by orionontv | Jul 2, 2024 | Recreation
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News Digest – Week of July 1, 2024
Always keep an eye out for invasive species, especially during Aquatic Invasive Species Awareness Week.
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| 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 some of the images used below, and others, are available in this folder.
A long holiday weekend means many people will enjoy one of the fastest-growing recreation activities in Michigan – off-road vehicle riding. If you’ll be on a quad, side-by-side, dirt bike or other type of ORV, the DNR wants everyone to Ride Right to ensure you ride again.
According to 2023 statewide ORV crash data, 93% of ORV fatalities could have been prevented. These crashes were primarily due to excessive speed and a lack of helmet/seat belt use.
“Always ride within your and the machine’s capabilities,” said Cpl. Mike Hearn, DNR law enforcement ORV and snowmobile specialist. “When operators ride too fast, they are more likely to lose control when they hit even the smallest bump, try to make turns or stop. Riding sober and at a safe speed are the best ways to stay safe.”
All ORV operators are urged to Ride Right and keep these important safety tips in mind:
- Operate within the limits of your ORV and your own capabilities.
- Ride at a safe speed.
- Ride sober.
- Ride on the right side of the trail.
- Keep lights on when riding.
- Always wear a helmet.
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Conservation officers will have an increased presence on Michigan waterways July 4-6 as part of Operation Dry Water, a national law enforcement campaign to promote sober boating.
There’s good reason for the effort. According to the most recent U.S. Coast Guard report, alcohol is among the top 10 primary factors in recreational boater deaths.
Alcohol impairs a boater’s judgment, balance, vision and reaction time, and can increase fatigue and susceptibility to the effects of cold-water immersion. Sun, wind, noise, vibration and motion – elements common to the boating environment – intensify the side effects of alcohol, drugs and some medications.
The top factors in fatal boating accidents (when the cause is known) remain the same from previous years:
- Operator inattention.
- Improper lookout.
- Operator inexperience.
- Excessive speed.
- Machine failure.
Data shows that while boating-related fatalities have decreased, the proportion of drowning victims not wearing a life jacket increased, from 85% in 2022 to 87% in 2023.
It’s important to wear a life jacket and ride with a sober operator who has successfully completed an accredited boater safety course.
For more information, including more boater safety resources, visit Michigan.gov/Boating.
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There are a variety of opportunities to help the DNR take care of Michigan’s natural and cultural resources this month. Here are a few ways to lend a hand.
Volunteer at state park stewardship workdays
Several state parks in southern Michigan will host stewardship workdays, where volunteers are needed to help remove invasive plants that threaten high-quality ecosystems.
Workdays will take place at:
- Warren Dunes State Park (Berrien County), 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday, July 9, and Saturday, July 20.
- Muskegon State Park (Muskegon County), 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, July 13, and Friday, July 19.
- Yankee Springs Recreation Area (Barry County), 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday, July 14.
- Island Lake Recreation Area (Livingston County), 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, July 20.
- Fort Custer Recreation Area (Kalamazoo County), 9 a.m. to noon Sunday, July 21.
- Brighton Recreation Area (Livingston County), 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, July 21.
- Waterloo Recreation Area (Washtenaw County), 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, July 27.
- Pinckney Recreation Area (Washtenaw County), 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, July 28.
Help clean up the Manistee River
Michigan United Conservation Clubs’ On the Ground volunteer program will partner with the DNR, Steelhead Manifesto and the U.S. Forest Service for its annual Manistee River cleanup event, 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, July 13.
Volunteers will gather at the High Bridge Boat Launch in Brethren (Manistee County), then head out either on the water by boat or along the riverbanks by foot to various locations and remove garbage to improve the river’s aquatic ecosystem. MUCC will provide work gloves, trash grabbers and trash bags for volunteers, as well as lunch and an appreciation gift for all registered volunteers.
Give us your input on your state forests
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 It’s vital for everyone to do their part to protect native resources from invasive species. During Aquatic Invasive Species Awareness Week, June 30 – July 6, learn what you can do to prevent aquatic invasive species from taking hold in your favorite places.
