THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2025 |
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This is a closeup photograph of a rufous, or reddish-brown colored, snowy owl spotted in Michigan's Huron County. |
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At State of the State, Whitmer says Michigan can ‘lead by example’ amid challenges |
State of the State: Lowering costs, creating more jobs and making government work better for people are Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s top three priorities this year. Whitmer outlined those priorities aimed at making life better for Michiganders during her seventh State of the State address on Wednesday, Feb. 26, at the Michigan Capitol Building. Apart from the call to limit phone use in schools, no new initiatives or programs for K-12 education and housing were announced. Ex-House Speaker Lee Chatfield is undergoing a three-day preliminary examination on allegations he and others used fund-raising dollars for personal expenses. The hearing began Wednesday, Feb. 26, in East Lansing District Court where Judge Molly Hennessy Greenwalt will decide if Chatfield should stand trial in Ingham County Circuit Court on 13 felonies alleging financial crimes. An estimated 3.2 million Americans who had their Social Security benefits restricted or eliminated altogether have some extra money coming their way. On Tuesday, the Social Security Administration announced it is set to increase benefits and issue back pay for those impacted by the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset. |
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Fresh blanket of up to half-foot of snow will cut across Northern Michigan |
Snow on the way: A storm system will bring snow to Michigan, but you’ll have to go far north to enjoy it. This storm system will spread precipitation across Michigan Friday into early Saturday. The storm center should move across the Mackinac Straits, making it a whole different weather pattern across the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Michigan versus southern Lower Michigan. Southern Lower Michigan will stay dry Friday, and have just a few rain or snow showers Saturday morning. March winter storms are the most complicated storm systems we get here in Michigan. There is often a band of heavy rain, a swath of significant freezing rain and an area of heavy snow. The March snowstorm set-up is a very wet storm system coming from the southwest and a cold front/weaker storm system coming from the west-northwest. Here's a look at what it would take for a March snowstorm to happen. A total lunar eclipse—the first to grace our skies since 2022—will happen in March, and it will bring us a Blood Moon that will appear tinted a reddish-orange to our eyes. The total lunar eclipse will start late on the night of March 13 and will end in the early hours of March 14, according to NASA. |
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Michigan high school graduation rates peak after COVID-era dip: See your school’s rate |
On the rise: Graduation rates at Michigan’s public high schools are on their way up, surpassing a COVID pandemic-era dip and setting the highest peak in more than a decade, according to the latest statewide data. The state’s Center for Educational Performance and Information updated graduation and dropout rates for the 2023-24 school year earlier this month. In higher education: Western Michigan University isn’t changing its diversity, equity and inclusion policies, despite the Trump administration’s threat to pull funding from colleges that don’t end them, officials say. The college’s diversity practices are already in compliance with state and federal law, WMU officials said. Making a change: Grand Haven Area Public Schools announced this week it will repurpose one of its elementary schools into a nature-based early learning center. The West Michigan district is the third in a month to announce a similar closure, after Rockford Public Schools and Holland Public Schools shared plans to consolidate elementary schools in favor of early education options. |
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I hope that your Thursday is off to a great start! As always, you can catch the latest Michigan news at MLive.com. While you're there, consider becoming a subscriber. We will see you bright and early tomorrow morning. - Cara Hackett |
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