Increase In COVID-19 Cases In South Lyon And Fenton Region

by Becky Andrus | Aug 4, 2020 | Uncategorized

Increase In COVID-19 Cases In South Lyon And Fenton Region

Pontiac, Michigan –Oakland County Health Division, Livingston County Health Department and Genesee County Health Department report a steep increase in COVID-19 cases in the South Lyon and Fenton areas since mid-July among individuals 15 – 19 years-old. Some of the cases reported attending large indoor and outdoor gatherings, including graduation parties and prom like events, during July.

“We need parents and young people in our community to recognize the risk they take to their own health and that of their family and friends when attending gatherings without taking precautions,” Leigh-Anne Stafford, Health Officer, Oakland County Health Division said. “We can work together across our communities to contain the spread and I urge parents to be aware of activities your kids attend.”

“When attending both indoor and outdoor gatherings, it is important to stay six feet from others and wear a mask,” Dianne McCormick, Health Officer, Livingston County health Department said. “Socializing responsibly could help quickly turn things around.”

“When individuals cooperate with Health Departments to complete contract tracing and case investigations, it goes a long way to stopping the spread of COVID-19,”John McKellar, Health Officer, Genesee County health Department said. “No one wants to be the one who spreads COVID-19 to someone who becomes very ill or dies.”

Preliminary information indicates a significant increase in cases among high school age students and those numbers could change as case investigation continues in the three counties. In Oakland County, COVID-19 cases among 15 – 19-year-olds in the South Lyon area increased from three cases during late-June to mid-July to 42 from mid-July to early August. Similar trends for this age group have been observed Countywide in Livingston and Genesee counties. For Livingston County, cases increased from three cases during late-June to mid-July to 19 from mid-July to early August and in Genesee County, cases increased from 19 during late-June to mid-July to 94 from mid-July to early August.

The three health departments are conducting case investigations to identify individuals who have potentially been exposed. Initial information has determined that 15 – 19-year-olds from Oakland Livingston and Genesee attended at least six large gatherings.

If you attended a large gathering in the South Lyon and/or Fenton area during mid to late July and you think you are developing any of the symptoms of COVID-19 described below, call your physician or local health department. People with COVID-19 have reported a wide range of symptoms from mild to severe. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:

Fever or chills
Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Fatigue
Muscle or body aches
Headache
New loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Congestion or runny nose
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea

If you are considering attending an indoor or outdoor event, take precautions by:

Maintaining six feet social distance from those outside your household
Wearing a face covering when you cannot stay six feet from others
Washing your hands regularly for 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
Staying home when sick

There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19. The best way to prevent infection is to avoid being exposed to the virus. The spread of COVID-19 can be reduced with cloth face coverings, social distancing, and staying home when sick except to get medical care.

For more information on COVID-19, for Oakland County visit www.oakgov.com/covid. Contact Nurse on Call at 800-848-5533, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Saturday 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. with health-related questions. For all other COVID-19 questions, contact the COVID-19 Help Hotline at 248-858-1000 or [email protected]. For up-to-date public health information, follow @publichealthOC on Facebook and Twitter. For Livingston County, call 517-546-9850, email: [email protected] or visit https://www.livgov.com/health/ph/Pages/COVID19.aspx. For Genesee County call 810-424-4443 or visit www.gchd.us.

Media Contacts:
Oakland County: Bill Mullan, Oakland County Media and Communications Officer, 248-858-1048

Livingston County: Natasha Radke, Public Information Officer, 517-546-9850

Genesee County: Suzanne Cupal, Public Information Officer, 810-768-7970

Whitmer Signs Executive Directive Strengthening COVID-19 Orders

by Becky Andrus | Aug 4, 2020 | Uncategorized

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 4, 2020

Contact: [email protected]

Governor Whitmer Signs Executive Directive

Strengthening Enforcement of COVID-19 Orders to Save Lives

LANSING, Mich. — Governor Whitmer signed Executive Directive 2020-08 today to direct state departments and autonomous agency heads to review allocation of their resources to ensure that enforcement of COVID-19-related laws is a priority, such as limitations on capacity and the requirement to wear a mask when entering a Michigan business. Cases have risen over the past month—from a rolling seven-day average of about 15 cases per million on in mid-June, the low point since the peak last April, to about 50 cases per million in late July.

