WATZ Today's Country

Tuesday State News Summary
Tue, 21 Jun 2022 06:15:34 EDT

HEAT
Today is the first day of summer and most of Michigan is under a heat advisory.
Temperatures are expected to reach the 90's in most areas. Summer officially arrived
today at 5:14 A.M., which is known as the summer solstice. It's one of the longest days
of the year with more than 15 hours of daylight. It's the precise time the sun is as far
north of the equator as it gets.

FOURTH OF JULY TRAVEL
Close to 1-pt-7 MILLION Michiganders are expected to travel over the 4th of July
holiday weekend. Triple-A says thats 10% more than last years holiday, and slightly
more than in 2019. According to the auto club, all modes of transportation are forecast
to be stronger than last year, but the biggest surprise: despite historically-record high
gas prices, 1.5 million Michiganders will travel by car. That's the most on record, dating
back to 2001.

HUDSONS BUILDING TAX BREAK
Detroit City Council expected to vote today on whether or not to approve a 60-million
dollar tax break for redevelopment of the Hudson's building site. During heated debate
last week, some council members said there aren't enough Detroit residents working on
the 1.4 billion dollar project and businessman Dan Gilbert doesn't need the tax breaks.
Council members in favor of the proposal disagree, saying there are Detroiters working
on the project and the development will benefit the city and secure future tax dollars.

MOTORCYCLE CRASH-HOLLAND TOWNSHIP
A 56-year-old Holland Township man has been critically injured after losing control of
his motorcycle Monday afternoon in Holland Township. The Ottawa County Sheriff's
Office says the motorcycle went down and slid across the road. The man , who was
reportedly not wearing a helmet, was taken to Holland Community Hospital in critical
condition.

GRAND HAVEN MARIJUANA
Recreational marijuana dispensaries will soon be allowed in Grand Haven in west
Michigan. WOOD TV reports the Grand Haven City Council approved a resolution to
allow and regulate adult use marijuana. Council also passed a resolution requiring a
225-foot buffer zone between dispensaries and areas like school zones.

RUSSIA GUNS
What does Russia have to do with shootings in one Oakland County city? Criminals are
lining their guns with weaponry from Russia. That's the word in local reports, which say
federal agents found a suspect in a shooting in Pontiac, bought an illegal switch from a
Russian company to turn his gun into an automatic machine gun. More than 40
shootings.. most gang related.. have plagued Pontiac the past year.. culminating with
an innocent seven year old girl caught in the crossfire.

ALLEGAN COUNTY K9
Allegan County Sheriffs Office K9 Thor will receive a bullet and stab protective vest
thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc.
Delivery is expected within eight to ten weeks. Vested Interest in K9s, Inc., established
in 2009, is a whose mission is to provide bullet and stab protective vests and other
assistance to dogs of law enforcement and related agencies throughout the United
States. This potentially lifesaving body armor for four-legged K9 officers is U.S. made,
custom fitted, and NIJ certified. Since its inception, Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. has
provided over 4,682 vests to K9s in all 50 states at a value of $6.9 million, made
possible by both private and corporate donations.

FREMONT MAN ARRAIGNED
The Newaygo County prosecutor says a Fremont man was arraigned on four charges
on June 17. Steven Skinner has been charged with one count assault with intent to
murder, one count felony firearm, one count possession of a firearm under the
influence of alcohol and one count domestic violence. According to police, on June 16
at 7:00 p.m., officers responded to a report of a person shot on Main Street in Fremont.
The shooting took place in an apartment located in downtown Fremont. Upon arrival
officers met with a male victim who sustained a gunshot wound as bystanders were
giving first aid. Officers located the alleged shooter, Skinner, and took him into custody
without incident.

FLINT BASKETBALL COURT RENOVATED
The FlintNOW Foundation, which was created by Detroit Pistons owner and Flint native
Tom Gores, is partnering with Genesee County Parks Commission and Flint native
Jamiersen Green to renovate basketball courts in three parks throughout Genesee
County. The first location was Windiate Park, which was completed over the weekend,
and was unveiled during a Juneteenth celebration on Sunday. All participants joined in
a ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the opening of the court. Funding for the projects is
provided by a $100,000 grant from the FlintNOW Foundation. The courts at William
Durant Park and Riverside West Park will be resurfaced and renovated over the next
18 months.

