Michigan
Voters shelter in polling place bathroom during Michigan tornado warning on Election Day
ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, MI — Severe storms hit the area hard as the polls were open for voting on Election Day in Southwest Michigan, causing a temporary disruption.
At some voting locations in St. Joseph County, voters were asked to shelter in place during a tornado warning that hit the area Tuesday morning.
A storm with warnings of a possible tornado rolled through Michigan on the morning of Tuesday, Aug. 6, destroying trees, damaging buildings, flooding streets and cutting off power for thousands of electrical customers in the area.
As of early afternoon Tuesday, there have been no confirmed reports of a tornado.
Storm damage in St. Joseph County shown on the morning of Tuesday, Aug. 6.(Courtesy | St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Office)
Three voting precincts in St. Joseph County temporarily lost power during the storm, Undersheriff Jason Bingaman said. Two of the locations had emergency power generators, though the Flowerfield Township Hall location did not, so the sheriff’s office brought in a generator to get the building back online after a power outage from the storm.
The township hall is located at 12020 M-216, in Marcellus. It is about 25 miles south of Kalamazoo, in St. Joseph County.
Voters and election workers sheltered at some precincts, including in two bathrooms at Flowerfield Township Hall, St. Joseph County Clerk and Register of Deeds Lindsay Oswald said.
The building is a former schoolhouse that is about 175 years old, township Supervisor Ron Shaver said.
Though the building lost power, Oswald said, the voting machinery has a battery backup that allowed workers to continue the voting process after they stopped sheltering, when the storm had passed.
“Our process is built to be resilient,” Oswald said. “It’s Michigan, we know the weather is going to be crazy here. You can’t rely on it.
“We have to have those procedures in place and we have to be ready for anything,” she said.
The generator was brought in to ensure the location had power for the rest of the day, she said. They also brought in a lamp to run off the generator, to give election workers some light, she said.
Polling locations in Burr Oak and Colon also lost power and had generators in place, she said.
Oswald and other officials were busy monitoring weather conditions Tuesday morning and communicating with poll workers about when they needed to take shelter, she said. The main concern for severe weather in the county overall was from 7:50 a.m. to 9 a.m., she said.
At 8:09 a.m., a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located near Marcellus, the National Weather Service said.
Township workers did a great job during the storm, Oswald said. People sheltered for less than a half hour, she said.
Bingaman is one of five candidates running for the office, facing Dennis Allen, Joe Bingaman, Gordon L. Evilsizor and Chad Spence, to become the county’s next sheriff.
Bingaman said officials worked together to try to make sure the polls would stay open so people could vote.
“It’s the proverbial, it’s going to happen on a day you don’t want it to,” Bingaman said.
Storm damage in St. Joseph County shown on the morning of Tuesday, Aug. 6.(Courtesy | St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Office)
The county was under a tornado warning for about a half hour, Bingaman said.
MLive/Kalamazoo Gazette has reached out to the township clerk seeking comment.
Want more Kalamazoo-area news? Bookmark the local Kalamazoo news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Kalamazoo daily newsletter.
Michigan
Michigan heatwave on way. See day likely to set a record high
Tourists bemused as Louvre closes early due to heat
France’s heat closed the Louvre in Paris early on June 24, 2026.
Reuters
Get ready to sweat, Michigan.
The summer’s first big heatwave is expected to start on Monday, bringing a four-day stretch of potential 90-plus-degree temperatures to much of the state, across the Midwest and parts of the East Coast.
The National Weather Service is advising Michiganians to limit time outdoors and stay hydrated in the leadup to Independence Day.
The heatwave is projected to peak on Tuesday, the final day of June, when virtually the entirety of Lower Michigan and surrounding states will be considered at major risk of heat-related effects, according to NWS.
Anyone without access to cooling or hydration or who must engage in prolonged outdoor activity or strenuous labor will face a significantly elevated risk of heat-related illness, including heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
The NWS office in Marquette said above-normal humidity is expected to accompany the high temperatures, elevating the risk.
About 16 people a year die from heat and heat-related illnesses in Michigan, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Relief will be minimal, experts advised. Thunderstorms are unlikely during the heatwave, AccuWeather reported, and overnight lows are expected to drop only into the mid-70s, according to NWS.
‘Heat dome’ bringing near-record temperatures
AccuWeather attributes the warmup to a “heat dome,” which is a high-pressure system that traps hot air and prevents cooling. The weather system will bring above-normal temperatures throughout the central and eastern states. St. Louis could log eight straight days of at least 90 degrees.
Lower Michigan is expected to see this summer’s first consecutive 90-plus-degree days. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are all currently expected to climb past that mark.
Currently, the hottest day on record this year in Detroit was May 18, when the mercury climbed to 90 degrees, according to NWS data.
High temperatures are likely to approach daily records during next week’s heatwave. Detroit’s record highs for June 29 through July 2 are 96, 96, 98 and 99, respectively. The weather service currently projects highs of 91, 97 and 95 for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. A high for Thursday is not yet available.
On average, temperatures during this time of year top out around 81 or 82, NWS data shows.
The high temperatures approach the United States as Western Europe swelters under a record-setting heatwave that is expected to persist through the end of the week. On Wednesday, Britain and France both logged the hottest June days on record, Reuters reported.
mreinhart@detroitnews.com
Michigan
Body of 13-year-old boy who went missing in Lake Michigan waters recovered by Indiana officials
The body of a 13-year-old boy who went into Lake Michigan waters at a northwest Indiana beach and didn’t resurface has been recovered, according to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
The recovery was confirmed to NBC Chicago Wednesday morning. It comes two days after officials say the boy went swimming at Washington Beach in Michigan City with a group of friends.
No further details on the boy’s identity have been released.
