3/19/2026

UPPER MICHIGAN - Following a record-breaking two-day blizzard, Governor Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency on Tuesday for seven northern counties, including Delta County in the U.P.  Governor Whitmer says the declaration allows the state to respond to local requests faster and make every resource available to local communities to clear roads, deliver fuel, fix damage and keep the lights on.  Many schools in the Central U.P. now on day 4 of being closed due to the blizzard.  All power was restored to the central U.P. yesterday afternoon.

3/19/2026

UPPER MICHIGAN - A portion of M-28 connecting Marquette and Alger counties, that was closed because of this week’s blizzard, re-opened Wednesday morning.  About 35 miles of M-28, from Kawbawgam Rd. in Marquette County to M-94 in Alger County, along Lake Superior was closed for around 48 hours due to snow drifts and whiteout conditions.

3/19/2026

UPPER MICHIGAN - Michigan is set to receive about 173-million dollars through a new federal rural health fund created under last year’s budget law. Federal officials say the Rural Health Transformation Fund is designed to expand access to care, strengthen the rural health workforce and modernize services in underserved communities. But some health policy experts say the funding is unlikely to make up for deeper Medicaid cuts expected in the coming years. Michael Shepherd, a University of Michigan professor who studies rural health policy, says rural hospitals already face major financial challenges.

                    0:11  "Rural hospitals have an inability to take advantage of economies of scale that more urban hospitals and larger health systems can take advantage of."

Shepherd went on to say hospitals have high fixed administrative costs, which can be harder for rural facilities with fewer patients to cover. Supporters of the federal program say the funding could help states invest in telehealth, workforce recruitment and new models of care for rural communities. Michigan is accepting applications for a share of the grant supporting provider partnerships, workforce recruitment and telehealth services.