WUPM News

Michigan might be just about three months away from having legal recreational marijuana available for purchase by adults.

Marijuana Regulatory Agency director Andrew Brisbo says they will begin taking applications for retail businesses on November 1st, and expects those already dispensing medical marijuana to be approved during that month. He adds the state is expecting marijuana tourism as well, given this is the first state in the Midwest to legalize the sale and possession of the drug for adults 21 and older.

Posted to wupm.vncnews.com
Aug. 7, 2019 5:29 PM CST
by lrodman

Michigan might be just about three months away from having legal recreational marijuana available for purchase by adults.

Marijuana Regulatory Agency director Andrew Brisbo says they will begin taking applications for retail businesses on November 1st, and expects those already dispensing medical marijuana to be approved during that month. He adds the state is expecting marijuana tourism as well, given this is the first state in the Midwest to legalize the sale and possession of the drug for adults 21 and older.

There’s a plan on the table at the WisconsinCapitol to
raise the smoking age in the state. 

Democratic state Rep. Melissa Sargent has a piece of legislation that would raise the age to buy tobacco or vape products to 21-year-old.  She says the idea is to make Wisconsin as safe as it can be.  Eighteen states, including Illinois, have already voted to raise their smoking age to 21.

New high-water marks continue to be set in the Great
Lakes. 

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Detroit District says the levels for Lakes Erie, Ontario, and Superior set all-time highs for the month of July, with records dating back to 1918.  Lakes Michigan and Huron, considered one body of water, nearly topped the 1986 record, averaging 581-point-92 feet last month.  The record from 33 years ago is 581-point-99 feet. 

The pinch at the pump is easing a bit…

Triple-A Michigan says the state’s average gas price is down ten-cents a gallon at two-dollars-75-cents, which is also 14-cents lower than a month ago and 17-cents under what we paid at this time last year. The lowest prices in Traverse City at two-61 per gallon. The hihest right here in Ironwood at 2.85 a gallon.

Flags in Michigan are to fly at half-staff until sunset on Thursday..

The flags will fly low in honor of the victims of mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio. Governor Whitmer issued the order Sunday afternoon, and called for the nation to come together and take action to prevent guns from ending up in the hands of dangerous people. She had previously ordered flags to be lowered for the funeral today of Army Chief Warrant Officer Kevin Sullivan of Canton, who died in a training exercise at Fort Pickett in Virginia.

Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park is getting $550,000 in emergency shoreline repairs along a main entry road.

MLive.com reports the state says high water levels along Lake Superior and recent storm damage have caused erosion that’s threatening County Road 107. The work aims to prevent visitors from needing to take an 80-mile (129-kilometer) detour to get to another park entry point. The state is teaming with the Ontonagon County Road Commission on the project, which is scheduled to begin today.

A pilot is dead after a small plane crashed…

Cellphone location data helped locate the plane in a remote area of Carp Lake Township. The pilot, who wasn’t immediately identified, was pronounced dead at the crash scene. A search began Saturday after the plane departed from the Gogebic County Airport but didn’t arrive as scheduled at the Ontonagon Airport. The NTSB said Saturday night that it’s investigating the crash of the Piper PA-28 in Ontonagon.

LEAD: The Ashland City Council is looking at a new funding source to construct a new police station.

[VERBATIM: According to the Daily Press councilmembers want to take out a 20-year loan to pay for the $4.5 million police station with the interest rate locked in for the first 10 years. One issue is that by taking the loan lawmakers are violating debt limits imposed by the city when construction of a new fire station was being considered. The council will vote on the proposal at its next meeting. From Mix 106.9 and Oldies 102.9 News, I’m RP.]

LEAD: Be prepared for delays if you need to use Lake Road in Ironwood Township.

[VERBATIM: The road at Little Girl’s Point will be closed starting Monday between the day parking area and the boat launch so crews can replace a culvert with a larger size one. The closure starts at 6:00 a.m. on Monday and will remain closed until 5:00 p.m. on Friday. The Little Girl’s Point County Park campground and beach along with the Oman’s Creek Boat Launch will remain open. From Mix 106.9 and Oldies 102.9 News, I’m RP.]