LOCK OPENS
The MacArthur Lock at the Soo Locks is now open. The US Army Corps of Engineers
said it shut down on December 15 of 2021 for seasonal maintenance. Part of their work
included critical repairs to a 79-year-old piece of machinery. The Corps said the repairs
took 59 days longer than expected. More than 4,500 vessels, carrying up to 80 million
tons of cargo, maneuver through the locks annually.

KID VACCINES
The CDC has given the green light for kids six months to five years old to get the
Moderna or Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Dr. Dennis Cunningham is a pediatrician and
director of infection control and prevention at Henry Ford Health. He's pleased there's
now a vaccine for this young population.The Moderna vaccine is a two dose series,
while the Pfizer vaccine uses a three dose series. As for side effects... he says there
could be some fever and slight aches and pains but overall a very safe vaccine. Dr.
Cunningham says the vaccines should be available within a week and can be given
along with other scheduled vaccines.

ARTICULATION AGREEMENT
Leaders at Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University and Grand
Valley have signed an articulation agreement that establishes a pathway to degree
completion for GVSU interdisciplinary engineering students interested in pursuing a
master's degree in architecture from KCAD. The articulated curriculum will allow
students to develop deep knowledge in the disciplines of architecture and engineering,
which is essential for effective collaboration and success in the built environment
industry. The agreement also provides students with an accelerated timeline to degree
completion and reduced costs. Beginning in the Fall semester, students who participate
in the articulated curriculum will be able to complete KCAD Master of Architecture
requirements as electives to fulfill their undergraduate degree requirements at GVSU,
allowing them to complete both degrees in six years rather than the typical seven-year
timeline.

HEAT AND WORKERS
As temperatures climb to dangerous levels employers are responsible for keeping
workers safe. Safety experts are telling companies to provide easy access to fresh cold
water. If workers are outside make sure the water is in a shady spot. Instruct all
workers to take regular water break to stay hydrated, and allow them to wear loose
fitting and lighter clothing. However make sure that they are wearing all safety gear
required for their job. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration OSHA
suggests companies consider a shorter workday. And that kitchen and break room
areas should have air conditioning or fans operating. OSHA says dangerous heat
exposure can occur indoors or outdoors in any season.

MACKINAC CENTER PAYMENT
The State of Michigan has agreed to pay out $200-thousand for legal fees in a case
against the Governor's emergency powers. The Mackinac Center will receive the
money for its lawsuit that lead to the State Supreme Court ruling that the Emergency
Powers of the Governor Act was unconstitutional. The payment to the Mackinac
Center will be divided up between the Governor and State Attorney General's offices,
along with the state health department.

DRUNK DRIVER
A Lapeer County area man has been found guilty of a drunk driving crash that killed
two people on a motorcycle. Michael Burns crashed head on into a motorcycle on
Lapeer Road in August of 2019. Both the rider and passenger died after being thrown
from the bike. A jury has found Burns guilty of drunk driving causing death, which
carries a penalty of up to 15 years in jail and forfeiture of his vehicle. Burns is now
behind bars and will be sentenced in August.

SMALL BIZ LEGISLATORS OF YEAR
The Small Business Association of Michigan announced their 2022 Legislators of the
Year. State Representatives Mark Tisdel (R-Rochester Hills) and Sara Cambensy
(D Marquette) were bestowed the honor for their legislative efforts to help the small
businesses of Michigan. Tisdel advocated for Congress to strengthen the Work
Opportunity Tax Credit, which incentivizes businesses to hire populations
underrepresented in the workforce. Cambensy voted to end pandemic-related policies
that created disincentives to going back to work, among other victories.

DATA BREACH
One of Michigan's largest banks endured a severe data breach. Flagstar Bank is
informing 1.5-million customers of the breach that occurred in December. Hackers were
able to access customers personal data, including full names and social security
numbers. In response, Flagstar is offering 2-years worth of identity monitoring and
security services to those affected. This was the second major breach to face Flagstar
in the last year.