| TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2024 |
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In today's newsletter, a look at Gov. Whitmer's fix the roads initiative, Michigan school shooter’s mom wants "tainted" verdict overturned and deer tally at Mackinac Bridge up 16% from 2023. |
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow❄️ |
The freshly fallen snow across parts of Michigan might have you itching to pull out those snowboards, skis and your best winter boots to embark on a fun outdoor adventure. Snowmobile season kicked off with a fierce start as Gaylord received record-breaking snowfall between Thanksgiving and Monday, Dec. 2. By Monday morning, nearly 44 inches of snow had blanketed the town, known for its expansive snowmobile trails, according to the National Weather Service. Ludington State Park is gearing up to host its annual lantern hikes in January and February. Participants can enjoy a three-quarter mile hike, a bonfire and hot chocolate during the free hikes. |
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Snow covers the roof of a business mall along M-32 in Gaylord, Mich. on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. Gaylord broke a snowfall record with 24.8 inches in a 24-hour span. By Monday the area had 43.7 inches of snow. (Joel Bissell | MLive.com) |
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With billions spent, is Whitmer’s pledge to ‘fix the damn roads’ a broken promise? |
For Michigan drivers, it is a rite of passage to alternate complaints regarding the state’s dilapidated roads and its ongoing construction projects. Capitalizing on those frustrations, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s 2018 election campaign prominently featured a pledge to “fix the damn roads.” Still needs work: Fast forward to late 2024, Michigan’s roads still aren’t fixed to national standards and they’re not on pace to meet that 90% good-and-fair-condition target in the next five years. Billions have been spent and some progress has been made. Yet Michigan households continue to bear the economic burden caused by deteriorating infrastructure, with no long-term funding solution in place five years after Whitmer’s proposed fuel tax hike failed to gain traction. On the road: One person was critically injured in an I-94 snow "whiteout" crash involving multiple semitrailers and more than a dozen other vehicles, the Michigan State Police reports. |
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Michigan librarians back bills aimed at thwarting book bans |
Library officials say everyone has a right to see their story in the materials offered at public libraries. That’s why many of them are backing a proposed law disqualifying nearly all attempts by residents to ban books from public library shelves. The bills would forbid books and other materials from being removed from public libraries if the reason someone wants the material removed is based on content involving race, sexual orientation, gender identity and all other categories protected by Michigan’s civil rights law. In the classroom: Fourteen public elementary schools in the Grand Rapids area were ranked this year in the top 50 by U.S. News & World Report. There are a total of eight schools in Kent County, including one charter school, and six in Ottawa County considered among the best in the state, according to the latest rankings released Nov. 13. New skills: More than $4.7 million is going to colleges in Southwest Michigan to help students earn degrees in electric vehicle development. New programs at Kellogg Community College and Western Michigan University fueled by the grant money will help fill a knowledge gap in Michigan’s electric vehicle industry, according to a press release. |
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Snow stampede continues Up North, with Traverse City in the next bullseye |
National Weather Service forecasters are saying the “snow stampede” we’ve been seeing across Northern Michigan and parts of the Upper Peninsula will continue this week. Next up in the bullseye? Traverse City and the greater Grand Traverse Bay area. The forecast is calling for heavy lake-effect snow and gusty winds in this region, with accumulations of 6-12 inches. Higher amounts are possible in some areas. See the snow: A lake-effect snowstorm that lasted for days walloped Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula as thousands of motorists took to the roads for some dicey travel over the Thanksgiving weekend. MLive multimedia specialist Joel Bissell captured images from Munising to Kalkaska of the first significant snowfall of the season. Stay safe: Treacherous travel conditions are expected to continue into Tuesday for some areas of Southwest Michigan, including the I-94 corridor, the National Weather Service said. A Winter Storm Warning remains in effect for Cass and Berrien counties through 10 a.m. Tuesday, and for Van Buren, Allegan and Ottawa counties until 7 a.m. Tuesday. |
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Michigan school shooter’s mom wants ‘tainted’ verdict overturned |
A Michigan mother who was historically convicted of manslaughter after her son committed a deadly school shooting in 2021 wants her conviction overturned. Calling the court proceedings “tainted from top to bottom,” an attorney for Jennifer Crumbley, 46, claims prosecutors improperly withheld evidence of agreements they made with key witnesses prior to the trial. FBI complaint: In the last 10 years, Arenac County’s Timothy H. Findlay twice went to federal prison for threatening to kill separate, sitting U.S. presidents. Out of prison for a few months, his habit of posting threats online has led to him facing a new charge after he allegedly stated a desire to rape and kill a woman. Also in crime: A Washtenaw County youth pastor already facing life in prison has been arraigned on nearly two dozen additional felony charges, including more counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. |
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Deer tally at Mackinac Bridge up 16% from 2023 |
Gone hunting: Each year, tollbooth workers at the Mackinac Bridge keep a count of how many harvested deer cross the bridge, WPBN/WGTU reports. This year’s total: 1,447, according to the Mackinac Bridge Authority. That’s almost 200 more than 2023 when they counted 1,250. It’s a 16% increase. All aboard: Time to book your Lake Michigan crossing on the S.S. Badger. Reservations are open for spots aboard the historic car ferry during the 2025 season, which will run Friday, May 16, to Sunday, Oct. 12. The ferry offers daily round trip service between Ludington and Manitowoc, Wis. from May to October. Closed for now: Tahquamenon Falls State Park welcomed winter after the Thanksgiving-weekend storm covered the trails, trees and waterfalls. With the snow came several seasonal closures, including the River Trail, which runs between the Upper and Lower Falls, and the road to the Lower Falls. |
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Let's get ready for the day. |
I'm glad you decided to start your day with the Morning Briefing. Stay up to date with the latest Michigan news at MLive.com. While you're there, consider becoming a subscriber. Stay warm out there! — Cara Hackett |
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