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Whitmer compares stay-home regulations to wartime sacrifices
Updated, 5:39 a.m., 4/21/20 with additional comments on the governor’s salary In the last week, conservative criticism of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s stay-home order has gotten louder. However, she isn’t wavering that social distancing is the best way to slow the spread of COVID-19, something advised by state and national health experts. A large protest was […]
Grocery store workers brave the front lines during COVID-19 crisis
Shaina McKinnon, 22, leaves her house in Lansing every day to stock the produce department at Meijer. A few months ago, she would have told you that she’s only working at the grocery store to pay the bills while she juggles low-paying internships and grad school. However, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, she is now considered […]
Michigan surpasses 30K COVID-19 cases, with 13K in Wayne Co.
There are 30,023 positive cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by a new coronavirus, as of 3 p.m. Friday, although state officials believe the actual number of cases is much higher. That’s 760 new cases reported since Thursday, when Michigan had 29,263 cases. Michigan now has 2,227 people who have died of COVID-19 after 134 […]
Whitmer, govs. ask feds for aid as state could face $7B revenue hit
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, along with Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers and Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, sent a letter to President Trump Wednesday requesting that he expedite additional resources for all states and localities so that they can address economic shortfalls resulting from the COVID-19 crisis. “Without this leadership, the damage to our state economies will be […]
Mich. has 3rd-highest census participation, but has a ways to go to hit goal
Michigan set out with a big goal for the 2020 census — 82% participation — but so far is falling short. Only 55% of Michiganders have filled their census out, but that’s enough to put the state in the top three nationally. The COVID-19 outbreak has had a devastating impact on the health and economy […]
COVID-19 in almost every county in Lower Peninsula, 28K cases statewide
COVID-19 is now being reported in every county in Michigan’s lower peninsula, except for Benzie County. There are now 28,059 positive cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by a new coronavirus, in Michigan as of 3 p.m. Wednesday, although state officials believe the actual number of cases is much higher. This is an additional 1,058 […]
State extends expired driver licenses, state IDs, vehicle registrations
People with expiring driver licenses, state identification cards and commercial vehicle registrations will have a little more time under another executive order by the governor. On Monday, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-47 extending the deadline to renew these IDs that would otherwise expire during the state’s COVID-19 emergency declaration. “In times of crisis […]
More than 25K cases of COVID-19 in Michigan, 1,600 deaths
There have been 1,602 deaths due to COVID-19 in Michigan as of Monday. There were 1,487 deaths as of Sunday, an increase of 115 deaths, per state reporting. There are now 25,635 positive cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by a new coronavirus, although state officials believe the actual number of cases is much higher. […]
LGBTQ rights ballot initiative moves ahead with ‘sign online’ strategy
Despite complications with gathering signatures in person due to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s stay-at-home order, the ballot campaign for an LGBTQ discrimination ban is moving forward with the use of online signatures. Fair and Equal Michigan wants to expand the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people from discrimination in jobs […]
‘If and when can we go back to work’: Laid-off workers worry what happens after COVID-19 crisis
When Gov. Gretchen Whitmer closed bars, restaurants and other businesses on March 16 to slow the spread of COVID-19, it meant that some people lost their Friday night date plans or their St. Patrick Day celebrations came to a halt. But for thousands of Michiganders, these closures were much more dire. For those working in […]
Michigan unemployment could hit 23% and other alarming economic forecasts
Experts “will have no difficulty in saying we entered a recession in March of 2020,” said Charles Ballard, an economics professor at Michigan State University. The COVID-19 pandemic has ripped through the United States with almost 470,000 cases and almost 18,000 deaths as of Friday afternoon. And the virus has steamrolled the economy, causing plunges […]
Whitmer calls special election to fill Robinson’s House seat
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Friday called a special election to fill the seat left vacant after the death of state Rep. Issac Robinson (D-Detroit). Robinson, 44, died on March 29 from suspected COVID-19 complications. The freshman represented Michigan’s 4th District, composing parts of Detroit and Hamtramck. A special primary election to fill the vacancy for […]