Flags lowered to Honor Victims of the Shooting in San Jose

Flags lowered to Honor Victims of the Shooting in San Jose

by | May 27, 2021 | Regional News

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   

May 26, 2021

Contact: [email protected]   

 

Gov. Whitmer Lowers Flags to Honor Victims of the Shooting in San Jose, California

 

LANSING, Mich. – Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, in accordance with a proclamation issued by President Biden, has ordered U.S. and Michigan flags within the State Capitol Complex and upon all public buildings and grounds across the State of Michigan to be lowered to half-staff immediately on Wednesday, May 26 through Sunday, May 30 to honor and remember the eight victims of the shooting in San Jose, California.

 

“My heart is with the friends and families of each of the victims, as well as the entire San Jose community,” Whitmer said. “Gun violence is a public health crisis that continues to take the lives of Americans every day. Our hearts break for the innocent lives lost, and we must do more as a nation to prevent these horrific tragedies from happening again. Our state grieves alongside the loved ones of the victims and the entire San Jose, California community. ”

 

On Wednesday, a gunman opened fire at a public transit rail yard in San Jose, California, killing eight people and wounding several others. Officials have not yet released the names of those killed in the shooting.

 

The State of Michigan remembers the victims and stands in solidarity with residents of the State of California by lowering flags to half-staff. Michigan residents, businesses, schools, local governments and other organizations also are encouraged to display the flag at half-staff.

 

To lower flags to half-staff, flags should be hoisted first to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff position. The process is reversed before the flag is lowered for the day.

 

In observance of Memorial Day, flags should remain lowered until noon on Monday, May 31, 2021.
EGLE awards $492,145 in grants

EGLE awards $492,145 in grants

by | May 26, 2021 | Environmental

Funded programs will save money and reduce an organization’s carbon footprint.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 26, 2021
Nick Assendelft, Public Information Officer, [email protected], 517-388-3135

EGLE awards $492,145 in grants for community energy efficiency and solar projects

Twenty-six Community Energy Management (CEM) program grants totaling $492,145 announced today by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) will finance energy efficiency upgrades and other energy-related projects.

“Reducing energy waste saves money, saves energy, makes us healthier and improves our environment all at once,” EGLE Director Liesl Clark said. “Over half of EGLE’s budget goes out the door to invest in local communities. Climate solutions are local solutions, and these Community Energy Management projects are building stones as Michigan lays the groundwork to reaching its goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.”

The CEM program grants will help local governments, public schools and other community organizations fund energy use assessments and comparative usage studies, perform lighting and climate control efficiency upgrades, add efficient building insulation, improve heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, participate in renewable energy projects or update municipal plans and ordinances. These important projects will save money and reduce an organization’s carbon footprint.

The grant recipients, award amounts and project purpose:

  • Alpena Public Schools, $15,000, energy efficiency upgrades.
  • Bellevue Community Schools, $15,000, energy audit and energy efficiency upgrades.
  • Big Rapids Housing Commission, $14,000, energy audit and energy efficiency upgrades.
  • Caledonia Community Schools, $15,000, upgrade building energy management system.
  • Chassell Township, $15,000, energy efficiency upgrades.
  • City of East Jordan, $15,000, energy efficiency upgrades.
  • City of Grand Blanc, $15,000, energy audit and energy efficiency upgrade.
  • City of Harrison, $15,000, renewable energy project.
  • City of Huntington Woods, $12,000, energy efficiency upgrades.
  • City of Kentwood, $15,000, energy efficiency upgrades.
  • City of Lansing, $9,900, under 60-kilowatt solar array installation.
  • City of Mt. Morris, $15,000, energy efficiency upgrades.
  • City of Petoskey, $15,000, energy efficiency upgrades.
  • Detroit 2030 District, $15,000, support the city’s municipal benchmarking efforts.
  • East Jordan Public Schools, $15,000, 20-kilowatt solar array installation.
  • Ecoworks, $100,000, energy audits and energy efficiency upgrades for cold storage systems for organizations providing food and meal distribution services in Detroit.
  • Fiddler’s Green Foundation, Bad Axe and Corunna, $13,000, energy efficiency upgrades.
  • Jewish Family Services of Washtenaw County, $15,000, energy efficiency upgrades.
  • Lewis Cass Intermediate School District, Cassopolis, $15,000, energy efficiency upgrades.
  • Martin Luther King Jr. Education Center Academy, Detroit, $15,000, energy efficiency upgrades.
  • Overisel Township, $1,245, energy efficiency upgrades.
  • Royal Oak Public Library, $15,000, energy efficiency upgrades.
  • Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corp., $15,000, energy efficiency upgrades.
  • University of Michigan, $60,000, Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office matching grant for rural community solar barriers project.
  • Village of Ahmeek, $12,000, energy efficiency upgrades.
  • Village of Muir, $15,000, energy efficiency upgrades.
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EGLE’s Community Energy Management program is part of the Catalyst Communities Initiative run by the Office of Climate and Energy and EGLE’s Energy Services. Catalyst Communities offers a series of webinars, workshops and cohort-style academies on a range of topics as part of a multi-tiered approach to provide local decision-makers across the state with the knowledge, tools and resources to take steps toward a just transition to decarbonization. Communities interested in learning more can visit the Catalyst Communities webpage and sign up to receive program updates.

