Morning Briefing: Snowy blast makes road conditions treacherous in West Michigan

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Morning Briefing

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2022

In today's newsletter, snowy roads are making West Michigan driving treacherous, see which Michigan counties became redder or bluer in the 2022 election, Section 8 renters are racing to find housing, and a Michigan TikToker is making the kitchen less intimidating for millions.

The weather outside is frightful, but Friday is so delightful.

There's quite a bit of activity going on in our atmosphere as we round off this week. The Leonid meteor shower has reached its peak (don't worry, the meteor shower is still active for the rest of the month) and Mother Nature is slamming parts of Michigan with its first big snow of the season.

Despite the winter storm warning, the heavy snow didn't deter over 100 people standing in line for free tacos at Condado's Tacos grand opening in Kalamazoo. Natalie Samdal and Julia Fish got to the restaurant at 4:30 a.m. and camped out until the doors opened until 11 a.m. This is first Condado Tacos in Kalamazoo County, but the sixth location in Michigan.

For a heartwarming story, check out this quilt created by 100 community members ages 6 to 90-years-old in Chelsea that's being unveiled on Saturday, Nov. 19 at the Chelsea District Library.

Curated by Cara Hackett

Western Michigan quarterback Treyson Bourguet (2) pass off the ball to running back Jalen Buckley (29) during a week 12 college football game at Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant on Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022. (Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com)

Drivers beware: Snowy blast makes road conditions treacherous in West Michigan

Snowy streets: Police have responded to multiple crashes on U.S. 131 and I-94 caused by snowy blasts that are complicating driving conditions across West Michigan. The heavy snow is slated to continue into midday Sunday and up to two feet are expected at Lower Michigan’s ski areas. If you have to venture into the snow, check out 15 things to keep in your vehicle's winter emergency kit.

Watch vs. warning: MLive's meteorologist Mark Torregrossa explains the weather criteria used when several weather advisories, watches and warnings are issued during Michigan's winter storms.

Speaking of snow: An Upper Peninsula community has rallied to save a snowmobile trail that serves as an important part of its winter tourism economy.

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Which Michigan counties became redder, bluer in 2022?

Turning points: Of Michigan’s 83 counties, 29 became more Democratic during the 2022 election season while 54 trended more Republican, when compared to 2018. See which counties became redder (more Republican) or bluer (more Democratic) this election with an interactive map.

Crunching the numbers: The biggest net victory for Republicans compared to 2018 came in a Democratic stronghold: Wayne County. Republicans gained about 7,000 net votes in Wayne County versus 2018 – but still lost the county 70.8% to 28% in the governor’s race. Other large counties that got redder in 2022 included Genesee, Monroe, St. Clair and Lapeer.

Turning blue: The biggest net victories for Democrats versus four years ago came in Oakland, Kent, Washtenaw, Macomb and Kalamazoo counties. In Oakland County alone, Whitmer gained an extra 42,591 net votes compared to 2018.

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After years of waiting, Michigan Section 8 renters race to find housing

Time is running out: Michiganders reliant on Section 8 housing assistance are scrambling to find homes before their vouchers expire within a 60-day window.

In Michigan, an estimated 225,000 households rely on federal housing assistance, according to the nonpartisan Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, including 53,900 who receive housing choice vouchers. But limited funding and long waitlists mean Michiganders wait 26 months on average to get a voucher, the Center on Budget Policy and Priorities found.

More in Public Interest: An amoxicillin shortage? What Michiganders should know.

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NFL moves Bills-Browns game to Detroit’s Ford Field due to historic snowstorm

Game on: The NFL announced they are moving the Week 11 game between the Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Browns to Ford Field, with a historic snowstorm in the expected for upstate New York. The National Weather Service projects 12 to 18 inches in snow on Thursday and Friday, followed by another projection of 10 to 16 inches of snowfall for Friday night.

Dashing through the snow: The Western Michigan Broncos conquered Central Michigan with a game-winning 25-yard field goal with 2:01 left in the fourth quarter, giving WMU a 12-10 win over CMU in the snowy rivalry game.

Lions News: The "sky’s the limit" says Lions wide receiver Josh Reynolds as he and DJ Chark returned to practice this week after missing a combined eight games because of injuries.

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This Michigan TikToker is making the kitchen less intimidating for millions

What's cooking: Flint-raised Ahmad Alzahabi doesn’t claim to have any professional kitchen training, even though he won a competition on Food Network's Chopped. He worked in a kitchen in Dubai but hated it, feeling like the experience took the human element out of cooking—the part he loved the most. The human element has now helped Alzahabi reach nearly 6 million followers on his TikTok account, The Golden Balance.

Get some fresh air: The Michigan’s Dragon Trail is closing in on completing the 47-mile trail loop around Hardy Pond in Newaygo and Mecosta counties, after nine more miles opened this week.

'Now we got bad blood': Taylor Swift fans are frustrated after Ticketmaster canceled the general public sale for the pop and country singer's The Eras Tour, originally set for 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 18. Ticketmaster cited "extraordinarily high demands on ticketing systems and insufficient remaining ticket inventory to meet that demand" in a tweet.

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That's all for now.

Thanks for checking back in with us for today's Morning Briefing.
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Stay safe and warm today!

— Cara Hackett

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