I was honored to host several legislative and professional colleagues for this year’s Mackinac Bridge Walk on Labor Day.

As they walked the bridge with my family, we discussed the importance of this magnificent bridge and what it means for the state of Michigan.

I stand with the Mackinac Bridge Authority in calling for the passage of Senate Bill 21, which I introduced in order to add the Mackinac Bridge to our state’s list of critical infrastructure and afford it a higher measure of security and protection. We nearly had this bill completed last term, but it was sidetracked by political games. This bridge is simply too essential to let that happen yet again.

Anglers can look forward to exceptional fishing opportunities this fall across Michigan’s lakes and streams, thanks to a successful spring and summer fish stocking season by the DNR. This year, a total of 9,118,112 fish, weighing nearly 321 tons and comprising 10 different species and one hybrid, were reared and delivered to stocking sites.

Fish stocking plays a vital role in maintaining quality fishing experiences for anglers while also conserving fish populations and their habitats. These efforts contribute an estimated $4.2 billion annually to the state's economy. The DNR maintains a Fish Stocking Database, allowing the public to track when, where, and what species are stocked throughout the state.

Michigan's six state and two cooperative hatcheries work together to produce the necessary species, strains, and sizes of fish for fisheries management. The fish must be delivered and stocked at a specific time and location to ensure their success.

The public is welcome at any of Michigan’s state fish hatcheries to see the fish-rearing process firsthand.

My office was just informed that the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) released guidance for the latest round of the Rural Readiness Grant Program grants and will be accepting letters of intent through Oct. 7. In the upcoming fiscal year, the Office of Rural Prosperity will offer two rounds of grant funding, with the first round offering approximately $1 million in grants to eligible rural communities.

The Office of Rural Prosperity is currently seeking letters of intent for the first round of funding — which is now open. Interested organizations are encouraged to apply and take advantage of this opportunity to support their local communities. For more information and to submit a letter of intent, visit the Rural Readiness Grant Program website at Michigan.gov/RuralReadiness.

If you are going to apply for funding from this program, please let my office know! We work hard to ensure grant funding comes back to our district as much as we can.

A highlight of August for my family and me was attending the U.P. State Fair to recognize and honor Howard Seid, the U.P. Veteran of the Year for 2024.

His legacy of service dates back nearly 40 years, but like most honored veterans I’ve worked with in the past, he is too humble to realize the impact he has made on lives throughout the world. I want to express again just how grateful I am to Howard for his decades of service, and devotion to his country.

I was deeply moved by the chance to speak at the ribbon cutting for the new Pine Ponds neighborhood in Petoskey and hear the vision for the area from the Manthei family, who have poured their heart and resources into this effort.

We will get to the bottom of the attainable housing crisis as a society, but it’s going to take real innovation and committed people to do it. Importantly, there are some ways our state and federal government can help, but this effort will be strongest when driven by people and businesses within our own communities. Pine Pond is a great example of this reality.

The unique approach the family and their friends have developed involves a financing component that helps people build equity to ultimately purchase their own homes — and these are high-quality homes of which any family would be proud!

By working together and investing our time, talent, and treasure, we can make real progress towards ensuring all of our hardworking families have safe, quality housing in the coming years.

The Michigan State Police Office of School Safety (OSS) recently announced that updated resources are available to assist schools with developing or updating their Emergency Operations Plan (EOP).

Michigan law requires that all K-12 schools have an EOP in place to help ensure the safety of staff and students in the event of an emergency. An EOP outlines steps for students, teachers and school staff to follow before, during and after various emergency situations.

The OSS works in partnership with the Michigan Department of Education to:

The updated resource list can be found on the OSS webpage.

Hunting is a crucial part of Michigan’s heritage and plays a key role in wildlife management and conservation. As you prepare for the upcoming fall deer hunting season, here are a few reminders:

For complete details, refer to the Michigan Hunting Regulations Summary.

Michigan’s Invasive Species Grant Program (MISGP) is now accepting proposals for the 2024 funding cycle. This program — a joint effort by the Michigan Departments of Natural Resources; Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy; and Agriculture and Rural Development — aims to prevent, detect and control invasive species across the state.

Grants are available to local, state, federal or tribal units of government, along with nonprofits and universities. Since its inception in 2014, MISGP has awarded over $36 million to 269 projects, helping manage invasive species such as the hemlock woolly adelgid and European frog-bit. In total, more than 664,000 acres of land and water have been surveyed, and approximately 53,000 acres have been treated for invasive species. An estimated $3.6 million will be available for the 2024 grant cycle.

Highlights of the 2023 invasive species program are available in the Michigan Invasive Species Program Annual Report, which includes program-funded projects.

Applicants are encouraged to participate in a webinar on Tuesday, Sept. 10, at 9 a.m. to learn more about the MIGSP, the grant application process and 2024 priorities.

The Michigan Inland Lakes Partnership invites inland lake enthusiasts to the Michigan Inland Lakes Convention, taking place Oct. 2 to 4. This biannual event brings together lakefront property owners, scientists, industry professionals, policymakers, conservationists, and those with a passion for Michigan’s inland lakes to exchange ideas and learn the latest in lake stewardship.

The convention will feature two full days of presentations and workshops on topics such as watershed conservation, invasive species, freshwater algae, and more. Attendees can participate in hands-on training in identifying and removing invasive aquatic species, discussions on wake boat issues and amphibian and reptile conservation and management.

Click here to view the full agenda or to register online.

September is National Preparedness Month. Emergencies, such as power outages, fires or tornadoes, can happen at any time. It’s essential for families to have a plan to connect, communicate and meet up with one another in such situations.

To create a preparedness plan:

Visit Ready.gov for more information.

Results for the 2024 Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress (M-STEP) show reading scores for Michigan third graders at a 10-year low.

M-STEP, the state’s summative assessment given to students each spring, is designed to gauge how well students are mastering state standards. This year’s numbers show a staggering number of Michigan students are struggling to read at grade level. Just 39.6% of the state’s third graders were proficient on the M-STEP English test, down from the 46.7% proficiency rate scored in 2019.

Lansing Democrats have removed a critical component of Michigan’s third grade reading law, ended required teacher evaluations, eliminated the state’s clear and transparent A-F grading scale for schools, and opposed efforts to give families access to additional educational resources.

Senate Republicans will not accept Michigan’s children remaining in the bottom 10 nationally for educational outcomes. Instead, we will continue to advocate for plans like MI Brighter Future, focused on expanding student access to resources and learning opportunities, providing essential training, ensuring educator accountability and giving parents greater control over their child’s progress.

Michigan’s 37th Senate District includes Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Leelanau counties and portions of Mackinac and Chippewa counties.