Morning Briefing

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2022

In today's newsletter, women and LGBTQ lawmakers to have larger representation in Michigan’s upcoming legislature, invasive pest with taste for ornamental shrub lands in Michigan, and Memorial Day weekend booking window opens soon for campers.

We're close to a feast

In just over a week, it'll be time to stuff our faces with all the goods. Thanksgiving is just around the corner and I can already taste the pumpkin pie.

If you're hosting, these are Michigan’s 5 favorite Thanksgiving side dishes sure to please any crowd. I personally think green bean casserole should've been #1, but I digress. And if you missed it in yesterday's newsletter, this is how much more will your Thanksgiving meal cost this year.

Backpedaling a little bit, here's what the weather will look like for the next few days in southeast and southwest Michigan. Almost everywhere in Michigan will see snow, but those two areas are predicted to get hit heavy. It's going to be cold, but our wintry week may be followed by a fairly significant warm-up.

Curated by Jamie Rewerts

Sweet wines at Chateau Chantal on Old Mission Peninsula in Grand Traverse County on Wednesday, June 15, 2022. (Joel Bissell | MLive.com)

On Old Mission Peninsula, a two-year court fight about wine, weddings and amplified music

Feeling held back: The 11 wineries that dot the Old Mission Peninsula had sued Peninsula Township in 2020 over the patchwork of zoning regulations that kept them from hosting weddings, blocked them from playing music with amplified instruments, restricted the number of guests wineries were allowed at one time and prevented the wineries from staying open past 9:30 p.m.

The latest in the case: In June, a federal judge issued a summary judgement in their favor on most counts, leaving a few outstanding issues for trial. And then the wineries’ case went south with an overturned injunction and the township proposing a new and far more restrictive zoning ordinance.

Another lawsuit update: Michigan, along with 39 other states, will receive a $12 million dollar payout from Google over a privacy lawsuit pertaining to the company’s location tracking practices.

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Women, LGBTQ lawmakers to have larger representation in Michigan’s upcoming legislature

More diversity: For the 2023-24 term, 45 women will be seated in Michigan’s House of Representatives while 15 women will be seated in the Senate. Members of the LGBTQ community will also see their numbers more than double in the legislature once seated for the upcoming session.

The breakdown: Women now make up 41% of lawmakers in the legislature, making it close to accurately representing the makeup of women who live in Michigan, which sits at 50.4% of the population according to recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Of the 45-member count in the House, the most are Democrats, with only 12 women out of the 110 seats in the lower chamber (or nearly 11%) being Republican women. In the Senate, only three lawmakers of the 15 are Republicans.

More in Politics: Michigan Democrats took home big wins in last week’s election, but some feel it may have been at the expense of Black voices in the state legislature.

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Invasive pest with taste for ornamental shrub lands in Michigan

What's the buzz: Agriculture officials announced Michigan's first wild detection of box tree moth, an invasive insect native to Asia, was found in a Lenawee County backyard. The pest feeds on boxwood, a popular landscaping shrub. People who think they’ve found a boxwood moth or caterpillar should take photos and report it through the state’s “Eyes in the Field” online tool.

Speaking of outdoors: Deer hunters, it's time to dust off those rifles: firearm season is officially here in Michigan. Here’s a look at where deer hunting is most common in the state, according to estimates from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

For the hikers: Lanterns, holiday lights, campfires – and hopefully snow – are coming together for Enchanted Borealis Trail hikes at two state parks in December. There will be four hikes at Seven Lakes State Park in Holly and three at Ionia State Recreation Area in Ionia.

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Former Eastern Michigan football player leading 1K Thanksgiving meal donations

More than 1,000 Thanksgiving meals are being donated or served by former Eastern Michigan University football player Sam Estes alongside EMU officials, student volunteers and a pair of community organizations. The two-part “Friendsgiving” event, called “Thankful for You,” starts at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16 with donations to community members. An on-campus community dinner at EMU follows at 4 p.m.

Eyes on the NFL: Senior day is this Saturday for Michigan football. While some players still have eligibility and decisions to make, others have to move on. Michigan wide receiver Ronnie Bell is expected to declare for NFL draft after the 2022 season, according to head coach Jim Harbaugh.

More in college football: The Battle Creek-based Kellogg Company Cheez-It announced Tuesday that it has become the official sponsor of the Citrus Bowl. The matchup in Camping World Stadium in Orlando on January 2, 2023, features the best teams between the Big Ten and SEC.

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Campers, mark your calendars: Memorial Day weekend booking window opens soon

Plan ahead: It may be snowing in some parts of Michigan this week, but it isn’t too early to start thinking about warm evenings around a campfire: Memorial Day weekend is six months from Saturday, Nov. 26.

Why that date matters: Campsite and harbor slip reservations with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources can be made up to six months in advance. So, mark your calendars for Nov. 26 and get ready to book that first camping or boating trip of the year.

A tip to help out: Make your reservation at MiDNRReservations.com. Use the “Notify Me” feature on the website to get an email notification when a site becomes available for selected dates.

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You're all caught up.

Thank you for joining us on this edition of Morning Briefing.

Remember, you can always visit us at MLive.com for the latest. Here's a link to become an MLive subscriber.

Have a great day!

— Jamie Rewerts

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