by Becky Andrus | Dec 1, 2020 | Regional News
| Every three minutes, a child is treated in a U.S. emergency room for a toy-related injury and because of this risk, it’s important to share a few tips on how to make informed decisions when shopping for loved ones this holiday season.
Since toys should be fun, educational and safe, this toy guide is a great tool to review before shopping for children this season and beyond.
Not only can you determine what has been recalled, but the guide also provides the steps you can take to ensure the product is repaired, replaced, or refunded. A complete list of recalled products can be found on the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) website.
If you have any questions about the information in this guide or a general consumer complaint, contact our Consumer Protection team by calling 877-765-8388 or file a complaint online.
Please have a safe holiday season!
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by Becky Andrus | Dec 1, 2020 | Regional News
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Nov. 30, 2020
CONTACT: Lynn Sutfin, 517-241-2112, SutfinL1@michigan.gov
MI HEARTSafe designation given to 111 schools for
2019-2020 school year during COVID-19 epidemic
596 schools receive designation over seven-year history
LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Departments of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and Education (MDE), American Heart Association, Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) and Michigan Alliance for Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death of the Young (MAP-SCDY) are recognizing 111 schools for the 2019-2020 school year for keeping up with preparedness efforts.
Even though school looks different this year with virtual or hybrid instruction, preparation for cardiac emergencies is still important. Since the MI HEARTSafe School Program began in 2013, 596 school buildings have been recognized. To receive a MI HEARTSafe School designation, schools must have:
- A written medical emergency response plan and team that can respond to an emergency during school hours and after-school activities and sports.
- Current CPR/AED certification of at least 10 percent of staff and 50 percent of coaches, including 100 percent of head varsity coaches and P.E. staff.
- Accessible, properly maintained and inspected AEDs with signs identifying locations.
- Annual cardiac emergency response drills.
- Pre-participation sports screening of all student athletes using the current physical and history form endorsed by MHSAA.
“Sudden cardiac death claims the lives of more than 300 Michigan children and young adults annually,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, MDHHS chief medical executive and chief deputy for health. “Although much of the focus this year has been on COVID-19, ensuring our schools are prepared for cardiac emergencies is still of vital importance and can save lives.
Keeping up with the MI HEARTSafe School criteria is vital for maintaining a safe environment even if school is not in session in the traditional form. Resources to help meet the criteria during the COVID-19 pandemic is available on the MI HEARTSafe School website. MAP-SCDY will also be hosting a virtual workshop to educate schools on how to become a MI HEARTSafe School including program implementation, tips on how to perform virtual drills and more.
“Whether or not students and staff are in schools or are teaching and learning at a distance, it’s essential to prepare to respond to sudden cardiac emergencies,” said State Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice. “Schools that train staff so that the schools become Michigan’s HEARTSafe schools provide an extra measure of safety for their students and staff.”
This is MI HEARTSafe Schools program’s seventh year. The designation lasts for three years, and this year 10 schools received their third MI HEARTSafe award. Currently, 476 schools are designated as MI HEARTSafe Schools.
A list of participating schools is available online. For more information about the MI HEARTSafe Schools program, visit Migrc.org/miheartsafe or email MDHHS-MI-HEARTSafe@michigan.gov.
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by Becky Andrus | Nov 30, 2020 | Regional News
Media Contacts:
Ryan Jarvi
(c) 517-599-2746
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Monday, Nov. 30, 2020
Nessel Joins Effort to Urge Congress to Pass Extension for CARES Act Funding as Pandemic Impacts Economy
LANSING – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has joined a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general representing 43 states, the District of Columbia and five U.S. territories urging Congress to extend the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economy (CARES) Act funding until the end of 2021.
The coalition sent a letter today to Congress urging members to extend the Dec. 30, 2020, deadline.
“The CARES Act has provided needed financial support to our communities during this particularly difficult period in our nation’s history, and given the current status of the pandemic, that assistance will be needed well into the new year,” Nessel said. “As our country continues to face the challenges presented by COVID-19, we must make every effort to work together toward recovery, and Congress has the opportunity to do exactly that by extending this deadline.”
With several pending measures, including bipartisan extension measures in both the House and Senate, the attorneys general urge Congress to pass one of these measures to give states and local communities additional time to utilize the COVID-relief resources.
COVID-19 has negatively impacted nearly every facet of American society. In anticipation of unprecedented costs and economic disruption stemming from the pandemic, Congress passed the CARES Act in March. The move provided more than $2 trillion in economic stimulus to state and local governments in an effort to combat the impacts of the pandemic.
One of the restrictions placed on the funding, however, limits the money’s use to expenses incurred between March 1, 2020, and Dec. 30, 2020.
“This time frame likely made sense in late March when the CARES Act was passed, but we have learned a great deal about COVID-19 in the past seven months,” the letter states. “Among other things, we know that the pandemic will continue to challenge communities well beyond December 30, 2020 – a deadline that now seems unreasonable.”