Without effective enforcement, Michigan will move backwards, causing individuals, businesses, and the economy to suffer. The governor’s directive therefore requires state departments and agencies to ensure that enforcement of COVID-19-related laws receives the priority that fighting a pandemic demands. Under the directive, directors and agency heads should assign elevated priority to enforcement of COVID-19-related laws in categories of establishments where transmission is well-documented, including but not limited to nursing homes, meat processing plants, and agricultural housing.

“Ensuring these executive orders are enforced across the state will protect Michigan families, small businesses, and the first responders on the front lines of this crisis,” said Governor Whitmer. “This fight is not over yet. During the month of July we saw an increase in positive COVID-19 cases in every region of the state. By allocating the appropriate and needed resources, we can continue to save lives and ensure we don’t have to move backward.”

Executive Directive 2020-08 requires departments to consider violations of law when determining eligibility for licensing. This includes any violation of relevant COVID-19 executive orders or epidemic orders. If a state department or agency becomes aware of non-compliance under the law they must consider it to be presumptive evidence of a “public health hazard” or “imminent and substantial hazard to the public health” and take appropriate steps to mitigate any risk to public health and safety. This includes, but is not limited to, suspension of a license or cessation of operation of a food establishment.

Ensuring the governor’s executive orders are enforced is necessary to slowing the spread of COVID-19 and saving lives. The Michigan State Police will enforce violations of these COVID-19 related laws, such as executive orders and DHHS epidemic orders, in the same manner as any other violation of law, applying their discretion as appropriate. Departments and agencies who become aware of a violation must share that information with relevant licensing authorities, and collaborate on enforcement to ensure efficiency and effectiveness.

To view Executive Directive 2020-08, click the link below:

ED 2020-08 COVID-19 and enforcement.pdf

President Trump Grants Whitmer’s Request to Extend Michigan National Guard

by Becky Andrus | Aug 4, 2020 | Uncategorized

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 4, 2020

Media Contact: [email protected]

President Trump Grants Governor Whitmer’s Request to Extend Michigan National Guard Through December 31 to Assist With COVID-19

The president decides to only federally fund guard activities at 75%, leaving states with additional costs

LANSING, Mich. — Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued the following statement after President Trump granted her request that he authorize the use of Michigan National Guard forces for COVID-19 response through December 31, 2020. Title 32 authority, which allows Guard members to receive federal pay and benefits, was previously set to expire on August 21 due to a deadline set by the Trump Administration.

“Since COVID-19 was first discovered in our state, the Michigan National Guard has been a crucial part of our emergency response, from conducting testing and screening, distributing personal protective equipment, and assisting at food banks across the state” said Governor Whitmer. “Our dedicated guardsmen and women will continue to be a crucial part of our recovery efforts moving forward. I thank the president for granting my request, and implore him to work with Congress on a bipartisan recovery package that protects American families, frontline workers, and small business owners. The only way we will get through this is if leaders in the federal government put partisan games aside and work together to save lives.”

Governor Whitmer sent a letter to President Donald Trump on July 10th requesting that the president authorize the use of Michigan National Guard forces for COVID-19 response through December 31, 2020.

While Title 32 had been funded at 100 percent federal expense, the President has imposed a 25 percent state cost share from August 21 to December 31, 2020.

“While I am grateful for the extension, the president’s decision to federally fund Guard activities at only 75% leaves states across the country with an additional cost when we’re already facing severe holes in our state budgets. We need the president and Congress to work together in a bipartisan way to support states like Michigan.”

MDHHS Requiring Testing of Agricultural and Food Processing Employees

by Becky Andrus | Aug 4, 2020 | Uncategorized

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 3, 2020
Contact: Lynn Sutfin, 517-241-2112

LANSING, MICH. Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Director Robert Gordon has issued an Emergency Order requiring COVID-19 testing for agricultural and food processing employees. The order makes Michigan a national leader in COVID-19 safety protections for agricultural and migrant workers, building on Executive Orders from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer requiring workplace safety measures in meat and poultry processing plans and safe housing for COVID positive migrant workers.
“The men and women who work in our fields and food processing plants are at particular risk for COVID-19, and they need and deserve protection,” said Gordon. “Today’s order will help to reduce the spread of COVID in communities across Michigan and reduce the pandemic’s disparate impact on Latinos.”

