DNR News: Bird feeding 101, new ‘Wildtalk’ and ‘Wardens’

DNR News: Bird feeding 101, new ‘Wildtalk’ and ‘Wardens’

by | Feb 6, 2024 | Recreation
DNR banner

News Digest – Week of Feb. 5, 2024

light snow covers a red picnic table, the ground and edges of tree branches in the forest, with sunlight filtering through
Here are a few of this week’s stories from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources:

See other news releases, Showcasing the DNR stories, photos and other resources at Michigan.gov/DNRPressRoom.

PHOTO FOLDER: Larger, higher-res versions of many of the images used below are available in this folder.

February ‘Wildtalk’: Crows, otters and elk, oh my!

a sleek, brown and light tan river otter stretched out on glinting, white iceThe newest episode of the DNR Wildlife Division’s “Wildtalk” podcast is now available. February’s show includes a cheeky chat about river otters and a deep dive on the behaviors of crows, one of nature’s most intelligent creatures.

Scott Eggeman, the Wildlife Division’s field operations manager for the northern Lower Peninsula, talks about habitat work such as a grassland management program and food plot planning. DNR wildlife biologist Pete Kailing stops in with an overview of hunting and trapping opportunities available this month.

Visit the “Wildtalk” webpage for the February episode and show notes and links to past episodes. Questions about the podcast? Email [email protected].

Winter Bird Feeding 101: Follow these tips to keep birds safe

three birds, tan and white with dusty rose bellies, around a bright-yellow seed feeder hanging in an ice-covered, wintry treeTo survive Michigan’s frigid winter temperatures, some birds store food from feeders to eat later in winter, while others expand their food sources and change their diets.

Despite these incredible adaptations, winter can still be a stressful time for birds. We can help support winter birds by feeding them when other food sources may be scarce. Here are a couple of tips on how to feed them safely and responsibly in your space:

  • Keep your bird feeders and birdbaths fresh and clean throughout winter. Freshen the water every other day, if possible. Clean your feeders once every one to two weeks in a 9:1 solution that is nine parts water and one part bleach, scrubbing away any debris. Dry the feeder before refilling. Clean bird baths with a scrub brush in a 9:1 solution of water and vinegar.
  • Don’t place seed directly on the ground or use platform feeders, which tend to attract larger numbers of birds, deer and other unwanted guests. Mess-free birdseed options can help keep the ground clean.

These tips are important year-round, but especially now as the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus is still circulating among wild birds in Michigan. While most HPAI cases have been found in waterfowl and scavenging birds (e.g., eagles, hawks and owls), the DNR is continuing surveillance efforts and will test wild birds from die-offs that include six or more birds. You can help by reporting sick or dead birds through the DNR’s Eyes in the Field app.

Learn more about HPAI and what you can do to help limit the spread of this virus at the DNR’s HPAI Frequently Asked Questions webpage.

Visit the Audubon Great Lakes website for tips on attracting common winter birds to your space.

Questions? Contact the DNR’s Julie Melotti at 517-243-1953.

MI Birds is a public outreach and education program presented by Audubon Great Lakes and the Michigan DNR that works to build and bring together wildlife enthusiasts across the state to engage with and conserve Michigan’s public lands for the benefit of birds and people.

Natural Resources Commission meets Thursday in Lansing

A black bear among lush green grass, next to a large tree trunk in a sunny, forested areaThe next meeting of the Michigan Natural Resources Commission – Thursday, Feb. 8, in Lansing – leads off with a Wildlife Committee agenda that includes an analysis of bear population trends and an update on the antler point restrictions survey. The meeting also will cover furbearer regulations, a legislative report and several land transactions.

The day starts at 9:30 a.m. in Rooms M119-121 of Lansing Community College, West Campus, 5708 Cornerstone Drive. See the draft meeting agenda and remaining 2024 meeting dates at Michigan.gov/NRC.

For more information or to request time to speak at the meeting, email [email protected].

This week on ‘Wardens’: Turkey hunt, illegally tagged deer

a male conservation officer in brown camo uniform with POLICE on the back talks to a hunter wearing orange cap outside a camo ground blindIt’s almost time for a new episode of “Wardens” – the Outdoor Channel’s weekly show that tells the story of dedicated DNR staff members and the work they do to protect and conserve Michigan’s natural resources.

This week’s show packs in a lot, including a turkey hunt with the DNR’s acting director and highway patrols that turned up some illegally tagged deer. Check out this sneak-peek video.

To get the Outdoor Channel, ask your local TV service provider or go to outdoorchannel.com, myoutdoortv.com or Amazon Prime Video, or call 855-44-OUTDOOR. More than 78 episodes of “Wardens” have featured Michigan and tallied over 36 million viewers!

Episodes air on the Outdoor Channel every Friday at 9 p.m. Previous episodes air on FOX UP/WLUC-TV6 every Sunday at 9:30 a.m. The show also is available under the title “Wardens of the North” or “Michigan Wardens” on Animal Planet.

Photo ambassador snapshot: Winter walk at Ludington

woman in winter gear, orange knit hat and boots walks down a snow-covered, wooden bridge over frozen, snowy waterway. Sun peeks through cloudsSee more pictures by Michigan state parks photo ambassadors at Instagram.com/MiStateParks. For more on the program, call Stephanie Yancer at 989-274-6182. (This photo is by Aubry Healy, for the Michigan DNR, at Ludington State Park in Mason County.)

THINGS TO DO

Pine cone birdfeeder crafts, hot cocoa, winter hikes and more – enjoy family fun at Birds and Blooms Feb. 17 at Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery Visitor Center!

BUY & APPLY

Need to book a harbor slip, a campsite or a safari tent for an early-summer getaway? Visit the DNR reservations webpage for these and other options.

GET INVOLVED

Removing invasive species and building wood duck nest boxes are just a few ways to help at upcoming MUCC On the Ground events. Find your favorite!
Dairy Business Grant Now Accepting Applications

Dairy Business Grant Now Accepting Applications

by | Feb 6, 2024 | Agriculture

bob new header
For immediate release: February 6, 2024
Media contact: Chelsea Lewis-Parisio, 517-331-1151
Program contact: Emily Slatter, 608-301-7751

Dairy Business Builder Grant Now Accepting Applications Until April 3, 2024

Michigan dairy farms and processors are encouraged to apply

LANSING, Mich. – The Dairy Business Innovation Alliance (DBIA) is accepting applications for its Dairy Business Builder Grant opportunity with eligibility for Michigan companies. The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) joined the federal DBIA program in September 2022. This grant aims to encourage small- to medium-sized dairy farmers, entrepreneurs, and processors in the Midwest to pursue projects such as dairy farm diversification, on-farm processing, value-added product creation, and efforts to market dairy products for export.

“Michigan’s dairy industry provides nutritious foods produced and processed locally while making a significant economic impact across our state,” said MDARD Director Tim Boring. “The DBIA program will help local businesses within the dairy industry to advance while increasing sustainable practices.”

Since the creation of the 2018 U.S. Farm Bill, the DBIA has administered over $13 million in funding to 129 dairy farms and businesses within the Midwest service area. Reimbursement grants of up to $100,000 each will be awarded to different dairy businesses after a competitive review process.

During previous rounds of funding, six Michigan companies received $2.4 million in grants and recently three more Michigan companies were awarded funding including Protein Pints in Grand Rapids, Cream Cup Dairy in Bear Lake, and Semifreddo, LLC in Hart. Previous award recipients can be found here.

A webinar for the Dairy Business Builder Grant will be held on February 7, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. Central Time. Registration for the webinar can be found here. Applications for the grant will be accepted until April 3, 2024. Award announcements will be made in late May 2024.
Northbound I-75 resurfacing from M-15 to Oakland/Genesee

Northbound I-75 resurfacing from M-15 to Oakland/Genesee

by | Feb 6, 2024 | Transportation

newsroom

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                     MEDIA CONTACT

February 6, 2024                                                                     Diane Cross

                                                                  [email protected]

 

 Northbound I-75 resurfacing from M-15 (Ortonville Road) to Oakland/Genesee county line begins in early March

 

VILLAGE OF CLARKSTON, Mich. ­– Bridge and road work along I-75 in northern Oakland County is expected to resume in early March. The Michigan Department of Transportation is investing approximately $160 million to resurface and repair I-75 from M-15 (Ortonville Road) to the Oakland/Genesee county line. This project includes resurfacing I-75, repairing 11 bridges, drainage improvements, culvert replacements, signs, and guardrail. Various work will be performed in different locations with different schedules throughout the 15 miles over four years.

This year, northbound I-75 will be milled and resurfaced from M-15 to the county line, with two lanes of northbound and southbound traffic sharing the southbound side of the freeway. Bridge repairs will be performed throughout the project limits along northbound I-75. Work is expected to be completed for the year in late fall.

In 2025, milling and resurfacing will occur on southbound I-75 from the county line to M-15, with traffic sharing the northbound side. Then in 2026, crews will remove the temporary crossovers and perform the remaining miscellaneous activity.

Funding for this project is made possible by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s Rebuilding Michigan program to rebuild the state highways and bridges that are critical to the state’s economy and carry the most traffic. The investment strategy is aimed at fixes that result in longer useful lives and improve the condition of the state’s infrastructure.

Based on economic modeling, this investment is expected to directly and indirectly support 1,936 jobs.

Filter program for clean drinking water in schools

Filter program for clean drinking water in schools

by | Feb 6, 2024 | Environmental
EGLE Main GovD banner
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 6, 2024
EGLE Media Office, [email protected], 517-284-9278

EGLE rolls out Filter First program targeting clean drinking water in schools

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) today announced plans to implement new protections against lead in school drinking water under the Filter First legislation passed by the state legislature and signed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer last October.

