Invasive Balsam woolly adelgid confirmed in Missaukee County

by orionontv | Sep 26, 2023 | Environmental

Michigan Invasive Species Program banner

News Release

The following news release was issued earlier today by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

For immediate release: September 26, 2023
Program contact: Rob Miller 517-614-0454
Media contact: Jennifer Holton, 517-284-5724

Invasive balsam woolly adelgid confirmed in Missaukee County

Second detection of this pest in Michigan

Lansing, MI – The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) verified the detection of invasive balsam woolly adelgid (BWA) at a residential property in Missaukee County. The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed a sample taken from the site as positive for balsam woolly adelgid, making Missaukee the second county in Michigan to have a confirmed infestation.

The trunk of a large fir tree with areas of small, white tufts indicating the presence of invasive balsam woolly adelgid.

“The infestation was found by a consulting forester who was working with the landowner. We don’t known how balsam woolly adelgid was introduced to this site, but early detection is a fundamental component of successful response efforts,” said Mike Philip, Director of MDARD’s Pesticide and Plant Pest Management Division. “MDARD and its partner agencies have begun survey work to determine the extent of the infestation.”

This is the second detection of balsam woolly adelgid in Michigan. The pest was found near Rockford in Kent County in 2021. The site was treated, and survey efforts are ongoing to ensure successful eradication.

Balsam woolly adelgid is a tiny, sap-feeding insect that attacks true fir trees, including balsam, Fraser and concolor (white) fir. The pest is on Michigan’s Invasive Species Watch List because repeated attacks from the pest weaken trees, cause twig gouting, kill branches and, over the course of many years, cause trees to decline or die.

Symptoms of balsam woolly adelgid infestation include:

Tiny one-to-two-millimeter white woolly tufts on the lower trunk of the tree and possibly on large branches in the spring and summer.
Swelling and distortion of the twigs, commonly called “gout.”
Flagging – A branch or branches that turn brick-red and die.
Tree crowns that become narrow and misshapen with few needles.

Although not native to Michigan, Fraser and concolor fir trees are often planted on home landscapes. Balsam fir is native to the Upper Peninsula and Northern Lower Peninsula but also found throughout the state in residential and park settings.

“This invasive insect is a significant threat to the nearly 1.9 billion balsam fir trees populating Michigan’s forests,” said Philip. “And, as the third largest Christmas tree-growing state in the country, Michigan produces nearly 13.5 million fir trees each year, which are susceptible to balsam woolly adelgid.”

In 2014, MDARD implemented a balsam woolly adelgid quarantine regulating the movement of potentially infested nursery stock into Michigan from areas in North America with known infestations.

“MDARD relies on the public to help be our extra eyes in the landscape for invasive species; early detection and response are crucial to our efforts to protect the state’s natural resources,” added Philip. “Michiganders can also help prevent the spread of invasive species by leaving firewood at home and buying it where you burn it, cleaning gear and vehicles before hitting the road, and reporting suspected invasive species.”

If Michiganders suspect this invasive pest is damaging fir trees, they should take photos, note the location, and report it to the Midwest Invasive Species Information Network or MDARD at MDAInfo@michigan.gov or call 800-292-3939. For more information on balsam woolly adelgid and other invasive species in Michigan, visit Michigan.gov/Invasives.

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

/Note to editors: The accompanying photo is available below for download. Suggested caption follows.

