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Morning Briefing Nov. 4, 2021: Giant sequoia tree surprisingly thriving in Northern Michigan, US sets Jan. 4 deadline for COVID vaccine mandate for big companies

Here are this morning’s top stories

A giant sequoia tree in Manistee, Michigan. Courtesy photo. (Lake Bluff Farms)

A giant sequoia tree in Northern Michigan? Yes, and it’s not only surviving, but thriving

A giant sequoia tree can be found in Manistee, Michigan. Yes, you read that correctly: Michigan. Not exactly a place you might expect to find a sequoia.

And yet, there is a thriving, giant sequoia tree located in the far north, in an area that can best be described as a frozen tundra during the winter.

Read the story here.


US mandates vaccines or tests for big companies by Jan. 4

Tens of millions of Americans who work at companies with 100 or more employees will need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 4 or get tested for the virus weekly under government rules issued Thursday.

Read more here.


Plymouth police: 15-year-old boy will face charges after attempted sexual assault in downtown restroom

A 15-year-old boy has been identified as the suspect in an attempted sexual assault Saturday, Oct. 30, at a public restroom in downtown Plymouth, police said.

See the report here.


Board governing Michigan Catastrophic Claims fund votes to send checks back to drivers

Refunds are coming. That’s the word from the board governing the Michigan Catastrophic Claims fund.

On Monday, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer called on the MCCA to start sending checks back to consumers. Whitmer said the fund is sitting on a $5 billion surplus. The MCCA agreed.

Learn more here.


Saving money: Dos and don’ts of dollar store shopping

While the cost of groceries and other items have been on the rise throughout the U.S., some shoppers are taking to dollar stores as a more cost-effective shopping destination -- but there’s a catch: Not everything at the discount store is a good buy.

See the report here.


Weather forecast: Still in the chill


COVID in Michigan 🦠

Michigan reported 9,764 new cases of COVID-19 and 137 virus-related deaths Wednesday-- an average of 4,882 cases over a two-day period, the highest daily total since April. Of the 137 deaths announced Wednesday, 75 were identified during a review of records.

Wednesday’s update brings the total number of confirmed COVID cases in Michigan to 1,147,512, including 22,384 deaths. These numbers are up from 1,137,748 cases and 22,247 deaths, as of Monday.

Read the latest COVID report here.




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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