Dear Neighbors,

It is an honor to continue serving as your representative. Thank you for the opportunity to share highlights of Lansing and District 28 happenings. I am eager to continue to work to enact policies that will help us defeat COVID-19, rebuild our economy and deliver the necessary support for our public schools to provide a world-class education to every child.

If you find you need additional assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me and my staff. You can visit my website at stone.housedems.com for many more resources, events and recent efforts in Lansing. Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office by phone at (517) 373-1772 or email at LoriStone@house.mi.gov for questions about this or any other state-level issue.

Sincerely,

Lori Stone
State Representative, 28th House District

In this issue:

  • Upcoming Community Conversations Summer Picnic
  • Rep. Stone Joins in Celebrating the Second Annual Asian Rice Festival
  • Recent Rep. Stone House Legislation
  • Are You Behind on Your Rent or Energy Bills?
  • Center Line Receives Grant for Dunn Family Senior Co-Op Apartments
  • Severe Weather-Related Resources
  • Updates to Michigan Secretary of State’s Office
  • Stone Joins in Celebrating the Second Annual Asian Rice Festival

Stone Community Picnic.jpg

Upcoming Summer Picnic & Community Conversation 

As your state legislator, I cherish your input and ideas on how to make our community and state better. That’s why I am looking forward to my community conversations coming up to be able to meet with residents and discuss current happenings. Feel free to share this information with anyone in the 28th District of Center Line and much of Warren that may be interested in attending.  You can also find more information and a link to join on my Facebook Page or stone.housedems.com.

  • Saturday, Aug. 21 at 11 a.m. Location: Busse Park 5002 Frazho Road in Warren. Lunch will be provided along with local resource partners for the community. We hope to see you there! Link to join in LIVE on Facebook during event

Save the date for future Community Conversations:

  • Saturday, Sept. 18 at 11 a.m. Location: Center Line Library, 7345 Weingartz Street in Center Line. Link to join LIVE on Zoom during event
  • Saturday, Oct. 23 at 11 a.m. Location: Kuhnhenn Brewing 5919 Chicago Road in Warren
Rep. Stone at the 2nd Annual Asian Rice Festival

Rep. Stone Joins in Celebrating the Second Annual Asian Rice Festival

The second annual Asian Rice Festival was organized by the U.S. Pinoys for Good Governance in partnership with the city of Warren.  This is a great celebration of Asian culture, and I enjoyed the fragrant smells of traditional Asian cuisine, music and entertainment. Many attendees and vendors were adorned in traditional Asian attire, and I look forward to next year.  I hope that you will join me in continuing to celebrate the cultures within the 28th District.

Recent Rep. Stone House Legislation

The House and Senate are on recess for the in-district work period, so rather than vote, I introduced House Bill 5049, a temporary suspension of the third-grade reading retention law for the 2021-2022 school year. I introduced this bill as part of a Democratic package of bills composed of House Bills 5049 to 5052 that would suspend school accountability measures in the 2020-21 school year.  The objective is not to punish students who may not have achieved all their learning benchmarks while learning virtually during the pandemic. This bill is currently referred to the House Education Committee.

An update on House Bill 5092, that would amend the Michigan Employment Security Act to require that the Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) use plain language in all

correspondence and documents related to the benefits of individuals. Plain language would mean language that is clear and concise, that avoids complex vocabulary and contradictory statements to constituents across the state.  This bill was passed by the House unanimously and is currently in the Senate and has been referred to the Economic and Small Business Development Committee.

Center Line Receives Grant for Dunn Family Senior Co-Op Apartments

The Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) recently announced its largest award in the recent history of more than $27.9 million in Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), which will be used to construct new affordable multifamily rental housing and to rehabilitate existing properties for low to moderate-income Michigan residents.

The Dunn Family Senior Co-Op Apartments in Center Line was awarded $1,500,000 for 157 apartments to undergo rehab and new builds. The work is being carried out by CSI Support and Development.

