Michigan in Focus

The Michigan Supreme Court declined to say whether the government can use drones to spy on people without a warrant. The unanimous Friday ruling follows a 17-year dispute between residents Todd and Heather Maxon and Long Lake township officials who say the 5-acre residential property is being used as an illegal junkyard. The 18-page ruling written by Judge Brian Zahra affirmed the Court of Appeals ruling and remanded the case to the trial court for further proceeding.

Full story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/michigan/article_432391cc-0c75-11ef-9415-637b8d09f9a4.html

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed two bills requiring high school coaches to maintain valid certification for CPR and automated external defibrillators in case of cardiac arrest.  The legislation requires schools to have a cardiac emergency response plan if a student-athlete collapses on the field because of a cardiac issue. House Bill 5527, sponsored by state Rep. John Fitzgerald, requires schools to activate a cardiac emergency response plan for the governing body of a school. HB 5528, sponsored by state Rep. Tyrone Carter, amends the Revised School Code to require any individual who serves as an athletic coach at a public or private high school to maintain a valid certification in CPR and use of an AED.

Full story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/michigan/article_6ee93d78-0632-11ef-81bf-7326151e4302.html

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Michigan’s top business group says “we can’t get” to the 100% clean energy standard by 2040 without nuclear energy. The Michigan Chamber of Commerce, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, bipartisan lawmakers and organized labor support restarting the 800-megawatt Palisades nuclear plant on Lake Michigan’s Eastern shore, expected to return online in 2025. Edward Kee, CEO and founder of the Nuclear Economics Consulting Group, said nuclear energy could help decarbonize the electricity industry.

Full story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/michigan/article_89a8ea7a-029d-11ef-adab-9b879c80cb9d.html

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Environmental Protection Agency has awarded Michigan $159 million in solar subsidies for low-income households. The Inflation Reduction Act’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund will be administered through the MI Solar for All program, which aims to increase access to affordable solar energy for eligible families. The Michigan Department of Environment, great lakes, and energy will invest 159 million dollars to accelerate the deployment of rooftop solar, community solar and energy storage.

Full story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/michigan/article_8ae79510-0169-11ef-9d7c-cb2f9bad3471.html

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A new report found Michigan school districts spent their COVID-19 funds similarly to their general budget, with nearly half spent on employee compensation and benefits. A Mackinac Center for Public Policy report shows how school districts have spent $2.5 billion of the $6 billion in federal pandemic aid between the 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years. To help address the challenges of the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress distributed unprecedented amounts of money to public schools across the country from March 2020 to March 2021. Michigan schools received $6 billion total, with each district receiving varying amounts, ranging from about $500 extra per student to as much as $50,000 per pupil.

Full story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/michigan/article_a01ec0ce-fb48-11ee-9019-476766d550ed.html

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

 Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced 13 felony charges against former House Speaker Lee Chatfield, 35, accusing him of stealing political funds for personal use. The state accused Lee of illegally taking political money for personal use from the 501(c)(4) Peninsula Fund, his own electoral political action committees, The Chatfield Majority Fund, The Chatfield Majority Fund 2 and the state House budget. Lee is accused of conducting a criminal enterprise, a 20-year felony; embezzlement from a non-profit organization less than $20,000, a felony punishable by 10 years in prison and/or a $15,000 fine; embezzlement by a public officer over $50, a felony punishable by 10 years in prison and/or a $5,000 fine; conspiracy to commit embezzlement from a non-profit organization less than $20,000, a felony punishable by 10 years in prison and/or a $15,000 fine and an additional $10,000 fine.

Full story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/michigan/article_de59951e-fcb3-11ee-bdb4-6bf7842d5eac.html

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Department of Justice has weighed into the Line 5 pipeline dispute, saying Enbridge Energy has been trespassing for more than 10 years. The 70-page brief filed in the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals says about 12 miles of Line 5 crosses the Reservation of the Bad River Band in northern Wisconsin. The 645-mile pipeline stretching from Superior, Wisconsin to Sarnia, Canada, pumps about 540,000 gallons of hydrocarbons daily across the lakebed of Lake Michigan.

Full story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/michigan/article_da16e7e2-f75c-11ee-9dd5-47e3ff66e257.html

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Michigan Republicans are calling for accountability within the Michigan Economic Development Corp. after taxpayers reportedly bought an $11,000 flight to Budapest and a $4,500 coffee maker. Metro Detroit businesswoman and MEDC executive committee member Fay Beydoun received a $20 million grant for her company Global Link International to attract international business. The Detroit News reported that money paid for a flight to a conference in Budapest and a Jura coffee maker.

Full story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/michigan/article_bd198ccc-f71a-11ee-b214-436639f5bf60.html

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

 Twenty-five Michigan lawmakers oppose President Joe Biden administration's electric vehicle mandate through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA rules for light-duty and medium-duty vehicles phased in from 2027 through 2032 will require about 67% of new car sales to be electric by 2032. Republican lawmakers said the mandate will destroy auto jobs in Michigan responsible for 19% of U.S. automotive production. Producing EVs requires 30% less human labor.

This story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/michigan/article_44bb13d2-f0d9-11ee-8f99-c3be7ce3ba49.html

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed nine bills into law to legalize surrogacy contracts. Michigan is the last state to legalize surrogacy contracts. Democrats say that nine bills, House Bills 5207, 5208, 5209, 5210, 5211, 5212, 5213, 5214, and 5215, will help more people get children born through surrogacy or in vitro fertilization. The bills will regulate surrogacy, ensure surrogates are fairly compensated, have legal representation and are screened by medical professionals.

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.