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Coulter leads in Dem Oakland County exec race, 2 progressives ahead in big prosecutor primaries
There were some big primaries for top local government offices on Tuesday, particularly in populous Southeast Michigan counties. Here’s a look at where top races stand: Oakland County Executive Incumbent Democrat Dave Coulter has held a steady lead over challenger Oakland County Treasurer Andy Meisner as Oakland County executive. Coulter has 53.3% to Meisner’s 46.7% […]
Congressional primaries: Tlaib has early lead against Jones, Hoadley could face upset
In one of the most-watched U.S. House Democratic primaries in Michigan and beyond, U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit) leads two-time rival Detroit City Council President Brenda Jones 66.3% to 33.7% in a bid to retain her seat in Michigan’s 13th Congressional District. However, less than 1% of precincts are reporting in the heavily Democratic Detroit-anchored […]
Michigan joins 6-state compact for rapid COVID-19 tests
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Tuesday that she has entered into a major bipartisan agreement with the governors of Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio and Virginia to expand rapid COVID-19 testing capabilities among the states. The compact, made in conjunction with the private New York-based Rockefeller Foundation, is the first of its kind and may be joined […]
Session canceled after lawmaker contracts COVID-19
Following the announcement of state Sen. Tom Barrett (R-Potterville) Sunday that he has tested positive for COVID-19, GOP legislative leadership announced that session in both chambers will be canceled for the rest of the week. The House and Senate did not extend the same protocol when state Rep. Isaac Robinson (D-Detroit) died from a suspected […]
Supreme Court: Absentee ballots must be received by election day to count
Only absentee ballots that are received by 8 p.m. on election day will be counted — even if they are earmarked for an earlier date. This Michigan Supreme Court decision comes as Michigan has seen historic levels of mail-in voting, thanks to a voting rights constitutional amendment passed in 2018. In a 4-3 order Friday, […]
Nessel doesn’t appeal Line 5 tunnel decision to Supreme Court
Attorney General Dana Nessel will no longer pursue one of her legal fights against Canadian oil company Enbridge, while another continues on. Nessel had originally pledged to appeal the latest ruling in Enbridge v Nessel to the Michigan Supreme Court, after a Court of Appeals panel ruled on June 11 that Enbridge’s plan to replace […]
Nessel joins suit against Trump excluding immigrants in redistricting
Attorney General Dana Nessel has joined 20 other AGs, nine cities, four counties and one combined city and county in all corners of the country to sue the President Trump administration for unlawfully excluding undocumented immigrants from each state’s apportionment base. Trump issued a memorandum on July 21 announcing that “illegal aliens” are to be […]
Michigan tops 80K COVID-19 cases after lab reports delayed tests
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) reported Wednesday that 80,172 Michiganders have tested positive for COVID-19 and 6,172 have died from the virus — an additional 996 cases and two deaths since Tuesday. DHHS notes that approximately 300 of Wednesday’s new cases, however, are older results that were delayed due to a […]
Trapped in a gym contract during COVID-19? These bills make it easier to cancel.
Two Democratic state lawmakers are trying to change strict requirements about gym membership contracts, which they say are unfairly trapping gym-goers in memberships that are difficult to get out of during the COVID-19 outbreak. House Bills 6028 and 6029, introduced Thursday by state Reps. Darrin Camilleri (D-Brownstown Twp.) and Kevin Coleman (D-Westland), would strengthen consumer […]
Barr tells Congress he was ‘not aware’ of threats to Whitmer’s life
U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) on Tuesday eviscerated Attorney General Bill Barr on his aggressive federal enforcement of Black Lives Matter protests, while allowing right-wing protests against coronavirus stay-home orders to go unchallenged. Barr, who was questioned by a congressional committee Tuesday over his leadership at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), said he did […]
Coast Guard reviewing request to ban anchors in Mackinac Straits after pipeline damage
Updated with comment from Enbridge, 4:31 p.m. 7/28/20 Leaders of nine prominent environmental groups in Michigan are urging the U.S. Coast Guard to consider banning the use of anchors in the Straits of Mackinac, following reports that one of Canadian oil company Enbridge’s own contracted vessels may have caused damage to a support anchor on […]
Marathon Petroleum to pay Detroit school $200K to alleviate air pollution
Following years of community activism, a major oil and natural gas company has now agreed to shell out more than $280,000 to begin to make things right in a notoriously air-polluted Detroit community. Marathon Petroleum’s tentative agreement with the state will, upon the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy’s (EGLE) approval after a […]