Detroit, MI

Stabenow, USDA official visit Detroit, salute schools and farmers for student meal effort ⋆ Michigan Advance

Published

4 months ago

February 2, 2024

Stabenow, USDA official visit Detroit, salute schools and farmers for student meal effort ⋆ Michigan Advance

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Under Secretary Stacy Dean and U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Lansing) on Friday visited Detroit’s Eastern Market and led a roundtable to celebrate school meal programs and local farmers.

“We definitely have a department that gets it and we definitely have a state that gets it,” said Stabenow, who chairs the U.S. Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee.

“In the end,” Stabenow added, “it’s about feeding our children, otherwise it doesn’t cut it.”

They toured the market, which opened 1898 and is one of the nation’s oldest continually operating institutions. Federal and state officials, as well as Michigan farmers – both urban and rural – and local school administrators touted USDA school meal programs, which include farm-to-school programs and summer meal programs for children.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a Fiscal Year (FY) budget that includes $160 million to fund free school meals for students for the year. There’s also bipartisan legislation that would make that funding permanent.

U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (L) and USDA Deputy Under Secretary Stacy Dean (R) at the Eastern Market in Detroit, Feb. 2, 2024 | Ken Coleman

U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, USDA Deputy Under Secretary Stacy Dean and other leaders at the Eastern Market in Detroit, Feb. 2, 2024 | Ken Coleman

U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (C) and USDA Deputy Under Secretary Stacy Dean (R) in Detroit, Feb. 2, 2024 | Ken Coleman

U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, USDA Deputy Under Secretary Stacy Dean and other leaders at the Eastern Market in Detroit, Feb. 2, 2024 | Ken Coleman

Also joining Stabenow and Dean, a University of Michigan alum, were Michigan Department of Education Deputy Superintendent Diane Golzynski; Eastern Market Director Dan Carmody; state House Education Committee Chair Matt Koleszar (D-Plymouth); and School Nutrition Association of Michigan President Dan Conners.

Dean applauded Congress and President Joe Biden to have “flexible funding” to collaborate with farmers and schools to provide healthy meals for children. She also praised Michigan’s efforts to connect school districts with in-state farmers.

“That is the goal: Breaking down some of the disconnects where you have some school districts who are buying food for five states away,” Dean said. “That’s not the best, and we want to bring the best.”

Speaking to farm-to-school programs was Kevin Frank, Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) senior director of culinary services. He was pleased to hear more about the federal and state efforts to strengthen the relationship between farmers and public schools. DPSCD serves more than 33,000 lunch meals per day to Motor City children.

“We have a lot of local growers in the city of Detroit who are operating local farms of that nature. And it’s my responsibility as an economic agent to make sure that, to the extent that I can, we’re helping them to further their cause,” Frank told the Advance after the roundtable discussion. “The reality is that their children are my students. I’m feeding their children. I owe it to those families and the city to do everything that I can to ensure that the food that I’m serving on my plate comes from these local farms.”

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Detroit, MI

Detroit Tigers’ Reese Olson gets hit by comebacker, exits game with right hip contusion

Published

7 hours ago

May 20, 2024

Press Room

Detroit Tigers’ Reese Olson gets hit by comebacker, exits game with right hip contusion

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Detroit Tigers right-hander Reese Olson exited Monday’s series opener against the Kansas City Royals in the bottom of the third inning with a right hip contusion.

A comebacker hit Olson on his right hip.

The 24-year-old looked like he wanted to stay in the game after throwing a couple of warmup pitches, but following a conversation with head athletic trainer Ryne Eubanks and manager A.J. Hinch, he ultimately left game after 52 pitches.

ACE VS. ACE: Tarik Skubal, Cole Ragans have ‘nothing but respect’ for each other ahead of first matchup

Olson threw a first-pitch 94.4 mph fastball to Michael Massey with two runners on base and two outs in the third inning. The ball — hit with a 101.8 mph exit velocity — drilled Olson in his right hip.

He immediately grabbed his right hip, limping.

Catcher Jake Rogers emerged from behind the plate to field the ball in front of the mound. He tried to make a play by flipping the ball to third base, but there wasn’t a defender covering the bag, so the ball bounced into foul territory and into the outfield. The lead runner scored on the mistake from Rogers, charged with a throwing error.

[ MUST LISTEN: Make “Days of Roar” your go-to Detroit Tigers podcast, available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) ]

After that, Eubanks and Hinch came out of the dugout to meet with Olson. The Tigers replaced Olson with right-handed reliever Beau Brieske.

Olson is scheduled to make his next start Saturday against the Toronto Blue Jays at Comerica Park.

THE KID CAN PLAY: Tigers’ Wenceel Pérez is proving it’s possible for rookies to hit in big leagues

The comeback that knocked Olson out of the game occurred one inning after he gave up a home run for the first time in 54 innings. He allowed two runs (one earned run) on five hits and one walk with two strikeouts across 2⅔ innings, with the both homer and comebacker hit by Massey.

Olson has a 2.16 ERA with 16 walks and 43 strikeouts across 50 innings in nine starts in the 2024 season.

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.

Listen to our weekly Tigers show “Days of Roar” every Monday afternoon on demand at freep.com, Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at freep.com/podcasts.

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Detroit, MI

‘Days of Roar’: Why we’ll know if Detroit Tigers are real playoff contenders soon

Published

13 hours ago

May 20, 2024

Press Room

Apple Podcasts | Spotify

• Hosts: Mark Gorosh (@sportz5176) and Evan Petzold (@evanpetzold)

• Editors: Robin Chan

• Executive producer: Kirkland Crawford.

• Email: epetzold@freepress.com

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On this episode: After a disappointing series against the Marlins, the Detroit Tigers’ offense snapped their 20 inning scoreless streak and exploded against the Diamondbacks. Mark and Evan preview the team’s big upcoming series against the Royals and if the offense can continue to hold on the road. The guys also cover Jack Flaherty’s recent resurgence in pitching excellence. Is this the best he’s looked since 2019? Later in the show, Mark proposes a trade idea that flabbergasts Evan.

JEFF SEIDEL: Why Detroit is gonna love Tigers prospect Kevin McGonigle: First and foremost, he can hit

ROOKIE WALL? Wenceel Pérez is proving it’s possible for rookies to hit in big leagues

BUILDING TRUST? Javier Báez appreciates A.J. Hinch, stays accountable in search for success

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Detroit, MI

Lions offseason questions: Games to watch

Published

21 hours ago

May 20, 2024

Press Room

Lions offseason questions: Games to watch

Mike O’Hara: Week 13 vs. Bears

The Bears and Lions meet in the traditional Thanksgiving Day game in Week 13 at Ford Field, and again three weeks later at Soldier Field. I look forward to those two games for a basic reason. They play good, tough football. It’s part of the tradition of both teams. You can count on it.

Dannie Rogers: Week 6 at Cowboys

I’m looking forward to the rematch in Dallas. I know it’s a game circled on a lot of players’ and coaches’ calendars because of the controversial ending last season. Dan Campbell is still looking for his first win as head coach against his home state.

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