Morning Briefing

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, 2023

In today's newsletter, state agencies are creating a plan fix West Michigan's housing woes, major shoe brands are stepping up to help a Goodrich teen, and Michigan is helping bring a rare butterfly back from the brink of extinction.

Dreaming of the warmer days to come.

Yes, parts of Michigan are gearing up for another snowstorm this week. But if the snowy weather has you day-dreaming of spring and summer activities, here's every concert coming to Pine Knob for its 2023 summer concert season.

Need a new sport to get you outside this spring? Try your hand at pickle-ball. The activity is described as a "cross among tennis, badminton and ping pong." You might find more fans of this popular sport in West Michigan—Grand Rapids was recently named the third most pickle-ball obsessed city in the country by a U.S. sports betting website.

For those looking for an educational summertime experience, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is recruiting for a virtual Teacher-Ranger-Teacher to collaborate with rangers to develop education programs at the sprawling Lake Michigan park.

Curated by Cara Hackett

A Poweshiek skipperling on a black-eyed Susan. (Photo: Jason Whalen | Fauna Creative)

West Michigan needs more housing. A statewide plan aims to fix the issue.

Fixing the housing issue: State agencies and partnering organizations are in the early stages of rolling out a plan to address high-demand and skyrocketing prices of West Michigan’s housing industry. The regional effort is part of a larger statewide plan to build 75,000 new housing units across the state over a five-year period.

Crunching the numbers: The fledgling plan doesn’t yet have specific goals and housing needs in each region, including West Michigan. However, a recent study revealed that in Grand Rapids and Kent County an estimated 34,699 new units are needed by 2027 to meet projected population growth.

In health news: The CDC is warning of an ‘alarming’ spread of deadly fungus across U.S.

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Under Armour, Puma reach out to Michigan 14-year-old in need of size 23 shoes

Answering the call: Two shoe major companies are stepping up to help a 6-foot-10 Michigan teen in need of size 23 sneakers after he took his fight public last week to find shoes.14-year-old Goodrich High School freshman Eric Kilburn Jr. will be outfitted in custom shoes from Puma and Under Armor.

'I just want shoes': Eric Jr. and his parents, Eric Sr. and Rebecca, felt like they had exhausted all options. Other shoe companies like Nike, Adidas and Reebok were a dead-end. Another option for one pair of custom made shoes would cost more than $1,500. Now, several companies have reached out to the family to help get the shoes he needs.

Speaking of young people: Michigan awarded $3 million in grants to programs that connect teens and young adults to educational and career opportunities.

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As tiny, rare butterfly nears extinction, Michigan is helping bring it back from the brink

Plight of the butterfly: One of the world's rarest butterflies is making its last stand in a hidden Michigan wetland. A 2022 census found less than 70 of the endangered Poweshiek skipperling butterflies left in the wild. Those that remain are holding on in just two places: Manitoba, Canada, and Oakland County, Michigan.

How'd that happen?: Poweshiek skipperling populations have plummeted over the past two decades for reasons science doesn’t fully understand. With more than half of North America’s historic grasslands destroyed or disturbed by agriculture and other human activity, habitat loss and pesticide use are considered potential players in the butterflies’ swift decline.

Birds of a feather: In a sign that spring is on its way, a peregrine falcon egg has laid two eggs in a nest high above downtown Kalamazoo for its tenth straight year.

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Spartan Confidential podcast: Michigan State, Kansas State set for Sweet 16 showdown

In the latest episode: MLive reporters Brandon Champion, Kyle Austin and Matt Wenzel recap Michigan State's NCAA Tournament wins over USC and Marquette before previewing a Sweet 16 matchup with Kansas State at Madison Square Garden. What are the chances the Spartans reach the Final Four?

Making a comeback: The rebuild is over in Detroit. Their time is now.

The Lions are the favorites to win the NFC North after making a big splash in free agency. They put the league’s youngest roster on the field last season, and still won eight of their final 10 games. They went 5-1 against the division overall, and trailed for less than 1 minute in two games against the champion Vikings.

Looking ahead: “It’s fun to see it happening and see it happening in real time," said linebacker Alex Anzalone. "seeing young guys develop, seeing pieces being filled that we need filled through free agency or the draft. It’s going to be a fun year.”

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A universally accessible playground coming to bluff-top state park

Washtenaw County: A universally accessible playground is coming the historic Orchard Beach State Park in Northern Michigan. Park supervisor Doug Barry says that the lack of a playground is the biggest complaint from visitors. He hopes to remedy that issue with plans for a $600,000 playground.

Parents of children who have disabilities have been involved in the planning process, according to Barry. The playground will include a concrete slide set into a hillside, which makes it cheaper (no need to build supports), safer (no drop) and universally accessible (no steps).

Something for your sweet tooth: Michiganders apparently like their sweets with a bit of saltiness, especially when it comes to jellybeans. Michigan’s favorite jellybean flavor is buttered popcorn, according to a survey by CandyStore.com.

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We'll see you here tomorrow.

We've made it halfway through another week. Keep hanging in there!

Catch up on the latest Michigan news at MLive.com. While you're there, consider becoming a MLive subscriber.

It's going to be a fantastic Wednesday.

— Cara Hackett

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