An ice storm at the end of March caused widespread damage throughout northern Michigan.

The Department of Natural Resources says an untold number of trees and power poles snapped or fell over under the weight of an inch or more of ice. Some landed on people’s houses, causing roof damage.

Some trees look like toothpicks

DNR Incident Response Team spokesperson Kathleen Lavey says the coating was so thick it bent pine trees out of shape.

“And we have hardwood trees that have lost a lot of their top branches due to the weight of the ice,” she said. “It’s kind of shocking when you’re looking at it.”

Lavey says people traveling north on I-75 between Gaylord and Mackinaw City will see many broken trees this spring.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency in 12 counties where thousands of homes and businesses lost power for several days. She also mobilized the Michigan National Guard to help the DNR and local authorities remove fallen trees and branches from hundreds of miles of roads.

Lavey says DNR staff showed Guard members how to use chain saws to clear large tree trunks.

“Our No. 1 goal is to get trees out of the roadways so that people can drive as needed, especially for emergency purposes, and so kids could go back to school,” she said.

Things have mostly returned to normal up north, but the ice storm’s impact will last for weeks, maybe months.

The DNR has temporarily closed many state parks, trails and campgrounds. The agency expects to reopen them in time for the tourism season.

More fuel for wildfires

The amount of tree debris on the ground has also raised concerns about of wildfires in northern Michigan. The DNR responded to almost two dozen wildfires in mid-April. Lavey says as trunks and branches dry out, they provide extra fuel for wildfires. Insects and disease are another concern.

More: Michigan DNR prepares for wildfire season

“A tree that has damage to its bark is more susceptible to like a fungal infection or to insects penetrating the tree, and we do have some concerns about forest health that we’re also going to be trying to address,” she said.

Lavey also warns people to watch for loose branches hanging in trees.

“The old loggers back in the day used to call them widow-makers,” she said. “If one landed on you, you were done.”

Forests will recover

Lavey says the ice storm has changed the appearance of Michigan’s forests, but their resilience ensures they’ll recover.

“Forests are used to having a reset every now and then,” she said. “They will persevere, and we will help them.”

Michigan State Police offer ice storm recovery updates and resource information online.

Detroit City Football Club has called Hamtramck home since 2016. The team moved from its original grounds at Cass Technical High School and raised almost $750,000 to upgrade historic Keyworth Stadium.

Now, DCFC plans to build a new stadium in Corktown.

The club bought the vacant Southwest Detroit Hospital in 2024. Owners plan to demolish the building and clean up the property on Michigan Avenue near I-75 and I-96.

Co-owner Alex Wright says they want a modern facility.

“A lot of the stuff we’re doing is behind the scenes currently, but it’s something that we want to be a special place, a community place, and very much the next step in sort of the vision of building our ambition of being Detroit’s soccer team,” Wright said.

Soccer seeds bear fruit

A new stadium would be the next step in DCFC’s evolution. The club started in 2012, playing against regional teams in the amateur National Premier Soccer League. It quickly became one of NPSL’s most successful clubs. After moving to Keyworth in 2016, City was playing before sellout crowds.

Le Rouge went pro in 2020, joining the fledgling National Independent Soccer Association. After winning two NISA championships, the club moved up again, to the United Soccer League Championship division in 2022. It has qualified for the USL playoffs every year since joining the league.

In 2025, USL petitioned the U.S. Soccer Federation to create a new pro division that would compete on the same level as Major League Soccer. Alex Wright says building a new soccer-specific stadium would improve DCFC’s chances of promotion.

“A lot of that has to do with the facility you play in,” he said. “We feel confident that we will be eligible to be part of that inaugural class of USL Division One.”

Breaking ground, building the game

The first step is demolishing the old hospital, which could cost up to $6 million. The Detroit Brownfield Redevelopment Authority voted unanimously to reimburse the club’s demolition costs over 21 years. Wright says while he expects some hiccups along the way, they should not derail construction.

“This isn’t something we want to drag out for a generation,” he said. “We want to have a stadium where we’re kicking a ball in 2027.”

