Good morning, Battle Creek.

Local grocery stores will operate on New Year's Eve and Day with many retailers like Kroger, Walmart, Meijer, and SpartanNash offering regular schedules — while others such as Costco, Trader Joe’s, Aldi, and Sam’s Club modify hours or close on New Year’s Day; shoppers should confirm times with their local store.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported Monday that Midwest gas prices averaged $2.61 per gallon of regular fuel last week and were unchanged from the previous week, though they marked a 13-cent drop from the previous month and stay 7.3% below the national average.

The EPA delayed tougher wastewater standards for coal-fired plants, including the J.H.

Campbell plant on Christmas Eve to support grid reliability and lower costs (local environmental advocates will challenge the decision in legal reviews).

Michigan's 24% cannabis wholesale tax takes effect today as detailed in the Fiscal Year 2026 state budget, with the treasury projecting a 50% wholesale-to-retail markup — lower than the 32% rate proposed earlier.