DNR Events – March 2021

by Becky Andrus | Feb 26, 2021 | Recreation

DNR Events – March 2021

close-up of branch with spring buds covered in frost

Here are a few ways to get out and enjoy Michigan’s natural and cultural resources in March. For a full list of events, see the Department of Natural Resources calendar at Michigan.gov/DNRCalendar.

100 ways to celebrate 100 years of the DNR

Historical photo of boy walking on trail carrying a fishing pole

The Michigan Department of Conservation – now the Department of Natural Resources – was created March 30, 1921. For the past century, the DNR has worked to conserve Michigan’s unparalleled natural and cultural resources and ensure outstanding outdoor recreation opportunities for residents and visitors.

We’re excited to celebrate 100 years of taking care of Michigan’s great outdoors, where fish, wildlife and forests thrive and opportunities to enjoy and connect to nature and our state’s heritage are diverse and plentiful.

Throughout 2021, and especially in March, we’re commemorating the DNR’s centennial.

To mark our 100th anniversary, we’ve come up with 100 ways to celebrate by exploring and enjoying Michigan’s natural and cultural resources. There is something to try in every season and for all skills, abilities and interests.

Take a look, find your favorite DNR centennial-inspired activities and join in on the celebration!

March classes offer chance to gain steelhead fishing, turkey hunting skills

The DNR Outdoor Skills Academy will offer opportunities to learn more about ice fishing, steelhead fishing and turkey hunting with upcoming classes at the Carl T. Johnson Hunting and Fishing Center in Cadillac.

March classes include:

Hard Water School (ice fishing class), March 6
This one-day, introductory class will be held outdoors on the ice and cover how to set up equipment, how and where to fish, ice safety, and rules and regulations. The class will focus on techniques for pan fish, walleye and pike. Cost for the class is $35, which includes one-on-one instruction from a pro, lunch on the ice, bait and a goodie bag.
Turkey Hunting Clinic, March 13
This class will go over laws, habitat, gear, calling and much more. Students will walk away with the knowledge they need to hunt turkeys on their own. Cost for the class is $30, which includes lunch and door prizes.
Steelhead Clinic, March 20-21
The Outdoor Skills Academy pro-staff will present various strategies and techniques for chasing Michigan’s “chrome torpedoes.” Sunday morning, participants will hit the water to learn how to fish and what to look for on the beautiful Manistee River. Cost for the class is $25, which includes lunch Saturday.
Steelhead Seminar, March 27
The Outdoor Skills Academy pro-staff will present various strategies and techniques for chasing Michigan’s “chrome torpedoes.” Cost for this class is $25, which includes lunch.

For detailed descriptions, registration and information about COVID-19 precautions, visit Michigan.gov/OutdoorSkills.

The Outdoor Skills Academy offers in-depth, expert instruction, gear and hands-on learning for a range of outdoor activities. Classes coming up later this spring include clinics on walleye fishing, whitetail food plot and habitat management, fly fishing for beginners, and wild mushrooms.

Women’s History Month: Stories of women who helped shape Michigan

March is Women’s History Month, when we celebrate the vital role of women in American history.

It’s a great time to learn about the stories of women who have played an important part in Michigan’s history, including:

Eva Belles (pictured here), a reformer and women’s rights activist involved in a Flint suffrage case in which the Michigan Supreme Court decided women could qualify to vote in school elections.
Daisy Elliott, state legislator and Michigan Constitutional Convention delegate who worked to improve the lives of Michigan’s African Americans and women and bring their interests to Lansing. Her greatest contribution to Michigan is the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act of 1976.
Laura Haviland, who fought against slavery and helped enslaved African Americans seeking freedom along the Underground Railroad.

Find other fascinating stories from Michigan’s past at Michiganology.org/Stories.

Learn more about the women who have shaped Michigan history on the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame timeline.

