Hunting is important to Michigan for many reasons.

Not only is hunting a vital part of our heritage, but it is also critical to wildlife management and the conservation of our abundant natural resources. Hunting also provides a major boost to the state’s economy and helps to support many of our local businesses and small communities.

I hope you find the latest edition of my free Hunting Update newsletter useful as you plan your adventures. It includes important season dates, fees, and program information to help make the most of the 2022 hunting season.

You can download your free copy by clicking this link.

The Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency is partnering with the Department of Veterans Affairs and other veteran organizations to hold its second Veterans Experience Action Center.

The three-day event, held Oct. 4-6, from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. EDT, is an opportunity for veterans to receive one-on-one personalized assistance with their VA benefits, health care, crisis resources, and many other benefits they have earned for their service.

At the VEAC, veterans attend a virtual appointment with a local veterans service officer who can facilitate a direct transfer to VA experts and community partners who can immediately address their specific needs. The first VEAC, held in 2021, served more than 600 Michigan veterans during the three-day event.

For more information or to register for the Michigan VEAC, visit the VA website.

Behind every great student is a teacher who took the time to invest in and enrich his or her life – and Michigan schools are filled with many wonderful teachers.

Each year, one teacher is named Michigan’s Teacher of the Year. This year, Escanaba’s own Nanette Hanson, who teaches first grade at Lemmer Elementary School, was named the 2022-23 Michigan Teacher of the Year.

The Michigan Teacher of the Year serves as a representative and advocate for Michigan's more than 90,000 teachers and works with nine fellow regional Teachers of the Year to make up the Michigan Teacher Leadership Advisory Council. Each Regional Teacher of the year, from the 10 regions across Michigan, brings recognition to the district he or she represents and has additional opportunities for professional development and opportunities to share their experience and expertise. The MTOY also attends the State Board of Education meetings as a non-voting member and serves as Michigan’s applicant for National Teacher of the Year.

Nominations for the 2023-24 Michigan Teacher of the Year are open from now until Oct 24. For more information about the MTOY year program, or to nominate a teacher, visit the Michigan Department of Education’s MTOY page. Nominations can also be made using the online form.

September is National Library Card Sign-Up Month. Throughout the month, libraries nationwide join the American Library Association to remind parents, caregivers, and students that signing up for a library card is the first step on the path to academic achievement and lifelong learning.

In Michigan, the eLibrary provides free access to articles, books, and digital images. The eLibrary also provides access to an interlibrary loan system that makes it easy to borrow books from libraries across the state. For more information visit Michigan eLibrary.