They want "trains not lanes"

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Morning Briefing

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2024

In today's newsletter, Biden sending aides to Michigan to see Arab American and Muslim leaders, there's a cooldown coming and how to stream 2024 high school wrestling team district matches.

We have a lot of animal news to go over!

Underground tunnels are being planned to help blue-spotted salamanders safely migrate from woodlands to vernal pools while crossing Peter White Drive in Presque Isle Park.

 

Share the love with adoptable furry friends through a photoshoot with the Kalamazoo Animal Rescue just in time for Valentine’s Day.

 

An adorable new cattle calf was born at an Upper Peninsula zoo last month. This is the first yak-mix calf at GarLyn Zoo and the first baby born to parents Gloria, a Scottish highlander cow, and Teddy Yakson, a royal yak bull.

Curated by Jamie Rewerts

A collage of pictures of a baby calf

Selma Hi-Yak is a 1-month-old cattle calf born on Jan. 10, 2024, to Gloria, a Scottish highlander, and Teddy Yakson, a royal yak, at GarLyn Zoo in Naubinway, Mich.
(Photo provided by Mary Fuller | GarLyn Zoo)

‘Trains not lanes’: Residents urge MDOT to take expanding U.S. 23 off the table

Saying no thanks: As state officials study possibilities for a massive overhaul of U.S. 23 on Ann Arbor’s eastern city limit, a group of residents have a simple message: Build trains, not lanes.

 

It’s a rallying cry for a number of Ann Arbor-area residents urging the Michigan Department of Transportation to take any widening of the highway between I-94 and M-14 off the table. Nearly 580 people signed a petition with the message to MDOT.

 

In financial: If you’ve already filed your 2024 tax returns and are expecting a refund, a tool available on the IRS website will help you get a better idea of when you can expect your refund to arrive.

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Biden sending aides to Michigan to see Arab American and Muslim leaders over the Israel-Hamas war

President Joe Biden is sending senior aides to Michigan today to meet with Arab American and Muslim leaders, according to three people familiar with the matter, as his administration’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war frustrates members of a key constituency in a 2024 battleground state.

 

In Lansing: With a promise to lower costs for Michiganders while further expanding social programs, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer proposed a state budget slightly smaller than last year’s, absent a glut of federal funding that enabled record spending.

 

Speaking of budgets: Michigan may spend more money marketing itself as a destination in 2025, though not as much as the hospitality and tourism industries have hoped.

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Weather pattern change, cooldown coming

Will make you say wow: Over the next four days there will be a couple of types of record warmth in Michigan. Here’s a look at which cities will be in line for this. We will have two types of records: record high temperatures and record warm low temperatures. 

 

Winter will be back: We do see a change from the record warm stretch to feeling a bit more wintry across Michigan. The cooldown will take some time to get here. The fully cooled down pattern will probably not be settled into Michigan until around Feb. 17 or a few days after.

 

Flying friends: To keep birds safe from diseases that can be spread at gathering spots such as backyard feeders, Audubon Great Lakes and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources shared some tips.

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How to stream Michigan 2024 high school wrestling team district matches

Finally: The payoff for all the long days in the wrestling room starts this week, when Michigan’s high school grapplers take the mat for team districts.

 

More info: The action continues today, and fans unable to witness the win-or-go-home duals in-person can stream them at NFHSnetwork.com.

 

For the NFL: The Detroit Lions have wrapped up a spectacular 2023 season. Over the next two weeks, MLive will hand out reviews for each of the team’s position groups. Today: Running backs.

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Red Solo Cups are actually a Michigan thing as the cup maker mourns Toby Keith

Red solo cup... I fill you up: They’re for barbecues, tailgates, fairs and festivals. And what would a game of Beer Pong be without them? Did you know, a Michigan company makes those disposable 16oz Red Solo Cups that were made even more famous in Toby Keith’s 2011 song?

 

More info: Dart Container Corp., based in Mason, just south of Lansing, has been the company behind the Red Solo Cup for the better part of a decade, acquiring Illinois-based Solo Cup Co. in 2012.

 

Following Toby Keith’s death this week from stomach cancer at the age of 62, Dart released a statement, according to the Associated Press, saying, “We were honored that Toby chose the iconic Solo cup as a sign of good times, and we extend our sympathies to all those who are mourning him.”

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You're all caught up.

Thank you for joining me on today's edition of the Morning Briefing.

 

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

 

See you tomorrow!

 

— Jamie Rewerts

 

OTHER TOP STORIES

 

  • ‘Best fans in the world’: Lions set attendance record during breakout season

  • Michigan’s new OC has a message for players considering the transfer portal

  • Man convicted of diverting Sleeping Bear Dunes river by hand

  • Everywhere ‘Top Gun’ star Miles Teller has been spotted in Michigan this week

  • Patient steals ambulance from Michigan hospital, flees from police
 

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