In case you missed it, over 50 outreach events are planned for boat landings across the state this week. The boat landing events – emphasizing the need to Clean, Drain, Dry boats whenever they come out of the water, and dispose of any unwanted bait in the trash – are part of the 11th Annual AIS Landing Blitz in which local partners such as lake associations and cooperative invasive species management areas give boaters tips to prevent the spread of AIS and comply with laws for recreational boating.
The regional Landing Blitz website allows you to search for an event near you. Similar AIS Landing Blitz events will be held in each of the Great Lakes states and Canadian provinces.
Read the full release for more information. |
 See 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 Brandon Johnson, for the Michigan DNR, on the Rifle River in Ogemaw County).
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Planning to go paddling? Michigan has miles of water trails worth your while. Make sure you have a life jacket, prepare a float plan and check closures before you go.
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There’s still time to sign up for upcoming Outdoor Skills Academy classes; whether it’s mushroom hunting, bushcraft, fly fishing or more, find your next outdoor hobby.
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While you’re outdoors this week and beyond, remember you’re our Eyes in the Field – reporting wildlife observations helps us keep tabs on Michigan’s species.
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by orionontv | Jul 2, 2024 | Regional News
Public voting begins in Michigan’s first-ever “I Voted” sticker contest
Winning designs will be available for clerks to hand out on Election Day
LANSING, Mich. – Starting today, Michigan residents can vote online to help choose the final designs for the state’s official 2024 Presidential Election “I Voted” sticker. Students enrolled in Michigan schools and residents submitted their designs for the contest, launched in May by Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson.
“Thank you to all of the Michigan students and residents who created a design for our state’s first ‘I Voted’ sticker contest,” said Secretary Benson. “Every Michigan voter should walk out of the polls with pride, knowing that their voice has been heard. Now, we can share that pride in our democracy with a sticker designed by some of our state’s talented and creative artists.”
Out of more than 480 submissions, 25 semifinalists from each entry category were chosen by Michigan Collegiate Student Advisory Task Force members, who came up with the idea to host the sticker contest. Three winning designs will be selected from each separate category: elementary/middle school (grades K-8), high school (grades 9-12), and general entry (open to Michigan residents of all ages). The winning designs will be available for local clerks to order for the November election.
Elementary/Middle School category:
- Macie McCausland – Frost Middle School, Livonia
- Ashley Paulson – Oxford Middle School, Oxford
- Elizabeth Delano – Oxford Middle School, Oxford
- Janyne Hynous – Brownell Middle School, Grosse Pointe
- Gabby Warner – Rockford
- Layla Azure – Frost Middle School, Livonia
- Avery Kahkonen – Arvon Township School, L’Anse
- Haden Burrell – Hesperia Community Schools, Hesperia
- Willa Worden – Oxford Middle School, Oxford
- Katelyn Stouffer-Hopkins – Lansing
- Riley Chevalier – Michigan International Prep School, Clark Lake
- Mikayla Yeaw – Wyoming
- Wayne Freeman – Au Gres-Sims School District, Au Gres
- Sophie Hudson – Southfield
- Hailey Hue – East Rockford Middle School, Rockford
- Ryan Topham – St. Thomas Aquinas Parish School, East Lansing
- Olivia Harrison – Frost Middle School, Livonia
- Jiyun Byun – Clague Middle School, Ann Arbor
- Roman Salazar – Forsythe Middle School, Ann Arbor
- Madeline Lee – Grissom Middle School, Sterling Heights
- Alisa Mui – Frost Middle School, Livonia
- Annalyse Wallace – Taylor
- Sandy McDonough – Oxford Middle School, Oxford
- Araminta Widby – Arvon Township School, Skanee
- Zoie Brake – Frost Middle School, Livonia
- Graci Gartland – Gladstone High School, Gladstone
- Sage Tuskan – Gladstone High School, Gladstone
- Michelle Lekhtman – West Bloomfield High School, West Bloomfield
- Adie Tryan – Gladstone High School, Gladstone
- Olivia Smiertka – Holly High School, Holly
- Lucas Barker – Gull Lake Community Schools, Richland
- Evalyna Mei – East Kentwood High School, Kentwood
- Bryce Stewart – Almont High School, Armada
- Abigail Jones – Almont High School, Lapeer County
- Tasnim Rahman – Hamtramck High School, Hamtramck
- Rylee Fraaza – Gull Lake High School, Richland
- Idyll Fay Villarin – Woodhaven High School, Brownstown
- Chantell Moss – Thurston High School, Redford
- Lyric Conway – West Bloomfield High School, Holly
- Nicholas Rodgers – Plymouth-Canton Educational Park, Canton
- Shanon Kawata – Community High School of Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor
- Grayson Cooksey – Onaway High School, Onaway
- Annabella Cochrill – New Haven
- Andrew Brasher – Alma High School, Saint Louis
- Daniella Aldabbagh – West Bloomfield High School, West Bloomfield
- Keara Aderman – Gladstone High School, Gladstone
- Savannah Olesinski – Thurston High School, Redford Township
- Kaylee Kourakis – Gull Lake High School, Augusta
- Cameron LaVigne – Gladstone High School, Gladstone
- MaKayla Burns – Rockford
- Naomi Barbour – Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti
- Michael Crawford – Genesee Career Institute, Owosso
- Sarah Pohl – Fenton
- Lydia Ellison – Sranac
- Janette Scott-Lucas – Kalamazoo
- Patrick Rogers – Ada
- Breanna Tanner – Grand Rapids
- Jacob Adams – Ypsilanti Township
- Hannah Howery – Grand Rapids
- Anastasia Greer – Marquette
- Mason Sultana – Dearborn Heights
- Madelyn VerVaecke – Livonia
- Christina Castilla – Lansing
- Emily Buckley – Ann Arbor
- Kelsey Winiarski – Livonia
- Nicholas Conde – Northville
- Kerri Neymeiyer – Howard City
- MaKayla Burns – Rockford
- Lorelei Mortimer – Northern Michigan University, Tecumseh
- Cole Allen – Ypsilanti
- Carissa Smith – Grandville
Voting will close at 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, July 31. Voters can select their favorite three stickers in each category. Winners will be announced in August and will receive special recognition from Secretary Benson. To vote, visit the form linked here.
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by orionontv | Jul 2, 2024 | Community Event, Feature Writers
ORION TWP, Mich. – On Thursday, June 27, 2024, car enthusiasts gathered on the grounds of Canterbury Village to show off their muscle cars, sports cars and hot rods to others. This event was put on by Shifter’s Auto Club of Southeastern Mich., a subset of the Michigan Hot Rod Association (MHRA.)
According to Shifter’s website, “The club joined Michigan Hot Rod Association 3 or 4 months after the Shifters were formed. By 1958, MHRA had grown to 35 clubs.”
Photo by Joe Johnson
ONTV’s Lexi McKinney spoke to Jeff Ratliff of Shifter’s Auto Club about the event going on that day.
“We’ve got older cars, newer cars, newer muscle – a little of everything. Just. trying to get something on Thursday night for the Oxford-Lake Orion area, for people to come and do,” Ratliff said.
Shifter’s and other auto club affiliated groups have been putting on these car meet-ups and shows for the month of June here at Canterbury, according to Ratliff this is only their second good Thursday night of the month, heat and rain stopped the members from gathering before. These particular “Canterbury Cruisin’” events will be running until the end of August.
Proceeds from these events will be matched in a fifty-fifty raffle to benefit the “Shop With A Cop” event at the end of the year.
Joe Hildebrand, owner of the Classic Street Signs and Neon business, who recently moved into a space in Canterbury Village, helped run this event as well.
ONTV also spoke with Hildebrand along with other members of the Lake Orion Lions Club about their future events on the property.
According to Hildebrand, he agreed that Canterbury needed a car show on Labor Day and it would be a good opportunity to raise funds to give back to the community.
Photo by Joe Johnson
“We’re hoping to fill the park here with cars, we’ll have our Lions Club out helping with different things…,” Hildebrand said. “There’s something to do for everybody.”
The Lake Orion Lions Club is set to have their own charity car show on September 1, 2024, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Registration is available online and in-person at the event.
For more information about events like these visit lakeorionlions.org or visit mhraonline.org/shiftr.html for more information about Shifter’s Auto Club of SE Mich.
by orionontv | Jul 2, 2024 | Community Event, Feature Writers
LAKE ORION, Mich. – On Thursday, June 27, 2024, Pushna Wellness had its official grand reopening after moving to a new location on Clarkston Road near the Polly Ann Trail. Members of the Orion Area Chamber of Commerce, family and friends of Pushna Wellness gathered at the new location for a ribbon cutting ceremony.
Photo by ONTV
Pushna Wellness has been offering fitness and wellness programs including yoga, massages, life-coaching and personal training since 2019. The fitness studio’s purpose is to help people relax not only physically but mentally as well. They offer a variety of customized programs, from adults to seniors, Pushna Wellness is a business dedicated to helping the community.
ONTV’s Lexi McKinney spoke to Jess Dues, the owner of Pushna Wellness about her experience today and how she is taking it all in.
“I am beyond grateful and just humbled by the community’s continual support over these past five years, all of our transitions, our moves and the evolution of our business…” Dues said. “I didn’t anticipate the amount of support I would have from everyone in the Chamber, Matt, Chris Barnett, Joyce, Jillian – all of our teachers and staff and a lot of our clients even have volunteered to help us move and help us paint. There’s been so much overwhelming help and support, and it’s been… I don’t know how to really describe it… grateful.”
One of the more interesting programs Pushna Wellness offers is Boxing-Yoga, or simply put, “Bo-Yo.” According to Dues it consists of thirty minutes of boxing and thirty minutes of yoga.
Photo by ONTV
“Everything has a place because you need to find balance inside and out,” Dues said.
ONTV also spoke to Carl Cyrowski, a current member of the Lake Orion Village Council about the senior fitness class he helps run at Pushna Wellness.
“Seniors – which I am – are afraid to work out, they think they are going to hurt themselves. So, I took this senior fitness class and it taught me how I can approach seniors, I have questionnaire, which they tell me what they’d like to do and they fill it out and then I work out a program for them,” Cyrowski said.
Pushna Wellness’s new location along with its comprehensive class and program list is sure to be a hit with old and new clients in the Lake Orion area and beyond.
For more information about Pushna Wellness or to see the class schedule, visit pushnawellness.com. You can also find them on Instagram and Facebook.
by orionontv | Jul 2, 2024 | Agriculture
For immediate release: July 02, 2024
MDARD contact: Chelsea Lewis-Parisio, 517-331-1151
Fun in the Sun and Food Safety: Take Steps to Prevent a Food Disaster this Independence Day
Lansing, MI—With the 4th of July right around the corner, many Michiganders are preparing to celebrate with picnics and barbecues. However, improper handling of your food can spoil the fun for you and your loved ones. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 6 Americans suffer from foodborne illnesses each year. The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) urges Michiganders to practice safe food handling while having fun in the sun during the holiday weekend and beyond. Following these simple tips will keep your outdoor eating fun and safe:
- Practice good hand hygiene while preparing and handling food: Wash your hands before and after cooking to prevent the spread of harmful bacteria. Your hands should also be cleansed before eating. This can be done using soap and water, hand sanitizer, or sanitizing hand wipes.
- Prepare foods the correct way: Always follow the cooking instructions on food labels to ensure your food is safe and tasty. Meats, such as chicken and steak, must be thoroughly cooked to kill any bacteria that may be on them. Use a food thermometer to guarantee they are cooked properly.
- Keep foods at an appropriate temperature: Food can reach a temperature ‘danger zone’ (between 40°F (4°C) – 140°F (60°C)) where germs begin to grow rapidly. To prevent foods from falling within this range, maintain the proper temperature of a meal after cooking. Using a heat source, like a warming tray ora slow cooker, is a great way to keep your hot meals warm. On the other hand, ice packs and insulated containers are needed to protect cold foods from the summer heat.
- Don’t forget to store leftovers in a safe manner: Using proper storage methods for leftover food guarantees you’ll be enjoying the barbecue for days to come. Place leftovers in shallow containers and refrigerate promptly to allow quick cooling. Make sure your refrigerator is set to 40°F (4°C) or below and your freezer to 0°F (-18°C) or below by using an appliance thermometer. Food kept too long can grow harmful bacteria. To avoid eating spoiled leftovers, throw out food after a certain amount of time. Know how long you can store specific foods by checking this Safe Storage Times chart.
If you suspect you’ve eaten spoiled food or a contracted foodborne illness, please seek immediate medical attention and contact your local health department as soon as possible for assistance.
Being able to enjoy your 4th of July starts with safe food practices. For more information about food safety, visit www.foodsafety.gov. |
