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Morning Briefing Oct. 12, 2021: How climate change is impacting Michigan’s fall colors, 1 person killed after pickup truck barrels into woods in Washtenaw County

Here are this morning’s top stories

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How changing climate is impacting Michigan’s fall colors

With autumn comes Michigan’s beloved color change, when foliage transitions from greens to reds, oranges and yellows.

The timing of the transition is different for each region, occurring earlier in the season the farther north you go. But climate change is threatening to confuse that timeline even further.

Learn more here.


1 person killed when pickup truck barrels into woods off US 23 in Washtenaw County

One person was killed Tuesday when a pickup truck barreled into the woods off of U.S. 23 in Washtenaw County, police said.

Read more here.


🍕 Tasty Tuesday: The Bricks


Ferndale pastor accused of trying to kill deputies with car faces criminal charges including attempted murder

David Jones, 57, is facing criminal charges including attempted murder after allegedly trying to hit deputies with a vehicle believed to have been driven while the pastor was under the influence.

Jones is the longtime pastor of Hilton Oaks Baptist Church in Ferndale.

See the story here.


Romulus school board faces backlash for removing superintendent

Supporters of Romulus Community Schools superintendent Benjamin Edmondson packed Monday night’s school board meeting, two weeks after he was placed on paid administrative leave.

“You haven’t shown us that this board cares about students. Maybe this board needs to be placed on leave too,” said a former student at the meeting.

See more here.


🗳 Vote Now in the 4Frenzy Fall Fan Choice Awards


House returns to stave off default with debt limit vote

Members of the House are scrambling back to Washington on Tuesday to approve a short-term lift of the nation’s debt limit and ensure the federal government can continue fully paying its bills into December.

The $480 billion increase in the country’s borrowing ceiling cleared the Senate last week on a party-line vote. The House is expected to approve it swiftly so President Joe Biden can sign it into law this week. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen had warned that steps to stave off a default on the country’s debts would be exhausted by Monday, and from that point, the department would soon be unable to fully meet the government’s financial obligations.

Read more here.


Authorities continue search for Lenawee County woman missing for more than 5 months

The FBI, Michigan State Police and Lenawee County Sheriff’s Office are continuing their search for 52-year-old Dee Ann Warner.

Warner was last seen April 24 at her home on Mugner Road in Franklin Township, according to the Lenawee County Sheriff’s Office. Her cellphone and credit cards had not been used.

See the report here.


Weather: Some morning showers, not as warm


COVID in Michigan 🦠

Michigan reported 9,137 new cases of COVID-19 and 36 virus-related deaths Monday -- an average of 3,045.7 cases over a three-day period.

Of the 36 deaths announced Monday, 18 were identified during a Vital Records review. The state also reported an additional 14,060 recoveries from the virus, bringing that total to 945,175.

Monday’s update brings the total number of confirmed COVID cases in Michigan to 1,064,557, including 21,349 deaths. These numbers are up from 1,055,420 cases and 21,313 deaths, as of Friday.

Testing has increased to around 30,000 diagnostic tests reported per day on average, with the 7-day positive rate at 11.35% as of Monday, an increase from last week. Hospitalizations have been steadily increasing for several weeks.

The state’s 7-day moving average for daily cases was 3,603 on Monday -- the highest it has been since early May. The 7-day death average was 29 on Monday. The state’s fatality rate is 2.0%. The state also reports “active cases,” which were listed at 98,000 on Monday.

Michigan has reported more than 10 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine administered as of Monday, with 67.9% of 16+ residents having received at least one dose while 59.8% of 16+ residents are considered fully vaccinated.

Here’s a look at more of the data:


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About the Author
Cassidy Johncox headshot

Cassidy Johncox is a senior digital news editor covering stories across the spectrum, with a special focus on politics and community issues.

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