BWA trunk: A fir tree in Missaukee County with clusters of small, white tufts indicative of invasive balsam woolly adelgid. MDARD photo.
Link to the MDARD BWA Forest Pest alert

AG & FTC Sue Amazon for Illegally Maintaining Monopoly Power

by orionontv | Sep 26, 2023 | Regional News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

September 26, 2023

Media Contact:
Danny Wimmer

Attorney General Nessel and the FTC Sue Amazon for Illegally Maintaining Monopoly Power

Lawsuit contends Amazon’s ongoing pattern of illegal conduct blocks competition, allowing it to wield monopoly power to inflate prices, degrade quality, and stifle innovation for consumers and businesses

LANSING – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and 16 other state attorneys general today sued Amazon.com, Inc. alleging that the online retail and technology company is a monopolist that uses a set of interlocking anticompetitive and unfair strategies to illegally maintain its monopoly power. The FTC and its state partners say Amazon’s actions allow it to stop rivals and sellers from lowering prices, degrade quality for shoppers, overcharge sellers, stifle innovation, and prevent rivals from fairly competing against Amazon.

“The illegal monopolistic practices of the behemoth Amazon hurt both its own customers and its marketplace sellers, many of whom are small businesses.” said Nessel. “Amazon has taken improper steps to dominate all other online superstores and online marketplaces, decreased competition, and raised prices for everyday shoppers. The free market is meant to work for both buyers and sellers, and Amazon has corrupted the market in its favor.”

The complaint alleges that Amazon violates the law not because it is big, but because it engages in a course of exclusionary conduct that prevents current competitors from growing and new competitors from emerging. By stifling competition on price, product selection, quality, and by preventing its current or future rivals from attracting a critical mass of shoppers and sellers, Amazon ensures that no current or future rival can threaten its dominance. Amazon’s far-reaching schemes impact hundreds of billions of dollars in retail sales every year, touch hundreds of thousands of products sold by businesses big and small and affect over a hundred million shoppers.

“Our complaint lays out how Amazon has used a set of punitive and coercive tactics to unlawfully maintain its monopolies,” said FTC Chair Lina M. Khan. “The complaint sets forth detailed allegations noting how Amazon is now exploiting its monopoly power to enrich itself while raising prices and degrading service for the tens of millions of American families who shop on its platform and the hundreds of thousands of businesses that rely on Amazon to reach them. Today’s lawsuit seeks to hold Amazon to account for these monopolistic practices and restore the lost promise of free and fair competition.”

“We’re bringing this case because Amazon’s illegal conduct has stifled competition across a huge swath of the online economy. Amazon is a monopolist that uses its power to hike prices on American shoppers and charge sky-high fees on hundreds of thousands of online sellers,” said John Newman, Deputy Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition. “Seldom in the history of U.S. antitrust law has one case had the potential to do so much good for so many people.”

The FTC and states allege Amazon’s anticompetitive conduct occurs in two markets—the online superstore market that serves shoppers and the market for online marketplace services purchased by sellers. These tactics include:

Anti-discounting measures that punish sellers and deter other online retailers from offering prices lower than Amazon, keeping prices higher for products across the internet. For example, if Amazon discovers that a seller is offering lower-priced goods elsewhere, Amazon can bury discounting sellers so far down in Amazon’s search results that they become effectively invisible.
Conditioning sellers’ ability to obtain “Prime” eligibility for their products—a virtual necessity for doing business on Amazon—on sellers using Amazon’s costly fulfillment service, which has made it substantially more expensive for sellers on Amazon to also offer their products on other platforms. This unlawful coercion has in turn limited competitors’ ability to effectively compete against Amazon.

Amazon’s illegal, exclusionary conduct makes it impossible for competitors to gain a foothold. With its amassed power across both the online superstore market and online marketplace services market, Amazon extracts enormous monopoly rents from everyone within its reach. This includes:

Degrading the customer experience by replacing relevant, organic search results with paid advertisements—and deliberately increasing junk ads that worsen search quality and frustrate both shoppers seeking products and sellers who are promised a return on their advertising purchase.
Biasing Amazon’s search results to preference Amazon’s own products over ones that Amazon knows are of better quality.
Charging costly fees on the hundreds of thousands of sellers that currently have no choice but to rely on Amazon to stay in business. These fees range from a monthly fee sellers must pay for each item sold, to advertising fees that have become virtually necessary for sellers to do business. Combined, all of these fees force many sellers to pay close to 50% of their total revenues to Amazon. These fees harm not only sellers but also shoppers, who pay increased prices for thousands of products sold on or off Amazon.

