by orionontv | Apr 18, 2024 | Feature Writers, High School Sports
Written Thursday April 11th at 5:00 PM
The Warriors have their new football coach.
Southfield Arts and Tech has named Keith McKenzie as their new football coach. He takes over for Coach Aaron Marshall who left Southfield Arts and Tech to take over at Birmingham Brother Rice after winning the Division One State crown last season.
McKenzie coached at Wayne State and also at Ball State. He had a very successful career at both schools. McKenzie played for four different NFL teams was a Super Bowl Champion as well with the Green Bay Packers. He will be the school’s student support network coordinator according to Jeff Coriun of the D-Zone.
McKenzie will be tasked of taking over a Warriors program that lost a ton of talent from last season’s Division One State Championship team. Program strength is a huge concern for Southfield Arts and Tech this season as well.
The Warriors will be in the White with Stoney Creek, Harper Woods, Groves, and Rochester. It is unknown who they will open with week one.
This will be very interesting to watch, stay tuned to OAA Now for the latest on this developing story.
Here is the tweet from D-Zone confirming the hire.
https://twitter.com/TheD_Zone/status/1778500752618455040/photo/1
by orionontv | Apr 18, 2024 | Transportation
Slow but steady progress on legislation to protect road workers
Late last month, a Michigan Senate committee advanced legislation to enable the use of automated technology to enforce speeding laws on segments of roads under construction.
Pennsylvania became the latest to join dozens of other states employing the technology, with positive results.
This week’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast revisits the issue with conversations with two advocates for safer work zones.
Listen now: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1374205/14912046-slow-but-steady-progress-on-legislation-to-protect-road-workers
First, Rob Coppersmith, executive vice president of the Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association (MITA), talks about how his experience in the underground and road construction industries have informed his views and passions for the protection of workers.
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Later, Juan Pava, Safety Programs Unit chief, Bureau of Safety Programs and Engineering at the Illinois Department of Transportation, talks about his state’s pioneering role in implementing the use of cameras to deter drivers from speeding in work zones.
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Michigan House Bill 4132 passed the lower chamber in June 2023 with bipartisan support and received similar support in the Senate Transportation Committee last month.
Key points:
- In 2006, Illinois became the first state to authorize the use of automated traffic enforcement programs to enforce speed limits in highway work zones, with implementation coming a few years later. The enabling legislation provided a legal framework for photo enforcement of speed limits in highway work zones.
- In summer 2022, some Michigan lawmakers, Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) officials, leaders in labor organizations, and the road building industry witnessed demonstrations on Michigan freeways on how the technology works.
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by orionontv | Apr 17, 2024 | Health and Wellness
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Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 17, 2024
CONTACT: Lynn Sutfin, 517-241-2112, [email protected]
Children Trust Michigan raises awareness
of Child Abuse Prevention Month
Activities, events around the state lead up to April 23 gathering at the Capitol
LANSING, Mich. — Children Trust Michigan is recognizing the importance of preventing child abuse and neglect with a month of activities that will culminate with a special ceremony at 10 a.m., Tuesday, April 23, at the State Capitol.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has proclaimed April as Child Abuse Prevention Month. Activities and initiatives planned throughout the month will center on the symbolic blue-and-silver pinwheel of Prevent Child Abuse America, which serves as a visual representation that everyone plays a role in providing children with a bright future. Participants have been asked to share information on social media, using the hashtags #CAPMonth2024, #MIWearsBlue and #StrengtheningFamilies.
Children Trust Michigan, housed within MDHHS, was established by the Michigan Legislature in 1982. It serves as a voice for Michigan’s children and families and promotes their health, safety and welfare by funding effective local programs and services that prevent child abuse and neglect.
“Our department is devoted to improving the safety and well-being of Michigan children, as outlined in our Keep Kids Safe Action Agenda,” said Elizabeth Hertel, MDHHS director. “We are working with lawmakers, police, judges and other child welfare system leaders to do everything in our power to make Michigan the safest place in America to raise kids and nurture families.”
“Child abuse prevention is a community responsibility and Michigan is committed to ensuring all children grow up safe, healthy, educated and prepared to reach their full potential,” said Suzanne Greenberg, executive director of Children Trust Michigan. “The blue and silver pinwheels displayed in April, and throughout the year, symbolize the health and happiness all children deserve. We encourage everyone across the state to help raise awareness this month about the impact child abuse and neglect has and to help us create more stable environments and brighter futures for all children.”