Searches for the boy were suspended Monday night and Tuesday due to “challenging water conditions” and high waves. All day Monday, Lake Michigan beaches in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan were under a high swim risk with a beach hazards statement from the National Weather Service in effect.
The statement warned of dangerous waves as high as five feet, and “life threatening currents.”
The incident unfolded about 5:43 p.m. Monday at Washington Park Beach, with Michigan City police responding to the beach for a possible drowning. Witnesses say they saw a child wearing red shorts enter the water on the east side of the catwalk just south of the lighthouse and then disappear beneath the surface.
Dangerous water conditions “significantly complicated search efforts,” Michigan City police said. About 10:44 p.m., police posted an update saying dive operations had been suspended “due to hazardous conditions that posed a risk to responder safety.”
According to the update, three of the four MCFD divers sustained minor injuries during the search and were transported to a nearby hospital for evaluation. A DNR diver was also injured, police said, and was evaluated on scene.
“Strong currents, changing wave action, and limited visibility beneath the water can quickly overwhelm even experienced swimmers and rescuers,” police said. “We urge everyone to pay close attention to beach conditions, heed all posted warnings, and stay out of the water when hazardous conditions are present.”
According to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, there have been 23 Great Lakes drownings to date in 2026. 12 of those, the site showed, have been in Lake Michigan.
Michigan
Michigan basketball champ Yaxel Lendeborg joins Warriors, gets chance to learn from Curry, Draymond Green
NEW YORK – Michigan Wolverines national champion Yaxel Lendeborg grew up rooting against Stephen Curry and Draymond Green; now he’ll be learning from them.
The Golden State Warriors selected him with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft on Tuesday night, adding a versatile, defense-first playmaker from a national championship team to a franchise built on championship standards.
“It’s a full-circle moment for me,” Lendeborg said after being drafted.“I’ve been saying this every time I get asked this question, but in 2016, I’m a big Kyrie guy, so I used to hate Steph Curry. So now that I’m actually gonna be on the same team with him, play and actually learn so much from him, it means a lot.”
Lendeborg said Curry’s reputation extends beyond the court.
“I met him a couple of times. He’s a very great guy, genuine person, and it’s gonna be an honor to be able to watch him do what he does in person,” Lendeborg said.
Lendeborg is coming off a breakout season at Michigan, where he helped former coach Dusty May’s Wolverines win a national championship.
He became one of college basketball’s top defenders, earning a spot on the Big Ten All-Defensive Team while developing into a versatile forward who could impact the game on both ends.
“I feel like what will translate quickly for me would be just my defense, my versatility,” Lendeborg said. “Just the IQ of the game, making the right reads, making the play at the right time.”
In Golden State, Lendeborg will also have a chance to learn from veteran Draymond Green, the longtime Warriors leader and Michigan State Spartans legend, known for defense, playmaking, and voice in the locker room.
One immediate adjustment will be a new jersey number.
Lendeborg wore No. 23 at Michigan, but Green wears it for the Warriors.
Lendeborg joked that his backup choice, No. 3, is also unavailable.
“I think now that I’m stepping into the NBA, I’m going to step in with another number and start a new legacy,” Lendeborg said.
He also carried his Michigan rivalry energy with him on draft night. Asked if he would wear Michigan State gear to convince Green to give up No. 23, Lendeborg quickly said no.
“Nah, I’m not doing that, man,” Lendeborg said. “I hate those guys. I only been there for one year, but I definitely hate those guys.”
Lendeborg pointed to Michigan’s success against the Spartans during its title run.
“They can’t really say much because I went 2-0 against them this year,” Lendeborg said. “They’re gonna be little brother for me forever.”
Lendeborg also said his decision to return to college for another season helped him develop before making the jump to the NBA.
“When I was getting recruited by Dusty, he said he was going to make me a lottery pick,” Lendeborg said. “Evidently, he made me a lottery pick.”
“I went back because I didn’t feel like I was ready yet,” Lendeborg added. “I wanted to become a better person, better player. I wanted to develop pro habits.”
Michigan’s championship group shared draft night moments as several Wolverines were selected in the first round.
Lendeborg said the players stayed connected throughout the process.
“We were all super excited, super nervous,” Lendeborg said. “We were just talking about who we think is going to go first, who’s going where.”
He also joked that Dusty May would leave Michigan for the Dallas Mavericks after the title, then select teammate Morez Johnson Jr. No. 9 overall.
“I’m definitely mad at Dusty right now because we know who his favorite is now,” Lendeborg said.
Despite the banter, he said he was happy for his former teammate.
“I’m super happy for Morez. He definitely deserves it, and he’s going to be a great pro for sure,” he said.
Now Lendeborg heads to Golden State with the confidence of a champion and the chance to learn from champions.
“I’m super excited,” Lendeborg said. “I’m excited to be there and play
Copyright 2026 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit – All rights reserved.
-
News22 minutes agoWith a Round of 32 spot already clinched, the U.S. takes on Turkey in the World Cup
-
Los Angeles, Ca2 hours agoHospital needs help identifying man found unconscious in downtown Los Angeles
-
Detroit, MI2 hours agoLarge police presence for an investigation on Detroit’s west side
-
San Francisco, CA2 hours agoNo tolerance for hate or crime at SF Pride this weekend, officials say
-
Dallas, TX2 hours agoAlanna Smith injury update: Dallas Wings player in concussion protocol
-
Boston, MA2 hours agoBoy, 13, hospitalized after being found unresponsive in swimming pool at Beverly home
-
Denver, CO3 hours agoDenver Nuggets draft Trevon Brazile in the second round of the NBA Draft – Denver Stiffs
-
Seattle, WA3 hours agoCouncil eyes street barricades in fight against violence, sex trafficking in north Seattle