5/15/2026

MICHIGAN – Teen tobacco use in Michigan is rising again, prompting calls for increased prevention spending. According to the most recent data available, tobacco use among high school students rose to 16.5% in 2023, up from 14% in 2021. E-cigarettes are the most common form, with 11% of males and 19% of females using them. Health advocates are urging more spending on prevention, as Michigan spends less than 5% of the CDC's recommended levels. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer proposes increasing prevention spending by $8.9 million through a new tax on e-cigarettes. However, state House Speaker Matt Hall says he opposes any tax increases in the budget.

FIRE WEATHER WATCH

FIRE WEATHER WATCH WILL GO IN EFFECT FROM TOMORROW AFTERNOON THROUGH TOMORROW EVENING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR NORTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN...Including Iron, Ashland, Bayfield and Vilas County.  Any fires that develop will spread rapidly. Outdoor burning is not recommended at this time.

5/14/2026

ASHLAND COUNTY - Enbridge says construction activity is increasing on its Line 5 Wisconsin Segment Relocation Project. The project would reroute a 41-mile section of the crude oil pipeline around the Bad River Reservation through Bayfield, Ashland, and Iron counties. The relocation follows years of legal disputes over pipeline easements on tribal land. Enbridge says state and federal permits have now been approved after years of environmental review; however, the project still faces ongoing legal challenges from the Bad River Band and environmental groups. At peak construction, the company says the project could employ around 700 union workers.