Conservation Officer Appreciation Day

March 15 is Conservation Officer Appreciation Day. Last year, DNR conservation officers contacted more than 492,000 people, ensuring recreation safety and preservation of natural resources for future generations. Learn more about DNR conservation officers at Michigan.gov/ConservationOfficers.

Get ORV safety-certified before you hit the trail

Before planning some ORV-riding adventure this spring, make sure everyone in your group is safety-certified. Riders age 16 or younger must have an ORV safety certificate to ride on public or private land – including trails. Earn your ORV safety certificate online at Michigan.gov/RecreationalSafety.

Whitmer Urging Biden Administration Action to Support Auto Workers

by Becky Andrus | Feb 26, 2021 | Regional News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 26, 2021

Contact: [email protected]

Governor Whitmer Leads Bipartisan Coalition Urging Biden Administration Action to Support Auto Workers and the Industry at Large Amid Global Semiconductor Shortage

LANSING, Mich. – Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer, joined by Governors from Alabama, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, and South Carolina, sent a letter to President Biden urging his administration to redouble efforts on behalf of the U.S. auto industry and its workers in light of plant closures and production volume reductions in several states brought on by a global shortage of auto-grade semiconductor wafers.

“Auto workers are the backbone of Michigan’s economy, and President Biden has already proven himself to be a strong ally when he pushed for the 2009 auto rescue that saved this industry,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “Today, I’m urging President Biden to do everything in his power and to leave no stone unturned to protect auto jobs throughout the supply chain at risk because of this shortage. I am grateful for the President’s efforts to date to address this critical issue, including his recent actions calling for a supply chain review of the semiconductor industry and am hopeful we can once again count on President Biden’s leadership to ensure this vital industry has what it needs to continue bolstering our economy and providing good-paying jobs to hundreds of thousands of hard-working union members and their families.”

The automotive industry is heavily reliant on semiconductors given their use in vehicle safety, control, emissions, and driver information systems. The global auto-grade semiconductor chip shortage has already resulted in plant closures and production volume reductions in several states.

“We know of other foreign governments that continue to urge wafer and semiconductor companies to expand production capacity and/or temporarily reallocate a modest portion of their current production to auto-grade wafer production. We respectfully request that the Biden Administration do the same by continuing the drumbeat on behalf of automakers in the U.S. and their workers until there is a sufficient semiconductor supply to meet the strong demand for our vehicles, which has been one of the bright spots in our recovering economy,” the Governors wrote.

To view the letter, click the link below:

Multi Governors Letter on Semiconductor Shortage_02.26.21.pdf

Applications for new Mixed Earners Unemployment Compensation

by Becky Andrus | Feb 26, 2021 | Regional News

February 25, 2021

Media Contact: Lynda Robinson, 313-348-8220

The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) announced that eligible Michiganders can apply for the new Mixed Earners Unemployment Compensation (MEUC) program.

The MEUC program was created as part of the federal Continued Assistance Act (CAA) and provides an additional $100 per week in supplemental benefits. MEUC is payable for the weeks ending January 2, 2021, through the week ending March 13, 2021.

Potentially eligible claimants have received a notice either by mail or in their Michigan Web Account Manager (MiWAM) account about the availability of MEUC and how to apply.

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for MEUC:

Claimants must have earned at least $5,000 in self-employment income (net) in the most recent taxable year.
Claimants must be receiving unemployment benefits for weeks covered by the MEUC program, which are the weeks ending January 2, 2021 through March 13, 2021.
Claimants must apply online for the MEUC program and must submit proof of self-employment income.
MEUC is not available for claimants who are currently receiving Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA).

Claimants are required to submit documentation of the net earnings of self-employment income obtained during the most recent taxable year. For example, if the claim was filed in 2020, documentation should be from 2019.

Acceptable documentation includes, but is not limited to tax returns, 1099’s, bank receipts, business records, invoices and billing statements. This does not include W-2 wages earned with an employer. MEUC payments will not begin until self-employment income documentation can be verified. The proof of income must be related to self-employment, not W-2 wages.

