Morning Briefing

THURSDAY, MAY 25, 2023

In today's newsletter, Michigan could lose $1 billion in debt ceiling standoff, Ottawa County prosecutor to continue enforcing all state laws after ‘constitutional county’ vote, and Michigan State to host Penn State at Ford Field on Black Friday.

Paws With A Cause showers ‘puppy love’ on EMS workers for National EMS Week

Who doesn't want to start their workday off with a few furry faces? The LifeEMS Ambulance building in Grand Rapids was filled with barks and furry friends who were learning their way around an ambulance and bringing smiles to the faces of emergency medical workers Wednesday.

Paws With A Cause and LifeEMS Ambulance have been partnering for the last 17 years for their mutual benefit. Their meet-ups allow the assistance dogs in training to have a new experience and LifeEMS gets to celebrate National EMS Week with cute puppies.

Speaking of animals, a “HippoPalooza” event celebrating the ribbon cutting of John Ball Zoo’s new pygmy hippo exhibit has been pushed back following a fatal attack at the zoo last week.

Curated by Cara Hackett

Deann Hurn, of Hudsonville, is silhouetted as she walks near ambulances with Avery as part of Paws With A Cause (PAWS) puppy training at Life EMS Ambulance's Grand Rapids station, 1275 Cedar St. NE, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023. PAWS trainers acclimated future assistance dogs to the sights, sounds and smells of ambulances to help better prepare them for emergency situations. (Cory Morse | MLive.com)

Michigan could lose $1 billion in debt ceiling standoff

No take-backs: Michigan’s legislature has proposed using hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding for the upcoming year’s budget. The funding was provided to the state two years ago during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. One problem: nearly $1 billion in unspent funding could be taken away before Michigan has a chance to spend it.

Where is this coming from?: U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a California Republican, wants the federal government to rescind unspent COVID aid from state and local governments as one of many concessions he’d like the federal government to take as a condition of raising the debt ceiling.

More in politics: It’s been a long road in Michigan for potential sexual assault reforms, but legislation borne five years ago from the Larry Nassar scandal are a step closer to becoming law.

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Ottawa County prosecutor to continue enforcing all state laws after ‘constitutional county’ vote

Following the law: While the Ottawa County Board on Tuesday resolved to no longer use funds or resources to enforce any law it deems as restricting constitutional rights, the county prosecutor will continue to enforce all state laws.

Over in Grand Haven: Grand Haven residents will pay more in property taxes as the city deals with long-term debt estimated as high as $128 million, including pension costs and environmental remediation of Harbor Island.

Kinks, curls, coils: After years of legislative attempts, the CROWN Act, a bill to prohibit discrimination against people with coily or kinky hair, passed out of the state Senate Tuesday, May 23.

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Enrollment declines at Michigan colleges outpacing national levels

Dwindling numbers: Enrollment at Michigan colleges is declining at higher rates than the national average, according to a May 24 National Student Clearinghouse Research Center report. Michigan colleges overall dropped 2.2% from the spring 2022, compared to the national decline of less

than 1%.

Tiny but mighty: Small but incredibly powerful, semiconductors are little chips that power today’s modern life. But manufacturing these chips requires a skilled workforce that many of Michigan’s schools, including Delta College, are working hard to develop and grow, officials say.

A fresh start: Mott Community College in Flint has announced a new program that will allow students with outstanding balances on their university accounts to continue enrolling for future classes.

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Michigan State to host Penn State at Ford Field on Black Friday

Checking in with the Spartans: Michigan State football’s regular-season finale against Penn State is being moved up a day and off campus. The Spartans will host the Nittany Lions at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 24, Black Friday, in a game played at Ford Field in Detroit. The game will be broadcast on NBC and streamed on Peacock.

On the basketball court: The Pistons could land a difference-maker at the fifth overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, the lowest they could drop. Here is a look at the five best and five worst No. 5 picks in the past 25 years, excluding the past three (Jaden Ivey, Jalen Suggs and Isaac Okoro).

Left to the imagination: When Jeimer Candelario greeted his old team with six hits over the weekend in Washington, it served as a reminder of what might have been if the Detroit Tigers had chosen a different path last November.

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Michigan’s Best Local Eats: The Gnarly Heifer is ‘more than just a burger joint’

Michigan’s Best Local Eats: The Gnarly Heifer may sell their burgers like hot cakes, but the restaurant has coined themselves as “more than just a burger joint.” The restaurant brings a twist to their burgers, creating a local, small town atmosphere with just their products and service.

For the outdoor dining fans: The Outsider, a picnic-focused restaurant that will take advantage of “every picnic table, bench and grassy knoll” in the area is expected to open this summer in Manistee.

Take a sip: Michigan has three of the top 10-ranked wineries in the entire Midwest, according to the national travel publication, Trips To Discover.

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That's all for now.

Thanks for joining me here for the Morning Briefing today. I'll see you back here tomorrow morning.

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Be kind to someone today.

— Cara Hackett

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