George James

Michigan Joins Coalition Asking for Criminal Justice Reform for Low-level Drug Offenses

Michigan has joined a multi-state coalition in requesting the U.S. Congress Act to apply fair sentencing reforms to low-level drug offenses by clarifying the First Step Act.

The U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled that mid-level and high-level offenders could petition for resentencing, but low-level offenders were ineligible. The ruling pertains particularly to crack cocaine offenses.

Attorney General Dana Nessel said, “It is fundamentally unfair to allow for the resentencing of a high-level crack cocaine offender while not doing the same for a low-level offender.”

The First Step Act is part of a criminal justice reform act that recognized that crack cocaine dealers have been punished more harshly than powder cocaine dealers. Some offenders who were caught with relatively small quantities of crack are still in jail, where dealers of huge quantities of powder cocaine have had their sentences reduced..

Nessel went on to say, “In light of the Supreme Court’s decision, I am joining my colleagues in calling on Congress to clarify that the relief provided by the First Step Act applies to all individuals convicted of crack cocaine offenses.”  

A full copy of the letter to Congress:

https://www.michigan.gov/documents/ag/Terry_FSA_Amendment_Letter_Final_-_SIGNED_734460_7.pdf

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Day-trip to Dow Gardens Wows Nature-lovers

It’s easy to feel like an inferior gardener when exploring the Dow Gardens, but few hobby gardeners can compete with the world-class gardens at the massive garden located in Midland, Michigan. Even the street on the way to the garden is lined with thousands of flowers.

Dow Gardens are about a two-hour drive from the Blue Water Area and it is a favorite destination for those looking to get out in nature and maybe get some inspiration for their own backyards. The Garden is currently hosting the Garden of Glass exhibit, which is the work of Michigan artist Craig Mitchell Smith, and features large glass flowers placed throughout the grounds.

The main attraction at Dow Gardens is the Canopy Walk which soars 40 feet about the forest floor and extends for 1400 feet. Kids of all ages can explore the different levels of the canopy with many opportunities for climbing and hanging out in a net suspended above the red pine forest.

Admission is $10 for adults and $2 for kids. The Gardens are open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and are closed on Mondays. They are open year-round and have programs for each season of the year. If you go, you will want to bring comfortable walking shoes. The entire Dow Gardens, including the canopy walk, is wheelchair accessible.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Be Careful Around American Dagger Moth Caterpillars

It is the season for beautiful caterpillars to be crawling around local yards. While most are harmless, both adults and children should be warned of the possibility of getting an itchy rash from touching a certain caterpillar that has been spotted in the Blue Water Area.

The American Dagger Moth caterpillar is a beautiful yellow caterpillar with long black hairs sticking out. It’s definitely the kind of natural wonder that a young child would want to pick up and show to Mom and Dad. 

The caterpillar’s natural defense mechanism is to poison with toxins on its hairs. The dagger-like hairs can inject poison into the skin of someone who touches them. A fallen hair from the caterpillar can even cause a problem.

The reaction to the caterpillar’s toxins can include a stinging sensation that ends up as an itchy rash. There is rarely any long-term problem, and anti-itch ointments generally suffice for symptom control, but a sting can quickly ruin a nature walk or a gardening project.

Children should be warned not to touch the caterpillars and anyone moving the caterpillars should wear gloves.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

DTE Plans to Spend Big to Trim Trees, Prevent Future Outages

After pressure from the Governor and Attorney General, utility providers are reaching out to customers to let them know that they are working on preventing lengthy power outages due to storms.

Weather-related electricity outages have been common recently and the length of the outages has been deemed unacceptable by government officials.

DTE contacted customers last week to let them know that the electricity provider is making some changes to try to get the grid under control. Trees are a big part of the problem, so tree trimming is at the forefront of the effort right now.

In the emailed letter to customers, Jerry Norcia, President and Chief Executive Officer of DTE Energy, said, “As we look at our data from this past nine weeks, we can see that trees are responsible for nearly all the time many of you have spent without power during the extreme weather events of this summer. Our electric service area experienced five tornadoes and eight storms with tropical force wind gusts of 39 to 74 miles per hour.”

DTE is spending $70 million over the next year to increase tree trimming projects and increase its tree trimming workforce by 30%.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Midwest Ag Leaders Remind That Buying Local is Best

There’s no better time of year to be buying local. Fresh-picked tomatoes off the vine, local sweet corn, sunflowers, and all of late summer’s bounty awaits hungry shoppers at Farmer’s Markets and roadside stands.

The Departments of Agriculture in seven mid-western states have made a video asking residents to buy locally grown and made products to support state food and agriculture economies.

The ag leaders say that buying fresh produce or dining at a farm-to-table restaurant can have big impacts on local economies. Choosing local foods at grocery stores can make a difference as well.

The officials from Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio, and Kentucky all shared their appreciation for food and agriculture workers, who are always essential workers, who continued to work through the pandemic to feed America. They called them “a key piece to the fabric of our neighborhoods and communities”.

The collaborative video effort of the Midwest states is hoped to remind viewers that local products like fruits, vegetables, flowers, and other products are not only the freshest and highest quality but also a huge help to local economies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrX-7CBYYkU

Reporting for WGRT- Jennie McClelland

Saturday’s Thumbfest Celebrates Folk Music

If you like folk music, this weekend’s Thumbfest is for you. Lexington will host the music festival on Saturday, September 4th from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. throughout the town.

Thumbfest began in the 1990s and has since developed into a late summer tradition, organized by the dedicated volunteers in the Blue Water Folk Society.

The festival is free to the public thanks to many commercial sponsors and donors, but donations are accepted. Those who attend will need to bring their own lawn chairs. Both food and craft vendors will be onsite.

There are seven stages with full schedules of musical acts, along with a community sing tent and a jam tent, among others. There are opportunities for those who brought their instruments to join into some performances.

Thumbfest is a family-friendly event with special areas for children to make music, as well as a drum circle. Camp Cavell is hosting special activities for kids.

Shuttles will be running throughout the festival, with service every 15 minutes along the route. The full lineup of musical acts can be found at bluewaterfolk.org.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland