Great Lakes Wire

Cheryl Colburn, 65, of Ithaca, was arraigned on Monday in the 64B District Court in Stanton before Magistrate Brian G. Wagner on one count of embezzlement from a vulnerable adult, $1,000 - $20,000, a five-year felony, announced Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Colburn, who was serving as the professional guardian and conservator of the victim, allegedly kept the victim’s property for her own benefit.

Coalition urges FEMA recognition for extreme heat & wildfire smoke as major disasters

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has joined a coalition of 14 attorneys general in petitioning the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to update its regulations to recognize extreme heat and wildfire smoke events as eligible for major disaster declarations under the Stafford Act. The petition also seeks to clarify that wildfire smoke events are eligible for Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) funding.

MDHHS partners with Michigan 211 on new grief support initiative

LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), in partnership with Michigan 211, has launched a new website dedicated to increasing access to grief and bereavement support services and resources.

AG Nessel praises judge's decision on FTC's noncompete ban

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel commended Judge Kelley Hodge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania for rejecting a challenge to block the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) ban on noncompete agreements. Nessel, who previously joined a multistate coalition supporting the FTC rule, praised the decision in April to implement a nationwide ban on noncompete agreements.

Michigan signs revised sharps disposal requirements into law

The following statement can be attributed to Brian Peters, CEO of the Michigan Health & Hospital Association.

Debate arises over anti-gambling rules in employee handbooks amid rise in online gaming

With the ubiquity and convenience of online gambling, are employer “no gambling” rules becoming outdated? In an informal survey of nearly 50 employee handbooks reviewed by ASE over the past four years, a no-gambling policy was found in 25% of those handbooks. Typically, this rule was embedded within general conduct policies.

Burtchville woman pleads guilty to embezzling over $86k from elderly ward

LANSING – Yesterday, Lisa Marie Tramski, 57, of Burtchville, pled guilty in the 31st Circuit Court in St. Clair County to one count of embezzlement of $50,000 or more but less than $100,000, announced Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Tramski embezzled more than $86,000 from an elderly woman after becoming her court-appointed guardian. Tramski will pay $51,600.75 in restitution prior to sentencing as part of the plea.

Attorney General Nessel opposes UPPCO's proposed $16.9 million rate increase

LANSING – On Friday, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel filed testimony with the Michigan Public Service Commission, arguing for significant reductions to Upper Peninsula Power Company’s (UPPCO) latest electric rate hike request. UPPCO filed its request with the Commission in March, seeking a 16% rate hike for all customers to raise $16.9 million in added revenue. The company also aims to raise its profit margin on infrastructure investments from 9.9% to 10.7%, potentially making it the highest return on equity in the state and possibly the nation.

Governor Whitmer signs bills imposing stricter penalties on auto theft tools

LANSING – Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation that Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel describes as a significant step toward curbing auto thefts across the state. House Bill 5182, sponsored by state Representative Denise Mentzer, and House Bill 5183, sponsored by state Representative Alabas Farhat, impose stricter penalties for possessing traditional burglar tools or electronic devices intended to break into motor vehicles with the intent to steal. The new law classifies this offense as a 5-year felony or a 10-year felony if part of a criminal enterprise.

Attorney General secures major reduction in Consumers Energy's proposed natural gas rate hike

LANSING – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and other intervening parties have reached a settlement, approved today by the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC), to reduce Consumers Energy’s latest natural gas rate hike by nearly 75%. Consumers Energy initially requested to increase revenues from their ratepayers by $136 million. The settlement allows for only $35 million in additional revenue, keeping more than $100 million in the pockets of Consumers' ratepayers. Additionally, a bill credit will be applied to Consumers Energy natural gas customers' bills over a...

Analysis: 'Hyper-partisan' voter data group ERIC has 24 member states, including Michigan

Michigan is among 24 states that are members of a national voter data group accused of "hyper-partisanship," according to an analysis by Great Lakes Wire.

Small Business Briefing discusses presidential election and recent business developments

Thanks for tuning in to today’s show! We’ll dive into the presidential election news, spotlight some good news for small businesses, and highlight some other top news from the week.

MDHHS partners with universities for child welfare worker initiative

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has announced a new initiative in collaboration with five public universities to address the shortage of child welfare workers in the state. The program aims to provide financial support to social work students who commit to working in under-resourced communities after graduation.

MPHI's Advance Peace meets with White House on gun violence prevention

On June 12, representatives of MPHI’s Advance Peace Initiative, along with other Advance Peace members from across the country, met with White House officials from the Office of Gun Violence Prevention. The purpose of this meeting was to highlight the importance of healing-centered community violence intervention programs like Advance Peace.

MDHHS partners with 211 to provide resources for young adults with breast cancer