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Highlights From Gov. Whitmer's State Of The State Address

Highlights From Gov. Whitmer's State Of The State Address

March 03, 2025

Morning, Ann Arbor! And welcome to the start of March! I’ve always thought February is the slowest month in Ann Arbor. Cheers to getting through the depths of winter!

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Michigan.gov

🎤 State Of The State: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer delivered her seventh State of the State address Wednesday night, pushing for investments in education, infrastructure, and affordable housing while urging political unity.

Education: Michigan schools receive more per-student funding than most states yet rank in the bottom 10 for results. Whitmer’s plan? More targeted funding, stricter cellphone policies in classrooms, and more young men in higher education and trades.
Roads: A $3 billion plan to fix Michigan’s roads is on the table, but funding remains a battle between tax hikes and budget cuts. Whitmer called for compromise, urging leaders to act now.
Housing: Whitmer proposed a $2 billion investment to build, buy, or renovate nearly 11,000 homes, calling it the largest housing investment in Michigan history.
New Restrictions on Cellphones & Vaping: Whitmer wants a statewide cellphone policy in schools and a new tax on vaping products, arguing that vaping should be taxed like cigarettes.
The Big Picture: With a Republican-led House and Democratic-led Senate, Whitmer urged lawmakers to find common ground. “At our best, we’re strong and kind. And kindness is strength.”

Will her plans get bipartisan support? Stay tuned. Here’s a link to the one-hour speech.

Apple Maps

📚 Downtown Library Improvements: Last week, the City of Ann Arbor and the Ann Arbor District Library (AADL) presented a unified plan to expand the downtown library and develop the neighboring, city-owned Library Lane Parcel. Under the plan, the city will sell the air rights to the Library Lane Parcel to the AADL for just $1 and the AADL will develop a new, expanded downtown library location with new outdoor public open space and a “mixture of housing types, including artist spaces, condos, affordable units, and market rate units” above the new library. For the plan to go through, local voters will need to approve a Charter amendment in a special election, likely in August or November.

Apple Maps

🍽️ Apology Lunch: An Ann Arbor couple is receiving international attention after they picked up the tab for all diners in a Windsor, Canada restaurant last week, saying that they wanted to apologize for Trump’s divisive rhetoric and show appreciation for their northern neighbors. The couple, known only as Bill and Sarah, paid just over $1,200 to cover the 50+ meals.

MilkShake Factory

🍦 Ann Arbor’s Newest Dessert Destination: Using the highest quality ingredients and fourth-generation family recipes, MilkShake Factory serves up handspun shakes, craft sundaes, and premium chocolates. (Try our dairy free shakes, too!) Visit us in the Westgate Shopping Center at 326 S. Maple Rd.

Facebook | Raising Cane’s

🐔 Raising Cane’s State Takeover: Over the next decade, Raising Cane’s plans to open more than 20 new locations across the state. The fried chicken chain opened their first Michigan location in 2022 in East Lansing, and its second location opened just last month in Brighton. Future locations are expected in Metro Detroit, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Mount Pleasant, and Saginaw, with the next opening set for June 3 in Ann Arbor.

Shutterstock

〽 Record Number of Applicants: 115,000 first-year and transfer students applied to the University of Michigan for this upcoming fall, the highest number ever. Of the 109,000 first-year applications, there was a 24.5% increase in first-generation applications, a .5% increase in out-of-state applicants, an 18% increase in international applicants, and a 14% increase from students of color. The University is continuing outreach programs to help admitted students finalize their decisions before the May 1 acceptance deadline.

aafilmfest.org

📆 March Events To Know:

Tuesday, March 3: Fat Tuesday, here’s a good local paczki guide.
Wednesday - Saturday, March 5 - 8: The third annual Tree Town Comedy Festival
Saturday and Sunday, March 8 - 9: BrickBash at Skyline High School
Sunday, March 9: Shamrocks & Shenanigans 5K
Tuesday, March 11: The Future Is Blue and Furry, a panel discussion about our relationship to AI, hosted at Cahoots.
Monday, March 24: Oberon Day
Tuesday - Sunday, March 25 - 30: 63rd Ann Arbor Film Festival