Catalyst Communities will be the topic of a number of sessions at the Michigan Sustainability Conference June 2-4, including public-private community partnerships to advance decarbonization solutions, how community leaders can promote resilient coastal management and improve water infrastructure and energy management and low-income community solar. Conference attendees will learn from, collaborate with and drive transformation in social and environmental sustainability.

EGLE also offers grants for clean energy roadmaps, energy waste reduction for small businesses, electric vehicle charger installation and matching funding for businesses that have been awarded a federal clean energy technology development grant.
will tourists return to Michigan roads?

will tourists return to Michigan roads?

by | May 26, 2021 | Transportation

As the pandemic wanes, will tourists return to Michigan roads?

TMT - Will tourists return to Michigan roads


Listen now: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1374205/8592848-as-the-pandemic-wanes-will-tourists-return-to-michigan-roads

On this week’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, Dave Lorenz, vice president of Travel Michigan, talks about what tourism industry officials expect as pandemic restrictions are relaxed and Memorial Day weekend kicks off the summer vacation season.

While travel is not expected to reach pre-pandemic levels, AAA forecasts 1.1 million Memorial Day weekend travelers in Michigan this year, a 57 percent increase from 2020. AAA says most Michigan travel from May 27 to 31 will be by car, leading to busy roads.

To aid safe travel, the Michigan Department of Transportation will once again suspend work and lift lane closures where possible on road and bridge projects across the state. A list of active projects is available on the Mi Drive website.

Lorenz is enthusiastic about the travel forecast and what it will mean to tourist sites across the state. But he also talks about the challenges coming out of the pandemic, especially hiring enough workers to meet the demands of restaurants, hotels and resorts. Lorenz emphasizes the need for patience as people train and learn new jobs.

Nikki Devitt, president of the Petoskey Chamber of Commerce, underscored that in an interview with the Detroit Free Press.

“It’s still going to be the same beautiful place you love,” Devitt said. “But we ask that you bring with you a little patience and grace. And understand that you may have to wait a little bit longer, that some hours may be different. But that small business needs you so that they can continue to be here for years to come.”

Lorenz also discusses the toll the closing of the border with Canada, now at 14 months, has taken on Michigan’s tourism industry.

Other references: 

https://www.tourism-review.com/post-pandemic-tourism-will-set-off-new-trends-news12009

https://theconversation.com/post-pandemic-travel-the-trends-well-see-when-the-world-opens-up-again-153401

Listen now at https://www.buzzsprout.com/1374205.

Stay connected by subscribing to Talking Michigan Transportation e-mail updates.
Health Division COVID-19 Update On Vaccine Clinics

Health Division COVID-19 Update On Vaccine Clinics

by | May 26, 2021 | Regional News

Oakland County Health Division COVID-19 Update On Vaccine Clinics And Doses For The Week Of May 24 – 27

​Pontiac, Michigan – Oakland County Health Division will host 14 COVID-19 vaccine clinics from Monday, May 24 – Thursday May 27 in the following communities: Commerce, Ferndale, Highland, Milford, Pontiac, Rochester, Southfield, Troy, Waterford, and White Lake. No clinics will take place over the Memorial Day holiday weekend. These clinics, which accept both appointments and walk-ups, are part of Oakland County’s strategy to host community and school-based clinics targeting specific geographic locations within the county.

The week of June 1, Health Division will also host vaccine clinics in the Pontiac area, followed by Southeast Oakland County the week of June 7. There will be community-based clinics in Brandon, Groveland, Rose, and Springfield Townships the week of June 14. Finally, the South Lyon/Lyon Township area the week of June 21. Keep an eye on OaklandCountyVaccine.com for details on locations and times. Those who do not have access to a computer or the Internet may call the Nurse on Call at 800-848-5533 for more information.

