Take steps to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning

by orionontv | Nov 2, 2023 | Health and Wellness

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Nov. 2, 2023

CONTACT: Lynn Sutfin, 517-241-2112, Sutfinl1@michigan.gov

MDHHS reminds Michigan residents to take
steps to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning
Families urged to check fuel burning appliances, install carbon monoxide
detectors as they turn back clocks for daylight saving time change

LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) urges Michigan residents to prevent carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning by installing CO detectors and making sure fuel burning appliances are properly working when turning back the clocks for the end of daylight saving time Sunday, Nov. 5.

CO is known as the “silent killer” as it is a colorless, odorless and tasteless poisonous gas. Most CO poisonings take place at home and are caused by items that are not properly installed, cared for or vented, including furnaces, water heaters, generators, gas grills, dryers, lanterns, space heaters, fireplaces, chimneys and gas stoves. CO is a gas that forms whenever a fossil fuel is burned (charcoal, wood, propane, gasoline, etc.).

“Carbon monoxide (CO) detectors save lives,” said State Fire Marshal Kevin Sehlmeyer. “It is imperative that you have a functioning CO detector on every level of your home, and near every sleeping area.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that each year approximately 100,000 people across the country visit the emergency department for accidental CO poisoning. In 2020, the latest year that data are available from the MDHHS Michigan Environmental Public Health Tracking Program (MiTracking), there were 672 Michigan emergency department visits for CO poisoning.

CO poisoning can be prevented by practicing the safety tips listed below and knowing the symptoms of exposure. At high levels, CO can cause death within minutes. If you suspect you may be experiencing CO poisoning, or your CO detector alarm goes off, go outside immediately for fresh air, and THEN call 911.

“Symptoms of carbon monoxide exposure include headache, dizziness, fatigue, shortness of breath, confusion and nausea,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive. “If you think you have been exposed, it is important to get into an area with fresh air immediately and seek medical attention.”

To protect yourself and your family from CO, follow these safety tips:

Make sure you have working CO detectors. Detectors on every level of your home, including the basement and near sleeping areas, are strongly recommended. Detectors can be purchased at most hardware and big box stores.
Change batteries every six months (fall and spring) and replace your CO detector every five years or according to manufacturer’s instructions. Daylight saving time is a good time each year to replace the batteries in your CO detector and push the “Test” button to be sure it’s working properly.
Where you have fuel burning devices, use a CO detector. Having a CO detector handy when using tents, cabins, RVs, and boats with enclosed cabins is a good safety practice.

Have your furnace or wood-burning stove inspected every year. Hire a professional to make sure it is functionally sound and vents properly outside the home.

Generators should be run at a safe distance (at least 20 feet) from the home. Never run a generator in the home, garage or right next to windows, doors or other enclosed spaces.
Never run a car in an enclosed space. If a vehicle is running in the garage, the garage door must be fully open to allow harmful fumes to escape.

Never run a gasoline or propane heater or charcoal, gas or wood grill inside your home or in any enclosed space, including a garage.

Visit Michigan.gov/MiTracking for more information and data about CO poisoning.

OC Animal Shelter and Pet Adoption Center Expands Hours

by orionontv | Nov 2, 2023 | Regional News

Oakland County Animal Shelter and Pet Adoption Center Expands Hours for Public to Adopt Pets

Post Date:11/02/2023 10:04 AM

Oakland County Animal Shelter and Pet Adoption Center is now open Saturdays and later Tuesdays and Thursdays.
County Executive Dave Coulter’s administration worked with the Board of Commissioners to hire four additional employees to support the additional hours that the pet adoption center is open.
For more information about adopting a pet, go to www.oakgov.com/petadoption.

Pontiac, Mich. – Oakland County Animal Shelter and Pet Adoption Center is now open on Saturdays and expanding its hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays to make it more accessible and convenient for people to adopt a pet or purchase a dog license.

The shelter has an unprecedented number of dogs and cats that need loving homes. In response, County Executive Dave Coulter’s administration worked with the Board of Commissioners to hire four additional employees to support the additional hours that the pet adoption center is open.

“There’s no better time to get a friend for life than right now,” said Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter. “We want to make it as convenient and accessible as possible for residents to head to the Pet Adoption Center and check out all the great dogs and cats, who are patiently awaiting their forever home.”

Beginning Nov. 4, Oakland County Animal Shelter and Pet Adoption Center will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. In addition, the pet adoption center will be open until 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting Nov. 7.

“We believe that by being open to the public on Saturdays and later two days during the week, we will enable the public to have additional opportunities to come to the shelter to interact with our adoptable pets and hopefully pick out a furever loving addition to their family,” said Bob Gatt, shelter manager.

Currently, there are at least 125 dogs and more than 80 cats available at the pet adoption center.

Dog licenses for 2024 are available beginning Dec. 1. Proof of a current rabies vaccine is required to purchase a license. The shelter is offering free rabies vaccines every Tuesday morning from 9 a.m. until noon when the pet owner purchases a license at the same time.

