Plus: Tiny Upper Peninsula area gets first snow honors of the year

View in browser  |  Get our newsletters

Morning Briefing

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2024

In today's newsletter, a Grand Rapids' high school’s mandatory AP course now serving as national model, how West Michigan can address its child care shortage and a tiny Upper Peninsula area gets first snow honors of the year.

Take time to enjoy Michigan's great outdoors

This week's sunny skies, slightly warmer temperatures and peak fall foliage across Michigan sounds like the beginning of a weekend full of outdoor adventures. 

 

The new "Bermasaurus" mountain biking trail in the Upper Peninsula is bringing a "prehistoric vibe" to Copper Harbor thanks to its name and topography, according to organizers. The trail—which includes sections of bedrock, jumps, berms and slopes—is best suited for intermediate to expert riders.

 

For those who want to get your steps in while taking in a myriad of fall colors, look no further than Ludington’s Cartier Park Pathway. The 80-acre forest is located within city limits and is close to the area's Lake Michigan beach, downtown shopping and restaurants, and historic bed and breakfasts.  

Curated by Cara Hackett

A man rides a mountain bike within a wooden forest

The new Bermasaurus mountain biking trail features sections of bedrock, jumps, berms and slopes all crammed into a .9-mile, 442-foot descent that takes two to four minutes to ride at East Bluff Bike Park in Copper Harbor, Mich. It's a trail by the Copper Harbor Cycling Club. (Provided by Copper Harbor Cycling Club)

This Michigan high school’s mandatory AP course now serving as national model

In the classroom: Grand Rapids' Northview High School last year received a visit from the College Board for a school-wide Advanced Placement program. That program is now serving as the blueprint for others across the country to adopt it for all 10th grade students.

 

Since first offering the course six years ago, Northview High School spent several years as the only school in the country where all 10th graders took the Advanced Placement course, AP Seminar, that’s meant to build academic confidence. Northview’s version is a hybrid of 10th Grade English and AP Seminar, which is an interdisciplinary course encouraging students to demonstrate critical thinking, collaboration and academic research skills.

 

Roll call: More students are showing up for class in school districts across Michigan for the second year in a row, according to the latest numbers for the 2023-24 school year. But the Michigan Department of Education says student attendance overall has rebounded by only about half when compared to numbers from before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read more

Friendly zoning, talent pipelines: How West Michigan can address its child care shortage

Taking a village: Economic development and nonprofit leaders are working to address a critical shortage of child care options in West Michigan that they say is limiting economic growth and workforce participation across the region. There is only enough child care capacity in West Michigan for 26% of children under the age of 13, and 56% of children under age 6, according to data shown in the new West Regional Childcare Action Plan. 

 

In court: A judge has approved a $13 million settlement in a lawsuit over an unannounced active shooter drill at the state-run Hawthorn Center, a psychiatric hospital for children, in suburban Detroit. The event terrified kids and staff and caused them to scramble for cover, text family and call 911.

 

Online: A 14-year-old boy in Plainfield Township is accused of trying to sextort other teens on social media. Kent County sheriff’s deputies believe that the 14-year-old targeted up to 17 other teens on social media and pressured them to send sexually implicit images. He is charged with three counts of child sexually abusive activity, two counts of using a computer to commit a crime and possession of child sexually abusive material.

Read more

Tiny Upper Peninsula area gets first snow honors of the year

Letting it snow: The little western Upper Peninsula area of Michigamme is the first place to receive snow in Michigan this season, with the National Weather Service in Marquette saying measurable snow had been reported Tuesday after an overnight lake-effect system swept through the area. About a tenth of an inch was reported.

 

Drying out: The very dry September combined with the typical seasonal decline in water levels are bringing Great Lakes' water levels down to lowest level in several years.

 

Still warm: October has only been around one degree warmer than normal so far, but we are about to have a really warm stretch into next week. High temperatures will be in the 70s, so the Great Lakes' water cooling will also be slow in October.

Read more

 

Advertisement

 

NFC North enjoying historic early success as Lions begin divisional play

The NFC North was already cooking with gas coming off the bye week for the Detroit Lions. And then every team inside the division won again last week, with the Minnesota Vikings on top at 5-0, with the Lions (4-1), Chicago Bears (4-2) and Green Bay Packers (4-2) right in the thick of things. For those wondering the historic nature of that hot start top-to-bottom, it’s the first time since the merger in 1970 that every team in a division has at least four wins through the first six weeks.

 

Get well soon: Detroit Lions and former Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson has spent his career honoring children battling illnesses and other challenges by writing their names on his water bottle on game days. Several patients at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor are showing support for Hutchinson by decorating their own water bottles with encouraging messages and recording video messages for him.