Are You Behind on Your Rent or Energy Bills?

I encourage you to register and attend a virtual discussion if you are facing eviction, need help paying your monthly energy bill or want to know which assistance programs are available to you. MSHDA and DTE Energy representatives will share critical rental assistance, housing and energy assistance information and will be available to answer any questions you may have.

MSHDA representatives will share information on the COVID Emergency Rental Assistance (CERA) program, housing initiatives for vulnerable Michiganders, the plans for the COVID relief program intended for those who own their homes and more.

The Michigan State Housing Development Authority and DTE Energy are co-hosting a virtual discussion from 5-6 p.m. on Aug. 18, centering on housing and energy assistance. MSHDA and DTE representatives will be available until 6:30 p.m. for a live question-and-answer session after the presentations.

All Michiganders are welcome to attend the virtual event regardless of where they rent. The link to register for this event is on the flyer; please register in advance. www.Michigan.gov/mshdaevents

Severe Weather-Related Resources

In the last few months, our area has seen severe weather events that have resulted in significant power outages — especially in Southeast Michigan.

To provide information related to power outages and grid reliability, I would like to share practical information related to outage preparedness and response that may be helpful to District 28 constituents.

 

Storm tips:     

  • Never drive across a downed power line. If a power line falls on your vehicle, remain inside until help arrives.
  • Always operate generators outdoors to avoid the dangerous buildup of toxic fumes.
  • Don’t open refrigerators or freezers more often than necessary. A closed refrigerator will stay cold for 12 hours. Kept closed, a well-filled freezer will preserve food for two days.
  • Turn off or unplug all appliances to prevent an electrical overload when power is restored. Leave on one light switch to indicate when power is restored.
  • If a customer is elderly or has a medical condition that would be adversely impacted by a power outage, they should try to make alternative accommodations with family or friends.
  • During low-voltage conditions —when lights are dim, and television pictures are smaller — shut off motor-driven appliances, such as refrigerators to prevent overheating and possible damage. Sensitive electronic devices also should be unplugged.
  • Stay out of flooded or damp basements or other areas if water is in contact with outlets or any electrically operated appliance. The water or moisture may serve as a conductor of electricity. This can cause serious or even fatal injury.
  • Assemble an emergency kit. It should include a battery-powered radio, a flashlight and candles, extra batteries, a first-aid kit, a fire extinguisher, bottled water, and non-perishable food.
  • Customers who depend on electrically powered medical equipment should ask their physician about an emergency battery backup system. If a customer is elderly or has a medical condition that would be adversely impacted by a power outage, they should develop an emergency plan that allows for alternative accommodations with family or friends.
  • Keep a corded or cell phone on hand because a cordless telephone needs electricity to operate. Also, customers should learn how to manually open automatic garage doors.
  • Customers who depend on a well for drinking water need to plan on how they will obtain water. Store containers of water for cooking and washing.

Continued Severe Storm Resources:

Additional information regarding disaster preparedness, as well as how to file a complaint against an insurance company with the Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS), is available on the DIFS website at www.michigan.gov/difs under the “Consumer” link. Resources related to the recent flooding can also be found on the DIFS website under “Disaster Preparedness.”

Please feel free to contact the Office of Consumer Services toll-free at 877-999-6442 with any questions that you may have; they are available to assist you.

Updates to Michigan Secretary of State’s Office

  • Office visits now take on average just 20 minutes. Residents can schedule ahead at Michigan.gov/SOS, by calling 888-SOS-MICH or by stopping by a branch office to be seen immediately if there is availability or assisted with scheduling a return visit, often for the same day or next day.
  • Nearly every vehicle and license can now be renewed from home, and a full list of our expanded online services can be found on our website.
  • We have also expanded the transactions offered at self-service stations to include driver’s license and state ID renewals, and other options. Follow the link for more info and a searchable list of all self-service stations across our state.