Wright says the stadium campaign is the latest effort to grow soccer organically in Detroit. He says the owners will not be absentee landlords.

“The three of us that are working full-time for the club, we’re within biking and walking distance of this location,” he said. “Find me another ownership group in America that can walk to the stadium they’re building.”

Wright says the new stadium could have up to 15,000 seats — almost twice Keyworth’s capacity. He expects to break ground this summer with more details and designs to come.

Detroit’s iconic area code is getting some company.

The Michigan Public Service Commission says the city and adjacent suburbs will run out of available 313 numbers by the end of 2027.

When that happens, new phone lines will start with 679. The new area code will share the same space as 313.

Ryan McAnany directs the MPSC’s telecommunications division. He says 679 will not replace 313, and people with 313 numbers will not have to change them.

“Everyone that is a 313 customer or has a 313 telephone number, nothing will impact them,” he said. “The 679 area code overlay will impact only new customers.”

The MPSC previously said that the number of unassigned 313 numbers would be exhausted this year.

Read more: Detroit could run out of 313 phone numbers, new 679 area code proposed

Dialing extra digits

One thing will change: people with 313 numbers will eventually need to dial 10 digits — including the area code — to make local calls.

Starting April 7, customers will have six months to adjust.

“They don’t have to start calling 10 digits on April 7,” McAnany said. “They still can call the seven digits, but we’re trying to get the word out to customers that this change is happening, and it will be mandatory starting Oct. 7.”

Although the new 679 area code officially begins in November, McAnany says it might take a couple of years to catch on. But the number of available 313 numbers is dwindling.

“Right now, the projection is fourth quarter of 2027,” he said. “But that end date is a moving target, so it all just depends on how many numbers are being requested.”

McAnany says the changes will not result in higher phone bills.

“As far as calling rates, nothing will change,” he said. “Local calls will still be the same. There will not be any additional charges to that, and long distance will be the same.”

Area codes through the years

The 313 area code was established in 1947 as part of the North American Numbering Plan. It originally covered all of southeast Michigan, including Detroit, Ann Arbor, Flint and Monroe.

As the region’s population grew, so did the demand for new phone lines, as well as pagers, fax machines, and dial-up internet modems.

In 1993, a new area code — 810 — was created for areas north of the city, including Oakland and Macomb counties. Within a few years, they received their own area codes — 248 for Oakland County in 1997, and 586 for Macomb in 2001.

In 2002, Oakland County got a second area code — 947 — which covers the same area as 248.

Ann Arbor, Monroe, and most of the Downriver communities have been in the 734 area code since 1997.

Tornado season has arrived, and the National Weather Service has started its annual training sessions for Skywarn spotters.

Jackie Anderson is the warning coordination meteorologist at the NWS forecast office in White Lake Township. She says the information spotters provide is crucial during tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, and flooding rains.

“When we’re issuing warnings, we’re looking at what’s going on with radar,” she said. “Our spotters really provide us with that ground truth as to what severe weather is actually happening in their area.”

Anderson says meteorologists says spotter reports help keep the public informed during bad weather.

“We can actually update our warnings to say trained spotters have confirmed one inch hail, 60 mph winds, tornadoes,” she said.

What do spotters learn?

A typical spotter training session lasts up to 90 minutes. Anderson says NWS staff use that time to review the previous year’s severe weather.

“We talk about different events that have impacted southeast Michigan,” she said. “We talk about what to look for, and then how you can report it to us.”

Spotters learn how to identify the early indications of a severe thunderstorm or tornado, such as the difference between wall clouds and shelf clouds.

Southeast Michigan saw a few tornadoes in 2024, including one that struck Livonia without warning in June, killing a 2-year-old boy. A rare February twister touched down in Grand Blanc, and a weak tornado spun up briefly in Holly in November.

Safety comes first

Spotting storms does not mean chasing them. Anderson encourages spotters to be careful.

