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Nessel got Line 5 shut down, for now. Enviros say Whitmer can shut it down for good.
At long last, environmentally minded Michiganders got their wish this week as Canadian oil company Enbridge was forced to halt operations on its controversial oil pipeline, Line 5. Attorney General Dana Nessel had called for, and was subsequently granted, the court-ordered shutdown on Thursday. That action, however, is only temporary. Long-term solutions rely on Gov. […]
Michigan COVID-19 cases rising again with 389 new cases Friday
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) reported Friday that 62,695 Michiganders have tested positive for COVID-19 and 5,888 have died from the virus — an additional 389 cases and two deaths since Thursday. At least 63 cases are from individuals who visited Harper’s Restaurant and Brew Pub in East Lansing between June […]
Moss on LGBTQ Pride Month: ‘I’m begging for respect in the chamber’
For the sixth time as a state lawmaker, state Sen. Jeremy Moss (D-Southfield) on Wednesday urged his colleagues in the Senate to pass a resolution recognizing June as LGBTQ Pride Month. And for the sixth time, both chambers of the GOP-controlled Legislature opted out of voting on such measures. “I’m begging for respect in the […]
Breaking: Judge grants AG’s request for temporary Line 5 shutdown
Updated, 1:40 p.m. and 5:39 p.m. with comments from Nessel, Whitmer and Enbridge A circuit court judge on Thursday granted Attorney General Dana Nessel’s request for a temporary restraining order on Canadian oil company Enbridge’s operation of the Line 5 pipeline, effectively forcing the company to shut down both legs of the dual pipeline within […]
State to clear unemployment backlog by July 4
By the Fourth of July, Michiganders who have not yet heard back about their unemployment benefits should receive a determination either way. Michigan’s Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) announced Tuesday that it aims to resolve the 11,824 still-pending claims made prior to May 1 by July 4, clearing about .5% of all claims made since Michigan’s […]
Whitmer: State not yet ready for phase 5 of reopening plan
The rest of Michigan will not be moving into phase five of its COVID-19 reopening plan this week as planned, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer told WWJ News Radio on Tuesday. “My hope was to do it this week — we’re not gonna do it this week. … We’re not in a position to do that yet. […]
Slotkin challenger: ‘All lives matter,’ ‘race nonsense’ is fake
Updated with comment from Slotkin, 2:41 p.m., 6/23/20 One of the GOP challengers to U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly), Howell Republican Mike Detmer, said at a recent rally that “this whole race nonsense” is “fake.” Detmer is on video speaking to the crowd gathered for an “American Patriot Rally” in front of the state Capitol […]
Hemond: A lot is negotiable, but not your ‘basic rights as a human being’
Adrian Hemond doesn’t want you to look away from this moment. And even as the CEO of a bipartisan political consulting firm, he’s not afraid to tell you so. Hemond, an African American Democrat who heads the Lansing-based Grassroots Midwest, has never been one to pull punches. A scroll through his Twitter feed is a […]
Nessel calls for court-ordered emergency Line 5 shutdown
Updated with comment from Enbridge, 8:20 p.m., 6/22/20 Citing violations of Canadian oil company Enbridge’s longstanding agreement with Michigan, Attorney General Dana Nessel on Monday called for a judge to put an emergency halt to Enbridge’s operation of the controversial Line 5 pipeline. The motions for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction were filed […]
Legislature OKs $880M spending bill, rejects Dem asks for mental health, sick leave
After a long Wednesday session that continued into the evening, the Michigan Legislature passed an $880 million supplemental spending plan now headed for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s desk. Those funds include millions in support for small businesses, health care providers, local governments and more that are struggling with the financial impacts from Michigan’s COVID-19 outbreak. Senate […]
Michigan 1 of only 3 ‘low risk’ states for coronavirus
Michigan has now effectively “flattened the curve” enough to be categorized as having a “low risk” level for COVID-19, according to one of the models used by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s team to evaluate the state’s response to the virus. COVID Act Now is also known as the most aggressive, or pessimistic, data model. Since early […]
State makes nursing home COVID-19 testing mandatory
Testing all nursing home residents and staff for COVID-19 is now mandatory, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announced Monday. The emergency order mandate was announced as part of a series of changes to Michigan’s COVID-19 policies related to nursing homes, which came in response to sustained complaints that data on the […]