Building on the success of Michigan’s strictest-in-the-nation Lead and Copper Rule aimed at eliminating lead in public water supplies, the bipartisan legislation directs $50 million in funding and other resources to support the installation of lead-reducing water stations at schools and child care centers throughout the state.

Collectively known as Filter First, the Clean Drinking Water Access Act (2023 PA 154) and amendments to the Child Care Organizations Act (1973 PA 116) create the first-of-its-kind legislation specifically designed to protect children from exposure to lead in drinking water in schools and child care centers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that no safe blood lead level has been identified in children. To promote a child’s healthy development, all exposure to lead should be prevented.

“Every parent wants to make sure their children are safe, and the Filter First bills will protect access to clean drinking water at school,” said Governor Whitmer. “In Michigan, we know how important it is to protect our kids at school. With Filter First, we are taking action so all our kids have access to safe drinking water so they can focus on learning in class. We have also delivered free breakfast and lunch, invested in mental health, and improved school safety. To protect access to safe drinking water across Michigan, we worked together to enforce the strongest lead and copper rule in the country, made record, bipartisan investments to fix our water infrastructure, and helped communities replace thousands of lead service lines.”

Under the new state legislation, schools must develop a drinking water management plan (DWMP), install lead-reducing filters on all drinking water fixtures, and test filtered water annually. Child care centers must follow the same protocols and test their water every two years.

Funding administered by EGLE will be available for the one-time acquisition and installation of filtered bottle filling stations, water coolers, point of use faucet filters, and certain maintenance and sampling costs until the is funding exhausted.

EGLE is working with the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP) to provide schools and child care centers with a DWMP template and guidance on filters by April of 2024. This will give schools the necessary time to implement the program before the Filter First legislation goes into effect. Schools and child care centers are expected to complete DWMPs by Jan. 24, 2025, and have approved filters on all drinking water sources by the end of the 2025-2026 school year.

EGLE this week launched the Filter First web page containing more information about the program for school and child care administrators. EGLE and MiLEAP are also planning to host a training webinar on Filter First April 10, 2024, and will post guidance documents and a DWMP template for a 30-day public comment period by April 24, 2024.

The Filter First initiative builds on EGLE’s ongoing commitment to ensuring that children have access to healthy water. Although water entering schools and child care facilities is required to meet the same federal and state drinking water quality standards as homes, intermittent water use patterns can create more challenges due to water stagnation that could allow contaminants such as bacteria, lead, and copper to get into the water. The EGLE School Drinking Water Program was created to provide guidance and tools for all school and child care facilities regarding communication, free plumbing assessments, water management plans, sampling plans, sample collection, interpretation of results, risk reduction actions, and water moving programs for school personnel.

Additional information about Michigan’s strictest-in-the-nation lead testing requirements and strategies to reduce lead exposures in the home can be found on the state’s Mi Lead Safe web site.
Volunteer Tax Preparers Can Connect Taxpayers with Tax Credits

Volunteer Tax Preparers Can Connect Taxpayers with Tax Credits

by | Feb 6, 2024 | Regional News

Treasury Logo

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 6, 2024

Contact: Ron Leix, Treasury, 517-335-2167

Treasury: Volunteer Tax Preparers Can Connect Taxpayers with Tax Credits, Other Benefits

Low-to-Moderate Income, Older Taxpayers
Encouraged to Seek Assistance

LANSING, Mich. – With the quintupling of the Michigan Earned Income Tax Credit for Working Families from 6% to 30% and other tax benefits on the table this year, the Michigan Department of Treasury is encouraging low-to-moderate income taxpayers to find qualified professional or volunteer tax preparers to ensure no benefits are left behind.

“Eligible taxpayers could miss out on valuable tax benefits if they don’t file a tax return or incorrectly file a tax return,” said State Treasurer Rachael Eubanks. “Volunteer preparers can help taxpayers receive the most deductions and credits possible. These benefits can reduce the amount of tax owed or even create a refund. Please connect with the tax preparation assistance that fits your situation.”

The Internal Revenue Service’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs offer free basic return preparation to qualified individuals. Generally, assistance from VITA or TCE is available to taxpayers who meet one of the following conditions:

  • Your income is $60,000 or less.
  • You are a person with a disability.
  • You speak limited or no English.
  • You are age 60 or older.

For information about free tax help, go to irs.treasury.gov/freetaxprep or dial 2-1-1. Additional free tax help can be found at www.michiganfreetaxhelp.org.

The Michigan Department of Treasury provides guidance online about finding a qualified, paid tax preparer.

Under state law, taxpayers are responsible for the content within their tax returns and for any additional payments, penalty and interest that may result from a tax preparer’s error. While the state of Michigan does not require tax preparers to be licensed, many are licensed, certified and belong to professional organizations that require a minimum level of education and provide ongoing training.

To learn more about Michigan’s individual income tax and choosing a tax preparer, go to www.michigan.gov/incometax.