Per the Detroit News, the state auditor general will conduct a review to determine the accuracy of Michigan’s data pertaining to COVID-related deaths at long-term care facilities. Michigan Auditor General Doug Ringler estimated the audit would be complete between late September and the middle of October in a letter addressed last week to Rep. Steve Johnson, R-Wayland. “I am confident that the Auditor General will provide us with a more accurate picture of the deadly results of Gov. Whitmer’s decision to place COVID positive patients in long-term care facilities,” said Johnson, who chairs the House Oversight Committee. Governor Whitmer better hope they do not find that some of her decisions have led to any deaths. If so, AG Nessel may prosecute her for manslaughter like Nessel is prosecuting Nick Lyon in the Flint water crisis. What am I thinking? Nessel would never file charges against Whitmer because they are both from the same political party.
Los Angeles Angels phenom Shohei Ohtani has been named to the MLB All Star game as both a hitter and a pitcher. This is the first time in MLB history this has occurred. It is expected Ohtani will both bat and pitch during the game. In addition, he will participate in Monday’s Home Run Derby. As of today, Ohtani has 32 home runs and an OPS of 1.064 (anything above .800 is considered very good). As a pitcher he is 4-1 in 13 games started, with a 3.52 ERA and a very impressive 11.7 strikeouts per 9 innings.
| I guess I haven’t been paying attention recently. I am shocked by the information I read today in the NY Times about the number of adults who have yet to receive a single covid-19 vaccination. Per the NY Times, only 54 percent of adults in rural areas have received at least one vaccine shot, according to the most recent Kaiser Family Foundation poll, compared with 72 percent of urban residents. Kaiser found that vaccination rates were also below average for Americans under 50; Black Americans; Republicans; and people without a college degree. “It is the unvaccinated people who are dying,” Dr. Thomas Dobbs, Mississippi’s state health officer, said. “The unvaccinated people who are going to the hospital. The unvaccinated people who are getting diagnosed, for the most part.” The biggest tragedy is that this situation is avoidable. Highly effective vaccines are available to virtually any American adult who wants one. Hundreds of U.S. clinics, including in rural communities, offer immediate, walk-in shots. Last week I talked about sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson, who failed a drug test for marijuana and was suspended for 30 days. I said that she still could be chosen for the relay but that will not happen as she will miss the Tokyo Olympics completely after officials did not choose her for the U.S. relay team. There is relief in sight for those needing to visit the Michigan Secretary of State office. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announced, Secretary of State branches will increase office hours by an hour each day starting July 19 in an effort to clear a backlog of license, registration and title transactions that accumulated thanks to extensions granted during the pandemic. The extra hour will mean branch offices will open at 8 a.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays and close at 6 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays, a departure from the offices’ usual 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. schedule, |
Stay safe. Social distance. Wash your hands regularly. Wear your mask properly. Schedule your vaccine.
Orchid of the Day: Shohei Ohtani. See above.
Onion of the Day: Oakland Hills Country Club memberCraig A. Maass who was responsible for overseeing the Caddy Scholarship Fund. Per the Detroit News, Maass is accused of writing six separate checks, each over $100,000, to his consulting firm with donations meant for the Caddy Scholarship fund between November 2018 and July 2019.
Quote of the Day: “I didn’t want to replace an injured toe with an injured toe. And I don’t think I’ve ever said a sentence like that before.” Tiger manager A.J. Hinch when asked why he didn’t replace the injured Daz Cameron with Derek Hill. Both Cameron and Hill have toe injuries.