LOCAL

World’s First Arab-American Superhero Created by Detroit Native
A new character from Marvel Comics, called Amulet, made his debut this month. The character, also known as Fadi Fadlalah of Dearborn, was co-created by Detroit native Saladin Ahmed, writer of “Magnificent Ms. Marvel,” and Jordanian American illustrator Sara Alfageeh. According to Ahmed, “Amulet is a fun, mysterious new character who will be playing a role in ‘Magnificent Ms. Marvel’ for months to come.” He also added that “As an Arab American who basically learned to read from Marvel Comics, being able to team up with the phenomenally talented Sara Alfageeh to bring Amulet into the Marvel Universe is literally a dream come true.”

STATE

Enough Money to Fix the Damn Roads?
An important survey of 600 Michigan voters was taken in a Jan. 14 to 18 by Glengariff Group for the Detroit Regional Chamber on the question of funding road construction. The poll said that 53 percent of voters say there’s enough money to fix the roads, with 47 percent being more likely to support an increase to road revenue on one condition: if the administration of the road funds was entrusted to local governments and not state government. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent, according to the Detroit News.
Governor Whitmer’s proposal last year to increase the 26.3-cents-a-gallon gas tax by 45 cents was shot down by GOP legislative leaders when they sent the governor a budget that allocated existing funds from other departments for a one-time $375 million payment toward roads, which the governor vetoed. This poll reflects the continued difficulty of state leaders to make solid arguments regarding the need for new road revenue.

GLOBAL

Coronavirus Spreads from China
A new coronavirus was identified in Wuhan, China after victims developed pneumonia without a clear cause. This virus, designated as the Novel coronavirus (2019- nCoV), has not been conquered by current vaccines or treatments. It has also shown evidence of human-to-human transmission and its rate of infection had escalated in mid-January, infecting over 30,000 and claiming the lives of around 600 people.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “While the immediate risk of this new virus to the American public is believed to be low at this time, everyone can do their part to help us respond to this emerging public health threat.”
Please follow CDC guidance at cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/ summary.html to learn how to reduce the risk of spreading illness to others and remain up to date with CDC’s travel health notices on this outbreak.