TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — Thousands of hunters will trek into Michigan woods and fields Friday as firearms deer season opens. The season runs through Nov. 30. The Department of Natural Resources’ annual forecast says overall deer numbers are low in the Upper Peninsula and buck sightings have been limited. Buck numbers appear on the upswing in the northern Lower Peninsula. They are abundant in many parts of southern Michigan, where bachelor herds have been spotted. Baiting and feeding deer remain illegal in the Lower Peninsula and parts of the Upper Peninsula, a policy meant to prevent spread of chronic […]

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration is launching initiatives to cut opioid overdose deaths in half in five years. Whitmer and other top officials on Thursday announced a series of steps to combat an epidemic that has claimed more than 7,000 lives over five years. They include removing prior authorization requirements for opioid-treatment medicines in the Medicaid program and spending $1 million on advertising to reduce the stigma around addiction. The state also is expanding medication-assisted treatment in prisons and support for syringe-service programs. Whitmer says reducing overdose deaths by 50% is “ambitious” but “absolutely doable.” She says […]

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has signed legislation to prohibit the sale of an over-the-counter cough suppressant to minors unless they have a prescription. The restriction on dextromethorphan will take effect next July. Dextromethorphan, or DXM, is found in many cough and cold medicines but has been abused by teenagers seeking a hallucinogenic high. Retailers selling the over-the-counter drug will be required to ask for ID unless a customer appears to be at least 25 years old. People who sell DXM-containing products to youth under age 18 and minors who buy them will face civil fines. Whitmer […]

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan drivers who want unlimited lifetime coverage for crash injuries will pay $100 per vehicle starting in July — a reduction from record $220 they are assessed now. The Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association announced the 55% fee cut Wednesday, months after the passage of a new law making the mandatory benefit optional beginning next summer. The state-created entity that reimburses insurers for claims surpassing $580,000 says those who buy less personal injury protection coverage will avoid the $100 fee altogether, unless the association is in a deficit position. Michigan has the highest average car insurance premiums […]

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A bill that would lift Michigan’s ban on using bait to hunt deer continues to advance in the Legislature despite Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s opposition. The Republican-led Senate passed the legislation on a mostly 21-14 party-line vote Wednesday, a week after it cleared the Republican-controlled House. Senators made changes to the bill such as restricting the size of bait and revisiting the issue in two years. The state Natural Resources Commission approved the baiting ban in 2018 to stop the spread of chronic wasting disease. Many Republican lawmakers question the science supporting the decision. The regular firearm […]

INDEPENDENCE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — Authorities say a 13-year-old girl who was a passenger on a snowmobile has died after a crash with another snowmobile. The incident occurred Tuesday in Oakland County’s Independence Township. The sheriff’s office says the girl was riding with a 13-year-old boy when their snowmobile struck a snowmobile being driven by the boy’s father. The boy was in stable condition Wednesday. All were riding helmets. The girl lived in Orion Township and attended Lake Orion schools. Her name was not released. Meanwhile, Southwestern Michigan police say a man using heavy machinery to clear snow died after […]

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The state of Michigan is opening the door to the sale of marijuana for recreational use starting in December, which is earlier than expected. The Marijuana Regulatory Agency issued an advisory bulletin Wednesday. It says businesses that are licensed to grow, process or sell marijuana for medical use can, beginning Dec. 1, transfer half their inventory to the recreational market if they have the necessary license. Some recreational licenses are expected to be approved soon. Dispensaries will be able to transfer half of each type of marijuana product but only if it has been in inventory […]

(AP) – Dean Foods blamed a decades-long drop in milk consumption that has seen people turn to alternatives like soda, juice and almond milk. The Dallas company said it may sell itself to the Dairy Farmers of America, a marketing cooperative owned by thousands of farmers. “Despite our best efforts to make our business more agile and cost-efficient, we continue to be impacted by a challenging operating environment marked by continuing declines in consumer milk consumption,” CEO Eric Berigause said in a statement. Since 1975, the amount of liquid milk consumed per capita in the U.S. has tumbled more than […]

