Dear Neighbor,
I hope you had a wonderful Fourth of July weekend with family and friends! In between the barbecues, lake days, and fireworks, the Fourth of July is a great time to be thankful for the freedoms and opportunities we hold as Americans, while also reflecting on the work we still have to do to secure the American Dream for all people
With the summer officially here, we have been busy connecting with folks at community events, city council meetings, and more. Our team has also begun knocking on doors throughout District 12 to hear about the issues that matter most to residents. Since we unfortunately cannot knock every door in the district, I wanted to reach out a provide an update on what we’ve been working on, including some investments we secured in the 2025 state budget to help build up our community.
As always, I’d love to hear from you about the topics you’re interested in. Please feel free to reach out to my office to share your perspective or seek assistance with any challenges you may be facing with state departments — we are here to serve you. You can reach my office by calling (517) 373-7315 or emailing SenKHertel@senate.michigan.gov. I hope to hear from you soon!
Sincerely,
Kevin Hertel
State Senator
District 12
Included in This Newsletter
- Community Connections
- Securing the Future of Selfridge
- Summer Resources to Help You Beat the Heat
- Upcoming Events
- Contact Us
Community Connections
Touring the Macomb Foster Closet’s New Space
The Macomb Foster Closet provides much-needed clothing, essential items, and services to over 2,000 children in foster care and the families that care for them — free of cost. Together with a $500,000 state grant that we secured and lots of support from the community, they’re set to expand their organization and open up the largest foster closet in the nation.
This week, I had the opportunity to tour their new space and learn more about the services they provide to our community. I look forward to seeing their grand opening and all the good they’ll be able to do for our region!
Learn more about the project here.
Building Up Mount Clemens with Transformational Community Investments
After months of working to craft a meaningful, transformative, and fiscally responsible budget, the Michigan Senate passed our state budget for the 2025 Fiscal Year. Included in the budget is over $30 million in investments for communities across District 12. These dollars will help fund critical infrastructure projects, protect the future of Selfridge, improve public safety, and more.
Recently, I joined State Rep. Denise Mentzer at a Mount Clemens City Commission meeting to announce investments we secured for the city, including:
- $5 million for a housing development project in Mount Clemens to revitalize the old Victory Inn and provide new housing opportunities for young people looking to make their home in Macomb.
- $2 million for a riverfront revitalization project that will create vibrant, attractive spaces and help boost economic development, create jobs, and attract new residents to the city.
Recognizing First Responders
Also at the Mount Clemens City Commission meeting, State Rep. Mentzer and I had the honor to recognize four first responders whose prompt attention and skills helped save the life of a resident earlier this year at the Mount Clemens Ice Arena.
Celebrating the Grand Opening of Xtreme Fitness in Chesterfield
Team Hertel had a great time celebrating the grand opening of Xtreme Fitness in Chesterfield recently. Richard and Rachel — thank you for your investment in our community and welcome to Senate District 12!
Meeting with Constituents Over Coffee
We had two great coffee hours in June — one at the Harrison Township Public Library and one at our District Office! I always enjoy hearing from folks about the issues that matter most to them and discussing the progress we’re making to move our community forward.
We have a couple coffee hours and community events coming up this summer. Find more information below in the “Upcoming Events” section of our newsletter or visit our Facebook page here. These events are a great opportunity for you to ask questions and share your ideas with me while also receiving a firsthand update on what we’ve been working on in Lansing.
Sailing with Boats4Vets
Boats4Vets is an incredible organization that provides boat trips for veterans and helps them connect with others in the community. I had the pleasure of taking a few local vets for a boat ride and learning more about them and their service to our nation while enjoying the gorgeous views of Lake St. Clair.
Meeting with EGLE and Local Leaders on Harsens Island
Last year, we secured $2 million in the state budget for Harsens Island to construct a wastewater treatment plant that will help protect waterways and allow small businesses in the Sans Souci district to thrive. I recently had the pleasure of joining local leaders and folks from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy to discuss next steps for this transformational project. If you’re interested, you can learn more about this investment here.
Celebrating Juneteenth in Harper Woods
It was a pleasure to join the Harper Woods community for a Juneteenth celebration last month! Observed on June 19 every year, Juneteenth commemorates the day that the last people who were enslaved in the U.S. learned of their freedom in 1865 — over two years after President Abraham Lincoln presented the Emancipation Proclamation.
Thank you to WCCCD and all of the other organizers for putting together an incredible event, bringing the community together, and raising awareness of this moment in history. Though we have made great strides, there is still more work to be done to make our state a more equitable place where people of all backgrounds can enjoy the same freedoms.
Securing the Future of Selfridge with a $15 Million Investment
Selfridge Air National Guard Base is one of the oldest continuously operating military airfields in the entire nation. Earlier this week marked the 107th anniversary of the first flight at Selfridge. For over a century, the base has been a source of community pride, allowing us to play a vital role in national security efforts while bolstering our local economy. In the present day, Selfridge is home to 127th Wing which hosts A-10 Warthogs and KC-135 Stratotankers — both of which are unfortunately being divested in the near future.
While the United States Air Force has selected Selfridge to host a new squadron of KC-46A refueling tankers, replacing the KC-135s, we must obtain a future fighter mission to ensure the base’s footprint is not diminished. In order to position the base to compete for a next generation aircraft mission, I fought to secure $15 million for Selfridge to expand and reroute their runway. These funds will enhance the base’s operational capacity, allowing it to remain at the forefront of our nation’s security efforts and continue lifting up our local economy.
