George James

Brushing Scams Reported Locally; Beware of Identity Theft

You’re not planning to cater a luncheon, but large quantities of sandwich condiments are showing up at your door. Why? That’s the question our own Jessie Wiegand, News Director at WGRT, asked when she got a mystery shipment of a lifetime supply of mustard.

Jessie’s mystery mustard delivery, and the subsequent mystery delivery of several bottles of mayonnaise, have prompted an investigation into a bizarre scam, commonly called “brushing”.

“Brushing” is a fairly creative scam that uses stolen personal information to mine “verified deliveries” by creating a tracking number. This allows fraudsters to publish a review of whatever product they are trying to sell, which is usually not the product that was actually sent. It is an attempt to manipulate sales on online retail sites like Amazon and Walmart.com.

The Federal Trade Commission and the Better Business Bureau both advise those who receive mystery shipments of random goods to be on the lookout. Their identity has probably been compromised in some way. It’s a good idea to change passwords and keep a close eye on all accounts. Victims should report the fraudulent order to the shipper, but they don’t have to return the items. 

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

$4.8 Billion Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal Invests in Water, Roads, More

The Building Michigan Together Plan is a supplemental budget that addresses Michigan’s infrastructure. The bipartisan plan spends the one-time federal stimulus money on water, roads, parks, high-speed internet, housing, a cleanup of the Unemployment Insurance Agency, and protections for public safety programs.

State Budget Director Christopher Harkins endorsed the $4.8 billion plan, saying, “This supplemental uses one-time resources to make long-term strategic investments in the state’s infrastructure to improve the lives of Michiganders today and well into the future.”

The plan funds $2 billion worth of critical water infrastructure needs with large amounts going to fix the serious water problems in Benton Harbor and to assist communities dealing with PFAS contamination. Repairing dams in Midland and Gladwin counties are part of the plan.

$645 million federal dollars are planned to be invested into road and bridge programs, roadway flood prevention, and many other transportation initiatives.

State Parks will see a $450 million boost, including a new state park in Flint, and greenway projects in Detroit and Grand Rapids.

Governor Whitmer signed the bill into law on Wednesday.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

MI New Favorite Snack Competition Looking for the Next Big Thing in the Snacks

Everyone loves snack foods like chips, pretzels, candy, and more. The next big thing in snacks could be right here in Michigan.

The MI New Favorite Snack Competition has begun the search for Michigan’s next great snack food. The top prize is $30,000 and a distribution contract with All-Star Services, a Port Huron-based company that supplies workplace vending throughout the state.

The second-place prize is $15,000 and the third-place prize is $5,000. The entry period has begun and goes until August 1st. The finalists will compete for the top prizes on September 17th.

To qualify, entrants must have appropriate licensing and insurance and be headquartered in Michigan. The makers of the snack foods must be a small business with no more than ten employees at the time of entry and have the product packaged for consumer purchase.

The registration for MI New Favorite Snack is hosted by the Blue Water Chamber of Commerce and is supported by the Community Foundation of St. Clair County.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Michigan Essential Health Provider Program Pays Loans for Doctors in Underserved Areas

For those who want to become a doctor or other health professional, but are scared off by the cost of tuition, there is a new law that can take away some of the burdens of paying for higher education while helping bring care to the communities that need it most.

After bipartisan cooperation, Senate Bills 246 and 435 were signed into law to increase loan forgiveness for health professionals who work in underserved communities. The program is part of the Michigan Essential Health Provider Program.

Those who go into healthcare fields can have up to $300,000 in loans forgiven over the course of ten years. The bill also expands the physician specializations that qualify for the loan forgiveness to include mental health professionals. 

The sponsor of the bill, Senator Curt VanderWall, a Ludington Republican, said, “I’m excited by the unique opportunity that this bill offers. Communities all around the state are facing a real problem in this shortage of medical professionals. This bill will offer tuition relief for medical students that sign contracts in areas of need.”

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Michigan Elections Get some Revamps with Online Tools, Grants, Possible Legislation

There have been several recent developments in Michigan’s election process. Those include new online tools that voters can use to update their voter registrations at Michigan.gov/Vote 

Also, in response to requests from local clerks, jurisdictions are now eligible for $8 million total in Michigan Bureau of Elections grant funding to implement security measures.

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said, “These grants from our office will assist local election officials to protect the integrity and security of our elections as they face unprecedented threats and challenges to their work.”

Benson also said, “But investing in secure elections is meant to be a team effort, so we need legislative leaders to join us and commit to providing consistent and sufficient funding to ensure our election officials have the tools they need to protect democracy.”

Benson expressed disdain for a recent ruling by the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules that could undo some of the Michigan Bureau of Elections actions that clarify election law and codify existing practices. Benson said that legislators were “more interested in playing games” than doing the people’s work”.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland