Lawmakers may vote today on a deal to overhaul no-fault car insurance. PFASes have turned up in wells in the Hartford area. The Detroit Metro Airport is expecting lots of travelers for Memorial Day Weekend, and the Coast Guard is reminding boaters how to stay safe. The Kalamazoo Air Zoo is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. A funeral home in Battle Creek is shutting down on orders from the state. The FBI adds to its list of alleged evidence against indicted Rep. Larry Inman. The State Court of Appeals says a commitment ceremony is not a legal marriage. And are mushrooms the next blueberry in Michigan?
(Gongwer) State lawmakers don’t hold a lot of legislative sessions on Fridays. But they’re in this morning for a possible vote on a deal to overhaul no-fault auto insurance. The Gongwer News Servicereports that Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer has reached a deal on no-fault with the Republican leaders of the legislature. Michigan’s car insurance system provides lifetime care for people injured in crashes. But it’s also very expensive for drivers. The deal will change how no-fault covers medical costs, but neither side has revealed how.
(Kalamazoo Gazette) Private wells near Hartford are the latest to test too high for toxic chemicals known as PFASes. The Kalamazoo Gazette reports that the state found concerning amounts of two PFAS compounds in 11 wells. One well’s levels were more than ten times higher than the federal recommended limit. PFASes are a large group of industrial chemicals used for everything from waterproofing to firefighting. Research has linked them to health problems including cancer. They’ve turned up in the water of several communities in Southwest Michigan.
(WDET) The Detroit Metro Airport is expecting to be busy this Memorial Day Weekend as the summer travel season kicks off. Airport spokesperson Lisa Gass says more travelers than last year are projected to fly in and out of Detroit for the holiday.
“We are actually expecting to welcome over 285,000 travelers this Memorial Day weekend, from Friday to Tuesday. That number shows a two-percent increase over last year’s Memorial Day travel period,” she said.
Gass says travelers should check with individual airlines about specific flight status.
The state has shut down a funeral home in Battle Creek. The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs says it has suspended the license of the Royal Funeral Home. The agency says it took action because it failed to put customer payments into escrow accounts. It also says the company engaged in what state officials call "fraud, deceit, or dishonesty," and "incompetence" in the practice of mortuary science. The funeral home must either cancel its contracts or transfer them to a licensed facility.
(Detroit News) It’s not just text messages that the FBI has used to build a bribery case against State Representative Larry Inman. On Thursday investigators said they also recorded a phone call that they plan to use as evidence. Inman, whose district includes Traverse City, is accused of asking for a bribe from a union in exchange for a favorable vote on a labor issue. The phone call was made last summer to a union representative. The Detroit News reports that Inman’s bank statements and recent interviews with media might be used against him as well. Inman, who faces charges of extortion and lying to the FBI as well as bribery, says he’s innocent. The Republican leaders of the house have called on him to hand in his notice.
The Kalamazoo Air Zoo prides itself on being a unique museum. Among other things it restores old World War Two aircraft.
“What is unique about us, because there are other organizations that are restoring aircraft and other Navy assets, but what is unique about us is that we said to the Navy yes we want to do this, but we want to create a hands on interactive community restoration project,” Air Zoo President and CEO Troy Thrash said.
The two airplanes currently being restored are a Grumman Wildcat fighter and a Douglas S-B-D Dauntless dive bomber. Both picked up from the bottom of Lake Michigan. You can see them being restored at the Air Zoo, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.
(MPRN) The state Court of Appeals says a commitment ceremony does not equal a marriage in Michigan. An ex-husband is challenging a lower court ruling. The appeals court said he has to continue paying an agreed-upon spousal support arrangement. That’s even though his ex-wife and her new partner invited friends and families to witness their commitment ceremony. Family law attorney Robert Cassar says the decision sets a clear standard on who is entitled to marriage rights in Michigan.
“You have to get a license from the state of Michigan to get married. If you don’t do those things, you’re not married,” he said.
The ex-husband could appeal the decision to the Michigan Supreme Court.
(WDET) The U-S Coast Guard will have additional patrols on Michigan waterways this Memorial Day weekend. Memorial Day weekend is the start of boating season on the Great Lakes and the Coast Guard wants to make sure boaters have a safe experience. Lieutenant Justin Bommer says it’s crucial to be adequately prepared.
“Make sure you have life jackets that are appropriate size for everybody on board. Make sure somebody that’s not on the boat knows what your intentions are, where you’re planning on going, when you’re planning on coming back. That way should you not come back, when they contact the Coast Guard it helps out significantly with planning for a search effort,” he said.
Bommer says something as basic as paying attention to the weather can mean the difference between a pleasurable excursion and a stressful one. He says conditions on the lakes can change suddenly, and boaters should always have a contingency plan in case they’re caught in rough water.
(Detroit Free Press) Michigan is famous for growing fruit. Now one grower hopes some of the state’s farmers will take up mushrooms. Specifically, morel mushrooms, which fetch a high price at the grocery store among cooks who prize their nutty flavor. The sought-after fungus is usually gathered rather than farmed because morels can be tough to cultivate. But the Detroit Free Press reports that mushroom researcher Chris Wright has studied Chinese techniques for raising morels. And he thinks they’ll work in Michigan. Agricultural experts say it’s an intriguing idea. But they add it’s not clear yet that morel mushrooms will take off as a Michigan cash crop.