Oakland County is also partnering with Oakland Schools and Walgreens to provide COVID-19 vaccine support to school districts. Parents and guardians will be able to bring their school-age children 12 and older to clinics hosted in each quadrant of the county. There will be free COVID-19 vaccine clinics in the following school districts for students and families in their surrounding areas by appointment and walk-up from 3-7 p.m. on the following days:

  • Huron Valley Schools will host at Oak Valley Middle School, 4200 White Oak Trail in Commerce Twp., on May 26 from 3:30-7:30 p.m.
  • Troy School District will host at Athens High School, 4300 John R. Rd. in Troy, on May 27 from 3-7 p.m.
  • New addition: West Bloomfield Middle School, 3380 Orchard Lake Rd. in West Bloomfield on June 2 and 23 from 3-7 p.m.
  • Brandon School District will host at Brandon Middle School, 609 S. Ortonville Rd. in Ortonville, on June 3 from 3-7 p.m.

For more details or to register for one of these three clinics, go to OaklandCountyVaccine.com. Information on future school-based COVID-19 vaccine clinics will be posted there as superintendents request them.

Oakland County Health Division will utilize vaccine it has on hand for these clinics. Like other providers, the Health Division will now place vaccine orders from the state of Michigan on a rolling basis with delivery within 48 hours instead of once weekly.

The following is an update on progress vaccinating Oakland County residents, according to the State of Michigan COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard as of May 21, 2021:

Total eligible residents 16 and older: 1,029,737

  • Number of residents 16 and older who have received first dose: 667,994
  • Number of residents 16 and older who have completed vaccination: 579,605
  • Vaccine coverage for residents 16 and older: 64.9%

Total eligible residents 12 and older: 1,091,389

  • Number of residents 12 and older who have received first dose: 682,746
  • Number of residents 12 years and older who have completed vaccination: 579,605
  • Vaccine coverage for residents 12 and older: 62.6%

Total eligible senior residents 65 and older: 217,676

  • Number of senior residents who have received first dose: 177,987
  • Number of senior residents who have completed vaccination: 166,459
  • Vaccine coverage for senior residents: 81.8%

Total doses distributed within Oakland County: 1,229,145

  • Total doses administered within Oakland County: 1,225,453
  • Percentage of doses administered within Oakland County: 99.7%
Whitmer Statement on Anniversary of George Floyd’s Murder 

Whitmer Statement on Anniversary of George Floyd’s Murder 

by | May 26, 2021 | Regional News

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 25, 2021

Contact: [email protected]

Governor Whitmer & Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II Statement on the Anniversary of George Floyd’s Murder 

LANSING, Mich. — Today, Governor Whitmer and Lt. Governor Gilchrist issued the following statements on the one-year anniversary of the murder of George Floyd.  

STATEMENT FROM GOVERNOR WHITMER: 

“A year ago today, George Floyd was murdered. His life mattered. He had a family, children, ambitions, and aspirations. His murder led to a powerful call for racial justice across the globe. Millions spoke out with one voice to say Black Lives Matter. I am proud of every Michigander who demanded justice and spoke out about inequities faced by communities of color. 

“A year later, justice has been served for the murder of George Floyd, but our march is far from over. Despite the essential conversations we have had and the long-overdue reforms that many states and cities have implemented, there is still so much work left to do. I am grateful for the progress we have made and optimistic about what we can do as long as we stay engaged and live up to our shared ideals of equity and justice for communities of color. 

“I am pleased to see that many of the reforms my administration laid out last June have been proposed as part of a bipartisan legislative package in the Michigan State Senate. I look forward to working with the legislature and passing these policing and criminal justice reforms into law. 

“In the words of George Floyd’s daughter, Gianna, ‘Daddy changed the world.’ It is our responsibility, whether we are citizens or public servants, to change our laws and root out systemic racism in every aspect of our society from healthcare, housing, education, policing, and more.” 

STATEMENT FROM LT. GOVERNOR GILCHRIST: 

“Today marks one year since George Floyd’s life was brutally taken. While justice was rightfully served for Mr. Floyd and his family, far too many Black Americans and other people of color continue to suffer as the result of racism and injustice. Last summer, as I reflected on my own experiences with law enforcement since childhood, Governor Whitmer and I took to the streets to demand justice and stand tall for people whose visceral pain and ever-present exhaustion can be all-consuming. We continue to stand with you today. 

“We must honor Mr. Floyd’s legacy with our words and our actions—not acting is not acceptable. That honor comes via changing the standards of law enforcements and the ways we invest in public safety.  

“In June of 2020, Governor Whitmer and I called on the Michigan police departments to strengthen their practices, training, and policies to save lives and keep people safe. The governor and I remain ready and willing to partner with the Michigan Legislature and law enforcement officials to enact laws that will improve policing in our state. While some movement has begun, the changes must be codified into law to deliver the accountability that will result in everyone making it home to their loved ones at the end of the day and after any interaction.”