muskegon Museum of Art is inviting the public to take a trip down memory lane this holiday season with nostalgic festive collections during The Festival of Trees, held Nov. 22 to Dec. 30. Community cheer: A 44-foot-tall blue spruce that has graced Sue Grzegorczyk’s Bay City property for 29 years will soon be lit up for the whole community to see during the annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony. In case you missed it: The U.S. Forest Service has announced the return of a beloved outdoors holiday tradition: The $5 U-cut Christmas tree. |
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It's going to be a great Wednesday! Catch up on the latest Michigan news at MLive.com. If you want to support the work of our journalists, consider becoming a subscriber. I hope you experience something that brings you joy today. — Cara Hackett |
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Subscribe today to get exclusive insights and bonus content from Detroit Lions writers Kyle Meinke, Benjamin Raven and Kory Woods. Dungeon of Doom is your home for entertaining and informative analysis and discussion of the Lions. Get your 14-day free trial and then keep the conversation going for only $4.99 per month. |
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