The FTC, along with Michigan and its other state partners, are seeking a permanent injunction in federal court that would prohibit Amazon from engaging in its unlawful conduct and pry loose Amazon’s monopolistic control to restore competition.

Joining Michigan and the FTC on the lawsuit are Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin. The Commission vote to authorize staff to file for a permanent injunction and other equitable relief in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington was 3-0.

MDHHS: Available COVID-19 testing options

by orionontv | Sep 26, 2023 | Health and Wellness

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sept. 26, 2023

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

MDHHS alerts Michiganders about available COVID-19 testing options

LANSING, Mich. – As fall season begins, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) encourages Michiganders to get free COVID-19 at-home tests through the federal government’s COVID-19 tests website and provides additional information about state-specific testing resources.

As of Monday, Sept. 25, all U.S. residents are able to go to COVIDTests.gov to sign up to receive up to four free at-home tests per household delivered via the U.S. Postal Service.

For Michiganders who are thinking about plans for on-site testing, Michigan.gov/COVIDTest remains in place to assist in locating a testing location.

MDHHS also continues to partner with libraries across the state to provide free at-home COVID-19 tests to Michiganders. Click here for a list of participating libraries.

Private health insurers are no longer required to cover at-home COVID-19 tests, however information is available regarding eligibility and options for individuals with private insurance and Medicare. Under federal law, Medicaid and MIChild participants can obtain free at-home and laboratory COVID-19 tests through Sept. 30, 2024. Check with your insurer for the most up-to-date information for your specific plan.

“Testing continues to be a critical tool in managing the spread of COVID-19 and we encourage Michigan families to take advantage of the available free COVID tests to reduce the risk of spreading the virus to our loved ones and neighbors,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive. “It is important to test for COVID but to also consider other respiratory diseases, like RSV and influenza, as we head into fall and winter when these respiratory diseases spread most easily. Please stay home if you are sick, even if you have a negative COVID test.”

MDHHS encourages Michigan families to have a COVID plan that works for them. This may include keeping a supply of COVID-19 over-the-counter tests and well-fitting masks at home; getting the updated COVID-19 vaccine; and speaking to a health care provider about eligibility for therapeutics that reduce the risk of severe COVID-19 disease for those who test positive.

More information about MDHHS-sponsored testing is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus.

Boys Soccer Top 21

by orionontv | Sep 25, 2023 | Feature Writers, High School Sports

Boys Soccer Top 21.

Written Sunday September 24th at 11:40 PM

These are the top 21 according to History Now and Between Taormina co-host Anthony Taormina.

Berkley- Bears win over Oxford on the road gives them a ton of confidence.
Oxford- Wildcats win over Clarkston gives them confidence going into districts and possibly the Red.
Clarkston- Wolves loss to Oxford could be a good thing to motivate them for districts.
Troy Athens- Red Hawks are the consistent yardstick of the OAA.
Troy- Colts continuing to build heading into districts.
Adams- Highlanders could play spoiler in the Red.
Royal Oak- Ravens on track to win the White and possibly move up to the Red.
Bloomfield Hills- Blackhawks proving they are for real in the White.
Rochester- Falcons continue to improve despite playing Red schedule.
Seaholm- Maples beating on teams outside of the Red but very young team as seen with their Junior Varsity.
Lake Orion- Dragons continue to improve, strong showing against Red teams.
Avondale- The road to the Blue runs through Auburn Hills.
Groves- League title looks lost for the Falcons but they are one of the stalwarts in the White.
Stoney Creek- Must start winning league games if your the Cougars.
West Bloomfield- Lakers continue to improve in the White.
North Farmington- Raiders need some help if they want to win Blue.
Farmington- Falcons have difficult stretch coming up.
Ferndale- Eagles can play spoiler in the Blue.
Pontiac- Phoenix can play spoiler in the Blue.
Southfield Arts and Tech- Can Warriors improve after win over Oak Park???
Oak Park- Knights continue to improve.

at September 24, 2023 No comments:

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Saturday, September 23, 2023

Week Five Recap.

