In today's newsletter, Sleeping Bear Dunes in a bind, school districts with biggest enrollment shifts and Michigan has top 10 ranked music museum. |
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DTE, Consumers could face up to $10M in fines if they can’t reduce outages |
To know: Michigan will try a new carrot-and-stick approach with the state’s largest electric utilities, plagued by a spotty track record of leaving customers in the dark for extended periods. Under a new system OK’d by regulators on Thursday, Feb. 27, both DTE Energy and Consumers Energy could face up to $10 million in penalties if they can’t reduce frequent outages and cut back on customers going days without power during severe weather blackouts. On the flip side, if the power companies serving more than 80% of the state can show progress on several reliability indicators, they could be in line for up to that same amount in financial incentives. Delayed: A broadband company promised to bring high-speed internet to many Michigan residents and businesses and then left them in the lurch. |
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Trump cuts, NPS hiring hurdles put Sleeping Bear Dunes in a bind |
Some concerned: The Trump administration’s aggressive moves to slash the federal workforce are going to make basic operations at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and other national parks very difficult this year, say former park managers. According to Congressional Democrats, at least 15 employees at the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) in Ann Arbor were among 1,300 federal workers fired by the Trump administration this week at NOAA, an environmental research agency which generates and sends weather, water and climate data across the federal government. Searching for a solution: Michigan pushes to increase hunting, fishing license fees amid wildlife funding ‘crisis’ |
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Top 25, bottom 25: Michigan school districts with biggest enrollment shifts since 2004 |
In the past 20 years, Michigan’s public school system has lost almost 300,000 students in enrollment, from 1.7 million in 2004, to 1.4 million in 2024. That’s a 16.5% drop. Over that 20 years, there were annual declines in every year but two: 2009-10 (up 10,618) and 2021-22 (up 5,844). And while the declines are severe across the state, not every district lost students over that period. More in education: More Michigan high-schoolers are taking Advanced Placement courses and performing better on AP exams, according to participation data shared by the state this week. In Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan has hit another record high as officials count up applications for its upcoming fall 2025 semester. |
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New Michigan mothers to have BP monitors, mental health checks covered by insurance |
The latest: More than 60% of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. To reduce negative outcomes for mothers and their children, Michigan leaders passed nearly a dozen bills this year that aim to improve access to health care during and after pregnancy. A decision has been made: A judge has declined to force House Republicans to present to the governor nine bills that were passed last session but have been withheld by the chamber. However, Michigan Court of Claims Judge Sima G. Patel also ruled Thursday, Feb. 27, that those bills, and all others passed by the legislature, must be presented to the governor at least 14 days before the legislation could take effect. Be aware: Michigan’s road weight restrictions begin today, here’s what that means. |
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Michigan has top 10 ranked music museum listed just behind the Rock Hall |
Getting recognized: Some of the biggest hit songs in music history were recorded here. Michigan’s Motown Museum has just been listed as one of the top 10 music museums in the country. Located at 2648 Berry Gordy Jr. Boulevard in Detroit, Hitsville U.S.A. is ranked No. 6 on USA Today’s 10Best list of Best Music Museums in the U.S. A fan favorite: Tomato Brothers in Howell recently made the cut as one of USA Today’s 2025 Restaurants of the Year. Coming to town: Rainn Wilson and Angela Kinsey, who played Dwight Schrute and Angela Martin for all nine seasons on “The Office,” will be at Motor City Comic Con. |
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Thank you for joining me on today's edition of the Morning Briefing. As always, you can catch the latest Michigan news at MLive.com. While you're there, consider becoming a subscriber. Have a good day! - Jamie Rewerts |
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