In today's newsletter, Social Security benefits could be drastically cut starting this month, plan for managing 4M acres of Michigan state forest delayed by ice storm damage, and Michigan elderly fraud scheme lands man in federal prison. |
Celebrating Independence Day across Michigan |
We have officially reached the busy Fourth of July holiday period and for those planning on taking a road trip, be sure to pack your patience. Michigan is expected to have more than 2.6 million people traveling during the holiday period, according AAA projections. That's a 3% increase from last year. To help ease traffic congestion and increase safety, the state is pausing 110 of 179 road construction projects during the Independence Day weekend. If your weekend itinerary has not been finalized yet, here's a roundup of celebrations happening in Washtenaw County, Jackson County, West Michigan, Kalamazoo, Saginaw, and Bay City. |
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Scenes from the Fourth of July fireworks show at Cascade Falls Park in Jackson. (J. Scott Park | MLive.com) |
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Michigan AG sues Trump administration over sharing health data with ICE |
Michigan has joined a coalition of 19 other states in filing a lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s administration, this time for sharing personal health data with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said the Department of Health and Human Services’ decision to provide “unfettered access” to DHS, which houses Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is illegal. Be aware: The FBI says a new scam is targeting the public in hopes of stealing private medical data. A warning issued on June 27 says the criminals are sending emails and text messages to patients and health care providers. The messages are disguised to look like legitimate communications from trusted health care authorities to access protected health information, medical records, and personal financial details. Measles alert: Kent County has confirmed its second measles case of the year in a young child. The child’s family had a recent history of international travel, the Kent County Health Department announced Wednesday, July 2. |
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A government mistake could lead to your Social Security benefits being drastically cut starting this month |
| Your Social Security benefits check could be significantly smaller than usual starting later this month thanks to a new policy from the Social Security Administration (SSA). The policy calls for overpayments made by the SSA to beneficiaries to be collected at a rate of up to 50% of monthly benefits until the overpayment is recouped. That means the agency can take back any money erroneously paid to beneficiaries by reducing the monthly Social Security benefit payments. Speaking out: It’s been a little over a week since the tentative ceasefire negotiated by President Donald Trump took effect between Israel and Iran. Public officials’ responses varied in the days following the start of official U.S. involvement, and Michiganders who responded to an unscientific MLive survey were also split on the decision. New billboards are popping up along the routes of Lansing and metro Detroit commuters, referencing President Donald Trump’s latest legislative priority, the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” The advocacy group that paid for the billboards says they’re meant to raise awareness about the legislation’s potential to redistribute wealth away from low-income Americans. |
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Plan for managing 4M acres of Michigan state forest delayed by ice storm damage |
A sprawling road map for balancing logging, wildlife habitat and recreation on nearly 4 million acres of Michigan state forestland faces at least a yearlong delay after a catastrophic ice storm walloped the northern Lower Peninsula this spring. The DNR’s new 10-year State Forest Management Plan is now projected to be finalized in June 2026, a delayed timeline, officials announced on Monday, June 30. Bundles of joy: The Great Lakes oldest Piping Plover is a mother again − for the 37th time. The Piping Plover, Of,gb:X,Y, often referred to as “Gabby” in reference to the gby from her unique color band combination is 16 years old. This season, two of Gabby’s chicks made it to “fledgling age,” according to Sleeping Bear. This means they have now reached the age where they can fly and take care of themselves. Toxic hot spot: After nearly four decades and $80 million of heavy environmental pollution cleanup efforts, Muskegon Lake is finally on track to being delisted as a Great Lakes Area of Concern. |
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Michigan elderly fraud scheme lands man in federal prison |
Elder fraud scheme: A 30-year-old man from India has been sentenced to over 5 years in federal prison for targeting elderly victims in a wire fraud scheme. Kaushalkumar Chaudhary posed as a government official to convince vulnerable people to convert their financial holdings into cash and precious metals, defrauding 14 victims of more than $500,000. Melissa Frick reports that Chaudhary was caught after Battle Creek police intercepted him while attempting to collect gold and silver from an elderly southwest Michigan woman. Michigan Supreme Court ruling: A man who killed his neighbor in 1986 while on LSD may get a reduced sentence after a Michigan Supreme Court order. Charles Joseph Selby, who was 18 when he shot Walter Fred Tittle through his living room window, had his mandatory life sentence vacated following a ruling that such sentences for 18-year-olds are unconstitutional. Nathan Clark reports Selby will appear in court July 30 for a status conference. Water rescue: Bystanders rescued a 74-year-old Detroit woman after noticing she was floating face down in Cass Lake and wasn't actually snorkeling. The woman remains in critical condition after being pulled from about 4 feet of water at Dodge Park Beach on Tuesday afternoon, reports WDIV Local 4. |
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A U.P. history site started construction, then its funding got cut |
The state, local governments and tribal partners have spent years working to bring a new Native American heritage site to Straits State Park. The same month the project began construction, it lost nearly $450,000 in federal funding. Now, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources agency that oversees the project is hoping to lean on private investors and make up the difference while construction continues, Michigan History Center Director Sandra Clark said. Not the same landscape: As summer camping, hiking and off-roading is in full swing, the impact of the March ice storm is still lingering in Northern Michigan. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is cautioning visitors to brace themselves for “a changed landscape” at many state forest campgrounds and parks. The Mackinac Island City Council has been temporarily blocked from controlling the ticket rates for the two ferry companies that transport thousands of passengers to the historic island each year. |
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Tomorrow's edition of the Morning Briefing will be paused in honor of Independence Day. In the meantime, you can catch the latest Michigan news at MLive.com. If you value the work of our journalists, consider becoming a subscriber. Have a safe and fun weekend! - Cara Hackett |
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