Dear Friends:

Thank you for the opportunity to serve you and provide updates about what is going on at Michigan’s Capitol.

I am the state senator for the 18th District – covering all of Barry County and parts of Allegan, Calhoun, Kalamazoo, Kent and Ionia counties. Please feel free to contact me with any issues related to state government at [email protected], or by calling 517-373-1734 (toll-free at 855-347-8018).

Sincerely,

Thomas Albert
State Senator

I began this week by speaking at a Memorial Day event for the Boston Township and Saranac community in Ionia County. As a former Marine, I was deeply honored to participate in this ceremony.

Memorial Day is the unofficial start to summer. It’s a great time of year to spend with friends and family. But it’s also an important time to remember how the great freedoms we enjoy came about, and how they are protected.

I wish you and your family a happy and healthy summer. For me, this time of year always starts with reflection and honoring our fallen military heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice for our way of life.

The Natural Resources Commission is expected to consider a wide variety of proposed changes to Michigan’s deer hunting regulations this summer.

One of the proposals would specifically affect the 19-county Chronic Wasting Disease Management Zone that includes a portion of the 18th Senate District. As originally introduced, the proposal calls for bucks taken on the restricted tag of the deer combination license in this zone to have four or more points on one side. It is possible amendments to this and other proposals will be considered before a final vote.

I understand and appreciate that hunters have differing opinions on the NRC and the regulations it imposes. Personally, I believe the NRC has more authority than it should as an unelected board – including last year’s change that requires hunters to report how and where they harvested a deer within 72 hours. But regardless of how hunters feel about the new proposals, now is the time to weigh in. The quickest and easiest way is to email the Natural Resources Commission at [email protected].

More information is available by reading the proposed changes or visiting Michigan.gov/dnr/about/boards/nrc.

We have a lot of time to enjoy the outdoors before deer hunting season begins. This summer, several state parks across Michigan will be receiving much-needed upgrades. Visitors will enjoy new and improved camping amenities, park roads, electrical and water distribution systems, and toilet and shower buildings, as well as visitor center enhancements and historic preservation work.

Before you head out, be sure to visit Michigan.gov/DNRClosures to check for closures due to these planned improvement projects, other repairs or weather-related events.

Warm sunny days bring more time outside – and more yard work.

It’s also important to remember that yard waste burning is a leading cause of wildfires, including here in Michigan. Here are some safety tips to keep in mind when burning yard waste or having an outdoor fire:

For more information about fire safety, including a map of the daily fire danger rating, visit Michigan.gov/FireManagement.

After-school programs are an important part of the effort to help kids catch up on the learning lost over the past few years. I have prioritized this during the state budget process, an effort recognized by the Michigan Afterschool Partnership, which recently honored me with its Legislative Champion Award.

MASP shares my commitment to help more children across our state have a better chance to succeed. We must continue efforts to expand before school, after school and summer programs so kids have more learning opportunities. For more information, visit www.miafterschool.org.