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Governor announces plan for historic $250 million investment to modernize state parks and trails to enhance tourism, boost local economies

ST. IGNACE, Mich. — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, in the shadow of the Mackinac Bridge from Straits State Park in St. Ignace, announced her plan for critical investments in state parks and trails so that public spaces across Michigan become a more attractive destination for tourism and position the state as a recreation leader. The plan calls for a historic investment of $250 million in federal relief dollars from President Biden’s American Rescue Plan to be used for new investments in parks and trails and to address the backlog of park infrastructure projects, which will help support ...

Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development seeks proposals for food safety education and training grants

LANSING – The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) is seeking grant proposals for food safety education and training as part of the annual Food Safety Education Fund grant program. The 2021-2022 grant will be a 12-month cycle from Oct. 1, 2021 through Sept. 30, 2022. The Food Safety Education Fund was established under the Michigan Food Law of 2000, as amended, Sec. 4117, and is funded through assessments of $3 to $5 from each Michigan food establishment license. Up to $365,000 is available during the 2021-2022 grant cycle for projects focused on food ...

AG Nessel, state legislators announce legislative package to strengthen guardianship and conservatorship laws

LANSING – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel was joined today by Michigan Supreme Court Justice Megan Cavanagh, Representative Graham Filler, Senator Roger Victory and a bipartisan group of state legislators to announce legislation implementing fundamental reforms impacting guardians and conservators—individuals appointed by probate courts to act in the best interests of vulnerable individuals. The legislation – House Bills 4847, 4848, 4849, and 4850; and Senate Bills 503, 504, 505 and 506 – is the culmination of more than two years of work by the Elder Abuse Task Force. ...

Gov. Whitmer establishes bipartisan Task Force on Juvenile Justice Reform

LANSING — Governor Gretchen Whitmer along with Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist, formed the bipartisan Task Force on Juvenile Justice Reform, the first of its kind in the State of Michigan. This task force will focus on analyzing our juvenile justice system, while recommending proven practices and strategies for reform grounded in data, research, and fundamental constitutional principles. “Michigan is a national leader in criminal justice reform, and today we continue towards implementing real changes that will help young Michiganders when they are exposed to our criminal justice ...

Third and final Lansing defendant convicted of terrorism charge

GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. — United States Attorney Andrew Birge announced today that three residents of Lansing, Michigan, have been convicted of conspiring to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, namely the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (“ISIS”). Today, the third and final defendant in the case, Mohamed Haji, pleaded guilty to the federal crime of conspiring to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. In Jan. 2020, his co-defendants Muse Muse and Mohamud Muse pleaded guilty to the same offense. On Jan. 21, 2019, ...

Grants available for Michigan communities to improve residential recycling

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and The Recycling Partnership today announced $575,000 in grants for Michigan communities to dramatically improve residential recycling. The grants are available to introduce community-wide projects aimed at fighting recycling contamination and improve the quality of materials residents recycle at curbside or drop-off locations. “After the impressive results from previous grant projects, we’re excited to be able to offer this opportunity to additional Michigan communities, in collaboration with The Recycling ...