Detroit News. May 25, 2024.
Editorial: Better answers needed on Beydoun grant
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer owes the taxpayers of Michigan a better explanation for how an influential Democratic Party official ended up with a $20 million grant she demonstrated no particular qualifications for receiving.
All we’ve heard so far from the governor is “ask Wentworth.” That’s a reference to former Republican House Speaker Jason Wentworth, who allegedly sponsored and directed the money to Fey Beydoun, a former Michigan Democratic Party vice chair and Whitmer appointee to the executive committee of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC).
Since the News revealed the questionable spending, Beydoun has offered back a $10,000 reimbursement to cover a $4,500 coffee pot and first-class plane ticket she purchased. But taxpayers haven’t received is a plausible explanation of how and why Beydoun got the grant in the first place. New reporting this week links the governor more closely to the grant.
Both the governor and the MEDC should provide a greater explanation of the step-by-step unconventional process that ended with Beydoun receiving $20 million for a company she hadn’t yet officially formed.
The News reported this week that Beydoun pitched Whitmer on the idea of funding a business incubator at a Christmas party in 2020. At the governor’s suggestion, Beydoun met with the MEDC several times over the summer of 2021. The MEDC turned down the nonprofit business accelerator. But in 2022 Beydoun finally secured the grant.
Why was it given a second look?
What changed about the proposal? Wentworth denies sponsoring the expenditure, although it bears his name. How did that happen? He needs to answer that question.
Attorney General Dana Nessel has launched an investigation. But it shouldn’t take a probe to get these answers from the governor or the MEDC.
The importance of getting better answers goes beyond this $20 million. The MEDC is now set to receive $500 million annually to encourage business development. Taxpayers must be certain the Beydoun grant isn’t how the group typically does business.
In its entire 25-year history the development corporation has never clawed back a legislative grant or withheld additional funding due to improper use. That suggests either a tremendous track record for sound investing, or a serious a lack of follow-up scrutiny of how they money it hands out is being spent.
Before the group sets out on spending a half-billion a year, it would be useful to know which is true.
The Democratic-led Michigan Legislature last year said it would increase transparency around these types of grants. But instead, it decreased the frequency with which the MEDC is required to report on the grant spending to the Legislature from four times a year to once a year.
The process is clearly broken.
Things should be debated in committee, on the floor, if they happen at all, not added in a backroom secret deal involving the governor and legislative leadership. That’s what leads to the ambiguity and the difficulty holding anyone accountable.
On the surface, it appears a well-connected Democrat was able to walk away with $20 million from the state without establishing whether there was any need for her services.
If that’s not the case, it would be in the best interest of Whitmer and the MEDC to explain why things aren’t as they appear.
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Iron Mountain Daily New. May 23, 2024.
Editorial: ‘Click It or Ticket’ seat belt campaign begins in Michigan
To remind everyone about the importance of buckling up, the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning has announced a “Click It or Ticket” seat belt enforcement campaign that started Monday and will continue through June 2.
The Michigan State Police, as well as officers from city and county police departments across the state, will be conducting seat belt enforcement during the two-week period, which includes Memorial Day weekend.
In Michigan, 244 occupants killed in traffic crashes during 2022 were not wearing a seat belt, according to the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute. The 2022 Memorial Day weekend saw 21 fatal crashes on Michigan roadways that resulted in 21 fatalities, according to an OHSP news release.
“The enforcement period is designed to save lives by reminding drivers and all vehicle occupants that buckling up is the most effective thing you can do to stay safe on our roadways,” said Katie Bower, OHSP director. “With the arrival of warmer weather, there is an increase in the number of people traveling to meet up with family and friends. We want to encourage drivers and passengers to buckle up so that everyone makes it to their destinations safely.”
From 2020 to 2023, the seat belt usage rate in Michigan fell from 94.4% to 92.4%. The national seat belt usage rate in 2022 was 91.6%.
Men make up the majority of those killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes in Michigan. According to UMTRI, from 2018 to 2022, of the 1,135 occupants killed in crashes who were not wearing seat belts, 826 (72.8%) were male and 309 (27.2%) were female.
In addition, young adults are at a higher risk of being killed because of riding unrestrained. Of the 18,161 drivers in crashes who were not wearing a seat belt from 2018 to 2022, 4,381 (24.1%) were 24 years old or younger.