Written Saturday September 23rd at 3:40 PM

AROUND THE OAA TOP TEN-Week Five

Lake Orion
Southfield Arts and Tech
West Bloomfield
Avondale
Seaholm
Clarkston
Adams
Harper Woods
Groves
Pontiac

WEEK FIVE RECAP.

PONTIAC 34, BERKLEY 28.

FERNDALE 33, ROYAL OAK 14.

AVONDALE 25, OAK PARK 20.

NORTH FARMINGTON 24, TROY 6.

SEAHOLM 49, TROY ATHENS 14.

HARPER WOODS 49, BLOOMFIELD HILLS 0.

SOUTHFIELD ARTS AND TECH 46, FARMINGTON 0.

GROVES 42, ROCHESTER 7.

CLARKSTON 39, OXFORD 13

WEST BLOOMFIELD 36, ADAMS 32.

LAKE ORION 49, STONEY CREEK 28.

BEST WIN: Avondale: The Yellow Jackets earned a big 25-20 win over Oak Park on Friday night after scoring a touchdown with eight seconds left in the game after the Knights had taken the lead with 1:08 left in the game. Avondale has a ton of confidence right now which is a great sign. They have Royal Oak looming next week.

TOUGH LOSS: Adams: The Highlanders are getting better despite falling 36-32 on Friday night to West Bloomfield. Adams will be fine but they have a tough one looming with Lake Orion next week.

TEAM THAT NEEDS A HUG: Berkley: The Bears scored points, there is hope despite falling 34-28 to Pontiac on Friday night. Berkley has Ferndale looming next week.

VALENTI RANT: Troy: The Colts were exposed on Friday night as they fell 24-6 to North Farmington. Troy has scored six points against the Raiders. They have Seaholm looming next week.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME: Troy Athens: It was not a happy homecoming for the Red Hawks as they fell 49-14 to Seaholm on Friday night. Playoff dreams could be dashed right now. They have Pontiac looming next week.

Week Five Thoughts

by orionontv | Sep 25, 2023 | Feature Writers, High School Sports

Week Five Thoughts.

Written Saturday September 23rd at 3:30 PM

West Bloomfield: The Lakers had a really tough with Adams winning 36-32 on Friday night in the Swamp on their homecoming. Reqez Nance had a big game with three passing touchdowns but there are some concerns with the defense going forward for West Bloomfield. They have a big one with Clarkston looming next week.

Lake Orion: The Dragons had a hard fought game with Stoney Creek winning 49-28 on Friday night. Billy Roberson had four touchdowns and Andrew Parker had an interception and an onside kick score for Lake Orion. The Dragons have a big one looming with Adams next week.

Clarkston: The Wolves earned a 39-13 win over Oxford on Friday night. The offense had a great night especially Brady Collins whom was impressive on the night. Clarkston has a tough test looming with West Bloomfield next week.

Adams: The Highlanders had a tough loss to West Bloomfield 36-32 on Friday night in the Swamp. Adams has really grown in the past few weeks which is a great sign going forward. Ryan Watters looked solid as did Drew Heppner whom I thought played well against West Bloomfield. They have a big one with Lake Orion looming next week.

Oxford: The Wildcats had a tough night on their homecoming falling 39-13 to Clarkston on Friday night. Oxford needs to get things back in the right direction with a very good Stoney Creek team looming next week.

Stoney Creek: The Cougars had a tough one with Lake Orion falling 49-28 on Friday night. They got it to 28-21 in the fourth quarter but the Dragons got an onside kick return for a touchdown and things went south. Stoney Creek will be fine. They have a big one with Oxford looming next week.

