For the second consecutive year, Michigan lawmakers failed to meet their self-imposed July 1 deadline to finalize the state budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
Despite the missed deadline, leaders in the Michigan House and Senate say progress is being made, with negotiations expected to continue Thursday and potentially into early Friday morning ahead of the observed Fourth of July holiday weekend.
As budget talks continue in Lansing, millions of Michiganders are preparing to travel for the holiday. State transportation officials announced that traffic restrictions will be lifted on nearly 60% of road construction projects beginning at 3 p.m. Thursday through 6 a.m. Monday to ease congestion for travelers.
AAA estimates that more than 2.6 million Michigan residents will travel at least 50 miles from home during the long weekend.
Drivers should also prepare for continued summer heat. An extreme heat warning that has been in place since Monday is expected to expire Thursday night, though temperatures are still forecast to remain in the low 90s on Friday. Rain is expected on the Fourth of July, with highs near 90 degrees.
While much of Mid-Michigan has been dealing with sweltering temperatures, severe weather also impacted parts of the Upper Peninsula this week. The National Weather Service confirmed that an EF-0 tornado touched down in Delta County Tuesday night. It marks Michigan’s 23rd tornado of the year.
Health officials are also monitoring a growing outbreak of cyclosporiasis across the state. Michigan has reported double its typical annual number of cases over the past nine days. Normally, about 50 cases are reported statewide each year.
Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by a parasite commonly spread through contaminated food or water. Federal health officials say recent cases across the United States have often been linked to contaminated fresh produce during the summer months.
Jackson and Shiawassee counties have each reported seven cases.
In local government news, John Dewane announced that veteran trial attorney Sarah Pulda has been promoted to chief assistant prosecutor. Pulda previously served as the Circuit Court Unit Chief in the Ingham County Prosecutor’s Office.
Meanwhile, General Motors reported a decline in second-quarter vehicle sales. The automaker sold approximately 715,000 vehicles in the United States from April through June, down 4.2% compared to the same period in 2025. Despite the decline, GM remains the nation’s top-selling automaker.
