For once, I don't actually mean this title to be all that snarky. The man is dead, nothing can change that now. Hearings can be a first step to prevent future, similar deaths. The point I'd make is that there's something deeply wrong with allowing power companies to shut off people's homes in the dead of winter. I know corporate profit is God in this country, and all must submit to its needs, but then again, once upon a time we called power companies "regulated public utilities" and understood that in civilized society, allowing poor people to freeze to death simply because they are poor is, you know, barbaric. From the MI Dem Party Press Secretary via email:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LANSING – State Representative Jeff Mayes (D-Bay City) and State Senator Jim Barcia (D-Bay City) today called for a review of the tragic death of Marvin E. Schur, a 93-year-old World War II veteran, who froze to death in his Bay City home after Bay City Electric Light & Power placed a device on his home to limit his electric use.

"I am shocked and saddened by this tragedy," said Mayes, Chair of the House Energy and Technology Committee. "Though we're still getting more information, what's clear is that this man's death was entirely preventable. Until we understand this unfortunate situation, we need a moratorium on all electric shut-offs as well as the use of these limiting devices, in order to ensure that this does not happen again."

Schur, who owed more than $1,000 to Bay City Electric Light and Power, had a limiter device placed on his home on January 13 to restrict the amount of electricity that the home can use. If the homeowner uses too much electricity, the device shuts off all power to the home, and needs to be reset. City officials believe that nobody explained the device's operation to Schur, who tripped the device and did not reset it. Schur's body was found January 17.