Michigan
Michigan House primary: Newly-elected Xiong faces challengers in redrawn 13th District
Three Democrats and four Republicans are hoping to advance past the Aug. 6 primary for southern Macomb County’s redrawn 13th House District — a seat that for the last three months has been held by Democratic Rep. Mai Xiong, Michigan’s first Hmong American lawmaker.
The district’s boundaries look drastically different than they did last spring, when Xiong won a special election to join the House. Instead of centering on Warren and a slice of Detroit, the district now runs east from Warren, into Roseville and St. Clair Shores. Xiong’s Warren residence remained inside the revamped district.
”There is an education component to our campaign because people are confused about the redistricting process,” said Xiong, a former Macomb County commissioner.
Xiong beat Republican Ronald Singer in the April 16 special election that was needed after Lori Stone of Warren vacated her House seat to become mayor of Warren. Xiong’s victory helped Democrats regain a narrow 56-54 majority in the House.
Now, the 39-year-old mother of four has drawn a few serious challengers as she seeks a first full two-year term in office.
In the Democratic primary, Richard Steenland, 62, is a former state representative who has served several other roles in both Macomb County and Roseville city government over the years. Patricia Johnson Singleton, 61, is a caregiver for mentally disabled people who is also a substitute teacher and previously served a stint on the Detroit Board of Education.
In the Republican primary, Singer, 73, is running again. He is an electrical and mechanical engineer who has long been involved in GOP politics. Mark Foster, 61, has long owned a real estate firm and been involved in local government in St. Clair Shores. Jerrie Bowl Bilello, 53, is a claims processor making a first run for office. John Sheets is the final GOP candidate who didn’t respond to requests for more information on his candidacy.
More: Michigan House primary: Two Dems challenge incumbent Edwards in redrawn 12th District
Democrats
Xiong arrived at the state Capitol just as the hectic budget process was underway, calling her early weeks “a learning process of how things happen in Lansing.” Nevertheless she said she was proud to work with colleagues to bring back several infrastructure investments for her area, including money to repair Roseville’s sewer and pump station, water system fixes, and money for additional fixes to Mound Road.
“I’m also really proud of the investments we made in education,” she said, citing the passage of legislation that allows students to attend community college tuition-free. Xiong said she also pushed bills around consumer protection and healthcare, including one that would ensure the state has a robust pipeline of respiratory therapists.
The new lawmaker said she’s consistently heard from constituents about the rising cost of living. “I want to find ways to lower costs for families, to address the cost of living, and put more resources into services like our food pantries, because families are relying on these,” she said.
Steenland previously served stints on Roseville’s City Council and as its city clerk, and in 2020 he was elected to the House, serving one term, before he lost his reelection in 2022. He also worked in Macomb County government over the years, primary in the the courts system. He said he has unfinished business in Lansing.
“I didn’t feel like I was ready to go when I left,” Steenland said. ”I work very well with the other side of the aisle. My job is not to worry about politics, but worry about the people.”
Steenland said his deep experience in government and the court system helped him navigate the Legislature, and he had multiple pieces of legislation signed into law. One that he was most proud of involved ensuring municipalities had a way to approve raising tax revenue for police and fire services. He was also focused on helping military veterans.
“Experience does matter, and that’s one of the things I’m going for right now,” he said.
Singleton, of Roseville, pledged she would be a strong voice for the mentally disabled community if elected, having served as a caregiver for a decade. She pledged to advocate for improved conditions inside Michigan’s adult foster care homes, and also argued that Michigan’s mental health code is outdated and needs a thorough review.
Education would be another area of focus, said the former school board member. Singleton said the state must look more closely at how to keep more talented teachers from leaving, including by a fully funded teacher pension fund, as well as the ability to hire more paraprofessionals in classrooms.
Republicans
Singer, an engineer for an automotive supplier who lives in Warren, has long volunteered for Republican campaigns and causes in Michigan, and now says he has the urge to step up himself.
