MichiganNewsSource

The change was announced Wednesday and will allow auto companies to increase supplies of electric and other alternative energy vehicles until later in the decade. The new rules will still be the strongest pollution standards for cars according to the EPA. Detroit's automakers and the United Auto Workers lobbied the Biden administration to slow the implementation of the new emissions rules. Consumer demand for EV's remains slow due to several issues including high prices, limited charging outlets and concerns over the reliability of the electric grid.

Yesterday (Tuesday) Governor Whitmer released the Michigan Statewide Workforce Plan. A comprehensive, all-access roadmap that lays out strategies needed to build on Michigan’s success and ensure all residents have the skills, opportunities, and support they need to make it in Michigan. This plan marks the first time the State of Michigan has laid out a formal vision to create jobs and support workers and employers, and it is broken down into three pillars, which are; to help more Michigan residents earn a skills certificate or degree, increase access to opportunities that grow the middle class, and support business owners and business growth through talent solutions.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is creating a proposal to allow Ebikes to ride on natural trails this summer, which usually only mountain bikes are allowed on. Officials stated many states have already granted Ebike users access to the outdoor trails, and that this will allow many more people to enjoy the outdoors. Especially those who may have disabilities that will not allow them to use a regular pedal bike. If the Michigan DNR Director approves the proposal, Ebikes will be allowed on natural trails starting in the middle of May.

It was a scary situation for a West Michigan high school marching band during its trip to Florida. More than 50 students from Carson City-Crystals Area Schools were in Florida for performances at Disney and Universal. Sunday night on the bus, on their way back to the hotel the bus suffered two flat tires, and then began to fill up with smoke, eventually catching on fire. Every evacuated with no injuries reported, however, almost all personal belongings and equipment were lost in the fire. The bus company is helping to pay for new clothes.

The ninth-seeded Spartans will square off with eight-seed Mississippi State in first round action in Charlotte. The game tips off at just after noon. Meanwhile, the Michigan State women are a nine-seed and open up against eight-seed North Carolina on Friday.

Homeowners and renters have until April 8 to apply for the federal aid, which was made possible by President Biden's major disaster declaration for the state a little over a month ago. The counties designated for Individual Assistance in the disaster are Eaton, Ingham, Ionia, Kent, Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, and Wayne.

In 2002, then 19-year-old Tony a Miller was convicted of shaking her eleven-month-old daughter, causing the child's death. Then in 2021, through the use of science it was proven that the child died from undiagnosed pneumonia. The lawsuit, which is against the city of Battle Creek, Kalamazoo County and several others, claims that state law and Miller's constitutional rights were violated.

Visit Detroit spokesperson Chris Moyer is telling people to get on a hotel waitlist if they have not yet made a reservation. The NFL Draft will be April 25th through the 27th in Detroit. Hotel room prices for that time are between 500 and 650-dollars a night.

The water distribution is from the city and grocery retailer SpartanNash and is happening from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the fire station at 1635 Leonard Street NE. That is City Manager Mark Washington, who says the broken water main that prompted the advisory has been fixed, but the boil advisory is in place until Wednesday at the earliest. The city is giving people a free case of bottled water.

The poll from Quinnipiac University found Whitmer with a 54-percent approval rating, and that is consistent with where she has been over the past three years. Just 41-percent of Michiganders, however, want her to run for President. The survey found Michigan's two U.S. Senators, Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters, have 43-percent and 40-percent approval ratings.

The UAW tried to unionize in 2019, but the vote failed by a small margin. VW Chattanooga workers were the first to launch a campaign to join the union after the unions strike last fall against the big three automakers.

Last week, five Michigan defendants and one New Jersey man were bound over to stand trial in the 16th Circuit Court in Macomb County on charges alleging the group operated an auto insurance fraud scheme targeting Michigan residents involved in automobile collisions. It is alleged that, beginning in 2013, Michael Angelo, of New Jersey, ran a lawyer hotline, 1-800-USLawyer, and funneled auto accident callers into an elaborate insurance fraud scheme, directing the callers to one or several of the many medical enterprises owned or controlled by Angelo. Each business would then bill the no-fault auto insurance carriers, or the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan for the uninsured patients, for the respective treatments.

