Morning Briefing

FRIDAY, JULY 1, 2022

In today's newsletter, what's up with the July Fourth weather, children under 5 start getting COVID vaccines in Michigan and the Red Wings hire a new head coach.

We promise not to give you a water warning every morning. But here's one more.

OK, I know I was warning you about water safety yesterday, but lakes and rivers are a big part of Michigan summer. With a long, hot weekend on the way, there is another safety issue involving natural bodies of water.

Michigan health officials want state residents to be wary of foam spotted in swimming areas. Some foam has tested positive for toxic PFAS chemicals. So, while you are splashing around this weekend, and for the rest of the summer, stay alert. If you come into contact with foam, make sure to wash it off quickly. Read more about it here.

Now that the serious stuff is out of the way, all of us at MLive wish you a fun, relaxing and safe Fourth.

Curated by Jessica Shepherd

Fireworks displays are planned for communities across Michigan on and around July 4. This photo is from Saginaw's display in 2021.

Ready to celebrate Independence Day? Here's what's going on during the holiday weekend.

Fireworks, parades and more: All weekend long (and that obviously includes Monday), towns across Michigan will break out the American flags and sparklers to celebrate our country's birthday. Looking for local events? We have you covered with this guide to Fourth of July fun across the state.

What will the weather look like? According to MLive Chief Meteorologist Mark Torregrossa, a little planning will go a long way. There might be a little rain here or there, but don't cancel all your plans if you see a raindrop symbol on your weather app. Mark has more on the weekend forecast here.

What about the roads? AAA expects lots of vehicle traffic for the holiday weekend. In order to help limit backups, MDOT is putting the brakes on the majority of road construction projects.

Read more

Three stories from Michigan courts that you will want to read.

Adoptive parents keep custody:The West Michigan couple that has been raising a nearly 4-year-old boy since shortly after his birth will get to keep custody of their adoptive son, the state's highest court ruled. The case has been in the spotlight since the child's birth father began fighting for custody, alleging his parental rights were wrongly terminated.

Snyder takes the Fifth: Former Gov. Rick Snyder has invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate himself in a federal civil trial tied to the Flint water crisis, carrying out his plan to remain silent while a separate criminal case against him is pending.

Two accused in kidnapping plot will be retried: A federal judge said Thursday that two men accused of plotting to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will be retried after a jury in April failed to reach verdicts.

Read more

In the first days of eligibility, 3,200 young Michiganders rushed to get COVID vaccines.

The first 10 days: Kids ages 4 and younger had to wait a lot longer than the rest of us to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Once they were officially allowed to get the shot, 3,200 youngsters in Michigan jumped on the chance.

Not a large chunk of the population: Those 3,200 kids represent less than 1% of the more than 500,000 children age 6 months to 4 years old who became eligible for COVID vaccination on June 18. Kids can receive the vaccine from a primary care provider, local health department or federally qualified health center.

The most prevalent variants right now: BA.4 and BA.5 now account for 52% of COVID cases. Here's a look at the symptoms for these variants.

Read more

Hey, Red Wings fans, there is a new head coach in Detroit.

Derek Lalonde hired by Red Wings: The Tampa Bay Lightning assistant coach has landed his first head coaching gig in Detroit. He has 19 years of coaching experience, including the past four seasons as an assistant with the Lightning under Jon Cooper, during which time Tampa Bay won two Stanley Cup championships.

Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman says: "He has proven himself as an excellent coach at every level and has spent the last four seasons in the National Hockey League as part of a very successful program in Tampa Bay. We feel he is ready to take the next step in his career as the head coach of the Detroit Red Wings."

More big sports news: UCLA and USC are leaving the Pac-12 to join the Big Ten. College sports fans have a lot to say about the change.

Read more

Some Republicans are looking to ban drag shows in school despite a lack of evidence this occurs.

A drag show ban? Republican gubernatorial hopeful Tudor Dixon, alongside a smattering of Republican lawmakers, convened on the Capitol steps Thursday to announce legislation that would ban drag queens from schools and allow parents to sue a district should it violate such a law.

But does this even occur? When repeatedly asked by reporters, none standing to speak on the bill could point to an instance of this occurring in a Michigan school.

Speaking of gubernatorial candidates: Michigan's Republican candidates for governor faced off in another debate Thursday night. Here's our coverage.

Read more

You're all caught up.

Here's to a lovely July.

Even during a long holiday weekend, you can always find the latest headlines from across Michigan by visiting MLive.com. You can also stay updated by following our Facebook and Twitter pages. If you value the hard work of Michigan journalists, consider becoming an MLive subscriber.

We'll be off on Monday for the holiday. We hope you enjoy it and we will see you on Tuesday.

— Jessica Shepherd

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