Dear Neighbors,
I hope this newsletter reaches you and your family safe and healthy.
Featured in this newsletter:
- Filter First Legislation
- Meijer Recall
- Fire Danger High
- AG Nessel issues consumer alert
- 2023 fishing license
Please do not hesitate to call my office at (517) 373-0990 or reply to this email if you have any questions or need assistance.
Working for you,
Sylvia Santana
State Senator
District 2
Filter First Legislation
Today, the Michigan Senate voted to pass Senate Bills 88 and 89, the Filter First legislation, which would protect children from lead in drinking water at schools and child care centers.
The bills will require all Michigan child care centers and schools to implement a Drinking Water Management Plan, install filtered bottle-filling stations or filtered faucets on outlets designated for drinking water, and test the filtered water to ensure that the filters are installed and operating properly. The legislation has widespread support from health and environmental experts, and this is a much more cost-effective method than repeatedly testing every outlet or replacing entire plumbing systems.
“No parent should have to worry about their child being exposed to lead poisoning at school or daycare, just as no student should have to worry about the quality of water coming out of their drinking fountain,” said Sen. Santana. “As infrastructure ages and becomes unreliable, so does water quality. These bills prevent a risky guessing game by implementing filters to monitor water quality throughout schools and daycare centers.”
Senator Santana’s Community Capitol Day
Please join me Tuesday, May 16, 2023, for Community Day at the Capitol. I invite you to come tour the Capitol as well as hear from some of our State Departments, who will be sharing briefings and updates with you all. I will be sharing a legislative update as well.
Round trip transportation will be provided, departing at 7:30am from Ford Community & Performing Arts 15810 Michigan Ave., Dearborn, MI 48126 with a return time of 4:00pm. Lunch will also be provided. Transportation is limited to 50 people, so reserve your spot as soon as possible by calling my office at (517) 373-0900 or email senssantana@senate.michigan.gov.
I look forward to meeting with you all then! If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact my office, which can be reached by phone at (517) 373-0900 or by email at senssantana@senate.michigan.gov.
WHAT: Community Day at the Capitol
WHEN: Tuesday, May 16, 2023, from 7:30 am-4:00 pm
WHERE: Lansing State Capitol
Departing From: Ford Community & Performing Arts 15801 Michigan Ave., Dearborn, MI 48126
Meijer Recalls Select Premade Salads Due to Potential Health Risk
Meijer, in conjunction with its supplier, Revolution Farms, is announcing a voluntary recall of select Fresh From Meijer premade salads because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Listeria monocytogenes is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.
The recalled premade salads have a Fresh From Meijer sticker on a clear plastic container. The following products are part of the recall:
Customers who have purchased any of these products should immediately throw them away. A full refund can be requested at the Customer Service desk of the nearest Meijer store. Customers with questions regarding this recall can contact Meijer at 800-543-3704 from 7:00 AM – 1:00 AM (EDT) daily. Customers with questions or concerns about their health are encouraged to contact their primary care provider.
Fire danger is high across Lower Peninsula; Be careful outside
Warm temperatures, winds and winter buildup of dry grasses and leaves have pushed fire danger to very high levels across the Lower Peninsula. Fire danger goes up when the weather is hot and dry and increases even more when it’s windy. Windborne embers can travel far and fast, turning a small fire into a large one. Lightning strikes are also an issue if stormy weather is predicted.
Safety tips to keep fires under control:
When you’re working with fire or equipment outdoors, keep in mind that fires can take off very fast and that the remains of a fire smolder for some time. Here are some tips to keep it safe out there:
- Contain your campfire or bonfire in a pit or ring and make sure you put it out thoroughly before leaving for the night. Douse the fire with water, stir the ashes and douse again.
- Never leave any fire — including hot coals — unattended.
- Keep a hose or other water source nearby when burning.
- Prevent sparks. Keep trailer chains from dragging when you’re on the road; don’t park hot equipment on dry grass.
- Never shoot fireworks into the woods, dry grass or shrubs.
- Get more fire safety tips at Michigan.gov/FireManagement.
- It’s illegal to burn plastic, hazardous materials, foam or other household trash. This can release dangerous chemicals into the air.
