| MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2025 |
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In today's newsletter, first 2 pediatric flu deaths reported in Michigan, unpaid prison bills leave U.P. ambulance service strapped for cash and Izzo snags Big Ten record. |
We're in the thick of it now |
The snow this past weekend might have come at the perfect time considering all the winter activities scheduled across the state. The UP200 dog sled race held a sendoff in downtown Marquette on Friday. Eighteen teams, led by a musher with 12 dogs, were off to cover 228 miles of Upper Peninsula wilderness. Top teams began arriving to the finish line early Sunday afternoon. Also on Friday, the XXI World Ice Fishing Championship kicked off with a parade and community event in Lakeview. The U.S. team competed against nine other countries for gold, silver and bronze medals with three individual medals up for grabs, as well. As weird as it sounds, Saginaw hosted its 11th annual Outhouse Races on Saturday, February 15, at Hoyt Park. The Spicy Poopers took home first place followed by Saginaw Area Fireworks and in third the Tri-Star Trust Sewer Sharks. Now we're slated for a few bitterly cold days this week, but there is light at the end of this very cold tunnel. |
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A scene from the UP200 sendoff in downtown Marquette, Mich. on Friday, February 14, 2025. The UP200 is the longest of three dog sled races held over the weekend. (Joel Bissell | MLive.com) |
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Michigan Senate passes compromise bill on tipped wages, minimum wage ahead of deadline |
What to know: The Michigan Senate has passed a bipartisan deal that would prevent tipped wage workers from becoming minimum wage earners. The Senate late Thursday, Feb. 13, passed a compromise bill that would increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2027 and eventually see servers earn 50% of the minimum wage by 2031. An advocacy group representing numerous servers and restaurant owners in the state called the compromise bill a win for servers and bartenders, arguing that it would protect their livelihoods. Bill may be dead again: House Republicans don’t plan to take up bipartisan legislation that would create more transparency in Lansing by opening lawmakers and the governor’s office to public records requests. A former Michigan State University student who was inside a Berkey Hall classroom when a gunman killed two of his classmates has sued the university, claiming “gross negligence” on the part of university officials cause the “emotional trauma” he experienced as a result of the attack. |
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First 2 pediatric flu deaths reported in Michigan |
In health news: Two Michigan children have died after being diagnosed with Influenza A (H1N1). Genesee and Wayne counties each had one pediatric flu death confirmed Friday, Feb. 14, marking the state’s first such deaths of the 2024-2025 flu season, according to the Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is reminding the public of some snowmobiling safety tips. The notice comes because there have already been 10 snowmobiling fatalities during the 2024-25 riding season. Contrary to arguments by the state, Michigan’s mandatory 24-hour waiting period to terminate a pregnancy does not add certainty to the decision of those seeking an abortion, according to expert testimony. |
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Unpaid prison bills leave U.P. ambulance service strapped for cash |
For months, a Michigan ambulance service has been stretched thin, struggling to cover 650 square miles of the Upper Peninsula. Kinross EMS has cut back a crew but still provides 24-hour service to Chippewa County. It’s operating, essentially, paycheck to paycheck with no extra funding in the bank. And it’s about to take on more work when a neighboring EMS disbands in a couple of months. The issue: unpaid prison bills. An update: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is in talks to possibly settle more than 100 lawsuits by employees who were fired after declining to get a COVID-19 vaccination, court records show. Consumers Energy says it may take months longer than expected to decide whether to sell, remove or relicense its Michigan hydroelectric dams. |
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Michigan State rallies on road to deliver Tom Izzo Big Ten record |
On top: Tom Izzo has his record and Michigan State can add a big road win to its resume. The No. 11 Spartans rallied from a 16-point deficit in the first half for a 79-65 win against Illinois on Saturday night at a raucous State Farm Center. That gives Izzo his 354th Big Ten victory to break a tie with Bob Knight for the all-time record. ‘One of the best experiences of my life’: Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin scored what proved to be the game-winning goal in the second period Saturday and the United States defeated Canada 3-1 at the 4 Nations Face-Off at the Bell Centre in Montreal. The U.S. clinched a spot in Thursday’s championship game in Boston. Grant Fisher just keeps breaking records: One week after setting the world record in the 3,000-meter run, the Olympian from Grand Blanc ran into the history books once again. Fisher set a new world record in the 5,000-meters at the BU Valentine Invitational in Boston, running 12:44.09 to shatter the previous record of 12:49.60 set by Kenenisa Bekele in 2004. |
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Zach Bryan quickly sells out Michigan Stadium, sets up record-breaking concert |
Fun fact: Zach Bryan is poised to make history in the state of Michigan. The country music star sold out his upcoming Michigan Stadium show in less than 2.5 hours on Friday, setting the stage for a record crowd concert to descend upon Ann Arbor. Fans bought more than 112,000 tickets for the Sept. 27 show. That total means Bryan is poised to break the all-time U.S. record for a ticketed concert by a single act, which was set by country legend George Strait at Texas A&M’s Kyle Field in 2024. Opportunity: The application period to apply for a chance to be a lighthouse keeper for two weeks at one of Michigan’s historic Great Lakes beacons has been extended to Feb. 28. In nature: There’s a pretty, little flower with yellow petals and heart-shaped leaves that grows in thick mats across the forest floor in parts of Michigan. |
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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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