Summer Resources to Help You Beat the Heat
How to Stay Healthy During Warm Temperatures
Summer weather means getting outside and having fun or working in the yard, but too much heat can make you sick. Your body normally cools itself as your sweat evaporates, but during extremely hot weather, when the humidity is high, sweat can’t evaporate very well. These conditions can cause the temperature of your body to become dangerously high and can lead to severe illness or even death.
Heat related illness is preventable, so it’s important to understand what you can do to keep yourself healthy when temperatures are extremely high.
- Keep cool indoors. Use an air conditioner or go to a cool place such as the basement, a neighbor’s house, shopping mall or cooling center. Even a few hours in the air conditioning will help you stay cool when you go back into the heat. Electric fans provide comfort, but they will not keep you cool when the temperature is in the high 90s.
- Take a cool shower or bath.
- Drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated — don’t just wait until you are thirsty. Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and sugary drinks such as pop. These beverages may actually dehydrate you even more.
- Avoid exercise and physical activity during the hottest time of the day. Mornings and evenings are usually cooler than midday. If you must exercise, drink 2-4 glasses of cool, non-alcoholic beverages every hour.
- Stay out of the sun. Wear sun protective clothing like a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses and apply a broad-spectrum (UVA and UVB protectant) sunscreen SPF 15 or higher 30 minutes prior to going outside to protect yourself against sunburn.
- Check on family, friends, and neighbors at least once a day during times of extreme heat. Help them get to a cool place if necessary.
- Never leave children, the elderly, or pets in parked cars. Cars heat up very quickly and can become dangerously hot, even with the windows open.
For more information, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website on extreme heat prevention here.
How to Protect Your Animals Over the Summer
Summer can be an especially dangerous time for not only our families and communities, but also our pets and animals. The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) has coordinated helpful tips to help keep your pets safe and cool over the warm summer months:
- Provide unlimited, cool, clean, fresh water. Just like people, animals can quickly become parched in hot temperatures. No matter the species, animals should always have access to unlimited cool, clean, fresh water to prevent dehydration.
- Know your animal’s limits and ability to tolerate heat. An animal’s age, breed, type of coat, and health history — among other factors — can all play a role in their ability to tolerate heat. Keep an eye out for signs of heat stress, including increased panting or drooling and being more lethargic. If they are displaying any signs of heat stress, immediately move your animal to a cooler area.
- Test surfaces to ensure they won’t burn paws. Surfaces like asphalt, concrete, and sand can really heat up in the sun, which can burn paws or make a walk extremely uncomfortable for your pets. To test if a surface is too hot, touch it with the palm of your hand. If the surface is too hot for you, it means that it’s too hot for your pet as well. Consider taking a different route that is mostly grass or waiting until the evening when everything has had a chance to cool down.
- Ensure animals have a place to cool down. Animals know when they are too hot and will usually try to seek out a place where they can safely cool down. Make sure your pets have access to shades, fans, misters, pools, cooling mats, or air-conditioned spaces to help them stay comfortable and healthy.
Upcoming Events
It is one of my top goals as your State Senator to have myself and my office be as accessible to you as possible. To share your thoughts on legislation or seek assistance with an issue, please join me at one of our upcoming district events:
Nonprofit Town Hall
On Tuesday, July 23, Phil Gilchrist of Advancing Macomb will be joining me and State Rep. Denise Mentzer for a town hall event designed to share strategies to help nonprofits become established and secure essential resources to achieve success.
Whether you are part of a new nonprofit, thinking of starting one, or looking to enhance your organization’s impact, this event is designed to provide the guidance and support you need. We hope to see you there!
WHEN: Tuesday, July 23 from 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. (Doors open at 5:30 p.m.)
WHERE: Mount Clemens Public Library, 150 Cass Avenue, Mount Clemens, MI 48043
Conversations by the Lake with Commissioner Candice Miller
From Grosse Pointe to Harsens Island, Lake St. Clair is what binds the communities of Senate District 12 together. The lake provides so much to our daily lives, including drinking water, economic prosperity, and recreational opportunities. Taking advantage of the summer weather, our team is hosting a series of Conversations by the Lake to talk about the investments we’re making in clean water infrastructure and the proactive ways we can work together to protect this unmatched natural resource.
For our St. Clair Shores conversation, we’ll be joined by Macomb County Public Works Commissioner Candice Miller and Mayor Kip Walby.
WHEN: Monday, July 29 from 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
WHERE: Blossom Heath Beach House, 24800 Jefferson Avenue, St. Clair Shores, MI 48080
Coffee and Conversation
WHEN: Monday, August 19 from 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
WHERE: St. Clair Shores Senior Center, 20100 Stephens Street, St. Clair Shores, MI 48080
District Office Hours with Staff
WHEN: Every Thursday from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and by appointment.
WHERE: District Office, 28800 Harper, Saint Clair Shores, MI 48081
Contact Us
If You Need Help: If you have a problem dealing with any department of state government, such as accessing unemployment benefits, my office is available to help resolve it. While we usually cannot assist with local or federal issues, we will always do our best to help direct you to the appropriate person or organization for help.
You may always feel free to call my office at (517) 373-7315 or email me at SenKHertel@senate.michigan.gov.
Keep Up to Date: Our bi-weekly newsletters are full of updates on what Team Hertel has been working on both in Lansing and District 12 to deliver results for Michiganders. To keep up to date with what we’ve been up to — sign up here to receive my bi-weekly newsletter, or access previous editions online here.
For more frequent updates, I also encourage you to follow our team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram