AG Nessel Issues New Consumer Alert on Genetic Testing Services

AG Nessel Issues New Consumer Alert on Genetic Testing Services

Michigan Department of Attorney General Press Release banner

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 2, 2025

Media Contact:
Danny Wimmer

AG Nessel Issues New Consumer Alert on Genetic Testing Services

LANSING – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has issued a new consumer alert on genetic testing services. The new alert comes as she is urging 23andMe customers to consider deleting their accounts to protect their sensitive personal data following the genetic testing company’s bankruptcy.

Attorney General Nessel emphasized in her alert the difference between genetic testing conducted for medical purposes by health care providers and testing performed by private direct-to-consumer genetic testing services.

“While DNA testing conducted for medical purposes by a health care provider is strongly protected by federal privacy laws, results from private direct-to-consumer genetic services are not considered medical records and lack these legal protections,” Nessel said. “Amid the 23andMe bankruptcy, consumers should be mindful of the potential risks of these private services and take steps to protect their data.”

After creating an account and receiving their report, some commercial genetic testing customers may have no more use for the service. They should consider deleting their accounts. Then they should request the destruction of any stored data.

To prevent unauthorized access or misuse of their data, account holders should:

  1. Take steps to delete their account from the company’s website.
  2. Request the destruction of their genetic data.
  3. Revoke permission for genetic data to be used in research, if applicable.

Most genetic testing services should have instructions for completing the above actions on their website.

Consumers who suspect their genetic data has been compromised can report their concerns to the Michigan Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Team:

Consumer Protection Team
P.O. Box 30213
Lansing, MI 48909
517-335-7599
Fax: 517-241-3771
Toll-free: 877-765-8388
Online complaint form

Register now for MI Healthy Climate Conference, April 22-23

Register now for MI Healthy Climate Conference, April 22-23

 
EGLE Main GovD banner
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 2, 2025
Jeff Johnston, EGLE Public Information Officer, [email protected]

Join EGLE and partners on the ‘Road to 2030’ at 2025 MI Healthy Climate Conference

April 22-23 event in Detroit filling up, expected to draw more than 800

Less than two weeks remain to register for the 2025 MI Healthy Climate Conference, hosted by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) April 22-23 in Detroit.

Attendees will join 800-plus representatives of local, state, and tribal governments; universities; nonprofits; community groups; businesses; and more. The conference theme is “Road to 2030,” building toward the goals in Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s MI Healthy Climate Plan (MHCP) and landmark clean energy laws.

More than 50 experts will share success stories, challenges, funding opportunities, technical assistance, and more related to the MHCP’s six priority areas: committing to environmental justice and a just transition, cleaning the electrical grid, electrifying vehicles and increasing public transit, repairing and decarbonizing homes and businesses, driving clean innovation in industry, and protecting Michigan’s land and water.

Conference details:

  • When: 1-5 p.m. Tuesday, April 22 (registration opens at 11:30), with an optional networking session from 5-6 p.m.; and 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday, April 23.
  • Where: Huntington Place, Washington Blvd. 1, Detroit, MI 48226.
  • Registration: $225 for general admission; $125 for nonprofit or government attendees; or $50 for community members, tribal members, and students.
  • Registration deadline: Sunday, April 13.

“This forward-looking conference demonstrates that Michigan has leadership, motivation, and momentum on its side when it comes to climate action,” said EGLE Director Phil Roos. “The road to 2030 and beyond is a route to a prosperous, healthy, carbon-neutral future for ourselves and generations of Michiganders to come.”

The conference agenda includes plenary talks, breakouts, working sessions, and networking opportunities, including a networking session at the end of the first day. Attendees will hear from thought leaders and professionals in clean industry, agriculture, building decarbonization, climate justice, academia, business, banking and finance, government, recycling and waste management, renewable energy, and more, representing organizations including:

  • The Bureau of Community Action and Economic Opportunity.
  • Consumers Energy, DTE Energy, the Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association, 5 Lakes Energy, Clean Fuels Michigan, Circle Power, and Apex Clean Energy.
  • The Ecology Center.
  • The Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan.
  • The Michigan departments of Agriculture and Rural Development; EGLE; Labor and Economic Opportunity; Natural Resources, Technology, Management, and Budget; Transportation; and Treasury.
  • The Michigan Economic Development Corporation and Let’s Grow Michigan.
  • The Michigan Energy Innovation Business Council.
  • The Michigan Public Service Commission.
  • The Michigan State Housing Development Authority.
  • The Nature Conservancy in Michigan.
  • The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians.

Conference attendees also may register for a “matchmaking” session from 1:15-2:15 p.m. April 23 to connect communities, solar developers, contractors, workforce organizations, and technical assistance providers for networking in advance of the release of a request for proposals for the MI Solar for All pilot.

About the MI Healthy Climate Plan

The state’s MI Healthy Climate Plan positions Michigan as a climate action leader and focuses on actions to spur economic development and create good-paying jobs, lower energy and transportation costs for working families and businesses, work toward energy independence, mitigate the worst impacts of climate change, improve public health, and protect natural resources and wildlife. Its overarching goal is 100% carbon neutrality for Michigan by 2050.

Seaholm has a new Baseball Coach

Seaholm has a new Baseball Coach

Seaholm has a new Baseball Coach.