Southfield Arts and Tech: The Warriors had no issue with Farmington winning 46-0 on Friday night. Isiah Marshall and Tashi Braceful had big games for Southfield Arts and Tech. They have Bloomfield Hills looming next week.

Harper Woods: The Pioneers have been dominant in the last two weeks including a 49-0 win over Bloomfield Hills on Saturday afternoon. Harper Woods has outscored their opponents by a 105-26 in the last two weeks. They have a big one looming with Groves next week.

Groves: The Falcons had no issue with Rochester on Friday night winning 42-7 on Friday night. Noah Sanders and Nick Hardy are names to know in Beverly Hills to go along with their proven experienced players. Groves has a big one looming when they head to Wayne County to play Harper Woods next week.

Farmington: The Falcons were blown out by Southfield Arts and Tech 46-0 on Friday night at Falcon Field. Cam Pettaway did not play as he got hurt in their game against Bloomfield Hills last week. Farmington has Rochester looming next week.

Bloomfield Hills: The Blackhawks were outmatched by Harper Woods on Saturday afternoon falling 49-0. Bloomfield Hills had a really tough time moving the ball against a stout Pioneers defense. The defense had a rough time as well. It does not get any easier for the Blackhawks as they have Southfield Arts and Tech looming next week.

Rochester: The Falcons were blown out by Groves 42-7 on Friday night. Rochester had a rough night on all phases. They have Farmington next week.

Seaholm: The Maples had no issue with Troy Athens on their homecoming winning 49-14 on Friday night. Colton Kinnie was dominant all night and the offense has scored 153 points in the last three weeks. Seaholm has a big one looming with Troy looming next week.

North Farmington: The Raiders earned a huge win over Troy winning 24-6 at Don Colt Stadium on Friday night. North Farmington is starting to put it together which is a great sign going forward. They have Oak Park looming next week.

Oak Park: The Knights had a tough loss to Avondale on Friday night falling 25-20 in Auburn Hills. Oak Park took the lead behind a 69 yard touchdown run from Artrell Guyton late but the defense could not get the stop late in the game. It’s no question that Oak Park has played much better despite this heartbreaking loss and they have some solid players in Guyton and Michael Jones whom both had monster games. They have North Farmington looming next week.

Troy: The Colts had a rough night with North Farmington at Don Colt Stadium winning 24-6 on Friday night. Troy’s offense has only scored six points in two years against the Raiders. It will be very interesting to see what the Colts have especially with Seaholm looming next week.

Troy Athens: The Red Hawks fell 49-14 to Seaholm on their homecoming on Friday night. Troy Athens has really struggled this season. They have Pontiac looming next week.

Ferndale: The Eagles bounced back by winning 33-14 over Royal Oak on Friday night. Cullen Hock had a nice game for Ferndale. They have Berkley looming next week.

Avondale: The Yellow Jackets earned a 25-20 win over Oak Park at Dick Bye Field on Friday night. Avondale dominated the game but gave up a controversial touchdown with 1:08 left but Tyler Herzog brought the Yellow Jackets back and scored the winning touchdown with eight seconds left in the game. Myles Moore had 143 yards and three rushing touchdowns. Avondale is red hot right now and they are peaking at the right time. They have Royal Oak looming next week.

Berkley: The Bears got their first points of the season but they fell 34-28 to Pontiac on Friday night. Berkley is getting better despite the record. They have Ferndale looming next week.

Royal Oak: The Ravens are a pure Jekyll and Hyde after falling 33-14 to Ferndale on Friday night. Both sides of the football struggled all night. Royal Oak has Avondale looming next week.

Pontiac: The Phoenix snapped a losing streak by beating Berkley 34-28 on Friday night. Coach Wendell Jefferson has this team believing and that’s big. They have Troy Athens looming next week.

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