Members of Michigan's Congressional delegation cheer President Trump's support for upgrading the Soo Locks. Warmer weather means increased risk of wildfires in Michigan. A WMU junior is the MAC's co-baseball player of the week.
The campaign to outlaw prevailing wage rules in Michigan is asking a court to order a state board to put the question before the Legislature. Prevailing wage rules require contractors working for the state and many local governments to pay their workers union-level wages. Non-union builders say that adds to the costs shouldered by taxpayers. A state elections board deadlocked along party lines on whether to certify the campaign’s petition signatures. The campaign to outlaw the prevailing wage says that violates the rights of all the people who signed petitions. If the Michigan Court of Appeals agrees, the Legislature would have 40 days to vote on it. It’s expected Republican majorities in the House and the Senate would quickly vote to approve it.
Michigan officials are cheering the fact that President Trump has thrown his support behind upgrading the Soo locks. The President endorsed the plan this past weekend during a political rally in Macomb County. It was unexpected, and Michigan members of Congress scrambled to come up with a plan to get the long-stalled project moving. Congressman John Moolenaar who sits on the House Appropriations Committee says upgrading the locks is a top policy priority of Michigan’s congressional delegation. Governor Rick Snyder has named Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley to lead discussions with the White House. The Soo locks are part of the Saint Lawrence Seaway that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The system needs a new, larger lock to accommodate modern ocean-going vessels. The Army Corps of Engineers, which operates the locks, says there are higher priorities.
Flint’s mayor is asking the EPA to intervene in the city’s latest dispute with the state concerning the water crisis there. The mayor is upset the Snyder administration canceled a meeting of a committee that oversees the government’s response to Flint’s water crisis. The cancellation came after city leaders threatened legal action over the state’s decision to end a two-year old bottled water distribution program. (Michigan Radio)
Despite the record cold April Michigan experienced, spring wildfire season is here. Spring wildfires hit the state in late March, but came to a halt during the heavy snowfall in mid-April. The snow didn’t last however, and fires picked up again soon after it melted. State wildland fire supervisor Jim Fisher says wildfires are more likely in spring due to dry brush that emerges in the spring thaw. The Lower Peninsula is under a red flag warning Tuesday for elevated risk of fire. (WCMU)
Western Michigan junior Andrew Stone has been named the Mid-American Conference’s co-baseball player of the week. Stone had 10 hits, knocked in three runs and also scored three as the Broncos took two out of three games from Eastern Michigan over the weekend. Western will play at Notre Dame Tuesday, then will host Northwestern Wednesday afternoon.