Falling hunter numbers impact deer management • Gas prices hit new 2023 low • Christmas shipping deadlines
Christmas package shipping deadlines
Time is running out to ship gifts if you want them to arrive by Christmas.
MONDAY NEWS HIT - If you haven't shipped packages for Christmas yet, time is running out.
Some deadlines, such as first-class mail, have passed, but there is still time to get gifts to their destination on time:
USPS
Priority Mail: Monday, Dec. 18
Priority Mail Express: Wednesday, Dec. 20
FedEx
Three-day: Tuesday, Dec. 19
Same day: Friday, Dec. 22
UPS
Three-day: Tuesday, Dec. 19
Next day: Friday, Dec. 22
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Christmas shipping deadlines near - How much time you have left for your gifts to arrive before holiday
If you haven't shipped packages for Christmas yet, time is running out. Here are the holiday shipping deadlines for USPS, FedEx, and UPS.
Falling hunter numbers, other challenges impacting deer management
Numerous factors are impacting Michigan's management of white-tailed deer, but the biggest issue is the declining number of hunters.
"That's a primary challenge that we're facing that, again, we've not really been facing to this magnitude in the past," Chad Stewart said during the Natural Resources Commission's meeting.
In the early 2000s, Michigan had over 800,000 deer hunters. In the 20 years since, that number has fallen to approximately 550,000 hunters - and it's only going to fall further. During Stewart's presentation on the Deer Management Initiative, he said the decline in hunters is expected to continue over the next 10–15 years.
Meanwhile, Chronic Wasting Disease is expected to spread to more counties, while development sprawling from Southeast Michigan continues to restrict the number of places where hunters had access to help manage the deer population.
"So there are a whole host of challenges that we're facing here in Michigan that are quite unique compared to our history," he said.
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Falling hunter numbers in Michigan among several challenges managing deer
In the early 2000s, Michigan had over 800,000 deer hunters. Twenty years later, that figure has almost been cut in half.
Southfield Freeway crash turns into homicide investigation
While Michigan State Police troopers were responding to a crash on the Southfield Freeway, their investigation quickly shifted to a murder investigation.
Police were called to the southbound side of the freeway near Plymouth on Friday night.
Several witnesses interviewed by MSP troopers said they saw the 49-year-old victim's truck lose control, strike a second vehicle and run up the right embankment. The truck crashed into a concrete wall and the Detroit man was ejected from the vehicle.
The truck rolled back down onto the freeway and caught fire, according to investigators. Troopers said there was a bullet hole in the truck bed.
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Southfield Freeway crash turns into homicide investigation, MSP seeks information
"While many witnesses concentrated on the crash, we now know from the on-scene investigation that this was a homicide," says MSP Lt. Mike Shaw. "We are asking anyone who has information on this incident to call 1(855)MICH-TIP or Crime Stoppers at 1(800)SPEAK-UP."
Gas price averages drop to lowest this year
Michigan drivers are paying an average of $2.96 per gallon for regular unleaded gasoline. This is 35 cents less than this time last month and 12 cents less than this time last year.
This price equates to an average of $44 for a full 15-gallon tank of gasoline, down about $34 from 2022's highest price last June.
In Metro Detroit, the average daily gas price decreased about 12 cents less from last week and 3 cents less than that same time last year. Metro Detroit’s current average is $2.97 per gallon.
Drivers can expect to pay about the same or less for a gallon of gas than they did last holiday season, when the Michigan average on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day was $2.99 and $3.19, respectively.
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Michigan gas price averages drop to lowest this year
Gas price averages are at a new 2023 low, according to data from AAA. The average for a gallon of gas is now less than $3 a gallon.
Live on FOX 2
Daily Forecast
Winter weather returns Monday.
Windy with some snow Monday
Metro Detroit will see a dusting to an inch of snow Monday. Though it's been mild outside, the wind adds to the cold.
What else we're watching
- On Monday afternoon, the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office is expected to announce details about a prostitution and human trafficking bust involving numerous Metro Detroit locations.
- In an effort to increase usage of the Detroit People Mover, a new pilot program will cover fares for riders starting in 2024.
- Quaker Oats is recalling dozens of varieties of granola bars and cereals due to possible salmonella contamination. See the full list here.
- The Woodward construction in Ferndale and Pleasant Ridge is complete with new bike lanes and parking spaces.
- The Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network (DWIHN) is rolling out a dozen mobile crisis units into communities and neighborhoods to help children and adults in crisis.
Applesauce pouch lead contamination may have been intentional, FDA says
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is investigating whether recalled applesauce pouches with high levels of lead, which have sickened at least 65 children, were intentionally contaminated, according to agency officials.
The FDA first issued an alert about the issue in late October regarding WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches over concerns of elevated levels of lead. Soon after, Schnucks and Weis cinnamon applesauce pouches were also added to a recall.
To date, the agency has received 65 reports of illnesses potentially linked to the recalled pouches and all are under 6 years old, according to its most recent notice.