Written Tuesday April 1st at 1:40 PM

The Maples have a new baseball coach according to the MHSAA website.

Seaholm named Steve Oshinsky their new head coach. He takes over for John Toth who stepped down after nine years coaching the program.

Toth led the Maples to a 24-11 record last season and his best season was a 26-5 record with a Division One State Regional Semifinal appearance. He was 29-48 in his seven years but 50-16 his final two years.

It will be very interesting to see what Oshinsky does with Seaholm after the success they have had recently.

Stay tuned to OAA Now for the latest on this developing story.

Seaholm Baseball website MHSAA

https://www.mhsaa.com/schools/seaholm/boys/varsity/baseball/2024

Seaholm has a new Baseball Coach

Waterford Kettering has a new Boys Basketball Coach

Waterford Kettering has a new Boys Basketball Coach.

Written Monday March 31st at 8:38 PM

Waterford Kettering has their new boys basketball coach as they are about to enter the OAA this winter.

The Captains named Rex Walters as their new boys basketball coach.

“Big thank you to AD Shayne Hynes, Principal Ben Harwood, and Waterford district AD Alison Sartorius and the search committee for the opportunity to work with the young men at Waterford Kettering. Excited to get to work and get back on the Basketball Court” Walters said on X.

Walters takes over for Coach Steve Emert who stepped down earlier in the month. Emert went 9-81 in his four years with the Captains which also went 2-44 in the last two years.

Walters will have an experienced team in Jordan Jarrell, Gustas Garbenis, Haiden Bigelow, Braycen Harrington, Dylan Hamel, Josh Wagner, Jessie Redick, Brycen Land, Jack Buczek and Katim Jallow coming back.

Walters is the father of former Adams standout Gunner Walters and Clarkston standout Ace Walters.

He played at Northwestern and Kansas and played in the NBA for ten years with the Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, and the Miami Heat. He coached the Detroit Pistons G-League team in Grand Rapids along with assistant coaching jobs with the New Orleans Pelicans and served as an assistant at Nevada and at Wake Forest. He was also the acting head coach for a time at Florida Atlantic and San Francisco according to MIPrepZone’s Matt Mowery.

This looks to be a home run hire with Walters taking over the program. Waterford Kettering is in a long rebuild and entering a new league is going to be a challenge. It will be very interesting to see what Walters does with the Captains.

Stay tuned to OAA Now for the latest on the developing story.

 

Walters Tweet on X

https://x.com/CoachRexWalters/status/1906846531304456534

 

MIPrepZone Story.

https://www.theoaklandpress.com/2025/03/31/kettering-hires-former-college-nba-player-coach-rex-walters-as-boys-hoops-coach/?utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_medium=social&utm_content=tw-MIPrepZone&utm_source=twitter.com

Consumers Energy Announces New Electric Rate Hike

Consumers Energy Announces New Electric Rate Hike

Michigan Department of Attorney General Press Release banner

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 1, 2025

Media Contact:
Danny Wimmer

Consumers Energy Announces New Electric Rate Hike Case Just 7 Days Following Approval of $154 Million Increase

LANSING— Today, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel recommits to Michigan utility ratepayers her pledge to intervene in every rate case before the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC), as Consumers Energy announced a new electric rate hike request on Friday— just seven days following the approval of their latest rate hike and one week before that rate hike takes effect on April 4.

By law, utility companies can only file rate hike requests once every 12 months, as measured from the day they file their rate hike application. Friday’s filed announcement comes 364 days since the filed announcement in Consumers’ last rate hike case, and their intended application date of June 2 would come a mere 366 days since they filed their last rate hike application.

“By allowing Consumers Energy and DTE to file a new rate hike every twelve months, the State is allowing these billion-dollar businesses to ask for more and more before anyone can even gauge the impact of the previous rate hike,” said Nessel. “Meaning they’re back asking for more money before anybody knows if their proposed investments made any difference in reliability or affordability for customers.”

While it remains unknown how many additional millions of dollars Consumers Energy will seek to bill from their customers in this upcoming rate hike request, the utility corporation opened their previous cases seeking to hike residential electric rates by 8.2% in 2024 and nearly 5% in 2023. A summary of Consumers Energy’s new rate hike request is expected to be filed before the formal application, which the corporation indicates it will file in June.

“Consumers Energy just got the green-light to raise electric rates, and one week later they’re back with their hands out before putting any of their new earnings to work for their customers,” Nessel continued. “My office will continue to hold Consumers Energy and DTE accountable before the Commission, and expose again and again the unjustifiable costs they try, perennially, to foist upon their bill-paying customers.”

In January, the MPSC approved DTE’s latest rate hike, which will allow the utility corporation to bill electric customers an additional $217 million annually, though the efforts of Attorney General Nessel were successful in slashing that rate hike in half. DTE has already indicated to the MPSC (PDF) they intend to file their next electric rate hike request next month. In addition to DTE’s filed notice for their upcoming electric rate hike request (U-21860), Consumers Energy has an open natural gas rate hike request before the commission as well (U-21806).

The Attorney General has saved Michigan consumers more than $3.7 billion by intervening in utility cases before the MPSC. Consumers Energy sells electricity to approximately 1.9 million customers throughout Michigan and natural gas to 1.8 million customers across the state.