“While we want to know what’s happening and get that ground truth information, the safety of all our spotters is the most important thing,” she said.

The White Lake office trains about 100 people a year and offers classes in several counties. Anderson says they do not need any background in meteorology to become a spotter.

More: NWS seeks winter weather spotters in Detroit

“We welcome anybody who’s interested in helping us provide that ground truth information,” she said. “People can also attend if they’re just generally interested in severe weather safety information.”

Spotters are always needed

Anderson cannot comment on recent layoffs at the National Weather Service, but she says spotters — who are not paid — are vital to the agency.

“We always rely heavily on spotters regardless of the time of year, whether it’s winter or severe weather season,” she said. “Having that ground truth support really helps us in the warning process.”

More: Local meteorologist says NWS layoffs risk public safety

The agency has several spotter training sessions coming up. You can find one here.

March 16-22 is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Michigan. NWS will conduct a statewide tornado drill at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, March 19.

Michigan Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II wants the top job in state government.

He has declared his candidacy for governor in 2026, seeking to succeed Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. She can’t run again because of term limits.

Gilchrist is seeking the Democratic Party nomination. He’s the third Democrat to enter the race. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson are also running.

He’s already had a taste of the job

Gilchrist carries out the governor’s duties whenever she leaves the state on official business. He says that experience, plus his background as an engineer, set him above other candidates.

“People are hungry for results,” Gilchrist said. “I’m a problem solver who’s created solutions.”

He cited Michigan’s housing crisis as an example.

“I pushed millions of dollars in funding into our state’s housing trust fund that’s brought 60,000 new housing units online,” Gilchrist said.

More: Jocelyn Benson launches campaign for governor

COVID response shaped his first term

Michigan confirmed its first case of COVID-19 on March 10, 2020. The disease has killed more than 40,000 people statewide, but those numbers have fallen steadily over time.

Whitmer picked Gilchrist to lead a task force on COVID’s disparate impact on people of color. He says he’s proud of the work they did.

“We set up 23 new neighborhood health centers in every region of the state,” he said. “That approach helped Michigan be the only state that even tried to deal with the disparity, let alone the state that actually solved it.”

Looking back, Gilchrist says he would have communicated pandemic information more aggressively.

“We got results when we did that,” he said.

Will he be different?

When reporters asked then-Vice President Kamala Harris how she’d be different from President Joe Biden, she initially said she couldn’t think of anything. Pundits have said that’s one reason why she lost the 2024 presidential election.

Gilchrist says he’s proud of the work he’s done alongside Whitmer but insists he won’t be a clone.

“I have different experiences and different relationships,” he said. “We’re going to build on that to make sure Michigan can lead the country and the world.”

An ally?

Progressives have criticized Whitmer and other party leaders for taking a centrist approach to dealing with far-right politicians. Moderates and conservatives argue that Democrats are too far to the left for mainstream voters. They suggest that topics like climate change and transgender rights turn off voters who care more about the economy and whether it’s working for them.

Gilchrist says he will always support the LGBTQ+ community, but added he wants to be a governor for everyone.

“They’re not interested in labels,” he said. “Too many Michiganders didn’t feel like Democrats across the board were pissed off enough about what’s happening in the status quo.”

The Duggan question

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is running for governor as an independent, breaking with the Democratic Party. He says most Michigan voters want someone other than a Democrat or a Republican.

That statement doesn’t square with history. Independent and third-party candidates rarely win elections but sometimes win enough votes to be spoilers.

More: Duggan will run for governor as an independent

Gilchrist wouldn’t comment on Duggan’s campaign. But he will reach out to independent voters.

“Whether you live in a county that Donald Trump won or a county that Kamala Harris won, you’re still a Michigander,” he said. “My job is to serve you.”

The Trump administration’s purge of federal workers includes layoffs at the National Weather Service.

An NWS spokesperson would not say how many people lost their jobs. NPR reports that the firings raise concerns over the agency’s ability to forecast hurricanes. The cuts could also affect America’s fishing industry.