The Oakland County Animal Shelter and Pet Adoption Center is located at 1200 N. Telegraph Road, Bldg. 42E, in Pontiac on the county government campus. To contact the pet adoption center, call 248-858-1070 or email petadoption@oakgov.com. For more information about adopting a pet, go to www.oakgov.com/petadoption.

MDARD Announces Grant Opportunity

by orionontv | Oct 31, 2023 | Agriculture

For immediate release: October 31, 2023
Program contact: Andria McCubbin, 517-599-5748
Media contact: Jennifer Holton, 517-284-5724

MDARD Announces Grant Opportunity to Support Michigan’s Horticulture Businesses

Proposals must be received via email no later than November 22, 2023

LANSING – The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) announced today it is accepting grant proposals for the 2024 Horticulture Fund designed to support Michigan’s nursery and ornamental horticulture businesses. Proposals must be received no later than Wednesday, November 22, 2023, with the maximum grant award of $20,000.

All faculty and staff members of universities and colleges in Michigan are eligible to receive funding, as well as teams of university/college investigators and private individuals. University or college personnel must be the Principal Investigator of the proposal.

While eligible projects for grant consideration can be either new or ongoing, all proposals must fall under one of three funding categories:

Applied Research: Crop management systems that enhance industry profitability while being environmentally and socially responsible and provide long-term benefits to Michigan’s nursery and ornamental horticulture industry.
Basic Research: Research generating knowledge that can be used to address contemporary problems and/or enable the future development and implementation of improved techniques or processes.
Outreach/Training/Demonstration: Activities focused on assisting Michigan’s nursery and ornamental horticultural industries.

Proposals must be received via email at MDARD-NurseryCE@Michigan.gov no later than Wednesday, November 22, 2023. Applications and grant guidelines are available online.

Proposals will be reviewed by the Horticulture Fund Advisory Committee, which are appointed by MDARD’s Director. Grant recipients plan to be announced in May 2024.

For additional information about MDARD’s Pesticide and Plant Pest Management Division, visit www.michigan.gov/mdard/plant-pest.

Clean Boats, Clean Waters grant applications now open

by orionontv | Oct 30, 2023 | Environmental

Michigan Invasive Species Program banner

News Release

The following news release was issued earlier this week by Michigan State University Extension.

Contact: Kelsey Bockelman or Paige Filice, Michigan State University Extension

Michigan Clean Boats, Clean Waters grant applications now open!

$35,000 is available for Michigan organizations dedicated to aquatic invasive species education and outreach.

For the fourth year running, the Michigan Clean Boats, Clean Waters program has grant funding available to support aquatic invasive species outreach efforts. This opportunity is for Michigan organizations dedicated to the protection of our waterways including lake associations, local units of government, and non-profit organizations. This year, up to $35,000 is available to engage the Michigan boating community in invasive species prevention actions.

Seven people stand next to a sign on the edge of a parking lot preparing to cut a ribbon held in front of them.

Funding requests can be up to $3,000 each and do not require local match or cost sharing. Clean Boats, Clean Waters grants can be used for a variety of activities including signage, invasive species supplies such as plant removal tools, sponges and towels, and staff time to perform watercraft inspections and demonstrations of boat cleaning techniques. Eligible applicants include lake associations, watershed groups, local or tribal units of government and non-profits. Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas (CISMAs) and organizations with a statewide impact are highly encouraged to support local groups or pursue Michigan Invasive Species Grant Program funds to perform boater outreach activities.

Interested groups can apply for a grant now on the Clean Boats, Clean Waters website. The deadline to apply is January 19, 2024. This is a competitive funding opportunity and complete applications will be ranked based on group eligibility, project significance, anticipated outcomes, and target audiences. Accepted grantees will be notified in March of their award.

Over the last three years Clean Boats, Clean Waters has awarded 31 grants to lake associations, watershed groups, high schools, local units of government, and nonprofit organizations to educate the public about aquatic invasive species. Below are some examples of their projects.

The Elk-Skegemog Lakes Association, located at the tripoint of Antrim, Grand Traverse, and Kalkaska Counties, installed Clean Boats, Clean Waters Decontamination Station signs and distributed education materials around Elk and Skegemog Lakes. The lake association hosted invasive species education events and partnered with the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council to host boat washing demonstrations.
The Alger Conservation District, in partnership with the Lake to Lake Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area and Burt and Au Train Townships, installed interpretive signs at public boat and kayak launches on the Au Train River and at the Burt Township Marina. In addition, a Clean Boats, Clean Waters Decontamination Station sign was installed at the marina for residents and visitors. The Conservation District and partners also hosted outreach events to educate the public about relevant invasive species and conducted boat and kayak decontamination demonstrations.
The Kalkaska Conservation District partnered with Coldsprings Township and Manistee Lake Association to install a Clean Boats, Clean Waters Decontamination Station sign and display educational messaging near the boat launch at Manistee Lake Sands Park. In addition, the Conservation District sponsored paid advertising about clean boating practices in local media and hosted outreach events during busy weekends.

