Morning Briefing Aug. 18, 2021: Survey finds Millennials, Gen Zers cutting ties with unvaccinated; Video released after woman hit in head by flying metal at Cedar Point

Here are this morning’s top stories

Millennials, Gen Zers are cutting ties with unvaccinated, creating own vaccine mandates

About one-third of Millennials and Gen Zers have cut ties with friends, family members or acquaintances who will not get the COVID-19 vaccine.

This is according to a survey from Axios and The Harris Poll. They surveyed 1,334 U.S. adults in August 2021 and categorized them by generation.

Read more here.


Video released after woman hit in head by flying metal at Cedar Point

A newly released video captures a woman screaming in pain after reportedly being struck in the head by a piece of metal at an Ohio amusement park.

See some of the footage here.


🎤 Live at 11:15 a.m.: Michigan health officials provide COVID data update


Man sentenced to prison for hate crimes against Black family in Warren

A man charged with attacking the home of a Black family last year in Warren has been sentenced.

On Tuesday, Michael Frederick Jr. was sentenced in Macomb County Circuit Court to four to 10 years in what Warren police called a racially motivated assault.

See the story here.


Jack Morris apologizes for comments during Shohei Otani at-bat in Tigers-Angels game

Former Detroit Tigers pitcher and current Tigers TV analyst Jack Morris apologized for using an accent during Shohei Ohtani’s at-bat in the 6th inning of the Tigers-Angels game on Tuesday night.

The game was tied in the 6th inning as Shohei Ohtani walked up to the plate. Tigers play-by-play announcer Matt Shepard asked, “Now what do you do with Shohei Ohtani?” Morris replied, using an accent: “Be very, very careful.”

Learn more here.


🪲 Bug that could hurt Christmas tree industry found in West Michigan


Michigan Gov. Whitmer to OK letting drunken drivers try to clear record

Michigan legislators voted Tuesday to let an estimated 200,000 one-time drunken drivers seek to set aside their conviction, finalizing expungement bills that will be signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

The legislation received wide bipartisan support, 92-16 in the Republican-led House. It will lift a prohibition barring DUI offenders from trying to clear their record.

Read more here.


14 people from Wayne, Macomb counties charged in COVID unemployment fraud scheme

Federal officials have charged 14 people from Wayne and Macomb counties in connection with a fraud scheme to steal COVID unemployment benefits.

The indictment alleges that nine of the 14 people conspired together to commit wire fraud by filing unemployment insurance claims in the names of people who didn’t know their names were being used. Some claims were filed for people who weren’t eligible for benefits, often in several states on behalf of the same person, authorities said.

Read the report here.


🎥 Eminem to play ‘White Boy Rick’ in 50 Cent’s Detroit-based Starz series


Michigan man arrested in connection with Jan. 6 Capitol riot, identified by photos on Instagram

When the FBI put pictures of who they only identified as AFO-128 up on its website, it asked for any information to put a name with a face.

The internet group, which calls itself “Sedition Hunters,” plastered his face far and wide and helped the feds identify him as Logan Barnhart from Haslett.

See the report here.


Weather: Better bet for storms today


COVID in Michigan 💉

The number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Michigan has risen to 922,687 as of Monday, including 20,030 deaths, state officials report.

Monday’s update includes a total of 3,554 new cases and 19 additional deaths over a three-day period -- an average of 1,184.67 cases per day. Of the 19 new deaths reported, eight were identified during a review of records.

On Friday, the state announced a total of 919,133 cases and 20,011 deaths.

The next data update is expected this afternoon.

Testing has dropped to around 10,000 diagnostic tests reported per day on average, with the 7-day positive rate at 7.66% as of Monday, slightly higher than the previous week. The positive test rate has been steadily climbing since the end of June, when it was at its lowest. Hospitalizations have been slowly increasing for the last two weeks.

Cases are rising again in Michigan. The state’s 7-day moving average for daily cases was 1,352 on Monday -- a significant jump since the beginning of July. The 7-day death average was 9 on Monday. The state’s fatality rate is 2.2%. The state also reports “active cases,” which were listed at 27,000 on Monday.

Michigan has reported more than 9.4 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine administered as of Monday, with 64.8% of 16+ residents having received at least one dose while 56.5% of 16+ residents are considered fully vaccinated.

Here’s a look at more of the data:


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About the Author

Cassidy Johncox is a senior digital news editor covering stories across the spectrum, with a special focus on politics and community issues.

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