He cited concerns about the Democratic-controlled Legislature’s “out-of-control spending that causes tax increases,” and in his view had made the state less competitive. He said he’s also worried about what he views as an underperforming Michigan public education system.
Singer also said his engineering background would be useful in Lansing, especially as lawmakers consider subsidizing clean energy sources such as wind or solar, or clean transportation options, such as hydrogen-powered cars. “From an engineering perspective, you need to figure out what works and what doesn’t,” he said.
Foster runs The Fosters Real Estate firm in St. Clair Shores, and unsuccessfully ran for a House seat once before. He spent almost 20 years serving in an appointed position on the St. Clair Shores zoning board of appeals.
He said he’s most passionate about the economy, election integrity issues, and the border, though he acknowledged, “I don’t know how much we’ve have to do with the border” in the Michigan Legislature.
Foster said he’d advocate for only allowing in-person voting on Election Day, eliminating early voting unless voters were approved for certain reasons to vote early. However, in 2022, 2.5 million Michigan voters voted to enshrine nine days of early, in-person voting in the state constitution, meaning the Legislature has little recourse to curtail early voting.
Bowl Bilello said she stepped up to run because the Michigan House needs more “good people,” who “won’t be bribed or blackmailed or threatened.” She said she started to become more politically engaged during the pandemic lockdowns, which she said were wrong, and decided to switch to the Republican Party in 2020.
She pledged to have an open-door policy with constituents, if elected, including by holding small meetings and town halls frequently in the district. Bowl Bilello said she would want to serve on the Education Committee, because the believes some Michigan schools are “indoctrinating our children” by having sexualized books in curriculums and libraries, noting she has protested at local school board meetings in the past.
“Our future of our country is in the children’s hands,” she said. “It’s very important that we stop this indoctrination that they’re trying to do to these children.”
lramseth@detroitnews.com
@lramseth
Christmas Cheer Without Alcohol: Tips For Staying Sober
It can be difficult to stay away from alcohol around Christmas as we are constantly surrounded by it and therefore tempted to drink. While your loved ones may be enjoying their drinks and encouraging you to follow suit, here are a few tips for those who wish to stay sober.
unbranded – Lifestyle
If you’re planning to have a glass of wine, a mixed drink or beer on Christmas, you should plan to stock up ahead of time.
Michigan cuts off alcohol sales at bars, restaurants and stores early on Christmas Eve, and prohibits sales on Christmas until mid-day.
Here’s what you need to know:
When can I buy alcohol on Christmas?
Michigan closes alcohol sales at midnight on Christmas Eve and prohibits sales until noon on Christmas Day. The restriction applies to all licensees that sell alcoholic liquor for consumption on or off the licensed premises.
Who can buy alcohol in Michigan during the holidays?
State law restricts alcohol purchases to people who are 21 and older. On Christmas, the most recent legal birth date will be Dec. 25, 2004.
However, cashiers, clerks, bartenders, waiters and waitresses, and others are prohibited from selling to any visibly intoxicated patron regardless of age.
Does eggnog contain alcohol?
The holiday drink can be made alcohol-free or include a spirit.
Spirited versions often include bourbon, rum or brandy.
What are alcohol sales hours on New Year’s?
While Christmas hours are generally shorter, locations that sell alcohol for on-premises consumption are allowed to remain in operation New Year’s Eve until 4 a.m. on Jan. 1. Patrons may consume alcohol until 4:30 a.m.
Can I buy alcohol in another state and bring it home for the holiday?
A person of legal age may bring up to 312 ounces of alcoholic liquor that contains less than 21% alcohol by volume — about 24 12-ounce containers of beer or 12 750-milliliter containers of wine — from another state without prior approval.
Can I purchase alcohol online and have it shipped to me?
Yes, in some cases. Michigan requires a special direct license for out-of-state shippers.
Bell’s Brewery notes that shipping beer directly to consumers is illegal in Michigan, but that some third-party companies can handle the transaction via retailers. UberEats lists alcohol delivery from retailers as a service on its website.