 

On the basketball court: Hours before their preseason finale at Little Caesars Arena, the Detroit Pistons made a roster move. Sources confirmed to MLive that the team is waiving forward Tosan Evbuomwan. ESPN’s Tim Bontemps first reported the news.

Read more

Join the Hunt for the Reds on the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail

Have a glass: Red wine fans, October is your month. Wineries along the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail are celebrating Hunt for the Reds all month long, putting the spotlight on the area’s red wines and offering special deals on tastings and more. The ticketed event invites wine enthusiasts to try exclusive tastings from each participating vineyard’s best red selections until Thursday, Oct. 31.

 

Family-friendly: Grand Rapids’ ultimate trick-or-treat destination for families who want to walk on the wild side is back. For over two decades, John Ball Zoo has been transforming into the scenes of “Hocus Pocus” and “Halloweentown” for its annual event, Zoo Goes Boo. Guests can expect to immerse themselves in the festivities while donning their best costumes from Oct. 18-20 and 25-27.

 

Cheese lovers, unite: If you’ve ever dreamt of chasing a big wheel of cheese down a mountain (who hasn’t?), this is your chance. The first Marquette Mountain Cheese Roll is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19. Marquette Mountain teamed up with The Cheese Cave at Everyday Wines Marquette for the event. 

Read more

 
 

Thanks for starting your day with us.

I hope your Thursday is off to a great start! We'll be back tomorrow.

 

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

 

See you later! 

 

— Cara Hackett

 

OTHER TOP STORIES

 

  • Listeria recall: Throw out these 11 products from Walmart, Trader Joe’s, Aldi and more

  • Sheetz is coming to three more locations in Michigan

  • 19-year-old Jackson woman, infant killed in head-on crash near Monroe

  • One of Michigan’s Mount Rushmore of TV news anchors to sign off for final time

  • Popular meteorologist coming out of retirement with different West Michigan TV station
 

GAMES & COMICS

Today’s Crossword
More free puzzles & games
Today’s Comics

 

 

Today’s crossword
Puzzles & games
Today’s comics

 

TODAY'S OBITUARIES

Click here to for access to Michigan obituaries.

 

NEW! LOVABLE MICHIGAN EXCLUSIVE NEWSLETTER

Ready for positive, feel-good coverage of life in the Mitten? Curated from our best travel, outdoor, food, entertainment, photos and videos - immerse yourself in the place we love and the place we call home. Explore new dining, cabin rentals or how to view the next meteor shower.

 

Join MLive․com's Tanda Gmiter and the Life & Culture team every week. Your next adventure is waiting! Sign up here.

 

There's one caveat: This is an exclusive newsletter for MLive.com's loyal subscribers. Not a subscriber? That's OK. You can receive a few weeks of the newsletter as a free trial. Click here to sign up.

 

DUNGEON OF DOOM INSIDER TEXTS

Subscribe today to get exclusive insights and bonus content from Detroit Lions writers Kyle Meinke, Benjamin Raven and Kory Woods. Dungeon of Doom is your home for entertaining and informative analysis and discussion of the Lions. Get your 14-day free trial and then keep the conversation going for only $4.99 per month.

 

NOT ENOUGH NEWS?

The Daily Digital Edition is included with both print and digital subscriptions to MLive.com. You can also choose from our selection of local news, sports or lifestyle newsletters and apps.

 

WANT TO SHARE THIS NEWSLETTER WITH A FRIEND?

Facebook TwitterLinkedInEmailGet Link

Did someone share this newsletter with you? Click here to never miss a day!

 

CONTACT THE NEWSROOM

To contact the newsrooms for any of our publications regarding technical support, news tips, classified ads and other inquiries, please click here.

 

 

Unlimited Digital Access.

 

$5 for first month

(cancel anytime)

Subscribe now!

$5 for first month

(cancel anytime)

Subscribe now!

INTERESTED IN ADVERTISING
OR SPONSORING OUR NEWSLETTERS?

Contact [email protected]

 

GET YOUR LOCAL NEWS 24/7

Ann Arbor | Bay City | Flint | Grand Rapids

Jackson | Kalamazoo | Muskegon | Saginaw

FacebookTwitterInstagramYouTube
FacebookTwitterInstagramYouTube

You received this email because you opted in to the newsletter. To ensure receipt of our emails, please add [email protected] to your address book or safe sender list.

 

MLive Media Group 169 Monroe NW #100Grand Rapids, MI 49503

 

Contact us | Unsubscribe | Privacy Policy