As the pandemic continues to set record infections, states and local communities will continue to incur COVID-related expenses next year. By extending the deadline, communities nationwide will be able to be more strategic with the use of CARES Act funds, the attorneys general said.
In signing the letter, Nessel joins the attorneys general in: Alaska, American Samoa, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virgin Islands, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
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by Becky Andrus | Nov 30, 2020 | Recreation
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News Digest – Week of Nov. 30, 2020
Use one of these wonderful winter scenes from the DNR for your next virtual meeting.
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| Here’s a look at some of this week’s stories from the 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 the images used below, and additional ones, are available in this folder.
 Explore Michigan’s winter wonders in December while hunting for ruffed grouse or pheasants. Beginning Tuesday, the late ruffed grouse season and Zone 3 pheasant season will be open through Jan. 1, 2021.
The December pheasant hunting season is open only in select portions of Zone 3 (see the map on page 55 of the 2020 Hunting Digest) and pheasant hunters may bag two male pheasants a day. Pheasant hunters need a free pheasant/sharp-tailed grouse endorsement on their hunting license, unless hunting pheasant only on hunting preserves.
Want to become a ruffed grouse and American woodcock cooperator? Download the cooperator report and tell us about days spent afield and what flush rates were like. This information provides an indicator of the hunting season and population trends for grouse and woodcock.
For more information on the 2020 pheasant and ruffed grouse season regulations and dates, see the 2020 Hunting Digest available at Michigan.gov/DNRDigests.
Questions? Contact Rachel Leightner at 517-243-5813. |
 Whether you’re at home or visiting a nearby natural area, wintertime provides plenty of opportunities to observe birds across Michigan. Our open lakes and rivers have turned into a cornucopia of waterfowl and water bird activity. Northern finches, sparrows and owls are descending upon forests and suburbs, and woodlands and grasslands provide winter cover and seeds for birds like the dark-eyed junco, white-throated sparrow and American tree sparrow.
You can contribute to community science, too, by joining a bird count this winter. With bird populations in decline since the 1960s, it is increasingly important that scientists and land managers understand all aspects of a bird’s life cycle. Winter bird counts help scientists track bird movements, assess bird population health and guide meaningful conservation action. There are a few ways to get involved in a winter bird count near you: |
 Participate in Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count
The CBC is the longest running community science bird census in North America. For more than a century, birders and volunteers have braved snow, wind and occasional rain to take part in this early-winter bird census. Join a local count, which will take place over a 24-hour period between Dec. 14 and Jan. 5. Explore the interactive CBC map to join a Christmas Bird Count near you!
Keep in mind that the COVID-19 pandemic will affect CBC participation. Pending local restrictions, many counts will be done under the COVID-19 guidelines sent to compilers, while others likely could be canceled. See the map for current information.
Join a Winter FeederWatch Count
If you have a bird feeder visible from a window at your home or office, you’re ready to participate in a winter feeder survey, taking place now through April 2021. Monitor your bird feeder as often as you’d like. Participation is easy, and all age levels and birding skills are welcome.
MI Birds is a public outreach program presented by Audubon Great Lakes and the DNR, aimed at increasing all Michiganders’ engagement in the understanding, care and stewardship of the public lands that are important for birds and local communities. Follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Questions? Contact Erin Rowan at 313-820-0809. |
 A snowy, lantern-lit trail, a cardinal’s crimson plumage, ice-bejeweled berries and more – these scenes, found in the DNR’s collection of virtual videoconferencing backgrounds, can brighten the backdrop for your next virtual call. They’ll add some charm and beauty next time you’re meeting by screen with friends, family or colleagues.
With these new additions, you can enjoy the wonders of winter while remaining cozy indoors – or get inspired to go out and try a new winter activity like snowshoeing, winter hiking or fat-tire biking. Browse the gallery, which is available at Michigan.gov/DNRPressRoom in the Photos and Videos section.
In addition to their visual appeal, virtual backgrounds serve a practical purpose. When you’re meeting online with people outside your immediate contacts, security experts recommend using virtual backgrounds to obscure details of your home and surroundings. Steps to enable and upload backgrounds in a Zoom account are available on the Zoom virtual background support page. The high-resolution images should be compatible with other virtual meeting platforms, too, and can be used as computer backgrounds.
Questions? Contact Beth Fults at 517-284-6071. |
 This year marks the 30-year anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The landmark civil rights legislation – which the U.S. Department of Justice said prohibits disability discrimination and guarantees that people with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else to participate in the mainstream of American life – was patterned after the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on color, race, sex, religion or national origin.
In case you missed it, to commemorate the signing of this important legislation, the DNR recently released a video exploring the expansion of accessible recreation in Michigan and capturing testimonials from officials, staff and residents about these evolving opportunities and the hard work and drive that got us to this point. Read the full Showcasing the DNR story for more information. |
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Too early to think about Memorial Day camping? We don’t think so! The six-month window for reservations is open, so start thinking ahead and book your favorite spots soon. |
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| DNR COVID-19 RESPONSE: For details on affected DNR facilities and services, visit this webpage. Follow state actions and guidelines at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus. |
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