Overview:
- A small fire in a generator duct at Fermi 2 nuclear plant in Newport triggered an emergency reactor shutdown May 18. DTE says the incident posed no public risk.
- Detroit food pantries report demand jump of 15%-30% since fall due to federal SNAP cuts and rising costs, prompting a 40,000-pound food donation.
- Michigan is banning six invasive landscaping plants starting in 2026 and 2028, including Japanese barberry, which increases Lyme disease risk by harboring ticks.
🗞️ Fermi 2 nuclear plant scrams after small fire A small fire at DTE Energy’s Fermi 2 nuclear power plant in Newport, Michigan on May 18 triggered an emergency reactor shutdown, or “scram.” The fire ignited in an isophase duct below the main generator around 6 p.m. and was extinguished within minutes. DTE officials said the fire posed no risk to employees or the public. The plant remains stable while DTE conducts an evaluation before returning the unit to service. 📌 Source: Detroit Free Press
🗞️ Ebola restrictions trigger rerouting of Air France flight to Detroit U.S. Customs and Border Protection redirected an Air France flight from Paris to Detroit to Montreal after a passenger from Congo boarded “in error,” violating U.S. entry restrictions enacted to limit Ebola’s spread. The CDC restricted entry for non-U.S. passport holders recently in Congo, South Sudan or Uganda. New federal rules now direct all such flights to Washington-Dulles for enhanced screening. The Ebola outbreak has produced more than 600 suspected cases and 139 deaths, mostly in Congo. 📌 Source: NBC News
🗞️ Forgotten Harvest, faith groups team up to feed Detroit as food insecurity climbs Twenty-five Detroit food pantries will receive 40,000 pounds of nonperishable food — enough to feed 1,400 people for a week — donated through a partnership among the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Forgotten Harvest, the Council of Baptist Pastors of Detroit, and 25 pantries. Forgotten Harvest CEO Adrien Lewis said demand has risen 15%-30% at some locations since last fall, driven by federal SNAP cuts and rising costs for groceries, health care, and gas. 📌 Source: The Detroit News
🗞️ Michigan cracks down on invasive garden plants linked to ecological damage, Lyme disease
Michigan is banning six invasive landscaping plants linked to ecological harm. Water hyacinth and water lettuce face prohibition starting June 19, while Callery pear, Japanese barberry, common buckthorn, and glossy buckthorn will be restricted starting Jan. 1, 2028, giving the nursery industry a phase-out period. The changes follow more than 2,000 public comments, over 90% of which support restrictions. Experts warn the plants crowd out native species; alter soil conditions; and Japanese barberry increases Lyme disease risk by harboring black-legged ticks. 📌 Source: MLive
🗞️ Michigan hits full-year tornado average in May with EF-0 waterspout in Otsego County The National Weather Service confirmed an EF-0 tornadic waterspout briefly touched down on Big Bradford Lake in Otsego County, lasting 1 minute at 65 mph and traveling 0.1 miles. The twister caused minor damage to trees and objects along the lake’s eastern shore. The storm brings Michigan’s 2026 tornado total to 16, already matching or surpassing the state’s average annual count, with nine of those tornadoes occurring in a single night April 15. 📌 Source: CBS News
🗞️ DNR busts five anglers for double legal walleye limit on Detroit River Five Northern Michigan anglers were cited for possessing 34 walleye over the legal limit on the Detroit River, the Michigan DNR said. Conservation officers spotted the group north of Milliken State Park, returned hours later with a search warrant after observing them take additional fish, and found 64 walleye total — more than double the six-fish-per-angler daily limit. Each received a misdemeanor citation but kept their legal catch during prime walleye run season. 📌 Source: WXYZ-TV