Michigan Restores Full SNAP Benefits; Veterans Day Events and Election Claims Make Headlines

Michigan officials say Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will once again be issued in full following recent legal activity tied to the federal government shutdown. According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, residents who typically receive benefits on the 9th of the month should receive their full allotment within 48 hours, while all other recipients can expect payments on their normal schedule.  The announcement comes as relief for many low-income households across mid-Michigan and statewide.

 

Meanwhile, Ingham County authorities arrested a man accused of assaulting a woman while both were seated inside a sheriff’s patrol car Sunday. Officials say 31-year-old Thomas Bergstresser of Battle Creek was in the backseat with the woman and a third person as deputies investigated a rollover crash in White Oak Township near Proctor and Carter roads. The trio had been placed in the patrol vehicle due to cold temperatures at the scene.

 

Across mid-Michigan, several Veterans Day observances are planned to honor those who servedin the U.S. military. A wreath-laying ceremony is scheduled for 2 p.m. at the State Capitol, with another commemorative event set for 6 p.m. at the Michigan State University Alumni Chapel hosted by the Army and Air Force ROTC. Businesses are offering discounts for veterans, and many local, state, and federal offices are closed in observance of the holiday.

 

Additionally, Lansing marked the 250th birthday of the U.S. Marine Corps on Monday with a wreath-laying at Evergreen Cemetery, coordinated by the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.

 

On the political front, Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mike Rogers has alleged that a late-arriving ballot van in Detroit affected the result of the 2024 U.S. Senate election. Rogers, who lost to Democratic nominee Elissa Slotkin by three-tenths of a percent, claims ballots arrived around 5:30 a.m. and tipped the race. Rogers is now campaigning for the seat held by Sen. Gary Peters, who plans to retire in 2026.

 

In national news with local ties, 16 Michigan residents are among those pardoned by former President Donald Trump Sunday night. The individuals had been investigated for signing documents falsely asserting Trump won Michigan’s 16 electoral votes following the 2020 election.