September 15, 2021 If you’re from Michigan, you know that you don’t toss pop bottles and beer cans in the trash. You don't add them to the recycling bin either. For decades we’ve been diligently taking our returnables to the store to get that 10-cent deposit back. It's almost like we don't even question the system any more. The Michigan Beverage Container Deposit Law was passed by voters in 1976. It adds a 10-cent deposit to carbonated drinks, mineral water, wine coolers, canned cocktails and kombucha. It doesn’t cover non-carbonated beverages like bottled water, sports drinks, canned wine and coffee drinks. ►Michigan beverage distributors want 20% cut of lucrative bottle-deposit fund A group of local landlords is suing the city of Ann Arbor over a new renter rights law. The Washtenaw Area Apartment Association and over two dozen landlords filed their federal case against the city in U.S. District Court late last week, claiming the city’s new restrictions on showing occupied apartments to other prospective tenants is a violation of landlords’ constitutional rights. READ MORE ►What does the end of the eviction moratorium mean for Michigan tenants? A man who lost custody of his newborn son, only to have an appellate court reverse termination of his parental rights, is suing Catholic Charities West Michigan for placing the child with an adoptive family. The child was put up for adoption shortly after birth three years ago. The lawsuit alleges Catholic Charities committed fraud and failed to look for the biological father, Peter Kruithoff. In separate proceedings, a Kalamazoo County judge terminated his parental rights while an Ottawa County judge awarded him custody. It’s a barn. It’s a house. It’s actually both. Check out this unusual $263 per night Airbnb listing located in the small Michigan “Thumb” town of Bay Port, known for its nearby beaches, boating and fishing. Grandpa George’s House-in-a-Barn is almost as much a museum as it is a home away from home. What visitors experience at this Airbnb is a tribute to host Brian Keim’s grandfather that was two decades in the making. READ MORE About 61% of the population 12 and older in Michigan have received a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. More than 5.2 million people are at least partially vaccinated. Yet, case numbers are on the rise. The seven-day average number of cases per day, more than 2,000, is about what it was in January or March, when fewer people were immunized. Why is that? The delta variant, which rose to prominence in Michigan this summer, is one reason. But delta isn't the only reason. READ MORE ►What we know about the Mu variant, and why delta remains biggest COVID-19 threat 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. |