Morning Briefing

THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2023

In today's newsletter, Michigan’s top officials rally for gun safety with Gabby Giffords, more rain and snow is on the way, and National Geographic names Michigan’s U.P. a volcanic tourism destination.

Luck of the Irish

St. Patrick's Day falls on Friday, March 17 this year and some cities across Michigan are already in full swing of celebrating the holiday that's steeped in Irish history and culture.

Bay City Mayor Kathleen Newsham issued a proclamation that designated March 13 -19 as “Irish Week” in the city. We also have your guide to the 2023 Bay City St. Patrick’s Day weekend, ‘Where Irish Tradition Lives’, that features a parade, races and more. Over in Washentaw County, here's where you can find green beer, live music and great food at these St. Paddy's Day celebrations.

Need more reasons to get out of the house this weekend? After almost two years of bumps in the road, Jackson’s social district is ready to launch. The downtown social district of bars and restaurants will begin on March 17.

Curated by Cara Hackett

Post-it notes with positive messages are stuck to a wall at Michigan State University

The Potter Park Zoo in Lansing celebrates the birth of a rare eastern bongo calf. The antelope species is critically endangered with only about 100 surviving in the wild and 300 in zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. (Photo provided by Potter Park Zoo)

Action after tragedy: Michigan’s top officials rally for gun safety with Gabby Giffords

'We will not live like this any more': As Michigan Democrats advance gun safety bills, they rallied Wednesday at the Michigan Capitol with Gabrielle Giffords, a former congresswoman who famously survived a deadly mass shooting in 2011. “Michigan is going to be a place where we have a tragic event and we do something within eight weeks,” U.S. Reps. Elissa Slotkin said, referencing the Michigan State University shooting.

Three bills that passed the House last week would require universal background checks on all guns rather than just handguns. The three bills headed to the Senate are part of an 11-bill package that also includes safe storage laws and extreme risk protection (also known as red flag) laws.

More in public interest: Michigan’s housing inventory saw a significant increase in February, marking some good news for buyers amid the tight crunch of mortgage rates.

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Sloth bites teen during visit to Michigan pet store, ruining lifelong dream

'Favorite living creature': Last month, a Saginaw Township teen girl was about to have a dream come true by interacting with a sloth named Sid at Custom Creatures, a local exotic pet store. Her experience was marred when the animal bit the girl, and left her with two deep puncture wounds to her skin.

There's more: Complicating the matter is the girl's mother, Christina B. Perez had previously purchased another exotic mammal, a kinkajou, from the pet shop for which she still owed a debt. This in turn led the pet store to author a post on social media naming Perez and offering $3,000 for information leading to the kinkajou’s return.

Not so happy ending: For Perez and her daughter, Sid’s bite and the drama over the kinkajou has been awful. “She’s terrified of the kinkajou and she’s anxious of our cat,” she said. “She cries all the time because she’s devastated. This was a lifelong dream of hers and it ended this way.”

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Thursday through Saturday: Rain and wind coming, then snow

Grab the umbrella: Our next storm system will bring rain and wind to the entire Lower Peninsula beginning late Thursday and lasting through mid-day Friday. Thursday night will be a wet night, with the chance for rain greater than 90% for everyone and even 100% for some.

More snow on the way: Snowfall totals look to be 1 inch or less on Saturday, although they could be higher closer to Lake Michigan. The U.P. will get a big snow out of this, which you can read about here: Winter Storm Watch for Upper Peninsula for around foot of snow

La Niña is officially over for the first time in 3 years. Here’s a look at how we know La Niña is over, and what’s next.

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68M are expected to wager on March Madness. Experts say exercise caution

Record breaking bets: Together, the 68 million betters will wager about $15.5 billion dollars throughout March Madness. That’s more than three times as much as Michiganders wagered in all of 2022 ($4.6 billion), according to data from the Michigan Gaming Control Board.

Better, beware: Most of those betters will be able to partake safely, setting responsible limits and holding themselves accountable. But for the estimated 3 or 4% with mild, moderate or severe gambling problems, it could be a dangerous three weeks.

Get ready to read: NASCAR driver Erik Jones donated a book vending machine to students at his old elementary school in Byron to celebrate March as Reading Month.

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National Geographic names Michigan’s U.P. a volcanic tourism destination

Michigan has volcanos?: You probably don't think of volcanic hotspots when you're planning a trip in Michigan. A recent story in National Geographic explores the formation of the Midcontinent Rift — a violent volcanic event that occurred more than a billion years ago in what is now Lake Superior and the Upper Midwest.

Let's get healthy: While we're still in the middle of recognizing Women's History Month in March, check out this "first-of-its-kind" health summit that aims to empower minority women in West Michigan.

Speaking of travel destinations: With an eye to the busy 2023 tourist season ahead, some of our favorite spots on Mackinac Island have already announced their opening dates for this spring. We’ve got the updated list of island opening dates being shared by the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau.

Read more

We're halfway through this week.

You're already starting today off on the right foot by reading today's Morning Briefing. I'll see you here bright and early tomorrow morning.

Catch the latest Michigan news at MLive.com. While you're there, consider becoming a MLive subscriber.

Find something that brings you joy today!

— Cara Hackett

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