For more information on MEUC and other unemployment programs, visit Michigan.gov/UIA.

spring weight restrictions start Monday

by Becky Andrus | Feb 26, 2021 | Transportation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2021

CONTACT: Dan Weingarten, MDOT Office of Communications, 906-250-4809
[email protected]

Annual spring weight restrictions
start Monday to protect Michigan’s roads

February 26, 2021 — The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and local agencies are enacting spring weight restrictions, an annual move to protect roads.

Effective 6 a.m. Monday, March 1, weight restrictions will be imposed and enforced on all state trunkline highways from the Michigan border north to and including M-20 from the interchange with US-31 in Oceana County, then east on M-20 to US-131, then north on US-131 to M-20 in Mecosta County, then east on M-20 to US-10 in Midland County, then east on US-10 to M-25 in Bay City, including the entire Thumb region.

All state trunklines in this area will have weight restrictions imposed and enforced. State routes typically carry M, I, or US designations.

When roads that have been frozen all winter begin to thaw from the surface downward, melting snow and ice saturate the softened ground. During the spring thaw, the roadbed softened by trapped moisture beneath the pavement makes it more susceptible to damage. This also contributes to pothole problems already occurring due to this winter’s numerous freeze-thaw cycles.

In the restricted areas, the following will apply:

– On routes designated as “all-season” (designated in green and gold on the MDOT Truck Operators Map), there will be no reduction in legal axle weights.

– On routes designated as “seasonal” (designated in solid or dashed red on the MDOT Truck Operators Map), there will be a posted weight reduction of 25 percent for rigid (concrete) pavements and 35 percent for flexible (asphalt) pavements.

– All extended permits will be valid for oversize loads in the weight-restricted area on the restricted routes. Single-trip permits will not be issued for any overweight loads or loads exceeding 14 feet in width, 11 axles and 150 feet in overall length on the restricted routes.

MDOT determines when weight restrictions begin each spring by measuring frost depths along state highways, observing road conditions, and monitoring weather forecasts. Weight restrictions remain in effect until the frost line is deep enough to allow moisture to escape and the roadbeds regain stability.

County road commissions and city public works departments put in place their own seasonal weight restrictions, which usually, but not always, coincide with state highway weight restrictions. Signs are generally posted to indicate which routes have weight restrictions in effect.

For weight restriction information and updates, call 800-787-8960, or you can access this information on MDOT’s website at www.Michigan.gov/Truckers, under “Restrictions.” All-season routes are designated in green and gold on the MDOT Truck Operators Map, which is available online. You also may sign up to receive e-mail alerts.

Trucking companies located in New Jersey and Canada can obtain information by calling 517-373-6256.

Whitmer Statement After 2 Millionth Dose of COVID-19 Vaccine

by Becky Andrus | Feb 26, 2021 | Regional News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 25, 2021

Contact: [email protected]

Governor Whitmer Issues Statement After the State Administers 2 Millionth Dose of COVID-19 Vaccine

LANSING, Mich. — Governor Whitmer made the following statement after the state hit another vaccination milestone today by administering over 2 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

“As of today, over two million doses of the safe, effective COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in Michigan, keeping us on track to reach our goal of vaccinating 70% of Michiganders 16 and up. My administration will continue working closely with the Biden administration to help us ramp up our supply so we can return to the normalcy we all crave as soon as possible. I want to thank our tireless frontline health care workers who are working around the clock to administer these life-saving shots so people can get back to work and our kids can get back to in-person learning. I also want to call on the Michigan Legislature to pass the MI COVID Recovery Plan which allocates federal funds to boost our vaccination efforts and expand testing and lab capacity. Ending this pandemic requires us to utilize every resource we have, and every day we do not pass this plan we are leaving billions on the table. This is an incredible milestone, but we still have a lot of work to do. Let’s get to it.”

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