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A budget standoff between the Republican-led Legislature and Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is unlikely to be resolved until December at the earliest. The Michigan House won’t convene for voting Wednesday. It began a three-week hunting and Thanksgiving break last week but had left open the possibility of meeting Wednesday if a deal was in reach. The Senate will meet Wednesday before taking two weeks off. The House could return for a day next week if an agreement is struck, though the sides don’t seem optimistic. Pressure has been building for Whitmer and Republicans to settle their […]

CHICAGO (AP) — Between 2 and 6 inches of snow fell in northern Illinois, forcing the cancellation of about 1,200 flights at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. The National Weather Service said Monday night that snowfall has ended in northern Illinois, but lake effect snow will persist in northern Indiana into early Tuesday. In addition to flight cancellations, O’Hare was plagued by delays that averaged 80 minutes. Midway International Airport reports 94 flight cancellations and delays averaging 15 minutes. Icy conditions caused a plane to slide off an O’Hare runway as it landed Monday morning. None of the 38 passengers or […]

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — Hunting wildlife has long been ingrained in Michigan’s culture, but it is currently on a decline across the state. The decline is partly due to more baby boomers aging out. Young adults, urbanites and others are also far less likely to participate in hunting. Michigan had as many as 1.2 million hunters in the 1970s, ’80s and into the ’90s. But MLive.com reported Sunday that by 2018, less than 675,000 people had at least one hunting license in the state. Fishing also is on a downward trend. And officials with the Michigan Department of Natural […]

DETROIT (AP) — Doctors at a Detroit hospital have performed a double lung transplant on a man whose lungs were damaged from vaping. No other details of the transplant were released Monday by Henry Ford Health System, which has scheduled a news conference Tuesday. The patient has asked his medical team to share photographs and an update to warn others about vaping. More than 2,000 Americans who vape have gotten sick since March, many of them teenagers and young adults, and at least 40 people have died. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week announced a breakthrough into […]

BIG RAPIDS, MI – Two people from the Chicago area were arrested Friday night for passing counterfeit bills at several Big Rapids stores, according to the Mecosta County Sheriff’s office. The suspects have since been lodged in the Mecosta County Jail and are awaiting arraignment, according to a news release issued by the sheriff’s office on Sunday, Nov. 10. Deputies did not disclose the names, ages or genders of the suspects, nor did they say at what times the crimes occurred. Investigators wrote that the sheriff’s office was investigating a counterfeit bill complaint on Friday, Nov. 8, at a local […]

-The National Weather Service is forecasting daily record low temperatures today through Wednesday, as a cold front sweeps across the United States. The storm system is wide-spread and air travel will be impacted. Parts of Michigan could see up to a foot of snow in some parts. Mel Trotter Ministries of Grand Rapids say they are shifting into a “code blue” status. The cold temperatures and snow could be dangerous for the homeless population. They want to make sure men, women, and children are safe. They expect to serve 400 to 500 people over the next couple cold nights. There […]

-Gas prices in Michigan are increasing. The average price for gasoline jumped eleven cents last week. Michigan drivers are now paying an average price of $2.52 per gallon. AAA says that reduced supply and strong demand were the driving forces behind the increased prices. Gary Bubar says that as supplies continue to fluctuate, prices at the pump will change. Demand is forecast to increase as we get closer to the end of the year and that could lead to increased prices. Most expensive gas price averages: Ann Arbor ($2.60) Least expensive gas price averages: Traverse City ($2.39).

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — More than $54 million in grants have been awarded to community service agencies to help low-income Michigan residents who fall behind on home energy bills. Michigan Energy Assistance Program grant agencies help with payments that can be used to meet home heating and electricity costs on primary residences. The Michigan Public Service Commission says assistance can cover full or partial payment of one or more bills for electric, natural gas, propane, heating oil, or any other deliverable fuel used to provide heat. Grant agencies also provide weatherization improvements and other energy self-sufficiency services to reduce energy […]