Morning Briefing

WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 2023

In today's newsletter, Michigan will stop ranking public schools and will issue them A-F grades, why sheriff pushback on Michigan’s red flag gun laws may not matter, and the NFL is reportedly investigating new wave of gambling-related suspensions.

Kites larger than a school bus take over Lake Michigan skies for epic festival

Kites of all shapes and sizes danced through the sky above Grand Haven State Park beach on Sunday, May 21.

The annual Kite Festival at Grand Haven drew thousands of visitors throughout the weekend. The festival, which has been a spring tradition in Grand Haven, has been around over 30 years. Photos from this weekend's festival are pretty spectacular!

Several massive handmade kites, larger than school buses, could also be spotted, including a whale, gecko, sea rays, dinosaurs and more. Visitors were amazed with synchronized kite stunt shows from professional fliers like the Chicago Fire Kite Team and The Windjammers on Sunday afternoon.

Curated by Cara Hackett

Scenes from The Kite Festival at Grand Haven State Park in Grand Haven, Michigan on Sunday, May 21, 2023. (Joel Bissell | MLive.com)Joel Bissell | MLive.com

Michigan will stop ranking public schools, issuing them A-F grades

Using a different method: Michigan's education department will no longer categorize school performance on an A-F scale. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation repealing the practice less than four years after it began.

What's next?: The Michigan Department of Education’s parent dashboard for school transparency will still offer performance data on schools, as required under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act passed in 2015. Under that law, schools are rated on many of the same metrics, but on a scale of 1 to 100, rather than six letters.

Speaking of education: Michigan education board president Pamela Pugh is running for U.S. Senate.

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Why sheriff pushback on Michigan’s red flag gun laws may not matter

Having some pushback: At least one Michigan sheriff has already said he won't enforce the newly signed legislation to temporarily remove firearms from at-risk individuals, known as red flag laws. That might not stop enforcement of the law.

In public interest: The voting age is 18 years old everywhere in America, but in many states you can preregister to vote at 17 as long as you’ll be 18 by the time of an election. Now, Democratic lawmakers and Michigan clerks want preregistration to begin at 16.

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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Back-Door Cold Front to clean Michigan’s sky of smoke, but for how long?

Clear the air: A cold front just north of Michigan is going to have at least some good affect on our weather.By Wednesday evening the back-door cold front will be pushing into the south half of Lower Michigan. Behind the cold front the air will be cleaner with the smoke clearing out.

Feeling frosty: Two cold mornings are on the way across all of Lower Michigan. Here is how cold it will become at your location, and when you could have frost.

In the wild: An invasive pest that’s killing hemlock trees along Lake Michigan has been discovered at a University of Michigan arboretum in Ann Arbor.

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NFL reportedly investigating new wave of gambling-related suspensions

Four Detroit Lions players were suspended last month for violations of the NFL’s gambling policy. No team has ever been hit harder for violations of that policy, although the Lions weren’t alone then, and more could be on the way.

Speaking of the Lions: The Lions have signed more than half of their rookie class, with quarterback Hendon Hooker, defensive tackle Brodric Martin, offensive lineman Colby Sorsdal, wide receiver Antoine Green, and now linebacker Jack Campbell on the books.

All about golf: Country music superstar Miranda Lambert, the 2022 Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year, will be in town to perform after the second round of the $2 million Ally Challenge’s Saturday night concert at Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club.

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Zip line, climbing wall included in ‘high-flying adventure’ at this Michigan state park

Going to new heights: The Forest Adventure Experience in Mackinaw City “is a high-flying adventure through the treetops” at Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park. It includes the Forest Canopy Bridge, the Eagles’ Flight Zipline and the Treetop Discovery Tower climbing wall.

For the concert fans: Ice Cube has just announced a trip to Michigan this summer where he will perform one big concert. Ice Cube will be at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Saturday, August 12th. Tickets go on sale Thursday, May 25th at 10 a.m. DJ Quick, Suga Free, Twista and Millyz will open for him.

Speaking of Ann Arbor: A Traverse City brewery is offering a magnet fishing event for Father’s Day weekend.

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You're all caught up.

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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