Detroit area meteorologist Paul Gross says the government’s decision to stop launching weather balloons in western Alaska impacts the rest of the country.

“That upper air data is ingested into the computer models that we use to tell you days ahead of time about a particularly devastating or disruptive storm,” he said.

Gross worked at WDIV-TV for 40 years. He left the station in 2023 and owns a weather consulting firm. He says NWS was already stretched thin and more cuts could endanger the public.

“What if there’s a degradation in the ability to warn people during a tornado outbreak?” he asked. “Every single American should be concerned about this.”

NWS has wide reach

Gross says broadcasters rely on National Weather Service data to produce daily forecasts. That includes networks such as The Weather Channel.

“TV stations all have computer graphics systems,” he said. “But the data that comes into those systems comes from the National Weather Service.”

The same goes for mobile weather apps.

“Where do you think the app gets all the data and all of the computer modeling? It starts with the National Weather Service,” Gross said.

Most Detroit TV stations have their own meteorologists. Many radio stations rely on networks such as AccuWeather. WDET relies entirely on the NWS office in White Lake Township for its weather broadcasts. That includes daily forecasts, seasonal outlooks, and severe weather alerts.

Read more: WDIV’s Paul Gross wraps up TV career

Gross says further cuts could make it harder for broadcasters to warn the public.

“We can certainly tell you about storms,” he says. “But we cannot and do not issue the warnings.”

NWS says cuts won’t compromise safety

WDET asked the National Weather Service how the cuts might affect local forecasting.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration spokesperson Susan Buchanan replied:

“Per long-standing practice, we are not discussing internal personnel and management matters. NOAA remains dedicated to its mission, providing timely information, research, and resources that serve the American public and ensure our nation’s environmental and economic resilience. We continue to provide weather information, forecasts and warnings pursuant to our public safety mission.”

Michigan averages more than 200 wildfires per year. The Department of Natural Resources says fires burned almost 1,500 acres statewide in 2024.

Most happen in the spring. Trees, grass, brush and leaves that dried out over the winter can catch fire easily. Warm temperatures, high winds and low humidity can turn small fires into big ones.

The DNR has more than 60 full-time firefighters and lots of heavy equipment to contain the flames.

Jeff Vasher is the department’s resource protection manager for the Lower Peninsula. He says training starts before the snow melts.

“Last year, we were fighting fires in late February,” he says. “We’re always doing something to prepare for the wildfire season, because, once it starts, it’s a long two or three months until it greens up.”

Fighting fire with fire

One method the state uses to prevent and control wildfires is “prescribed burning.” Vasher says the DNR selects a certain number of acres to burn each year.

“Last year, we did over 100 burns and over 10,000 acres,” he says.

Vasher says prescribed burns help control invasive species and improve wildlife habitats. They also minimize the risk of major wildfires like the ones that ravaged the Los Angeles area.

“You’re cutting down on fuel so it can’t burn like you see with the big fires out west,” he says.

Related: DNR warns ice storms can damage trees

Partnerships are critical

The DNR doesn’t work alone. It gets help from local fire departments as well as the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Michigan is also part of the Great Lakes Forest Fire Compact.

The Trump administration has been slashing jobs and funding throughout the federal government. Vasher says he’s not a “budget guy,” but adds that the DNR still has a job to do regardless of how much support it gets from Washington.

“When COVID happened, we still had fires, and we still put them out,” he says.

Only you?

DNR statistics show that humans cause most wildfires, usually due to carelessness while burning debris. Vasher says knowing how to burn safely can reduce the danger.

“If you’re going to burn, make sure you’ve got a hose with you and burn small piles,” he says. “Don’t burn on windy days.”

The DNR says campers should be careful, too. Vasher says they need to use plenty of water and be sure their campfires are completely out before they leave.

“We’ve had lots of fires start up where they thought the fire was out and then the wind picks up, there’s an ember still burning, and it takes off,” he says. “We always tell them to make it a muddy mess, like soup.”

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed bills last week to raise Michigan’s minimum wage and guarantee sick leave for workers.

