Dear Neighbors,
As your state representative, I strive every day to serve the needs of District 28 residents. I am eager to continue to work to enact policies that will help us innovate our economy and deliver support for our public schools so we can provide a high-quality public education to every child.
If you need assistance or resources, please reach out to me and my staff. To learn more about resources, events and recent efforts in Lansing, visit my website at stone.housedems.com. I can be contacted at my office phone number (517) 373-1772, and my official email is LoriStone@house.mi.gov. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Lori M. Stone
State Representative, 28th House District
In This Issue:
- Upcoming In-District Events
- Community Conversation in the Parks
- Legislative Update
- Retirees Return to Classroom Study
- Online Harvest Reporting — Fall 2022 Deer Hunting Season
- Be Alert and Informed When Considering Student Loans
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is Live
- Residential Mortgage and Rental Assistance — Application
Upcoming In-District Events
Information for future Community Conversations and events can also be found on my Facebook Page or at stone.housedems.com.
Community Conversations in the Park
I’m hosting one more Community Conversation at Owen Jax Park this summer! I look forward to seeing you this Saturday. Please join me and local community resource partners from 11 a.m. – noon. Food and refreshments will be provided, as well as free resources and complimentary takeaways. Let’s touch base on:
DATE: Saturday, Aug. 20
LOCATION: Owen Jax Park – 8207 E. 9 Mile Road in Warren
TIME: 11 a.m. – noon
Upcoming Community Conversations:
- Saturday, Sept. 17, 11 a.m. – noon
- Saturday, Oct. 15, 11 a.m. – noon
- Saturday, Nov. 19, 11 a.m. – noon
*LOCATIONS To Be Determined*
Legislative Update
House Bill 5536: Returning Retired Teachers to Classroom Study was passed, presented, approved and signed by the Governor on July 25. This legislation would collect data on the impact of lowering barriers preventing retired teachers from substitute teaching. Michigan should do everything possible to smooth the transition from retirement to allow teachers flexibility. HB 5536 will drive data-informed decision making by the Legislature.
Online Harvest Reporting — Fall 2022 Deer Hunting Season
Beginning this year, online harvest reporting is required for all hunters who successfully game a deer. This change was unanimously approved by the members of the Natural Resources Commission (NRC).
Reporting Options:
Hunters will have up to 72 hours after taking a deer to report their harvest. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) estimates it should take about three to five minutes to complete the report and there are two ways to do it:
- Report online at Michigan.gov/DNRHarvestReport.
- Use the DNR’s new mobile app — an even faster option — available in the Android Play Store and the Apple App Store.
Hunters who can’t report their harvest due to a lack of internet access or smartphone device may get help from a family member or with library access, by providing DNR with their kill tag license number, date of birth and harvest location to report on the hunter’s behalf.
Answers to frequently asked questions are available on the DNR website for this and other questions related to deer harvest reporting.
Be Alert and Informed When Considering Student Loans
As Michiganders prepare for the upcoming fall semester and start paying their college tuition, the Michigan Department of Treasury’s MI Student Aid Team is asking students and their families to be alert and informed when considering student loans.
To make the best decision regarding student loans, the MI Student Aid Team recommends seven best practices when considering student loans:
- Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Identify if the lender is federal or private.
- Understand loans must be repaid.
- Check the amount of interest being offered on a loan before accepting it.
- Only accept the amount you will need.
- Be aware of loan scams.
- Visit the school’s financial aid office once a semester.
- Create a studentaid.gov account. The studentaid.gov website, managed by the U.S. Department of Education, is a one-stop shop for managing federal student aid. With a studentaid.gov account, students can track their federal student loans and check the interest rate of each one and total interest accumulated to date. Students can also look over different repayment options, estimate monthly payments and learn who their loan servicer is for when repayment begins.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Is Live
On July 16, a new and easy-to-remember mental health crisis 988 dialing code was implemented nationwide. The goal of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is to provide people in need with easier access to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (NSPL) and its related crisis stabilization resources. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or visit the Lifeline Chat to connect with a trained crisis counselor.
Application-Residential Mortgage and Rental Assistance
The city of Warren is accepting applications for its Residential Mortgage and Rental Assistance Program. Up to $6,000 of assistance is available for income-eligible residents impacted by COVID-19. If you are interested in applying, please fill out a preliminary questionnaire and a Community Development staff member will contact you. Please contact the Office of Community Development at (586) 353-0582 or email covidrelief@cityofwarren.org for additional information.
Please explain your need for assistance as it relates to the COVID-19 Pandemic:
- Job loss, furlough or layoff due to COVID-19.
- Reduction in work hours due to COVID-19.
- An individual in this household has qualified for unemployment benefits due directly or indirectly to COVID-19.
- Reduction or stop in work hours due to being sickened by COVID-19.
- Inability to work outside of the home due to a household member being diagnosed with COVID-19.
- Increase in monthly expenses due to stay at home order.
- COVID-19 related expenses such as hospitalization or funeral expenses.
- Other COVID-19 related circumstance.