Calling all pet lovers, the Mid-Michigan Pet Expo is returning to Flint this month. It’s a three-day event this weekend, March 22-24 at the Dort Financial Center. The expo will showcase dog sports such as flyball, dock diving, and barn hunt, meet and greets with baby farm animals, live police K9 demos, and several rescues with adoptable pets available for meet and greets. A talent show and vendors will also be a part of the weekend. Admission for adults is $10, $5 for kids 13-17, while kids 12 and under and pets are free.

Michigan State Hockey, who already won their first Big 10 regular season title, will once again meet up with their arch-nemesis to battle for the Big 10 playoff title. At home, #1-seeded Spartans advanced to the title game with a 2 – 1 win Saturday night over #7 Ohio State. In the later game #4-seeded Michigan Wolverines pulled off the upset against #3 Golden Gophers in Minnesota, 2 – 1. The Spartans and Wolverines will face off for the Big Ten Tournament title this coming Saturday at Munn Ice Arena in East Lansing. Michigan State has beaten Michigan in three out of the last four matchups. Tickets for the title game are going upwards of $500.

Triple-A Michigan says the average price is now three-dollars-65-cents, up nine-cents from last week and the new high for 2024. The price is 44-cents higher than last month and up 18-cents from last year. Michigan's most affordable gasoline is in Marquette at three-49, while Grand Rapids and Jackson have the highest price at three-71. A 15-gallon fill up costs 54-dollars on average in the state.

MSU is the ninth seed in the West Region and plays eighth-seeded Mississippi State on Thursday. Coach Tom Izzo limited the viewing party last night to himself, his team, and a few MSU officials instead of having a crowd join them due to the uncertainty they had. The last time MSU missed the tournament was in Izzo's second season as head coach in 1997.

The drill will be at 1 p.m. and residents are being asked to test their emergency plan. There are 15 tornadoes that hit Michigan on average every year. Officials say the average lead time for a twister is just ten to 15 minutes.

The Clerk and Register of Deeds says property theft is "much more common than people realize, adding the new system will not prevent property theft, but it will notify a property owner if something happened.

The lawsuit claims that a former student who attended Riley Street Middle School was attacked several times between October of last year and February of this year by a group of four classmates. During one of the attacks, a student filmed the student being beaten up in the gym, and following the attack the school expelled the student who did the beating, but never did anything to the student who was filming. The suit claims the district failed to take action in several incidents and that the district violated the student's civil rights.

Tonight's Mega Millions jackpot stands at a whopping 792-million dollars. The cash option on that works out to nearly 382-million bucks. Then on Saturday, the Powerball drawing will have a grand prize of at least 600-million-dollars. Tickets are two bucks for both lotteries.

McDonald posted on X, that “operations are temporarily out at many of our stores nationwide” and earlier calling it “a system failure.” It added that it apologized for the inconvenience. The website Downdetector also reported a spike in problems with the McDonald’s app. McDonald’s said in a statement the issue is being resolved.

A former sergeant of the Hillsdale County Sheriff’s Office is charged with alleged assaults of a county jail inmate. On Wednesday, Ronald Leggitt, 43, of Marshall, was charged with seven felonies from an incident happening in December of 2021, when a female was brought in for booking. Leggitt is charged with one count of Misconduct in Office, a 5-year felony, and six counts of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, each count, a 4-year felony. Leggitt has been placed on unpaid administrative leave and is scheduled to be arraigned in Lenawee County today (Friday).

Today (Friday) we celebrate the 250 men and women who enforce the laws of Michigan and the rules and regulations of the Department of Natural Resource, and who currently patrol all 83 counties. Today is Conservation Officer Appreciation Day. Michigan DNR Officers are fully licensed law enforcement officers who serve a unique role in our state’s law enforcement community but also receive additional training to protect natural resources – fish and wildlife, state parks and forests, rivers, lakes and streams – and the people who enjoy them.

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is now accepting applications for the 2024-25 Paint the Plow program. This program offers a unique opportunity for MDOT to partner with area schools, using students’ creativity to communicate safe winter driving practices for all Michigan residents. The program is open to all Michigan high schools, including technical and vocational programs. This year’s safety theme is “Go hands-free. Just drive. It’s the law.” Interested schools can visit www.michigan.ogv/painttheplow for more information, and to submit their design.

The Wolverines lost to Penn State 66-to-57 in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament in Minneapolis. UM dropped nine straight to end the year just 8-and-24 overall. The 24 losses are the most ever for the program.