The hourly rate will rise to $15 in 2027 for everyone except people who earn tips. They will get 38% of the minimum wage in 2025. That will grow to 50% in 2031 and then be capped at that rate. If their combined wages and tips don’t add up to $15/hour, their employers will make up the difference.

More: Michigan House passes minimum wage bill

A companion law guarantees all workers paid sick leave. How much they earn depends on how many hours they work and the size of their employer. Workers at large companies will get 72 hours of paid sick leave. Those who work at small firms will receive 40 hours.

Bipartisan deal comes together at the last minute

Michigan’s divided Legislature worked together to enact the new policies. Senate Democrats and House Republicans compromised to ensure bipartisan support.

Had they not acted by Feb. 21, a Michigan Supreme Court order would have implemented a 2018 ballot petition. That proposal raised the minimum wage for all workers to almost $15/hour, including those who earn tips. It also would have guaranteed everyone the same amount of paid leave.

The Republican-led Legislature adopted the petition but then weakened it in a way justices ruled was illegal.

Rep. Jamie Thompson (R-Brownstown Twp.) voted for the compromise.

“I do support a higher minimum wage,” she said. “It’s very hard to expect that a minimum wage job is going to support a family.”

But Thompson also says those jobs were never meant to support families.

“I feel like they were intended for students or people working toward getting a better job.”

She also says many companies already pay workers more than the minimum wage.

“I know a lot of single moms out there that are raising kids on their own,” she said. “They would never be able to pay their bills and not be homeless if they were just working less than 40 hours a week at a minimum wage job.”

Thompson also says it was important to preserve a lower wage for tipped workers.

“We can get them making a little more hourly money, but they still keep their tips and business owners don’t go under,” she said.

Business groups who opposed the higher minimum wage argued before the vote that it would kill jobs and cause small enterprises to close. Years of economic research don’t support that claim, as shown here, here, and here.

Do new lawmakers relate to workers?

Republican support for raising the minimum wage reflects a policy shift within the party. Rep. Thompson says many newer GOP lawmakers are more sympathetic to working people.

“A lot more everyday citizens have gotten involved in politics because they’ve seen how the legislation is actually affecting their family, their business, their children,” she said. “We understand how hard it is to raise a family.”

Thompson was elected to the state House in 2022 and won a second term in 2024.

A backyard poultry farm in Monroe County is the latest Michigan flock hit by the highly pathogenic Avian influenza. 

Hundreds of thousands of turkeys at a commercial farm in Ottawa County had to be euthanized at the end of last year because of the bird flu outbreak. 

But the disease isn’t only affecting turkeys and chickens. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources estimates the virus has killed more than 300 wild birds in five counties since Jan. 1, 2025.

Mitch Marcus, a wildlife health supervisor at the DNR, says the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is also affecting waterfowl and birds of prey.

“Think ducks, geese, swans,” he said. “Also scavenging birds and raptors, so think eagles and owls.”

People who found dead birds in the wild alerted the DNR. Marcus says scientists at Michigan State University’s Veterinary Diagnostic Lab test tissue samples for the virus.

“If HPAI is suspect from those results, the samples get sent on to the national vet services laboratory for confirmation,” he said.

The DNR encourages people who find at least six dead birds in one area to report the discovery through its “eyes in the field” tool.

Marcus says it’s best to avoid direct contact with a dead bird in the wild. If someone finds one on their property, he recommends caution.

“If they’re in a situation where they have to get that carcass removed, I would suggest that they utilize some personal protective equipment,” he said.

Read more: Avian flu outbreak forces major layoffs at Michigan’s largest poultry farm

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development also offers advice for pet owners concerned about bird flu.

“A good general precaution is just keep your pets away from any sick or dead wild animals,” Marcus said.

The DNR says HPAI has infected some feral and domestic cats in the U.S., but so far, it has not affected dogs.

The state has detected the virus at large commercial poultry farms in western Michigan as well as backyard flocks in Wayne, Oakland, and Monroe counties.