State News

Governor Gretchen Whitmer wants to put back into the Michigan budget some of what she cut out of the Michigan budget. Supplemental spending bills introduced into the Senate yesterday would restore $34 million for rural hospitals and $11 million for road patrols, along with money for veteran services, literacy coaches, …

Michigan’s ban on the sale of flavored nicotine-based vaping products remains in place, after two days of court hearings in Detroit. Court of Claims Judge Cynthia Stevens declined to issue an immediate ruling in a case brought by 906 Vapor owner Mark Slis of Houghton. Stevens will take some time …

Governor Gretchen Whitmer has ordered U.S. and Michigan flags to be lowered to half-staff today to honor the service of Army Staff Sgt. Kelly Richards. Richards died September 25th at age 32, while competing for an expert field medical badge at Camp Casey in Seoul, South Korea. No cause of …

Michigan has recorded its first death in the widening lung damage problem related to e-cigarette use. For privacy reasons, no information about the victim is being released, other than it was an adult male. Thirty lung injury cases believed to be vaping-related have been reported in Michigan over the past …

Officers from the Upper Peninsula Substance Enforcement Team say they’ve broken up an MDMA distribution ring. MDMA is also known as ecstasy or molly. Detectives raided a home in Kingsford yesterday as part of a multi-state investigation. They seized MDMA tablets, evidence of ongoing MDMA distribution, and also found evidence …

The slow process of permitting marijuana processing and sale for personal use in Michigan took another step forward yesterday. The Marijuana Regulatory Agency released its process and rules for applying for adult-use marijuana licenses. The MRA will begin accepting applications November 1st. Applications for a state license as a grower, …

Former Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette says he will not run for office – any office – in 2020. In an interview with Bridge Magazine, Schuette discounted speculation that he would try to land a seat on the Michigan Supreme Court. Justice Steven Markman will be retiring at the end …

Today is Fall Student Count Day in our public schools. Attendance today will provide 90 percent of the basis for most Copper Country school districts’ state aid allocations. Students are encouraged to attend class, if at all possible. Students who have excused absences may still be counted if they start …

Michigan’s ban on flavored nicotine-based vaping products has officially taken effect. Yesterday, Michigan Court of Claims Judge Cynthia Diane Stephens denied a request for a temporary restraining order to hold off the ban. The suit in question was filed by Marc Slis, who owns 906 Vapor in Houghton. The case …

If the November, 2020, election was held in Michigan today, President Donald Trump would not fare well. In head-to-head matchups, a new Epic/MRA poll has the president losing by 10 points to Joe Biden, by six points to Elizabeth Warren, by four points to Bernie Sanders, and by three points …