In recent weeks, there have been 11 identified outbreaks in farms and food processing plants in Michigan. In addition, Latinos are 5 percent of Michigan’s population but represent 11 percent of COVID cases in which the individual’s ethnicity is identified.

The order requires migrant housing camp operators to provide COVID-19 testing as follows:

One-time baseline testing of all residents ages 18 and over.
Testing of all new residents with 48 hours of arrival, with separate housing for newly arriving residents for 14 days and a second test 10 – 14 days after arrival.
Testing of any resident with symptoms or exposure.

Employers of migrant or seasonal workers, meat, poultry and egg processing facilities and greenhouses with over 20 employees on-site at a time to provide COVID-19 testing as follows:

One-time baseline testing of all workers.
Testing of all new workers prior to any in-person work.
Testing of any worker with symptoms or exposure.

“The department will work with employers and housing operators to ensure timely reporting of testing data and access to PPE so that together we can prevent further viral spread,” Gordon said.

“Ensuring the health and safety of Michigan’s essential food and agriculture workers is paramount to keeping our food supply chain moving,” said Gary McDowell, director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. “These workers are our frontline staff who are a vital part of bringing our food from farm to plate.”

“It is critical that we keep our workers and their families across the food and agriculture industry safe and healthy,” said John Cakmakci, president of UFCW Local 951. “I applaud Directors Gordon and McDowell for their efforts to protect the people of Michigan and our economy.”

Employers and housing operators must complete a plan by Aug. 10 for how they will conduct testing in compliance with this order. Completion of baseline testing and implementation of ongoing testing is required no later than Aug. 24.

Employers and housing operators have several options for completing the required testing, including contracting with a medical provider, occupational health provider or laboratory to arrange a testing program; requesting state assistance to conduct testing; or utilizing testing resources in the broader community. The state will provide testing support for employers or housing operators as its capacity allows and assist facilities in identifying other sources of testing capacity as needed.

MDHHS also released a guidance document for employers providing step-by-step information on how employers can complete testing and highlighting resources like grant funding and insurance coverage through Medicaid that can provide financial support for testing.

COVID positive and exposed residents would be required to isolate or quarantine until meeting the return-to-work criteria from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. MDHHS will be partnering with Community Action Agencies in impacted communities in order to provide food, housing, and economic support for workers who lose income due to testing.

Failure to comply with this order may result in the issuance of a civil monetary penalty under the authority of MCL 333.2262.
Information around this outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

Check trees for signs of the Asian longhorned beetle

by Becky Andrus | Aug 3, 2020 | Uncategorized

Aug. 3, 2020
Contact: Rob Miller, 517-614-0454 or Joanne Foreman, 517-284-5814

Check trees in August for signs of the Asian longhorned beetle

This year, many Michiganders have found time to reacquaint themselves with the outdoors. Whether you spend time walking, hiking or exploring neighborhood parks, you can help protect Michigan’s trees by spending a little of your outdoors time checking for signs of the Asian longhorned beetle.

Adult Asian longhorned beetles on a branch

August is Tree Check Month, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture is asking the public to look for and report any signs of this invasive pest that’s not native to Michigan and could cause harm to our environment and economy.

In late summer and early fall, adult Asian longhorned beetles drill perfectly round, 3/8-inch holes to emerge from within tree trunks and limbs, where they spend their larval stage chewing through the heartwood. After a brief mating period, female beetles chew oval depressions in trunks or branches to deposit eggs. Sometimes a material resembling wood shavings can be seen at or below exit holes or coming from cracks in an infested tree’s bark.

Asian longhorned beetle in the U.S.

Asian longhorned beetle frass, resembling wood shavings, coming out of an exit hole in a tree trunk.

The Asian longhorned beetle was first detected in the U.S. in 1996, when a Brooklyn, New York resident noticed a large, black beetle with irregular white spots and black-and-white banded antennae and reported it. Since that time, the Asian longhorned beetle has been found in 20 locations in six states, including New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Illinois, Ohio and, most recently, South Carolina.

