5 Things You Need to Know Monday: Weather, Proposal 1, Ben Carson's Announcement, Craigslist Safety and 'May the Fourth Be With You'

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Grab Your Umbrella

Showers and thunderstorms are likely today through Tuesday night before giving way to partly cloudy skies with daytime highs in the low 70s and overnight lows in the 50s.

Rain returns to the forecast Friday and remains a possibility through the weekend.

Still Unsure About Proposal 1?

The Detroit Free Press has put together a comprehensive voter guide on Proposal 1, which calls for a $1.9 billion tax hike to fix Michigan’s battered roads – the largest tax hike proposed for Michigan since at least 1967 when personal and corporate income tax were introduced to avert a financial crisis.

The stakes are high in the statewide vote on Tuesday. Gov. Rick Snyder said in a weekend push for support for the proposal that it represents an opportunity “to solve the decades old problem of underinvesting in our infrastructure to ensure safer roads and bridges for all of Michigan’s families.”

The proposal, which would trigger 10 state laws related to fuel taxes and vehicle registration fees, faces stiff opposition from the Coalition Against Higher Taxes and Special Interest Deals and Protect Michigan Taxpayers.

A poll by the Detroit Free Press and WXYZ-TV found that 61 percent of voters plan to vote “no” on the proposal – 31 percent said there’s too much in the proposal; 22 percent said taxes are already too high; 13 percent said it’s wasteful public spending; and 11 percent said they distrust Michigan government.

School districts are also making some big asks in Tuesday’s election. You can find out more about what’s on the ballot in your area here.

Ben Carson Announces, Rand Paul and Scott Walker Campaign

Speaking of elections – this one in 2016 – celebrated neurosurgeon Ben Carson will return to his native Detroit Monday to announce he’s a Republican candidate for president.

The announcement isn’t unexpected. He announced he had formed exploratory committee earlier this spring, and was quickly apologizing for saying being gay is a choice.

Related:

• Possible GOP Candidate Sorry for Saying Being Gay is a Choice

Carson, 63, is a political newcomer and is expected to be the only high-profile African-American in the GOP presidential race.

An ardent critic of the Affordable Care Act, he gained political prominence at the National Prayer Breakfast in 2013 when he decried the “moral decay” in America.

Two other Republicans – Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, who has announced his candidacy, and likely candidate Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker – have also scheduled Monday appearances in Michigan.

Safe Craigslist Transactions

Police departments in a growing number of communities in southeast Michigan are offering facilities as safe sites for Craigslist transactions, including Ferndale, Sterling Heights and Southfield.

“This a lot better than meeting someone in a parking lot in the middle of the night,” Robert Stevenson, executive director of the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police told The Detroit News . “Many police stations are even putting in ATMs for safety reasons.”

‘May the Fourth Be With You’

Get your Jedi on Monday, Star Wars Day. The day, of course, is a play on the infamous line, “May the Force be with you,” but May is also the month when all of six of the live-action movies debuted. You can learn more at starwars.com

Related:

• May Is Jam-Packed with Holidays – Official and Obscure
• 12 Things To Do in the D in May (Besides Detroit Tigers Baseball, A Given)

Monday, May 4 marks Star Wars Day, and Jedi across the world can celebrate with the phrase, “May the fourth be with you.” The slogan, is a play on the popular Star Wars phrase, “may the force be with you.”

According to the website , May 4 kicks off a season of celebration, because the company says the month of May is important to the franchise. All six live-action movies debuted in May, according to the website, and it is also the month of George Lucas’ birthday.

To learn more about the day and special events going on, visit their website at starwars.com.

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Photo via Flickr