Updates About People

A 60-foot spruce from the front yard of a Clinton County couple has been chosen as this year’s Capitol Christmas tree, DTMB announced. The tree is being donated by Rich and Dorcas Albertson, who decorated the tree every Christmas season over 27 years, until it grew to be too massive for their space. The large spruce will be harvested on November 1st and transported to Lansing, where local Boy Scouts will help untie it before it’s placed on the Capitol lawn. The tree will be decorated one last time for the Silver Bells in the City event, with the ceremonial lighting scheduled for November 22nd.

In acknowledgement of National Gun Violence Awareness Month, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and Michigan State Police (MSP) have joined forces to distribute free firearm locks to Michigan residents. These cable-style gun locks, provided by Project ChildSafe, aim to prevent children’s access to unsecured firearms. With $500,000 in state funding from the Fical Year 2024 budget, 75,000 gun locks have been made available while supplies last. This initiative aligns with efforts to address the rising incidence of firearm-related injuries among children in Michigan and the United States. Public Act 17 of 2023 mandates that firearms are stored unloaded and locked with a locking device or stored in a locked box if otherwise accessible to children. You can pick up your free gun locks from one of the below locations near you:

• MDHHS county offices
• Local health departments
• MSP Post
• Project ChildSafe Police Partners

Instructions on installing gun locks can be found on the item’s package and at Project ChildSafe.

Attorney General Dana Nessel has announced charges against former Adams Township Clerk Stephanie Scott and her attorney, Stefanie Lynn Junttila (also known as Stefanie Lambert) for their alleged involvement in a voter data breach during the 2020 presidential election. Scott allegedly ignored instructions to surrender her township’s voting tabulator until it was seized by the Michigan State Police, while Lambert has been accused of transmitting data from the township’s poll book. Scott and Lambert face multiple felony charges, including using a computer to commit a crime and unauthorized access to computers. Nessel emphasized that such actions undermine the democratic process and hopes this can be a lesson on the importance of election security and integrity.