“ALB likely arrived hidden in untreated wood packaging material like pallets and crates from China or Korea, before we had international standards for treating this material to prevent the spread of insects,” said USDA’s Asian longhorned beetle national policy manager Paul Chaloux. “The beetle feeds on numerous hardwood species, especially maple, but also ash, birch, elm, poplar and willow, among others.”

To date, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has been successful in eradicating the beetle from all but four locations in the U.S. However, eradication has both financial and environmental costs. According to the USDA, over $750 million has been spent on the Asian longhorned beetle eradication program in the last 22 years, and at least 180,000 trees have been removed from infested neighborhoods and counties.

You can help

A pencil sticking out of an Asian longhorned beetle hole in a tree trunk.

The beetle has not been detected in Michigan, but discovering early signs of infestation can prevent widespread damage to the state’s forest resources, urban landscapes and maple syrup production.

“Public participation is the key to early detection,” said Rob Miller, invasive species prevention and response specialist with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. “Every known infestation of Asian longhorned beetle in the U.S. was discovered and reported by a member of the public who knew what to look for and how to report it.”

Look for signs

Whenever you are outdoors this month, take time to look at the trees around you for signs of the Asian longhorned beetle, including:

Round exit holes about the diameter of a pencil found in tree trunks and branches.
Shallow oval or round scars in the bark where the adult beetle chewed an egg site.
Material that looks like wood shavings lying on the ground around the tree or in the branches.
Dead branches or limbs falling from an otherwise healthy-looking tree.

Look for the beetle

Asian longhorned beetle with descriptive notes.

Adult Asian longhorned beetles are distinctively large, ranging from 3/4 to 1 1/2 inches in length, not including their long antennae. The beetles are shiny black, with random white blotches or spots, and their antennae have alternating black and white segments. They have six legs that can be black or partly blue, with blue coloration sometimes extending to their feet.

Be aware of look-alikes

Several beetles and bugs native to Michigan often are mistaken for the Asian longhorned beetle.

The white-spotted pine sawyer has a distinctive white spot below the base of its head – between its wings – and is brownish in color.
The cottonwood borer is about the same size as the Asian longhorned beetle and is also black and white, but has a pattern of single, broad black stripes down each wing, and its antennae are all dark.
The northeastern pine sawyer reaches up to 2 inches in length, has very long antennae and is gray in color.
The eastern eyed click beetle has distinctive eye circles on the back of its head. It rolls over when threatened, then clicks and makes a flipping movement to get back on its feet.

Anyone observing an Asian longhorned beetle, or a tree that appears to have been damaged by it, is asked to report it. If possible, capture the beetle in a jar, take photos, record the location and report it as soon as possible at AsianLonghornedBeetle.com or contact MDARD at 800-292-3939 or [email protected].

More information can be found at Michigan.gov/ALB.

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 & Rural Development.

/Note to editors: The accompanying photos are available for download. Caption information follows.

Adults: Adult Asian longhorned beetles emerge from within trees in late summer to mate. Females chew small depressions in tree trunks or branches, such as those seen here, to deposit eggs. Photo courtesy of Kenneth R. Law, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org.

Identification: The Asian longhorned beetle is a large, shiny black beetle with irregular white spots and black and white banded antennae. Photo courtesy of USDA APHIS PPQ.

Frass: Material resembling wood shavings at the base of a tree or tree branches is a sign of Asian longhorned beetle infestation. Photo courtesy of Kenneth R. Law, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org.

Pencil hole: To emerge from within a tree, adult beetles drill perfectly round, 3/8-inch exit holes. Note that holes made for tapping maple syrup may look similar to Asian longhorned beetle exit holes. Photo courtesy of Joe Boggs, The University of Ohio, Bugwood.org.

WSPS: The white-spotted pine sawyer is native to Michigan and often mistaken for the Asian longhorned beetle. Look for a white spot between the upper wings to identify this pine sawyer. Photo courtesy of William M. Ciesla, Forest Health Management International, Bugwood.org.

Cottonwood: The cottonwood borer’s antennae are all black. Photo courtesy of Gerald J. Lenhard, Louisana State University, Bugwood.org.

NEPS: The northeastern pine sawyer is a large beetle reaching 2 inches in length. Its body is primarily gray with white and black spots. Photo courtesy of Jim Brighton.

