DNR: Rash of brush fires reported around Michigan
ALPENA, Mich. โ A dry winter and recent sunny skies have led to a rash of recent brush fires around the state, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources says. Since Friday, the agency has responded to at least 40 such fires in the state, said Don Klingler, DNR resource protection manager for the Lower Peninsula. A fast-moving grass fire Monday burned 86 acres in northeast Michigan's Alcona County, The Alpena News reported. Roger MacNeill, a forest fire officer at the Lincoln DNR office, said the fire jumped a drainage ditch and the Black River. Grass fires have been rampant in Michigan this spring, with about 20 burning at once on Monday, including one that burned 600 acres in Manistee, MacNeill said.
Metro Detroit weather: Pick your favorite shade of gray
Highs in the low 30s (0 degrees Celsius), with a southwest wind at 7 to 12 mph. It will be warmer, though, with highs approaching 40 degrees (4 degrees Celsius). Mostly cloudy Wednesday night, with lows in the low 30s (-1 to 0 degrees Celsius). Highs Saturday in the low 30s (0 degrees Celsius), and lows Saturday night in the mid 20s (-3 degrees Celsius). Highs in the low 30s (0 degrees Celsius).
Michigan high school sports council approves phased-in plan for fall sports
DETROIT Fall sports for high schools in Michigan will begin with a phased-in approach, due to COVID-19, MHSAA announced on Wednesday. The Representative Council of the Michigan High School Athletic Association approved the next steps in returning sports for member schools, adopting a plan to phase in competition for fall sports in hopes of continuing to deter the spread of COVID-19. However, moderate and high-risk sports football, girls volleyball and boys soccer may begin practice but not competition. Football will delay the start of practice with full player pads and equipment until Monday, Aug. 17. The Council chose to make these adjustments to help ensure our athletes have a safe regular season this fall.
Several Michigan beaches either closed or under bacteria contamination advisory
Several Michigan beaches are either closed or under a contamination advisory due to high bacteria levels. According to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, there are currently 6 closures or advisories in Michigan. Most of them are in the Lower Peninsula. Much of the increase in bacteria levels are due to storm water runoff, according to the DEQ, but some are closed due to a potential toxin-forming blue-green algal bloom. Related: Gross: Study uncovers 10 Michigan beaches with most bacterial contaminationMichigan beach closures and advisories (as of July 17, 2020):Sanford Lake - Sanford Lake Park- MidlandMuskegon River - Crawford Park- OsceolaPontiac Lake - Pontiac Recreation Area - OaklandLake Bellaire - Richardi Park - AntrimBishop Lake - Brighton State Recreation Area - LivingstonSugarloaf Lake - Waterloo Recreation Area - Washtenaw
Several Michigan beaches either closed or under bacteria contamination advisory
Several Michigan beaches are either closed or under a contamination advisory due to high bacteria levels heading into Fourth of July weekend. According to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, there are currently 10 closures or advisories in Michigan. Most of them are in the Upper Peninsula. Much of the increase in bacteria levels are due to storm water runoff, according to the DEQ, but some are closed due to a potential toxin-forming blue-green algal bloom. Related: Gross: Study uncovers 10 Michigan beaches with most bacterial contaminationMichigan beach closures and advisories (as of July 1, 2020):Sanford Lake - Sanford Lake Park - Midland (Closure)Muskegon River - Crawford Park - Osceola (Contamination Advisory)Lake Michigan - Veterans Memorial Park - Antrim (Contamination Advisory)Pike Bay at Portage Canal / Lake Superior - Chassell Beach - Houghton (Contamination Advisory)Torch Lake - Dreamland Camp - Houghton (Contamination Advisory)Portage Canal / Lake Superior - Hancock City Beach - Houghton (Contamination Advisory)Portage Canal / Lake Superior - Houghton City Beach - Houghton (Contamination Advisory)Portage Canal / Lake Superior - Sandy Bottom Beach/ Dollar Bay - Houghton (Contamination Advisory)Torch Lake / Portage Canal / Lake Superior - Lake Linden Campground Beach - Houghton (Contamination Advisory)Torch Lake / Portage Canal / Lake Superior - Hubbell Park - Houghton (Contamination Advisory)
Michigan men charged with multiple felonies for falsifying service records of alcohol breath testing equipment
LANSING, Mich. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel on Thursday filed charges against two technicians contracted to service all the DataMaster DMT (DataMaster Transportable) breath alcohol testing instruments for the Lower Peninsula. The Michigan State Police entered into a contract with Intoximeters Inc. that began Sept. 1, 2018 to provide ongoing maintenance and repairs, as well as 120-day on-site inspections on each of the 203 DataMaster DMTs in the state. Discrepancies in some submitted diagnostic reports came to light during a routine technical review by MSPs Breath Alcohol Program on Jan. 2,2020. The MSP promptly began working with the Attorney Generals Public Integrity Unit, continuing to demonstrate a steadfast belief that public trust and accountability are essential in government. The combined efforts of the MSP Breath Alcohol Program, MSP Fraud Investigation Section and the Attorney Generals Public Integrity Unit have culminated in the charges announced Friday.