- You can use a burn barrel with a screen on top to burn paper, leaves and natural materials.
DNR wildland firefighters have a goal of keeping as many wildfires fires as possible under 10 acres in size. Get more fire tips and learn more about the DNR’s fire programs.
AG Nessel Issues Consumer Alerts Following Severe Weather
Meteorologists have forecasted severe weather for Michigan that could result in thunderstorms, wind gusts, large hail, and tornadoes. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is warning Michigan residents to beware of scam artists and price-gougers who will try to take advantage of desperate home and vehicle owners.
Feel free to look through Nessel’s Advice for Homeowners Consumer Alert. No matter the kind of damage a homeowner experiences on their property, they want it fixed efficiently. Unfortunately, that rush to repair one’s home often leads otherwise careful consumers to make decisions they would not normally make.
To avoid falling victim to a disaster-related scam, take the following steps:
- Breathe! Take some time to absorb what has happened, and don’t make any rash decisions before doing your homework. This is especially true if you are approached by anyone telling you they can fix your home right away – but only if you accept their “help” right now. Legitimate home repair contractors understand you need time to do your homework and check them out before you pay them anything or sign any contracts.
- Talk to your homeowner’s insurance agent or company. Carefully review your homeowner’s insurance policy to determine what damage may be covered and the amount of your deductible. Then be sure to contact your homeowner’s insurance agent or company, writing down questions you have and the answers that you are provided, along with a list of whom you talked to and when. Knowing what your insurance will cover will help you to determine how much you are able to spend on repairs, and prioritize repairs based on safety and need.
- Do your homework. Do your homework before hiring a home repair contractor by following the tips found in the remainder of this Consumer Alert. Some of our tips include ensuring that the home repair contractor you’ve decided to hire is licensed, insured, well-regarded by your friends and neighbors, and you are comfortable with their complaint history (if one exists).
- Get everything in writing, never pay in cash, and never pay in full upfront. Ensure that all promises, quotes, and expectations are put in writing in a contract that you will carefully review before signing. Paying for a home repair using a credit card is recommended because using credit cards provides you with added protection to dispute a charge if the repair is not completed. Finally, you should never pay for an entire home repair upfront! To ensure that all work is completed in accordance with the contract terms and your expectations, arrange to pay for only part of the work upfront and pay for the rest of the work once it is complete to your satisfaction.
Storm damage also creates an opportunity for utility imposter scams, which is the other alert Nessel is issuing in response to the forecasts for severe weather. These types of scams often involve a threat to turn off a utility unless the resident pays a certain amount of money in a short amount of time. But scammers can also impersonate a utility company to convince a consumer that a utility – like electricity – can be fixed sooner if they pay an additional fee.
Scammers are now able to create authentic looking 800 numbers that appear on your phone display. If you’re contacted by someone claiming to be with a utility company, take the following steps to verify authenticity:
- Ask for an estimated restoration time. Legitimate utility companies track their own crews and are able to provide customers with an idea of when the service will be fixed. If the caller provides an estimate, cross-check that with your company’s outage map online.
- If they leave a message, don’t call back. Instead of dialing the number provided by the caller, locate contact information for that company on a recent utility bill and call to confirm if they contacted you in the first place.
- Don’t provide payment information over the phone. Remember, in instances where service is lost, it’s the company’s responsibility to bring it back online. That never includes asking customers for additional payment.
Nessel is also reminding people to research contractors if home repairs are neededbefore paying for a project and alerting drivers to beware of water-damaged vehicles being sold on the used car market.
Gear up for spring fishing by getting your 2023 fishing license
The new fishing license and regulation season kicked off April 1, so anglers need to be sure they have purchased a new license in order to enjoy Michigan’s great fishing opportunities. The 2023 fishing licenses are valid through March 31, 2024.
Fishing licenses can be purchased at Michigan.gov/DNRLicenses or by downloading the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app and purchasing via the app.
The 2023 Michigan Fishing Guide and Inland Trout & Salmon Maps are available online along with a lot of other helpful fishing information – including fishing locations, species identification and tips for beginners – at Michigan.gov/Fishing.