“Wearing your seatbelt is not just the safe thing to do, it’s the law,” Bower said. “MSP troopers, local police and county sheriff’s offices will be conducting high-visibility enforcement as we work collectively to help address these disturbing crash numbers.”
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that buckling up in the front seat can reduce the risk of serious injury or death in a crash by 45%.
Michigan law requires drivers, front-seat passengers, and passengers 15 and younger in any seating position to be buckled up. The fine and associated costs for not wearing a seat belt is $65. Children must be in a car seat or booster seat until they are 8 years old or 4 feet 9 inches tall. Children younger than 4 years old must be in the back seat.
The OHSP coordinates the “Click It or Ticket” effort, which is supported by federal traffic safety funds.
For more information about seat belts, go to www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle-safety/seat-belts.
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Escanaba Daily Press. May 21, 2024.
Editorial: Prevent tick bites this season
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services encourages Michigan residents to take steps to avoid tick bites while enjoying the outdoors. Risk of tick-borne diseases, particularly Lyme disease and anaplasmosis, increases across the state as weather warms. Ticks can be active when the weather is above 40F.
Preventing tick bites and removing attached ticks immediately are the best ways to prevent tick-borne diseases including Lyme disease,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive. “Lyme disease is an emerging issue in Michigan being found in nearly every county in the state. Michiganders who find a tick attached to their body should take the following steps:
Promptly remove the tick by grasping firmly with tweezers and pulling upwards.
While we do not recommend laboratory testing of ticks for diseases, we encourage residents to take a photo submit to MDHHS-Bugs@michigan.gov for identification.
If the tick is identified as a deer tick, and you suspect it was attached for more than 36 hours, speak to your health care provider about whether any additional measures are needed. You may also use the Centers for Disease Control tool “Tick Bite Bot” for additional guidance.
Monitor for symptoms. If you begin to experience fever, rash, muscle or joint aches or other symptoms within 30 days of a tick bite, you should consult a medical provider.”
Signs and symptoms of tick-borne disease typically begin one to two weeks after a tick bite, often after being in wooded or brushy areas where ticks commonly live. Early symptoms can be non-specific and include fever or chills, rash, headache, fatigue and muscle aches. Early treatment with appropriate antibiotics can decrease the risk of serious complications.
Lyme disease, caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, is the most common tick-borne disease in Michigan. Anaplasmosis, caused by the bacteria Anaplasma phagocytophilum, is the second most common tick-borne disease in Michigan and cases are increasing, particularly in the state’s Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula.
Both Lyme disease and anaplasmosis are transmitted by Ixodes scapularis, commonly known as the blacklegged or deer tick. The blacklegged tick is well-established in parts of Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas and has been expanding its range over the years. Information about Lyme disease risk by county is available at Michigan.gov/Lyme.
People can protect themselves against Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases by following these tips:
Avoid tick-infested areas.
As ticks live in grassy, brushy and wooded areas, individuals should walk in the center of trails to avoid contact with overgrown grass, brush and leaf litter at trail edges.
Dogs and cats can come into contact with ticks outdoors and bring them into the home. Consult a veterinarian about the best tick prevention products to protect pets.
Use insect repellent.
Apply an EPA-registered repellent on exposed skin. Find a repellent product that is right for you.
Treat clothes (especially pants, socks and shoes) with permethrin, which kills ticks on contact or buy clothes that are pre-treated. Do not use permethrin directly on skin.
Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when applying repellents.
Perform daily tick checks.
Because tick bites are not always painful or noticed, always check for ticks on yourself and your animals after being outdoors, including in your own wooded yard.
Inspect all body surfaces carefully and remove attached ticks with tweezers.
To remove a tick, grasp the tick firmly and as closely to your skin as possible. Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Cleanse the area with an antiseptic.
Bathe or shower.
Bathe or shower as soon as possible after coming indoors (preferably within two hours) to wash off and more easily find ticks that might be crawling on you.
Wash clothing in hot water and dry on high heat to kill ticks in clothing.
Not all ticks spread the same germs. MDHHS can help to identify ticks you may encounter outdoors. Residents can email photos of ticks to MDHHS-Bugs@michigan.gov for identification or submit ticks to MDHHS for identification. For more information on how to submit your tick and/or photos and information on ticks, visit Michigan.gov/Lyme.
For additional information on Lyme disease, visit CDC.gov/Lyme.
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