State Says Primary Slowdown Won’t Repeat

Michigan officials say they’ve fixed the voter database slowdown that snarled the August primary and don’t expect it to return when polls open Tuesday.

Shortly before 6 p.m. on primary day, the state’s Qualified Voter File bogged down at sites around Michigan, disrupting same-day registration and absentee ballot processing, though voters could still cast their ballots.

State technology officials called it a “technical issue” with no sign of malicious activity and said they resolved it within about an hour.

Clerks say they’re keeping backup plans ready, and Michigan still lets residents register to vote in person at their local clerk’s office through Election Day.

Unemployment System Shifts to Weekly Payments

On Nov. 9, Michigan’s Unemployment Insurance Agency replaces its longtime MiWAM system with a new platform, MiUI, shifting benefit payments and certifications from every two weeks to every week.

It’s the state’s first fully mobile-friendly unemployment platform, and it retires MARVIN, the automated phone system long used to certify for benefits. The state will also discontinue filing new claims by phone.

All unemployment systems, phone lines, and local offices will close from 4:30 p.m. Nov. 2 until 8 a.m. Nov. 9, and the agency is urging workers to certify before the shutdown to avoid payment delays.

Michigan’s unemployment system previously faced years of fallout from MiDAS, the old fraud-detection system that wrongly flagged tens of thousands of Michiganders. A 2017 state review reversed 85% of about 40,000 computer-generated fraud findings.

State Breaks Ground on Selfridge Runway

State, local, and military leaders broke ground Wednesday on a $152 million project to realign and expand the runway at Selfridge Air National Guard Base.

The work clears the way for 21 F-15EX Eagle II fighter jets expected by the end of 2028, replacing the retiring A-10 Thunderbolt IIs now stationed at the base.

Maj. Gen. Paul Rogers, who leads the state’s military department, called the groundbreaking historic and described Selfridge as the last “superbase in the Air National Guard in the entire country.”

The runway is one piece of a larger buildout at Selfridge that also includes relocating a stretch of William P. Rosso Highway between I-94 and Jefferson Avenue.

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➤ Detroit: Mayor Mary Sheffield launched “Project 1,000” to build 1,000 homes by 2031, about 250 a year. The city plans to ease zoning, preapprove designs, and speed up permits amid three straight years of population growth. (More)

➤ Oakland County: A Canadian green-card holder says she twice received a Michigan voter registration card after renewing her driver’s license, despite never registering. She says she hasn’t voted and won’t. The secretary of state’s office says it’s investigating and will cancel the registration. (More)

➤ Taylor: At least two fights at Taylor High School within a week have parents demanding better security and communication from the district. Videos spread online, and five students reportedly were arrested. (More)

➤ Grand Rapids: The school board picked Dr. Allison Tingwall, a Chicago Public Schools administrator with Dearborn and Novi roots, as the district’s next superintendent. She’ll take over for the 2027-28 school year, succeeding Dr. Leadriane Roby, whose contract runs through June 2027. (More)

➤ Upper Peninsula: Michigan’s $60 monthly Personal Needs Allowance for Medicaid nursing-home residents hasn’t increased since 1994. Marquette resident Mel Joslin is pushing to raise it to $200, with legislation still in committee. (More)

➤ Also Upper Peninsula: The ferry serving Neebish Island will shut down for drydock repairs Wednesday, Nov. 4, with service expected to resume Friday, Nov. 6. With no crossings during the work, officials are urging residents to stock up on food, medications, and heating fuel. (More)

➤ West Michigan: A year after the deadly church shooting and arson in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan State Police held a “Security in Places of Worship” class in Grand Rapids, teaching congregations lockdown tactics, active-shooter response, and basic first aid. (More)

➤ Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin is reportedly sidelined indefinitely as he awaits a trade. Coach Todd McLellan confirmed Larkin would miss Thursday’s game against Chicago, following his offseason trade request. (More)

➤ Michigan’s next opponent, Rutgers, will be without starting quarterback Dylan Lonergan on Saturday, leaving AJ Surace or Sean Ashenfelder to start. The Scarlet Knights’ top receiver, KJ Duff, is also listed as doubtful. (More)

➤ Michigan’s high school football playoffs begin this weekend. Unbeaten Detroit Cass Tech is the favorite to win Division 1, while defending champion Detroit Catholic Central must win at least two games without injured quarterback Duke Banta. (See Preview)

➤ Michigan and Michigan State, like every Big Ten school, now face a combined cap of about $49 million per school on direct athlete payments and institutional involvement in NIL deals. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NFL | NCAAF | WNBA | NHL | NBA | Soccer | Golf

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➤ Jim VandenBerg, who sold Kalamazoo’s Maple Hill Auto Group to Fox Motors in August, is one of 48 nominees for the 2027 TIME Dealer of the Year award. The winner will be announced in February at the NADA Show in Orlando. (More)

➤ Toys R Us is returning to Michigan with four seasonal stores for the holidays, including one at Meridian Mall in Okemos. Other locations include Ann Arbor, Byron Township, and Kentwood, marking a comeback after its 2018 closures. (More)

➤ Energy Secretary Chris Wright was scheduled to visit the Palisades nuclear plant in Covert Township Thursday ahead of its restart. Backed by $1.5 billion in federal loans and $300 million in state funding, it could become the first shuttered U.S. nuclear plant to reopen. (More)

➤ Grand Rapids-based Perrigo has agreed to sell its infant formula business to MeridianMade for up to $175 million, including $40 million upfront. The deal, expected to close in the first half of 2027, will allow Perrigo to focus on its core over-the-counter health products. (More)

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➤ Lakeshore Keepers is recruiting volunteers to live in one of five Lake Michigan lighthouses for a week in 2027, greeting visitors and helping with upkeep. No experience is needed, and lodging is provided, though fees and membership are required. (More)

➤ The Grill House, a family-run, grill-your-own steakhouse in Allegan, is said to be haunted by “Jack,” a man reportedly killed in an 1847 bar fight. Staff and guests report falling glasses, faucets turning on by themselves, and other unexplained activity. (Read Story)

➤ Two World War II veterans celebrated their 99th birthdays together Wednesday at Marge’s Donut Den in Wyoming. David Low, a Marine Corps veteran, and Marv Nagelkerk, a Navy veteran, were honored by friends, fellow veterans, and community members. (Read Story)

➤ Michigan State football captains and Zeke the Wonderdog visited patients at UM Health-Sparrow in Lansing, including kids in the NICU. The bye-week visit was part of a volunteer effort with Ronald McDonald House Mid-Michigan. (Read Story)

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The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. 

➤ Protesters clashed with riot police in Madrid, demanding the prime minister’s resignation after Wednesday’s train crash killed nearly seventy people. (Hear Details)

➤ Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang reportedly grew close to a suspected Chinese spy whom U.S. intelligence spent a year tracking. (Hear Story)

➤ A popular WNBA star said the FBI is monitoring roughly 20 people tied to stalking and threats against her. (Listen Now)

A nonprofit is looking for volunteers to spend a week living in a Lake Michigan lighthouse next year. Tempted?

1. Sign me up, sounds like a dream
2. Fun to visit, but not to live in
3. Only if it has modern plumbing
4. No thanks, I like my own bed
5. Other (reply to tell us)

Yesterday’s Results:

Are you retired?

1. Yes, and loving it: 81%
2. Not yet, but soon: 11%
3. Retirement’s a ways off: 5%
4. Never plan to: 3%

Michigan State’s frisbee-catching dog, Zeke the Wonderdog, once received an honor no other nonhuman in Spartan sports history ever has. What was it?

Show me the answer