Morning Briefing

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2023

In today's newsletter, Michigan's secretary of state wants to ban guns at polling places, some Marshall residents are voicing opposition to a $3.5 billion Ford plant and Michigan basketball will honor MSU visitors during Saturday's game.

Information on the MSU shooting and its aftermath continues to flood in.

The entire state's attention has been on East Lansing and those impacted by Monday night's deadly mass shooting at the Michigan State University campus. It's likely you've seen "Spartan Strong" billboards and signs. I know I have.

MSU Professor Marco Diaz-Munoz shared his story with us yesterday. Inside his lecture room, seven students were shot. You can hear him speak about it here, but be warned that both the story and video include graphic descriptions of the shooting.

Students continue to voice their safety concerns. An online petition that had more than 15,000 signatures as of Thursday evening urges the university to move classes online. As it stands now, classes are set to resume on campus Monday, Feb. 20.

Curated by Jessica Shepherd

A winter surfer takes on big waves at Grand Haven State Park Wednesday. See more photos here. (Drew Travis | MLive.com)

Students at MSU grew up with school shootings. They are not OK.

'This is happening again': Most of the students now at Michigan State University were born as school shootings were becoming common horrors of American life. They learned in elementary school how to barricade doors and hide from armed gunmen.

The largest spike in gun violence in decades: Homicides and accidental gun deaths are up 30% since 2019. School shootings are up 70%. In less than 50 days of 2023, there have been at least 71 mass shootings in the U.S., according to the non-profit Gun Violence Archive. This takes a psychological toll. A lot of young people are not all right.

Shooter had two guns, 10 magazines and a note: When Anthony McRae died, he had a two-page handwritten note in his wallet that "indicated where he was going to visit, maybe a motive, but nothing we can confirm just yet," said Michigan State Police Lt. Rene Gonzalez Thursday morning.

Read more

Ban guns at polling places, Michigan's SOS says after MSU shooting.

In response to this week's tragedy: Michigan’s top election official wants to ban firearms where people vote. Jocelyn Benson’s office announced the plans Thursday, saying she is working with state lawmakers to ban guns within 100 feet of polling places and other election venues.

The issue has come up before: Benson issued a directive to ban open carry at polling places in 2020, arguing it would protect voters from intimidation. But a judge struck down the ban before the November election, saying it’s up to the legislature.

Michigan AG also responds to shooting: "There are a lot of things that I think we could do, and there’s a lot of things that we could do better," Attorney General Dana Nessel told reporters Wednesday.

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Ford's $3.5B plant bringing jobs — and disappointment — for Marshall residents.

The Marshall mega site: A $3.5 billion Ford battery plant expected to create 2,500 jobs has been called a “game-changer,” a “once in a generation economic opportunity” and “historic” for the city of Marshall.

But not everyone is excited: Some Marshall residents and supporters have pushed back on the mega site, saying a large industrial park will scar the landscape, destroy farmland and level historic barns. Crowds have filled Marshall Township board meetings to express opposition. And some say they’ve been left in the dark on the plans.

Speaking of local investments: Two Michigan counties in the Upper Peninsula were selected for a $19.5 million federal high-speed internet grant.

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Michigan basketball will honor MSU visitors this weekend in Big Ten game.

Some things are more important than a rivalry: Michigan, including its Maize Rage student section, will show multiple signs of support for MSU during Saturday’s rivalry game at Crisler Center, in the wake of Monday’s mass shooting on the East Lansing campus.

Izzo speaks: For Tom Izzo, a shooting at the campus where he’s worked as a basketball coach for four decades would have been unavoidably personal. But that his son, a senior guard on the Spartans basketball team, was mere minutes away from being at the scene during the shooting made it even more so.

Beilein on 10th anniversary of breakthrough team: There’s a saying that John Beilein recalled when reflecting on the Michigan basketball team he coached to the 2013 national championship game. "The days go slowly and the years go quickly."

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Defunded over a book controversy, this West Michigan library may try third time for millage.

Is the third time a charm? Elected leaders with the embattled Patmos Library are considering asking voters a third time if they’ll help keep the library’s doors open.

The backstory: Jamestown Township voters last year shot down two separate millage proposals that would’ve provided 85% of the library’s $245,000 annual budget. The votes came amid a campaign against a few LGBTQ books and others with sexual content accessible in the library’s young adult section.

More from West Michigan: What's that being built just off I-96? The building, planned to be over 73,000 square feet, will serve as a new dealership and showroom for Subaru of Muskegon.

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We're arrived at Friday.

It's been an exhausting week for many Michigan residents. I hope you all get some rest and relaxation this weekend.

If the latest news is part of your weekend plan, you can always find it at MLive.com. While you're there, consider becoming an MLive subscriber.

Jamie will be back here in your inbox on Monday.

— Jessica Shepherd

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