GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — BOY CHARGED IN MUSKEGON COUNTY FIRE: A 10-year-old boy has been charged with arson in connection to a fire that destroyed the El Royal Party Store in Fruitport Township.
The fire took place around 4 a.m. on Sunday, April 17. When emergency personnel arrived at the store on Airline Highway, the building was fully engulfed in flames, and determined to be a total loss.
Because the suspect is a juvenile, the prosecutor's office is asking the court to focus on rehabilitation.
FAMILIES RECEIVE FOOD ASSISTANCE: A third round of Pandemic-EBT funds are becoming available to families with children whose access to schools meals have been impacted by remote learning.
Families with students in pre-K through 12th grade are eligible if they receive free or reduced price meals at school.
The payments are retroactive until September and will be paid through June.
No action is needed to register; payments are being automatically sent to those who are eligible.
INTEREST RATE HIKES: Hoping to slow inflation, the Federal Reserve has raised the interest rate, affecting credit cards and home and car loans by half a percentage point.
It's the first time the central bank has hiked rates this much since 2000.
The idea is to make borrowing less appealing with higher rates and drive down the demand for products.
UIA WAIVES OVERPAYMENTS: Michigan's Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) is waiving $431 million in pandemic overpayments affecting 55,000 people in the state.
The UIA will also refund $11 million to those who already started paying back their benefit overpayments.
The UIA overpaid a total of about $8.5 billion in pandemic unemployment benefits.
Waivers will not be applied to claims where the UIA determines fraud was involved and the agency will continue to pursue payments of any stolen benefits.
FORECAST: Mostly cloudy and mild. High 66°. E winds at 4-8 mph. Get the full forecast here.
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