The U.S. Postal Service prohibits most shipments of alcohol.
If you purchase from a business, FedEx will ship alcohol.
UPS lists alcohol as a restricted item, which it ships under specific criteria.
If you want to say Michigan Tech is in the middle of nowhere, we’ll allow it. The men’s basketball team traveled four hours by bus to Green Bay for a game Wednesday, and then four hours back to campus in Houghton, in the ear of the Upper Peninsula, and that’s the shortest road trip it will have all season.
Just don’t called Michigan Tech “Nobody U,” not anymore, not after the Division II program made national headlines Wednesday with its 72-70 win over Division I Green Bay.
The win came after Green Bay’s new head coach, sports-media personality Doug Gottlieb, made the “Nobody U” comment ahead of the Michigan Tech game ― though Gottlieb has insisted he wasn’t speaking specifically of Michigan Tech, and Michigan Tech head coach Josh Buettner didn’t take it personally, either.
Of course, that didn’t stop Buettner from using the clip of Gottlieb as motivation for his players in practice this week.
“I listened to his press conference. I’m not trying to squash (Gottlieb’s comments), but if you read the whole thing, I don’t think it’s a direct shot at us,” Buettner told The News after arriving back on campus Wednesday night. “(But) we had showed the guys (the clip). Any form of motivation you can get, you’re gonna do it.
“We were somewhat prepared that it would be a pretty big story (after Tech won) … and it’s even more than what I thought it would be. I’m happy for the guys. I’m happy for Michigan Tech.”
Gottlieb, 48, has been a lightning rod this season, his first as a Division I had basketball coach, in large part because he continues to host his daily talk show on Fox Sports Radio.
The double-dipping was embraced locally in Green Bay, because Gottlieb was certain to bring visibility to the program in an era where visibility ― and donor dollars ― are so paramount. Of course, visibility doesn’t seem like such a good thing anymore, as Green Bay is off to a 2-11 start after the loss to Michigan Tech (the game was an exhibition for Tech, but not for Green Bay), including eighth straight losses.
Green Bay’s struggles are so bad that it even led to an X (formerly Twitter) war of words between ESPN’s Adam Scheffter and Gottlieb on Tuesday, when Gottlieb questioned Schefter’s sources on a story, and Schefter responded by telling Gottlieb to spend less time on social media and more time coaching his team, as the losses are piling up.
“Obviously, everybody knows Coach Gottlieb’s gonna have a little bit of a target … hosting that radio show, he’s putting himself out there,” Buettner said. “He’s kind of in a no-win situation when the world’s looking at and listening to everything you have to say.”
Following Michigan Tech’s win Wednesday, before a crowd of more than 5,000 (including many Michigan Tech alums and fans) at Resch Center in Green Bay, many X users took a dig at Gottlieb over losing to “Nobody U.” Gottlieb took exception, saying he was “done with this crap” and that he never disrespected any opponent.
Buettner backs up Gottlieb’s comments, and even pointed out that Gottlieb was complimentary of Michigan Tech on a podcast leading up Wednesday’s game.
Gottlieb’s point with “Nobody U,” he said, was that he was going to have to rethink how he scheduled in the future. He scheduled tough this season, with games against Oklahoma State, Providence and Ohio State, and that it hasn’t looked pretty. And next up is a game at Drake, which is teetering on the brink of the Associated Press Top 25, on Saturday, It’s a fine line, Gottlieb said; he made the argument you can learn more your team losing to a power program that beating a low-level program, and that’s where he threw out the “Nobody U” line.
“We just happened to be the DII team that was coming up right after he said it,” Buettner said.
Michigan Tech, with the win Wednesday, sent a statement to the rest of a very good Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference that it means business. Michigan Tech is 7-3 on the season, including 2-0 in the GLIAC.