Eyed beetle: The eastern eyed click beetle is distinguished by large circles on the back of its head. Photo courtesy of iNaturalist./

Whitmer approves $28 million in outdoor recreation development

by Becky Andrus | Aug 3, 2020 | Uncategorized

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– DNR News –

Aug. 3, 2020
Contact: [email protected] (Governor’s Office) or Jon Mayes (DNR), 517-284-5954

Gov. Whitmer approves $28 million in outdoor recreation development and acquisition grants

a view from the Van Riper State Park Overlook Trail of Lake Michigamme near Champion in Marquette County, Michigan

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Friday signed legislation creating more opportunities for quality outdoor recreation by authorizing $28.7 million in Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grants.

“Over the past months as Michigan continues to combat COVID-19, we’ve seen just how important having access to public land, developed parks, trails and outdoor recreation is for all Michiganders,” said Gov. Whitmer. “In communities throughout the state, the Natural Resources Trust Fund grant program provides essential opportunities for people to continue to get outside and recreate safely.”

Senate Bill 145, sponsored by Sen. Jon Bumstead, approves funding for 78 recreation development projects and land purchases recommended by the board. It is now Public Act 145 of 2020.

The Trust Fund board recommends funding to both state and local agencies for development projects and land acquisitions that will increase the quality and quantity of public outdoor recreation opportunities. This round of grant funding reflects continued support of:

Acquisitions of high-quality, unique wildlife and fishery habitat for conservation and public access.
Trail systems, specifically those – like the Dragon Trail in Newaygo and Mecosta counties – that have broad regional and statewide impact.
An extensive range of development projects that expand opportunities across Michigan for outdoor recreation, including development of urban parks and playscapes, sports field enhancements and river access.

This year the board recommended nearly $17.2 million in acquisition grants and $11.5 million in recreation development grants:

Of the $17.2 million recommended to fund acquisition projects, $8.1 million would be awarded to local units of government, while the remaining $9.1 million would be awarded to the Department of Natural Resources for diverse projects such as the May Creek Greenway Path in the city of Detroit and a new public fishing access site on the St. Joseph River Water Trail in Berrien County.
Of the $11.5 million recommended to fund development grants, $9.6 million would support 51 local government projects and $1.9 million would support nine DNR projects, including new shooting ranges in Roscommon and Barry counties and pathway improvements on Belle Isle in Detroit.
Collectively, the $28.7 million of Trust Fund grants is matched with nearly $20.7 million of additional funding for a total of nearly $49.4 million being invested in land acquisition and development projects across the state.

view of the West Riverfront connection on the Detroit River, Wayne County, which will link to the future Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park

“Michigan places a high value on quality, outdoor recreation opportunities,” said DNR Director Dan Eichinger. “Trust Fund grants have leveraged additional dollars from local government partners to expand outdoor recreation throughout the state and ensure conservation of Michigan’s unmatched natural resources.”

The Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund is a restricted fund that was established in 1976 to provide funding for public acquisition of land for resource protection and outdoor recreation, as well as for public outdoor recreation development projects. It is funded through interest earned on funds derived from the development of publicly owned minerals, primarily oil and gas, and can only be used for public outdoor recreation. Over the past 40 years, the Trust Fund has granted more than $1 billion to local units of government and the DNR to develop and improve public outdoor recreation opportunities in Michigan.

The Trust Fund board’s recommendations go to the Michigan Legislature for review as part of the appropriation process. The Legislature then forwards a bill to the governor for approval.

Descriptions of the development projects and acquisition projects approved by Gov. Whitmer are available at Michigan.gov/MNRTF.

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

Van Riper Overlook Trail: The Van Riper State Park Overlook Trail of Lake Michigamme near Champion, Marquette County, will be funded by a Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grant of $50,000. The project will renovate a 1.5-mile-long trail loop that climbs a 160-foot rocky escarpment, improving access to several scenic overlooks of the Peshekee River, Lake Michigamme and Van Riper State Park. This was recommended for funding by the MNRTF Board in December 2019.

Detroit Riverfront Walkway: The West Riverfront connection on the Detroit River, Wayne County, will link to the future Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Centennial Park. This east to west riverfront connection, a nearly $12 million project ($3 million of which is funded by the Natural Resources Trust Fund), also includes project partners: the Michigan Department of Transportation, the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, and the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy. Photo courtesy of Joann Castle.

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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