| THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2024 |
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In today's newsletter, 73k acres of Upper Peninsula wilderness preserved with $4.2M trust fund award, an Alberta Clipper is bringing widespread snow and the Lions are waiting on another opinion before deciding David Montgomery’s fate. |
Michigan zoo celebrates ‘incredibly special’ birth of critically endangered eastern bongo |
The Potter Park Zoo in Lansing is celebrating a new bundle of joy this holiday season. The female eastern bongo calf, a critically endangered species native to Africa was born at the zoo on December 10. Fewer than 100 eastern bongos are left in the wild. The calf, born to first time parents Zahara and Moose, marks the sixth birth of this species in the zoo’s history. She will likely make her public debut in the spring. If you plan on feeding birds this winter, check out this dos and does guide by MI Birds, a program created by Audubon Great Lakes and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. |
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This is an example of late successional forest management in the Michigamme Highlands. (Photo courtesy of The Nature Conservancy) |
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73k acres of Upper Peninsula wilderness preserved with $4.2M trust fund award |
Saving the trees: A large land conservation project in the heart of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula received the largest grant award in recent state trust fund recommendations. The Michigamme Highlands land conservation effort is set to receive a $4.2 million grant from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund – the largest award on the roster – should the state Legislature approve. If your small business caters to the outdoor enthusiasts, tourists and beach bums of Michigan then there’s an opportunity to get prime real estate within some of the 103 state parks. Through a competitive bidding process, the Department of Natural Resources selects businesses who “understand that every point of customer contact is an opportunity to educate and inspire and/or commit to employing best stewardship practices.” More environmental news: Congressman Bill Huizenga, R-Zeeland, joined lawmakers on both sides of the aisle earlier this week to pass a water infrastructure bill that includes plans for multiple projects in Kalamazoo, St. Joseph and Battle Creek. |
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Whitmer signs bills ramping up aid for Michiganders who fall behind on utility bills |
Getting help: More than 300,000 additional Michigan households struggling to keep up with utility bills will now qualify for state aid under a bipartisan set of laws signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Tuesday, Dec. 17. Under the three bills that got the governor’s stamp of approval, the pot of money available for the Michigan Energy Assistance Program — which now runs out on a yearly basis — could more than double. Pollution cleanup: In the early hours on Friday, Dec. 13, Democrats passed five bills that would, together, overhaul Michigan’s environmental remediation program to prioritize physical removal over allowing pollution to remain in the ground but limiting human contact. In politics: No long-term road funding solution appears imminent for Michigan as lawmakers remain in a stalemate in the closing days of the 2024 legislative session.Democrats and Republicans have each proposed options to address a growing road funding deficit. As of Wednesday morning, Dec. 18, no option had gained traction, or was even on the House agenda, further decreasing the likelihood of progress before 2025. |
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Alberta Clipper widespread snow: See how much you will shovel or broom off |
Snow is coming: An almost steady snow is going to roll across most of Lower Michigan over the next two days. This snow will come from a textbook example of an Alberta Clipper snow system. It looks like the central Michigan track is favored for this system. This means the snow just south of the track, in southern Lower Michigan, will be more off-and-on snow with the lightest amounts. What to expect: The snow will start Thursday afternoon, first over northern and western Lower Michigan, and then shift into southeast Lower Michigan by Thursday evening. The almost steady snow will continue Thursday night and wind down Friday afternoon for most of us. The off-and-on snow will hang on over southeast Lower Michigan until early Friday evening. Looking at the numbers: It is hard to break drought in the winter here in Michigan. Even though we could go into a snowy period, the moisture is limited due to the colder air. Here is the drought ranking as of last Thursday. |
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2025 Detroit Auto Show to feature 22 brands, 4 immersive track experiences |
Next month: We are learning more about what to expect at the 2025 North American International Auto Show in January. The ride-along attractions include the Ford Bronco Built Wild Track, complete with two new obstacles, Rock Crawl and Tilt Ridge. Jeep is bringing its Camp Jeep experiential activation, giving show attendees an opportunity to hit the off-roading trail. New will be the Detroit Grand Prix-themed track, which will incorporate some of the signature elements of the downtown Detroit street circuit Closing down: National fast-food chain Wendy’s appears to have closed at least a dozen locations in Michigan just weeks after the company CEO announced plans to shutter 140 locations nationwide. As of Wednesday afternoon, several locations are no longer listed on the Wendy’s website, while search listings for specific locations list the individual locations as “permanently closed.” In the works: BAMF Health, which is based in Grand Rapids and uses advanced imaging technology to direct and treat cancer, plans to open a Detroit center in 2027. The new center will occupy part of a 220,000-square-foot life science and research building being built by Bedrock, a commercial real estate firm owned by billionaire businessman Dan Gilbert. |
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