Child Abuse Prevention Month culminates with the 16th annual Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Day rally on the steps of the State Capitol Tuesday, April 23. Featured speakers this year include Earl Major, Children Trust Michigan board member, Sen. Aric Nesbitt, Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet and Fatima Salman, president of the National Association of Social Workers.
Featured programs include Child & Family Services of Northeast Michigan, InvolvedDad, Inc. and Gratiot County Child Advocacy Association. Parent stories will be shared by Ian Agee, Danni Franzoni and Julie Hunter. For information on Children Trust Michigan and Child Abuse Prevention Month, visit childrentrustmichigan.org. |
by orionontv | Apr 17, 2024 | Transportation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 17, 2024
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MEDIA CONTACT
James Lake
906-250-0993
[email protected] |
The Mighty Mac’s expanded Antarctic connection
ST. IGNACE, Mich. – When Brendan Fisher began his 13-month adventure as a heavy equipment mechanic for the United States Antarctic Program (USAP), he brought pieces of the Mackinac Bridge with him. When he returned, he brought a piece back, as well as stories to accompany it, that he presented this month to the Mackinac Bridge Authority (MBA).
At the MBA’s April 5 meeting in Dimondale, Fisher presented the authority with a shadowbox containing a piece of the bridge’s original deck grating and photos from his time at the South Pole. A noticeable circular piece is absent, representing a disc that is now part of the ceremonial South Pole marker more than 9,000 miles away.
Fisher, whose assignment in Antarctica ran from October 2022 to November 2023, and fellow South Pole adventurer Hans Suedhoff brought the gift and a photo book documenting the Mackinac Bridge pieces that were incorporated into a sign, photo frame, and both the ceremonial and geographic South Pole markers.
Fisher had previously built the sign from a 38-foot piece of the original deck grating he purchased through auction in November 2020, proclaiming the distance from the South Pole to the Mackinac Bridge (9,394 miles), which is on permanent display at the station.
There are two pole markers since the Antarctic 9,300-foot-thick ice sheet (roughly a third of the length of the Mackinac Bridge) moves about 10 meters per year. “There’s Mackinac Bridge in both of them now,” Fisher said.
The Authority thanked Fisher and Suedhoff for the gift, which recognizes the bridge and the team in the Antarctic.
“I think it’s absolutely fantastic,” said MBA Member Barbara Arens. “You’re very talented.”
Each year, the geographical South Pole is replaced on Jan. 1. Once the year’s marker is retired, it joins its predecessors in a display cabinet at the Antarctic station for 20-30 years until the cabinet fills to capacity. After that, the markers are sent to the Smithsonian, where they stay “until the end of eternity,” Fisher said.
The team also used pieces of round steel stock from the bridge to make four bolts that joined corners of a photo frame for a picture of last year’s “winterover” crew at the station, which included Fisher and Suedhoff.
by orionontv | Apr 17, 2024 | Health and Wellness
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Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 17, 2024
CONTACT: Chelsea Wuth, 517-241-2112, [email protected]
MDHHS, MDARD remind Michiganders about risks of consuming raw (unpasteurized) milk and milk products
LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) are reminding residents of the risks associated with consuming raw (unpasteurized) milk amid the current Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreak affecting dairy cow herds. This virus has the potential to spread to humans, with one case reported this year in Texas.
“Anyone can get sick from drinking raw milk, but children under age 5, adults over age 65 and those with weakened immune systems are more at risk for getting sick,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive. “Now that HPAI is infecting both cows and birds, it’s important to make sure that you are consuming food that is safe, including ensuring that the milk products you eat or drink are pasteurized.”
Pasteurized milk is extremely safe and has undergone a heating process which kills disease-causing germs like Campylobacter, E. coli and Salmonella. People who consume raw (or unpasteurized) milk, cheeses and other dairy products like ice cream created from raw milk are at risk for a variety of illnesses. Only pasteurized milk is sold in stores and provided to children in school lunches.
People can get ill from the same source and product of raw milk they drank previously – milk that someone consumes from the same farm over a duration of time may not always be safe. Raw milk can get contaminated in many ways. While good safety practices can reduce the chance of germs getting in raw milk, they cannot eliminate risk.
The Food and Drug Administration does not currently have concerns about the safety or availability of pasteurized milk products nationwide. Pasteurization has continually proven to inactivate bacteria and viruses, like influenza viruses, in milk and is required for any milk entering interstate commerce.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends taking the following steps to reduce risk:
- Choose pasteurized milk and dairy products.
- Refrigerate milk, dairy products and other perishable food at 40⁰F or colder.
- Throw away expired food, including milk and dairy products.
For more information, visit CDC.gov/foodsafety/rawmilk. |
