WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 2025 |
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In today's newsletter, four things to know about road funding proposal that cleared House committee, March Madness basketball courts were made in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and Howell has the chance to be crowned Best Main Street in America again. |
Add these Michigan spring break activities to your vacation itinerary |
Spring break will soon be in full swing for students across Michigan. For parents looking for an educational twist to their child's break from the classroom, here are five spring break camps and activities in West Michigan. If you're planning a quick getaway to the Windy City, the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago has extended spring break hours from March 22 to March 30. The aquarium also offers plan-ahead-pricing for non-Chicago residents looking to save money on tickets. For a bit of Up North fun, Crystal Mountain is rolling out a series of activities and deals for spring break. Spring Break at Crystal runs from Saturday, March 22 to Saturday, April 5. |
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Children view dolphins at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. (Shedd Aquarium/Brenna Hernandez) |
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Republican Tudor Dixon considers run for Michigan governor or U.S. Senate |
In the running: Former Republican gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon is considering running for office again. Dixon, who ran unsuccessfully against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in the 2022 midterms, announced on Tuesday, March 18, that she is weighing another potential bid for governor or a new run for U.S. Senate. President Trump took aim at the Institute of Museum and Library Services in a March 14 executive order titled “Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy,” identifying it as one of several federal agencies to be eliminated to the maximum extent possible under the law, deeming services it provides “unnecessary.” The Michigan Library Association took to social media on March 15 to explain what’s at stake from a Michigan perspective if the IMLS is defunded and dismantled. A Michigan Republican is the latest U.S. House lawmaker to face a growing outcry from constituents demanding in-person town hall meetings with federal lawmakers. An organized group of citizens announced plans later this week to deliver a petition signed by 1,500 town hall-demanding citizens to the Lansing office of Tom Barrett, a first-year Congressman representing Michigan’s District 7 in the U.S. House of Representatives. |
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4 things to know about road funding proposal that cleared House committee |
On the road: A nine-bill road funding package is heading to the Michigan House after clearing a committee Tuesday, March 18. Officially introduced by House Republicans on March 6, the bills seek to shift $3.14 billion in annual revenue toward roads, with an emphasis on local routes. Here are four things to know about where things stand with Michigan’s search for a long-term road funding solution. Drivers will soon be able to use the new Flex Route lanes on I-96 in Oakland County. The extra lane during peak traffic periods opens Wednesday, March 19, converting the left shoulder into a usable travel lane between Kent Lake Road and the I-237/I-696/M-5 interchange. Water rates: Flint could use $2 million in federal stimulus funds to cover the cost of higher water rates that start in July from the Great Lakes Water Authority. Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley is asking the City Council to approve a plan to reallocate American Rescue Plan Act funds to a water rate stabilization fund that would be used to offset a 5.9% increase in the wholesale price of GLWA water. |
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Piping plovers ‘will die’ at Sleeping Bear because of Trump cuts, experts say |
Endangered Great Lakes piping plovers will probably die this year in Michigan because of hiring struggles and spending limits at national parks, conservation experts warn. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is the heart of migratory piping plover habitat in the upper Great Lakes. But experts worry recent Trump administration spending cuts may leave gaps in protections for the birds across the national park’s 35 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline. At Sleeping Bear: It can be difficult to maintain trails, clean bathrooms, check-in campers and protect endangered species without adequate staff or supplies. That’s the situation at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and other national parks due to struggles with seasonal hiring and a 30-day $1 spending limit on government credit cards that’s preventing staff from buying routine supplies. While the investigation into the cause of a fire at a Consumers Energy plant in Bay County continues, officials said the ramifications of a mineral oil spill that occurred during the blaze would not be significant. Authorities reviewing the mineral oil spill at Consumers Energy’s Dan E. Karn Generating Plant in Essexville determined the spillage did not reach or impact waterways. |
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We'll be back tomorrow with more top stories from around Michigan. In the meantime, you can catch the latest Michigan news at MLive.com. While you're there, consider becoming a subscriber. See you tomorrow! - Cara Hackett |
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