Michigan Clean Boats, Clean Waters Program

Michigan State University Extension is leading the effort to implement the Clean Boats, Clean Waters program in cooperation with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy. Since 2006 the Clean Boats, Clean Waters program has been educating Michigan boaters about aquatic invasive species with trained volunteer boat inspectors. The program has grown into a comprehensive aquatic invasive species boater outreach program thanks to funding from EGLE.

Clean Boats, Clean Waters promotes understanding of boat cleaning practices and regulations through the distribution of educational materials, an online resource library, boat washing demonstrations, grants, and partnerships. The program builds upon existing partnerships with statewide and local organizations including the Michigan Lakes and Streams Association, CISMAs, and lake associations and is actively seeking new opportunities and partners to share the clean, drain, dry message.

More information on Clean Boats, Clean Waters can be found on the MSU Extension website, Facebook (@MichiganCBCW), or Instagram (@michigan_cbcw).

Questions about the Clean Boats, Clean Waters program and this grant funding opportunity can be directed to Kelsey Bockelman.

An infographic announcing "Invasive Species Funding Available" below two lakefront photos.

Michigan’s Invasive Species Program is cooperatively implemented by the Michigan Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development; Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy; and Natural Resources.

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

High school: 2022 grantees show off parts of their grant projects from a few summers ago! East Jordan High School (Left) displays their new aquatic invasive species decontamination sign. Photo Credit: East Jordan High School.

Grant: CBCW grant announcement infographic available for use in publications or social media. Courtesy of MSU Extension.

Week Ten Thoughts

by orionontv | Oct 30, 2023 | Feature Writers, High School Sports

Week Ten Thoughts.

Written Saturday October 28th at 10:05 AM

Harper Woods: The Pioneers needed a strong fourth quarter to beat Croswell-Lexington 20-13 on Friday night. Harper Woods trailed 13-6 after three quarters but the offense came alive with Stephone Buford scoring three total touchdowns (two air, one rush) including a winning 20 yard pass to Ramonty House. The Pioneers held Croswell-Lexington to zero second half points. Harper Woods has Marysville looming next week.

Avondale: The Yellow Jackets had a hard fought game with Holly on Friday night winning 34-24 at Dick Bye Field. Tyler Herzog was solid for Avondale and the ground game was also solid. They have a big one looming with Walled Lake Western next week.

Seaholm: The Maples have beaten Groves two straight weeks winning a Big Twelve shootout 56-49 on Friday night. Seaholm built a 35-7 halftime lead only to see Groves try and attempt to comeback but the Maples held on just enough to win. Colton Kinnie was dominant on the air and in the ground throwing to Louie Sullivan and Jack Lewis also found the end zone as well. Kinnie was responsible for five touchdowns in the game. Seaholm will have Waterford Mott or Livonia Franklin at home next week.

Groves: The Falcons saw Seaholm ruin their season in the last two weeks. The Maples won 56-49 in a wild shootout. Cayden Hardy did everything he could but the first half did not help Groves as they allowed 35 points. They won the second half 42-14 but it wasn’t enough. The Falcons lose Hardy to graduation but have the majority of their team coming back next season.

Southfield Arts and Tech: The Warriors had no problem with Dearborn Fordson winning 38-14 on Friday night. Isiah Marshall was solid for Southfield Arts and Tech. The Warriors defense played well limiting Dearborn Fordson all night. They have a big one looming with Detroit Cass Tech next week.

Adams: It was a rough night for the Highlanders on Friday night in the Swamp as they fell 42-14 to West Bloomfield. Adams had a rough night on both sides of the football. Rino Watters was picked off twice and was injured. Brady Prieskorn also got hurt in the game as well. It’s a rough way to go out for the Highlanders but Coach Patritto has an experienced group led by Watters coming back next season.

West Bloomfield: The Lakers showed their dominance in a shocking 42-14 blowout of Adams on Friday night at the Swamp. West Bloomfield had three interceptions and the offense had their moments of greatness. The Lakers have a big test looming when they head to Sweinhart to play Utica Eisenhower next week.

Clarkston: The Wolves stars showed out in a big way on Friday night with Clarkston winning 33-10 over Romeo and snapping a three game losing streak in the process. The Wolves defense really stood out against a team that had equally played a brutal schedule. Desman Stephens had a 55 yard reverse touchdown, Brady Collins had his best game at quarterback on varsity of the season. He added a 14 yard passing touchdown and the Bowman twins combined for three rushing touchdowns. Clarkston has Lake Orion looming next week.

Oxford: The Wildcats were overwhelmed on Friday night by a potent Lake Orion offense falling 58-26. Oxford gave up 44 points in the first half which was shocking. Luke Johnson added a rushing touchdown. Jack Hendrix was solid throwing an early score to Jay Cady. The Wildcats were very young this season and have been through a lot. They will be back for sure next season.

Lake Orion: The Dragons offense was dominant on Friday night against their arch rivals from Oxford in a 58-26 win over the Wildcats. TR Hill was dominant in both passing and running the football. Billy Roberson had a solid night as well. Lake Orion put 44 points in the first half. The defense has been a concern in the last two weeks allowing 54 points. They have a big one looming with Clarkston next week.

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