Michigan officials took center stage on the final night of the Democratic National Convention.

Among a long list of star-studded speakers included three officials from the battleground state of Michigan.

U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) introduced herself as the Democratic nominee for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat.

“I want to talk tonight about national security because the choice in November is stark,” said Slotkin. “America retreating from the world or leading the world.”

Slotkin highlighted her experience as a former CIA officer and Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense.

“For everyone here and everyone watching, I want you to proudly claim your patriotism,” Slotkin said. “You are here because you love your country. Do not give an inch to pretenders who wrap themselves in the flag but spit in the face of freedoms it represents.”

Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson also took the stage in support of Kamala Harris.

“My job is to protect people, all people,” said Swanson.

Swanson discussed a defining moment in his career surrounding a 2020 demonstration in Flint.

“We were able to turn a protest into a peaceful movement by walking together,” Swanson said. “One city, one community, and one country. America, let’s walk, let’s walk together, and let’s elect Kamala Harris.”

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer also spoke during the final night of the convention.

Whitmer touted Harris as the relatable candidate.

“Kamala Harris, she gets us, she sees us, she is us,” said Whitmer.

Whitmer painted Donald Trump as out of touch.

“You think he understands that when your car breaks down, you can’t get to work? No. His first word was probably chauffer,” Whitmer said.

Michigan’s 2024-25 roster took a major hit Thursday.

Forward Rutger McGroarty, who finished ninth in the country with 52 points last season, had his rights traded from the Winnipeg Jets to the Pittsburgh Penguins. According to multiple outlets, first reported by The Athletic, he is expected to sign his entry-level pro contract, foregoing his final two years of NCAA eligibility. The Jets are acquiring forward Brayden Yager, the No. 14 overall pick in 2023, in a swap of two top NHL prospects.

McGroarty, the No. 14 overall pick in 2022, reportedly had requested a trade this offseason after he and Winnipeg disagreed on his future with the organization. Two other Michigan early-round picks – Frank Nazar and Gavin Brindley, signed their entry-level deals with the Chicago Blackhawks, and Columbus Blue Jackets, respectively, after Michigan’s season ended in a national semifinal in April.

Both played in NHL games at the end of the year for teams that didn’t make the playoffs, but the Jets finished second in the Central Division and had one of the deepest forward groups in the league, limiting a potential pathway for McGroarty to enter the lineup.

In April, Michigan announced McGroarty was returning for his junior season, but many NHL experts mentioned the 6-foot-1, 200-pounder as a potential trade candidate.

A trade around the draft in June wouldn’t have been surprising, but a move this late in the offseason is unusual. McGroarty was expected to be a leader for a Wolverines team that lost four of its top six scorers from last year. In two years with the Wolverines, he recorded 32 goals and 57 assists in 75 games, playing a major role in the team reaching the Frozen Four both years.

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) – Michigan will receive nearly $1 million in grants to reduce lead exposure from children at schools and childcare facilities.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced funding to protect children from lead in drinking water on Wednesday. The grant program requires recipients to use the 3Ts—Training, Testing, and Taking Action—to reduce lead in drinking water. The $26 million grant funding was distributed to 55 states and territories, including the District of Columbia; Michigan will receive $930,000.

The EPA said lead can severely harm mental and physical development in children while also slowing down learning and irreversibly damaging the brain. In adults, lead can cause increased blood pressure, heart disease, decreased kidney function, and cancer.

“The science is clear: There is no safe level of exposure to lead,” said Acting Assistant Administrator for Water Bruno Pigott. “As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda, this $26 million will help protect our children from the harmful impacts of lead. EPA is also investing $15 billion under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to remove lead pipes and is providing technical assistance to communities to help them develop and implement lead pipe replacement projects.”

The funding was authorized by the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act and is provided to states, the District of Columbia, and participating territories as grants for lead testing and remediation in schools and childcare facilities.

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