February 8, 2022 You’ve seen the billboards. You’ve heard the commercials. You know the message. For more than 12 months, Michigan’s health officials have been working to get the word out that COVID-19 vaccines are the safe and effective way out of the pandemic. It’s an advertising campaign that has cost about $62.6 million in state and federal funding, and is expected to cost another $15 million before the end of the first quarter of 2022, according Department of Health and Human Services data requested and obtained by MLive. Advertising experts noted that such public health campaigns are expensive and can be difficult to assess the return-on-investment while the campaign is ongoing. Still, they said a drop-off in vaccine uptake requires a change of direction. READ MORE ►Plainwell parents latest to sue their school over COVID-19 mask mandates The Michigan sex offender registry is illegal and actually makes the public less safe, the American Civil Liberties Union claims. The nonprofit’s attorneys are challenging the latest iteration of the Michigan Sex Offender Registration Act, which created the sex registry in 1994, in a federal class-action lawsuit filed against Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, state police, who manage and enforce the registry, and its director. ACLU attorney Maureen Aukerman said the current law hinders the ability of sex offenders to obtain housing, employment and family support and “sabotages the key supports that people need to reintegrate into society.” READ MORE From MLive Chief Meteorologist Mark Torregrossa: "We can look forward to and prepare for a few types of different weather patterns this week. You might like some of the weather, and you might dread another part. It’s generally a quiet week with regards to big snowstorms, unlike last week. There will be one significant snow, but it comes in the form of pure lake-effect snow. This means the significant snow will only hit the western half of Lower Michigan. Eastern Lower won’t have much snow this week, with only about one to two inches over the course of the week. The lake-effect snow burst will come just before 'The Bad' or 'The Ugly' brutally cold weekend." READ MORE ►Coast Guard's Detroit crew helps rescue 18 people stuck on Lake Erie ice floe Just when you thought everything on the Michigan football front had started to simmer, the after effects of Jim Harbaugh’s month-long dalliance with the NFL began to creep through. In a stunning Sunday morning departure, offensive coordinator Josh Gattis, who turned heads in December with his tear-eyed Broyles Award speech thanking Jim Harbaugh for taking a chance on him, left Ann Arbor to become the new offensive coordinator at the University of Miami. Behind the scenes, Gattis was frustrated by a perceived lack of support from “administration,” he revealed in a Sunday text message to players obtained by ESPN. READ MORE ►Michigan women continue record climb, reach No. 4 in AP poll What's worth heading out into the bitter cold of a February day in Michigan? How about the chance to fling a fish and secure some very quirky bragging rights? If South Haven didn't reel you in for the annual Ice Breaker Festival over the weekend, you missed out on seeing some fins go flying. The festival, in its 28th year, included activities such as a chili cook-off and a cardboard sled race. But we know what you really want to see. That's why we angled for this fishy footage. Check out some highlights from the frozen fish fling: WATCH HERE ►Michigan's sled dog races are a 'super charged' celebration of winter Get your local news 24/7 Connect with MLive To ensure receipt of our emails, please add newsletters@update.mlive to your address book or safe sender list. |