Fireworks Canceled in Delta Township, Barb Byrum Launches SOS Bid, and More in Michigan News

Lansing MI – Delta Township's Fourth of July celebration will look different this year, as township officials have canceled the annual fireworks show due to budget constraints. The move comes in the wake of the failure of Eaton County’s public safety millage, a development that has Township Supervisor Fonda Brewer worried about long-term consequences.

“It’s a disappointment,” Brewer said in an interview with 1320 WILS. “That failed public safety millage is leaving some of our patrol officers feeling very vulnerable and uncertain of their job security after September 1. It breaks my heart.”

In political news, Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum officially launched her campaign for Michigan Secretary of State this week. Addressing election integrity, Byrum directly confronted misinformation surrounding the state’s electoral system.

“I reject the myths and disinformation from both sides,” she said. “I encourage everyone to come to my office to see for themselves how safe our elections are.”

Meanwhile, Michigan State University has announced Dr. Laura Lee McIntyre as its new provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, following a seven-month national search. McIntyre currently serves as a dean at the University of Oregon and will soon transition to her new leadership role at MSU.

Sad news from Michigan’s legal community: former Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Michael Kavanaugh has died. Kavanaugh, who was first elected to the state’s highest court in 1982 and served as Chief Justice from 1991 to 1995, is remembered as a respected legal mind and the father of current Chief Justice Megan Kavanaugh.

On Capitol Hill, controversy surrounds a major economic bill supported by former President Donald Trump. The measure has drawn criticism from climate and manufacturing experts, including Dr. Nathaniel Keohane of the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions.

“This bill is going to cut jobs,” Keohane warned on 1320 WILS. “It’s basically handing the electric vehicle market to China. If we want to supply those cars to the world, we’ve got to build them here in the U.S.—and in Michigan.”

In Grand Rapids, Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker is expected to announce whether he will retry former police officer Christopher Shore in the 2022 fatal shooting of Patrick Lyoya. A jury recently declared a mistrial in Shore’s second-degree murder case, in which he claims self-defense.

Finally, there’s a bit of good news on the jobs front: Michigan has seen a decline in new unemployment claims. The U.S. Labor Department reports about 5,300 new claims were filed last week, down by over 1,100 from the previous week.

Keywords: Delta Township fireworks 2025, Barb Byrum Secretary of State, Michigan election security, MSU new provost Laura Lee McIntyre, Michael Kavanaugh death, Christopher Shore trial, Michigan unemployment claims, Michigan news roundup, Eaton County millage, U.S. EV market policy