Expect delays: Mackinac Bridge traffic expected to increase over Memorial Day weekend
Published: May 20, 2020, 11:26 am Updated: May 20, 2020, 11:32 amMACKINAW CITY, Mich. The Mackinac Bridge Authority (MBA) is alerting residents that bridge traffic is expected to increase this weekend due to the holiday and new card-only toll payment protocols. Officials say there were delays on the bridge last weekend due to an increase of travelers in addition to MBAs temporary restriction on cash transactions. MBA has implemented a card-only payment policy amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic to help prevent the spread of the virus. READ: Mackinac Bridge will stop accepting cash due to coronavirus (COVID-19)To help slow the spread of COVID-19, we stopped taking cash payments in mid-March. Officials anticipate an increase in traffic and delays amid the Memorial Day weekend -- especially for southbound traffic on Memorial Day.
Explaining how, why Gov. Whitmer broke Michigan into 8 regions for reopening plan
Gretchen Whitmer has divided the state into eight regions as part of her coronavirus (COVID-19) reopening plan, but how and why were those regions determined? Whitmers advisory committee has drawn up a map of the state, and its the guide for how Michigan will move forward. It came into play for the first time Monday, when the two regions mentioned above were moved to phase four of her reopening plan. About a week after rolling out the map, Whitmer put out a color-coded chart explaining the six phases for reopening. The regions reopening depends on three things: lower case numbers per million, downward trends in new daily cases and the number of positive tests.
Michigan House votes to lift ban on baiting, feeding deer
LANSING, Mich. Legislation advancing in Michigan would lift the state's ban on baiting and feeding deer in the Lower Peninsula and parts of the Upper Peninsula. The state House approved the bill 56-49 Tuesday. The ban was initially instituted by the Michigan Natural Resources Commission in 2018. The bill sponsor, Republican Rep. Michelle Hoitenga of Manton, says the ban is "silly" and is hurting hunters. The state Department of Natural Resources says baiting and feeding concentrates animals beyond their normal movement patterns, increasing the spread of chronic wasting diseases and bovine tuberculosis.
CDC study indicates humans at risk for tuberculosis after contact with infected deer
The man lived in the northeastern Lower Peninsula where there have been confirmed cases of Mycobacterium bovis (bovine tuberculosis) in free-ranging deer. There has been statewide surveillance for M. bovis since 1995. In 2017, 1.4 percent of deer tested from the region were culture-positive for M. bovis. However, not everyone infected with M. bovis will become sick and those who don't get sick have what's called a latent TB infection. Hunters who submit deer heads that test positive for M. bovis could be at higher risk for infection.
11 Michigan beaches closed due to high bacteria levels
Several Michigan beaches are closed due to high bacteria levels heading into Labor Day weekend. According to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, there are currently 11 closures and advisories in Michigan. Most of them are in the Lower Peninsula. Related: Gross: Study uncovers 10 Michigan beaches with most bacterial contaminationHere's the list of beach closures:Much of the increase in bacteria levels are due to storm water runoff, according to the DEQ, but some have unknown sources. Copyright 2019 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.
7 Michigan beaches closed due to high bacteria levels
Several Michigan beaches are closed due to high bacteria levels. According to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, there are currently 7 closures and advisories in Michigan, all in the Lower Peninsula. Related: Gross: Study uncovers 10 Michigan beaches with most bacterial contaminationHere's the list of beach closures:Much of the increase in bacteria levels are due to storm water runoff, according to the DEQ, but some have unknown sources. Copyright 2019 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.
10 Michigan beaches closed due to high bacteria levels
Several Michigan beaches are closed due to high bacteria levels. According to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, there are currently 10 closures and advisories in Michigan, all in the Lower Peninsula. Related: Gross: Study uncovers 10 Michigan beaches with most bacterial contaminationHere's the list of beach closures:Much of the increase in bacteria levels are due to storm water runoff, according to the DEQ, but some have unknown sources. Copyright 2019 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.
7 Michigan beaches closed due to high bacteria levels
Several Michigan beaches are closed due to high bacteria levels. According to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, there are currently seven closures and advisories in Michigan, all in the Lower Peninsula. Related: Gross: Study uncovers 10 Michigan beaches with most bacterial contaminationHere's the list of beach closures:Much of the increase in bacteria levels are due to storm water runoff, according to the DEQ, but some have unknown sources. Copyright 2019 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.
8 Michigan beaches closed due to high bacteria levels
Several Michigan beaches are closed due to high bacteria levels. According to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, there are currently eight closures and advisories in Michigan, all in the Lower Peninsula. Here's the list of beach closures:Much of the increase in bacteria levels are due to storm water runoff, according to the DEQ, but some have unknown sources. Copyright 2019 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.