Happy last day of September! It’s a busy one today. Here are this morning’s top stories:
Treasurer in northern Michigan city accused of embezzling $23,000
A treasurer in a small Northern Michigan city is accused of embezzling $23,000 by making unauthorized payments to herself, officials said.
Troy investor sentenced for spending $1 million of other people’s money each week to play lottery
Troy investor who thought he had figured out a guaranteed way to win huge jackpots in the Michigan Lottery has been sentenced after he spent $1 million of other people’s money each week to carry out the failed scheme.
💰 Michigan Lottery: Macomb County woman wins $2M on scratch off ticket
Woman reports fake shooting in hopes Troy police wouldn’t arrest her boyfriend during traffic stop
A Madison Heights woman called 911 and reported a fake shooting in the hopes that Troy officers would respond to the more serious crime and not arrest her boyfriend during a traffic stop, authorities said.
Romulus superintendent placed on leave amid financial investigation
At the Romulus Community Schools board meeting Monday night, board members raised an issue of questionable credit card spending by the superintendent’s office.
🧪 Where are all the at-home COVID tests?
Dollar Tree breaks the $1 barrier as costs take a bite
Dollar Tree embedded in its very name what it stands for: Behind these doors, everything can be had for just $1.
The mantra to which the Chesapeake, Virginia, company has held true for decades will now be only mostly true.
After expanding nationwide from only a handful of stores in Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia, Dollar Tree is breaking the mold and will sell items in some locations that exceed the tantalizing $1 grab-n-go price.
Body found buried at northern Michigan home believed to be missing teen Brynn Bills
Michigan State Police announced Wednesday afternoon that human remains found buried near a home in Alpena Township are believed to belong to Brynn Bills based on tattoos on the body.
The remains were transported to Western Michigan University for an autopsy. A cause of death has yet to be determined. State police are calling the death suspicious at this point as part of a criminal investigation.
🍂 Why climate change is making it harder to chase fall foliage
Congress moves to avert partial government shutdown
Congress is moving to avert one crisis while putting off another with the Senate poised to approve legislation that would fund the federal government into early December.
The House is expected to approve the measure following the Senate vote Thursday, preventing a partial government shutdown when the new fiscal year begins Friday.
Democrats were forced to remove a suspension of the federal government’s borrowing limit from the bill at the insistence of Republicans. If the debt limit isn’t raised by Oct. 18, the country would likely face a financial crisis and economic recession, says Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.
Pfizer booster shots now available in Metro Detroit
If you qualify for that third dose of the Pfizer vaccine, your options of where to get it are abundant.
Weather: Crisp morning with 70s later ☀️
COVID in Michigan 🦠
Michigan reported 6,773 new cases of COVID-19 and 100 virus-related deaths Wednesday -- an average of 3,366.5 cases over a two-day period.
Of the 100 deaths announced Wednesday, 50 were identified during a review of records.
Wednesday’s update brings the total number of confirmed COVID cases in Michigan to 1,022,575, including 20,998 deaths. These numbers are up from 1,015,802 cases and 20,898 deaths, as of Monday.
Testing has increased to around 30,000 diagnostic tests reported per day on average, with the 7-day positive rate at 9.32% as of Wednesday, slightly lower than the previous week due to the increasing test volume. Hospitalizations have been steadily increasing for several weeks.
The state’s 7-day moving average for daily cases was 2,935 on Wednesday -- the highest it has been since early May. The 7-day death average was 32 on Wednesday. The state’s fatality rate is 2.1%. The state also reports “active cases,” which were listed at 77,100 on Monday.
Michigan has reported more than 9.9 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine administered as of Wednesday, with 67.7% of 16+ residents having received at least one dose while 59.1% of 16+ residents are considered fully vaccinated.
Here’s a look at more of the data: