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Morning Briefing

MONDAY, JULY 31, 2023

In today's newsletter, these are the worst nursing homes in Michigan, meet the Michigan legislature’s first Black woman overseeing state spending, and when to see the first of August’s two spectacular supermoons.

If you're feeling hungry...

The start of a new week serves as the perfect opportunity to try out a different restaurant. Explore some of our Michigan's Best Local Eats for inspiration to shake things up at mealtime. 

It may be tucked inside a hotel, but don't overlook Palm’s Café in Ann Arbor. Executive Chef Rob Ross considers the restaurant where anyone can get a plate of comfort food a “diamond in the rough.” Arturo’s Tacos in Grand Haven aims to offer mouthwatering, authentic Mexican dishes in a cozy space.

You don't have to do all of the driving to your dinner plans. The St. Joseph/Benton Harbor Water Taxi will take you right to the front door of a waterfront restaurant.

Curated by Cara Hackett

The Michigan monkey flower grows near a creek on Beaver Island on July 20, 2023. The flower only grows in northern Michigan. (Neil Blake | MLive.com)

These are the worst nursing homes in Michigan, according to the federal government

Poor care: Twelve Michigan nursing homes have made the federal government's lists of the lowest-performing nursing homes in the country. The homes are apart of the Special Focus Facilities program, designed to force the lowest-performing facilities to improve.

That list wasn’t made public until 2019, when two U.S. Senators from Pennsylvania, Bob Casey and Pat Toomey, released it as part of a report on poor care in nursing homes. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services now release updated lists monthly. 

More in public interest: New legislation aims to bring Hollywood back to Michigan by reviving a film incentive program that has been dormant for eight years. 

Read more

Meet the Michigan legislature’s first Black woman overseeing state spending

Making history: Senator Sarah Anthony, a Lansing Democrat, has made her mark in Michigan politics. Not only is she first Black woman to lead the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, but she helped to usher in the state's historic $82 billion budget and the first Democratic budget in 40 years.

Catch up: From two Michigan Republicans who answered to the charges made against them, a number of bills signed into law to some post-Roe abortion statistics, here is your guide to Michigan politics.

Virtual IDs: A Michigan bill would allow users to pull up their ID virtually on their phones with all their information, similar to a normal ID.

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Sturgeon Moon: When to see the first of August’s two spectacular supermoons

Night skies: This month’s first full moon, nicknamed the Sturgeon Moon, will reach peak illumination at 2:32 p.m. ET on Tuesday, August 1, and will be best viewed later that evening as it rises in the southeastern skies after sunset, according to The Old Farmers Almanac.

Michigan's very own: The Michigan monkey flower is among the state’s few endemic plants, meaning that it grows solely in the Great Lakes State. Scientists historically documented the rare wildflower in just 17 places across the Grand Traverse Bay and Mackinac Straits regions, including one which remains on Beaver Island.

That was fast: Congress added a sixth Great Lake in 1998. It didn’t last three weeks.

Read more

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In 1 year, this Michigan second-grader went from motocross novice to national competitor

Rev your engine: Though Mason Howard’s only been racing motorbikes for about a year, he's now a national competitor. The 7-year-old is racing against some of the fastest kids in the country during the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship, from July 31-Aug. 5 at the historic Loretta Lynn Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee.

Consequences: Former Michigan State football player Itayvion “Tank” Brown is facing gun and assault charges stemming from two separate incidents has accepted plea deals in both cases.

The Lions: Rookie running backJahmyr Gibbs has been adjusting to life in the NFL through the first week, saying he's playing receiver and getting calls out of the huddle much more than he did in college.

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Tour a Michigan restaurant that spans 5 colorful Victorian buildings from 1800s

Dinner plans: Decked out in colorful paint and spanning nearly five city blocks, Big T’s Restaurant and Brew Pub has been a community staple  in the small downtown of Lawton in Southwest Michigan. 

Let it out:Whether its due to work-related frustrations, political tension, or family problems, a new rage room in Fenton, Destruction Depot 2, is planning on fulfilling that need, located at 1380 North Leroy Street in the VG’s plaza.

Celebrating landmarks: The Michigan Lighthouse Festival is returning August 4-6 in Alpena. The town home to seven lighthouses, the shipwreck-strewn Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, and the 10,000-square-foot Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center.

Read more

It's going to be a great day.

Thanks for starting your week off with the Morning Briefing. I'm glad you're here.

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

Have a fantastic Monday!

— Cara Hackett

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