On March 26, law enforcement agencies across Michigan will join forces to combat distracted driving along the I-94 corridor from New Buffalo to Port Huron. The Michigan State Police, sheriff’s departments and local police agencies will increase patrols to look for drivers engaging in dangerous behaviors like texting, eating or other distractions behind the wheel.

In addition to patrolling the roads, the enforcement will educate drivers about the dangers of distracted driving through traditional and social media.

In partnership with the Kieffer Foundation, this enforcement effort comes ahead of Distracted Driving Awareness Month in April.

Beginning April 2, Michigan’s child restraint law is changing. Here’s what you need to know:

• Children must ride rear-facing until they are at least 2 years old or outgrow the height or weight limits of their rear facing car seat.
• Children must ride in a forward-facing car seat with an internal fivepoint harness until they are at least 5 years old or outgrow the car seat’s height or weight limits.
• Children must ride in a booster seat secured with a lap and shoulder seatbelt until they are at least 8 years old or until they are 4 feet 9 inches tall.
• Children younger than 13 years old must be restrained in the vehicle’s rear seats, unless all rear seats are occupied by other children or the vehicle doesn’t have rear seating.

According to SafeKids.org, a properly installed and used child safety seat can reduce the risk of death by up to 71%.

A good deed gets you a golden token and a trip to the vending machine at South Maple Elementary School in Gaylord. Instead of snacks, it’s stocked with books to feed imagination and enhance learning.

“The kids named it the ‘Dream Machine,’” said Spl./Lt. Ashley Miller, Michigan State Police (MSP) Public Information Officer. “Each time a student helps a friend or is caught being kind, they get a token and their very own book. The focus is to enhance literacy through an enjoyable experience, and the students love it.

The ‘Dream Machine’ was the first book vending machine donated by the Gaylord Chapter of the State Trooper Outreach Partnership (STOP), an outreach and mentoring organization that aims to provide solutions to problems experienced by community members through mentorship, outreach and volunteer assistance. A grant from the Otsego Community Foundation’s 100+ Women Who Care helped with the purchase.

Two book vending machines are being unveiled this week during National Reading Month, which is celebrated in March to honor Dr. Suess’ birthday – one at Mancelona Elementary School and another at Otsego Christian School.

“That makes a total of eight Inchy’s Bookworm Vending Machines that have been donated since 2023 to schools in the five counties served by the MSP Gaylord Post,” said Specialist Lieutenant Miller, who also serves as president of the STOP Gaylord Chapter. “Since reading significantly contributes to a child’s cognitive development, helps expand vocabulary and lays a strong foundation for future learning, our goal is to put one in every elementary school in our post area.”

With chapters throughout Michigan, STOP hopes to expand the book vending machine effort. The STOP Paw Paw Chapter is currently looking into the process. Each appliance costs approximately $6,000. The school takes on the cost of refilling it with books.

March is Women’s History Month and we’re celebrating the incredible women of the Michigan State Police who broke barriers.

In 1967, Tpr. Noreen Hillary and Tpr. Kay Whitfield made history as the first women to join the MSP's enlisted ranks, making the department one of the first state law enforcement agencies to hire female officers. At the time, they were given the title of “policewoman,” which was used until 1976, when the department adopted the title “trooper” for all enlisted members, regardless of gender.

In 2011, Col. Kriste Kibbey Etue broke a barrier by becoming the first woman to serve as MSP Director, a position she held until her retirement in December 2018.

This month and always, thank you to all the women who serve in the MSP, both enlisted and civilian.