Author

Madeline Ciak

Madeline Ciak

Madeline Ciak is a former Michigan Advance reporter. She’s a University of Michigan-Flint graduate and previously worked as a digital media manager at NBC25/FOX66 in Flint and a weekend producer at ABC12.

Whitmer: Protestors’ swastikas, Confederate flags, nooses, automatic rifles don’t represent Michigan

By: - May 1, 2020

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer wasted no time Friday condemning right-wing protestors who swarmed Michigan’s Capitol Thursday. She called the scene laden with misogynistic and violent signs and protestors shouting at law enforcement, “disturbing.” Protestors called for her to end what they called “tyrannical rule” with her stay-home order during the COVID-19 pandemic that’s sickened more than […]

Bars, gyms, theaters can’t reopen until May 28 under new order

By: - May 1, 2020

Public places like theaters, bars, gyms and casinos will be closed through May 28 after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Thursday night extended a previous order aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19 in Michigan. The new order was issued after the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) on Thursday reported more than 41,000 […]

Khaldun: Michigan’s COVID-19 fight likely will last until 2021

By: - April 29, 2020

Beating COVID-19 will be a long-term effort that will likely stretch into next year until a vaccine or antiviral treatment is developed, Michigan Department Health and Human Services (DHHS) Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun said Wednesday. During a news conference with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Khaldun announced Michigan now has more than 40,000 cases and […]

Workers who died on the job honored as COVID-19 ravages workplaces

By: - April 29, 2020

Thousands of workers who have died, suffered from job-related traumatic injuries or fallen ill while on the job were honored Tuesday on Workers Memorial Day. Unions fought for the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act 50 years ago, but worker safety remains a concern. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that more than 5,000 […]

GOP-led Senate pushes Whitmer to change hospital, essential worker orders

By: - April 28, 2020

The Michigan Senate met briefly Tuesday and urged Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to allow elective procedures to resume in hospitals and expand the class of essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The resolutions could be the start of another week of GOP state lawmakers trying to cap Whitmer’s power. State lawmakers met in Lansing Friday, with […]

AG urges workers to wear homemade masks due to shortages, asks police to work with businesses

By: - April 27, 2020

Attorney General Dana Nessel is urging employees who work in public settings like restaurants and grocery stores to use their own face coverings to protect themselves until their employer can provide them. This comes after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued an executive order Friday requiring all businesses to provide their employees with non-medical grade face coverings […]

More than 3K COVID-19 deaths reported in Michigan

By: - April 24, 2020

Michigan has now had 3,085 people die of COVID-19, up from 2,977 on Thursday. There are 36,641 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. There were 35,291 cases reported on Thursday. COVID-19 is in […]

Direct care workers receive temporary pay raise

By: - April 24, 2020

Health care workers who provide Medicaid-funded, in-home behavioral health and long-term care services for children and adults will receive a temporary $2-per-hour pay raise during the COVID-19 pandemic. The temporary pay raise applies to workers providing what’s known as “direct care” services from April through June. “It has never been more important to care for […]

Nessel wants food stamps saved for 144K in Mich. during COVID-19

By: - April 22, 2020

Attorney General Dana Nessel joined 21 other attorney generals and the corporation counsel for the city of New York in sending a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) demanding the agency not finalize a proposed rule. It would take Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits away from 3.1 million people, including an estimated […]

Detroit nursing homes have 100+ COVID-19 deaths, state taking new actions

By: - April 21, 2020

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said Tuesday there have been 124 COVID-19 deaths recorded among residents and staff in city nursing homes — and added it’s likely the final number will be dramatically higher. The city also is two-thirds of the way through testing residents at each of the city’s 26 nursing homes, