Year’s first Adopt-A-Highway pickup starts Saturday, April 5

Year’s first Adopt-A-Highway pickup starts Saturday, April 5

by | Mar 31, 2025 | Transportation

newsroom
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 31, 2025 		 MEDIA CONTACT
Dan Weingarten
906-250-4809
[email protected]

Year’s first Adopt-A-Highway pickup starts Saturday, April 5

Fast facts:

  • The first Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) Adopt-A-Highway pickup of the year is April 5-13 for the Lower Peninsula.
  • The first pickup for the Upper Peninsula will be from May 10 to 18.
  • Sections of highway are still available to adopt. Go to Michigan.gov/AdoptAHighway for more information.

LANSING, Mich. ­- It’s a spring event as predictable as the return of the robins: volunteers will hit the roadsides across lower Michigan beginning Saturday as Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) Adopt-A-Highway (AAH) groups pick up litter on state highways from April 5-13.

The year’s first AAH pickup for the Upper Peninsula will be later (May 10-18) when spring has had more time to set in for the northern part of the state.

“Each year, our Adopt-A-Highway volunteers show their dedication to their communities by keeping the roadsides clean,” said State Transportation Director Bradley C. Wieferich. “These thousands of groups make a huge difference every year. Please help them stay safe while they’re out there. Stay alert for the volunteers and drive cautiously during the pickup periods.”

The AAH program began in Michigan in 1990. Today, 35 years later, around 2,600 groups have adopted more than 6,000 miles of state highway. Last year alone, these volunteers collected 36,000 bags of trash.

Volunteers pick up litter three times each year. Statewide, there will be a summer pickup from July 12 to 20 and a fall pickup from Sept. 20 to 28.

AAH groups wear high-visibility, yellow-green safety vests required by federal regulations when working within a highway right of way. MDOT provides free vests and trash bags, and arranges to haul away the trash. Volunteers include members of various civic groups, businesses and families. Crew members have to be at least 12 years old, and each group must number at least three people.

Sections of highway are still available for adoption. Groups are asked to adopt a section for at least two years. AAH signs bearing a group’s name are posted along the stretch of adopted highway. There is no fee to participate. Go to www.Michigan.gov/AdoptAHighway for more information.

Several landfills in southwestern Michigan do their part to help the AAH program. Westside Landfill in St. Joseph County, C&C Landfill in Calhoun County, Orchard Hill Landfill in Berrien County, Southeast Berrien County Landfill near Niles, and Republic Services Gembrit Circle Transfer Station in Kalamazoo have all agreed to accept trash generated by the three annual AAH pickups at no charge. In exchange, these businesses receive a sign recognizing their support.

Paint the Plow program returns to brighten Michigan’s roads

Paint the Plow program returns to brighten Michigan’s roads

by | Mar 31, 2025 | Transportation

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 31, 2025		 MEDIA CONTACT
Jocelyn Garza
989-245-7117
[email protected]

Courtney Bates
517-242-0950
[email protected]

MDOT Paint the Plow program returns to brighten Michigan’s roads

LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is now accepting applications for the 2025-2026 Paint the Plow program. This program offers a unique opportunity for MDOT to partner with area schools, using students’ creativity to communicate safe winter driving practices for all Michigan residents.

The Paint the Plow program is open to all Michigan high schools, including technical and vocational programs. Students are invited to submit a creative and original design reflecting their individual school, while promoting a selected safety theme. This year’s safety theme is “Give plows space; it’s not a race.”

The safety theme reminds everyone that driving safely on winter roads is crucial to preventing crashes and ensuring road user safety. Snow and ice can make roads slippery, reducing traction and increasing stopping distances. Slowing down gives drivers more time to react to changing conditions and helps maintain control. It’s especially important to be cautious around snowplows, which travel at reduced speeds and have limited visibility. By slowing down and giving plows plenty of space, drivers can help keep Michigan’s roads safer for everyone.

MDOT will accept Paint the Plow design applications through Friday, May 16. Selected schools will be notified before the end of the 2025 school year and arrangements will be made for the delivery of their plow blade in the fall. Depending on location throughout the state, schools will have approximately six weeks to complete their design before MDOT staff return for the completed plow blade in time to ready trucks for the winter maintenance season. Painted plow blades will be visible along various state trunklines (I, M and US routes) in Michigan through the winter.

Interested schools can visit www.Michigan.gov/PaintThePlow for more information and to submit their design.

Newberry High School paint the plow project.

Superior Region’s Newberry High School designed this plow blade for last year’s Paint the Plow program.

Heritage High School paint the plow project.

Bay Region’s Heritage High School painted this plow for the 2024-2025 season.

Western High School

University Region’s Western High School painted this snowplow blade for the 2024-2025 Paint the Plow program.

DNR News: 2025 fishing season opens Tuesday

DNR News: 2025 fishing season opens Tuesday

by | Mar 31, 2025 | Recreation

 
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DNR News
March 31, 2025
Contact: Christian LeSage, 517-449-7073 or Lucas Nathan, 517-599-9323

2025 fishing season opens Tuesday

New regulations take effect April 1, 2025

A woman with a fish on the line holding a fly fishing rod in a river.Heading out to fish? New sportfishing regulations for Michigan’s 2025 fishing season begin Tuesday, April 1, and are in effect through March 31, 2026. Changes this season include modifications to steelhead and muskie size limits and gear restrictions on some waters. Highlights include:

Inland stream rainbow trout (steelhead) possession limit

Steelhead regulations on several Type 3 and Type 4 streams have been slightly modified from last year. Some streams no longer have a 20-inch minimum size limit on steelhead (the daily possession limit of which is one). See Pages 42-65 of the Michigan Fishing Regulations for more specific information.

New single-pointed hook restriction and spearing prohibition waters

The ports of Grand Haven, Muskegon and Whitehall/Montague have new single-pointed hook regulations Nov. 1-30, and spearing or possessing spearing gear is now prohibited in these waters Nov. 1-30. For more information, see Pages 16-17 and 30-31 of the Michigan Fishing Regulations.

Muskellunge size limit regulation

In Thornapple Lake (Barry and Eaton counties) and Lake Hudson (Lenawee County), new 50-inch minimum size limit regulations for muskellunge are in effect. These lakes are important sources of Great Lakes-strain muskellunge, from which the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is developing a population of mature adults for future stocking needs. Find more information on Page 13 of the Michigan Fishing Regulations.

Several other inland waters have undergone minor regulation changes focused on northern pike, bass and trout. Before you hit the water, make sure to review the 2025 Michigan Fishing Regulations thoroughly to learn any new laws that apply to your favorite fishing spots.

Don’t have your 2025 fishing license yet? Buy your fishing license online or through the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app and visit Michigan.gov/Fishing for helpful resources including fishing location maps, fish ID information, the weekly fishing report and more.

Note to editors: The accompanying photo is available below for download. Caption information follows.

  • Fishing: New sportfishing regulations for the 2025 fishing season are in effect April 1, 2025, through March 31, 2026.
MDHHS seeks applications to enhance nursing facility services

MDHHS seeks applications to enhance nursing facility services

by | Mar 28, 2025 | Health and Wellness

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Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 28, 2025

CONTACT: Lynn Sutfin, 517-241-2112, [email protected]

MDHHS seeks applications to enhance nursing facility services
through Civil Money Penalty Reinvestment Program 

LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Long Term Care Operations Section has issued a Grant Funding Opportunity (GFO) for quality-of-life enrichment projects for residents of nursing homes.

The purpose of the Civil Money Penalty Reinvestment Program is to fund projects and activities that will support, protect and benefit nursing facility residents. All proposals must include enhancements to nursing facility services and go beyond the services required to be provided by a nursing facility.

Eligible applicants include hospitals and health care organizations, academic institutions, nursing facilities, nonprofit organizations, private businesses, Native American Tribal organizations and other organizations. Organizations must be able to plan, implement and evaluate projects, programs and improvements designed to protect or improve quality of life and care for nursing home residents.

The grant period is from Oct. 1, 2025, to Sept. 30, 2026. The total amount available is $5 million. All applicant agencies must register for the EGrAMS system and request an application by 5 p.m., Friday, May 16. Grant applications for the Civil Money Penalty Reinvestment Program GFO must be submitted electronically via EGrAMS by 3 p.m., Thursday, May 22. Technical support is available until noon that day through the EGrAMS Help Desk.

A pre-application conference will be held to provide information about the grant program and instruction on using the EGrAMS system. The pre-application conference is at 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 8. The conference will last approximately 90 minutes and can be accessed at: Pre-Application Conference: CMPRP-2026.

For more information or to apply, visit the EGrAMS website and select “About EGrAMS” link in the left panel to access the “Competitive Application Instructions” training manual. The complete GFO can be accessed under the ‘Current Grants’ section under the “Health and Aging Services Administration” link and selecting the “CMPRP-2026” grant program.
DNR conservation officers successful in two search and rescue

DNR conservation officers successful in two search and rescue

by | Mar 27, 2025 | Recreation

 
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DNR News
March 27, 2025

Michigan DNR conservation officers successful in two search and rescue events this week

Conservation officers with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources serve their communities in many ways, including search and rescue efforts in the woods and on the water. Two recent examples occurred in the northern Lower Peninsula.

COs rescue hypothermic campers from Dead Stream Swamp in Roscommon County

Contact: Sgt. Brian Olsen, 989-275-5151, ext. 2727100

camping supplies on the ground outsideTwo campers contacted the DNR Report All Poaching Hotline requesting rescue assistance after becoming stranded Friday in Dead Stream Swamp, a wetland consisting of more than 11,000 acres located between Cadillac and Houghton Lake in Missaukee and Roscommon counties.

The campers, whose names are not being released, were dropped off at the Dead Stream Swamp by a friend on Friday with the intent to camp for four days.

Rain developed during the evening hours and later turned to snow, soaking the campers and their gear. The temperature dropped to around 20 degrees Fahrenheit, which froze one of the men’s inhalers and caused him to have difficulty breathing.

The campers contacted the RAP Hotline around 5 a.m. Saturday, saying they could not self-rescue.

Dispatchers contacted local conservation officers, Sgt. Brian Olsen and CO Ben McAteer, who immediately responded to the caller’s last known cellphone location – about 1 mile west of the intersection of Higgins Lake Road and Pine Road in Lyon Township.

It took officers about an hour to hike the 1 mile into the swamp, where they found the campers soaking wet in a makeshift shelter. The officers made a fire to help warm the campers and thaw their frozen boots. CO Matt Zultak also arrived on scene to assist.

Once the campers were able to put on their boots and pack their gear, it took the group another hour to make it out of the swamp. They were met along the way by CO James Garrett, who helped navigate to a location where EMS was waiting.

The group met EMS on Higgins Lake Road, south of Pine Road. EMS evaluated and released both campers at the scene.

Caro man and dogs recovering after falling into AuSable River in Alcona County

Contact: Sgt. Jon Warner, 989-390-9411

A 59-year-old man from Caro is expected to be released from the hospital after his boat capsized Tuesday along the AuSable River in Alcona County.

Accompanied by his two dogs, the man, whose name is not being released, was fishing on a 10-foot boat when he fell into the river while trying to disembark. The water was only 39 degrees Fahrenheit, and air temperature was freezing at 32 degrees.

Using his watch, the man texted 911 that he’d fallen into the river and was having difficulty breathing. The DNR later learned that the man had open-heart surgery two years ago and had recently been feeling ill.

Alcona County Central Dispatch notified local emergency responders of the situation around 2:16 p.m.

DNR Conservation Officers Jeff Panich and Casey Pullum heard the radio communication. Based on the last known GPS coordinates from the man’s watch, they responded to the intersection of Snowmobile Trail LP96 and the Shore to Shore Horse Trail at 3:12 p.m.

Panich and Pullum began walking the horse trail along the river and quickly located footprints in the snow. A short distance ahead, they saw a dog on the trail. Beyond the dog, they located the missing man, who was standing with blood covering his legs and feet. He was missing some clothes.

Panich immediately notified dispatch of the man’s location and requested assistance. After Panich approached the man, he said, “Help me,” and collapsed onto the conservation officer.

While the COs were waiting for medical assistance to arrive, the man became unresponsive. Panich and Pullum quickly pulled him out of the woods to a nearby river access parking lot, 4001 Bridge Landing, located off Federal Route 4001.

EMS and deputies quickly arrived and helped load the man into the ambulance, which transferred him to MyMichigan Medical Center Tawas.

Both dogs were secured and will be returned to the man when he is released from the hospital. The boat has not been recovered.

Alcona County Sheriff’s Department, Alcona County EMS and Curran Fire Department also assisted.

The DNR encourages outdoor enthusiasts to check weather conditions ahead of their trip and to plan accordingly with appropriate clothing and supplies. If venturing onto or near the water, wear a life jacket. Always provide someone who is not with you the details of your plan, including the locations you’re visiting, when you plan to return, and scheduled check-in times.

Michigan conservation officers receive specialized search and rescue training and are fully licensed law enforcement officers who provide natural resources protection, ensure recreational safety, and protect residents through general law enforcement and conducting lifesaving operations in the communities they serve.

The Michigan DNR Report All Poaching Hotline, 800-292-7800 (call or text), is staffed by emergency dispatchers around the clock who utilize equipment and technology to assist the public with natural resource violations and law enforcement officers.

Note to editors: Accompanying photos are available below for download. Caption information follows.

Shelter: It took officers about an hour to hike 1 mile into the Dead Stream Swamp in Roscommon County Saturday, where they found two campers soaking wet in a makeshift shelter.