The Huskies won behind a 30-point game from junior guard Marcus Tomashek, who just happens to be a Green Bay native, but wasn’t recruited by the program in the years preceding Gottlieb’s stunning hiring in May. Tomashek is averaging 24.1 points on the season, not including the Green Bay exhibition. He’s scored 30 in a game three other times, and 40 once. It was fun to see, Buettner said, though he knows Wednesday’s performance almost certainly should put Tomashek on the Division I radar should be want to transfer up after the season.
Tomashek is one of 10 Wisconsin natives on Michigan Tech’s roster; the other six are Michigan natives. The school is academics first, known for its engineering. So Buettner, a former Michigan Tech standout, has played the long game since he was hired in April 2021, developing players out of high school. Many of those players are juniors and seniors now, and the fruits of his labor are shining through.
That’s the story Buettner wants to talk about, not the Gottlieb criticism. For the record, the two didn’t say much in the handshake line Wednesday. Gottlieb congratulated Buettner, and then walked away, to face a firestorm on X. Buettner, meanwhile, got in the bus, for the four-hour ride home ― a drive that, suddenly, didn’t seem so bad.
“It didn’t, and that’s short for us. The Chick-fil-A tasted great,” Buettner, whose team got paid a few thousand bucks to play Green Bay, said with a chuckle. “It was a great opportunity for us going into the Christmas break. … And people are talking about Michigan Tech, and Michigan Tech is a great university and a great place.
“It’s awesome for Michigan Tech. It’s a really good school in a unique part of the country.”
In the middle of nowhere, perhaps.
Nobody U, not so much.
tpaul@detroitnews.com
@tonypaul1984
DEARBORN, Mich. (WXYZ) — Michigan is all set to roll out its new law banning the sale and production of caged eggs across the state.
The law that was passed in 2019 will be enacted starting Dec. 31, 2024. This places Michigan among the 10 states in the country to ban the production of caged eggs.
But will this lead to an increase in egg prices? And who will it impact the most?
Egg Bar is one of the fresh new restaurants to hit the streets of Dearborn. The co-founder, Karl Makky, says they take pride in the food they serve.
Just about every item on the menu involves an egg.
“Even the bread has eggs in it,” Makky said.
To crack this wide open, Egg Bar place uses more than 800 eggs a day, spending more than $5,000 a month. For them, eggs being important is an understatement.
“One hundred percent. Life for Egg Bar depends on eggs,” Makky said.
It turns out all the eggs used at the restaurant are pasture-raised, cage-free eggs.
“Because that was our statement. We wanted to give the customer the best egg. And animal cruelty, we have a soft spot for animals,” Makky said.
“So you must be welcoming this new rule which is coming to Michigan starting December 31st, any egg sold in Michigan has to be cage-free eggs,” said Javed.
“Yes, I am. But I wish they would have done it from the very beginning. So now, the punishment is on the restaurant and on the customers,” Makky said. “Because the prices are going to go up.”
But Dr. Nancy Barr with Michigan Allied Poultry Industries has the other side.
“I don’t think so. Again, the supply and the demand is really the major factor for egg prices. And because of the impacts of the highly pathogenic avian influenza over the past year or two… that’s why you are seeing higher egg prices now,” Barr said.
Hear more from Nancy Barr in the video player below:
FULL INTERVIEW: Dr. Nancy Barr talks about cage free egg law
Even though whole egg prices are set on the commodities market, in the long run, Barr says supply should not be an issue. And that’s because the state law, which only allows the sale and production of cage-free eggs, was signed in 2019 and was given a five-year, phase-in period.
“Our farmers have been committed to moving in this direction, so they’ve been doing it over a number of years and they are ready to supply all the eggs Michigan needs,” Barr said.
The new requirement exempts eggs produced at farms with less than 3,000 egg-laying hens. The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development will monitor the cage-free standard.
Barr says the quality and taste of the eggs won’t change “a bit” and customers should not notice a difference.
“Only that the company that is selling the eggs has labeled the carton as such,” Barr said.
Barr also says that even if egg prices rise in the new year, they will still be an affordable source of quality protein.
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