What we’re reading: Detroit’s air quality ranks among worst on globe due to wildfire smoke

😷 Chicago, Detroit rank among world’s worst for air quality as Canadian wildfire smoke blankets Midwest Canadian wildfire smoke caused Chicago and Detroit to rank among the world’s worst air quality cities Thursday. Chicago reached an Air Quality Index of 160 (code red), while Detroit hit 142 (code orange). Air quality alerts covered Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Nebraska. Officials recommended avoiding outdoor activities and keeping windows closed. The smoke from Saskatchewan and Manitoba forests has been drifting southeast since the weekend, with particulate concentrations expected to diminish toward week’s end but potentially worsen again Friday. 📌 Source: The Washington Post

🚰 GLWA urges limited water usage during heavy rain as power issues hit wastewater treatment plant The massive Detroit Water Resource Recovery Facility in southwest Detroit experienced a power redundancy issue with DTE Energy equipment this week, although it continues to operate at full capacity, the Great Lakes Water Authority and DTE said in a joint statement issued late Wednesday. The utilities urged metro Detroit residents to avoid using dishwashers and washing machines during heavy rainfall to reduce flooding risks. Combined sewer systems can become overwhelmed during intense rain, causing road and basement flooding. 📌 Source: FOX 2 Detroit

🐟 Michigan triples ‘do not eat’ fish advisories as state dramatically tightens PFAS safety limits Michigan health officials signficantly reduced safe PFAS consumption limits for fish, tripling “do not eat” advisories from 33 to 98 water bodies. The new guidelines are six times more stringent than previous standards, reflecting growing evidence that PFAS is more toxic than previously understood. Warning levels dropped from 9 parts per billion to 1.5 ppb, with “do not eat” advisories now triggered at 49.6 ppb instead of 300 ppb. Anti-PFAS advocates praised the updated public health protections. 📌 Source: Bridge Michigan

☔ Southeast Michigan storms cause power outages, flood Metro Detroit roadways Storms swept through southeast Michigan Wednesday night and Thursday morning, causing power outages and roadway flooding. Over 1,300 DTE customers and 1,400 Consumers Energy customers lost power, though 99.9% of customers retained service. Detroit received nearly half an inch of rain Wednesday, well above the normal 0.10 inches. Flooding blocked lanes on eastbound I-96 near Levan Road and northbound I-75 at Davison Freeway. 📌 Source: The Detroit News

🥀 Vandals destroy one-third of University of Michigan peony garden in pro-Palestine protest Vandals destroyed roughly one-third of the University of Michigan peony garden as a political protest, leaving 100 flyers calling for Palestine support, according to university police. About 250 of 800 peony plants had flowers removed during peak bloom weekend. Flyers stated “Plant lives don’t matter. Human lives do” and called for wearing keffiyehs and flying Palestinian flags. No organization claimed responsibility. The W.E. Upjohn Peony Garden houses the nation’s largest flowering peony collection. Police are investigating the June 1 incident. 📌 Source: MLive

🦠 New COVID subvariant detected in California as Trump administration scales back vaccine recommendations A highly transmissible COVID subvariant, NB.1.8.1, has been detected in California, raising concerns about a potential summer wave. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. rescinded federal recommendations for COVID vaccines for pregnant women and healthy children, while the FDA will no longer routinely approve annual COVID vaccinations for healthy adults under 65. Experts warn these changes could make vaccines more expensive and less accessible, as insurance companies may stop covering costs without federal recommendations. 📌 Source: Los Angeles Times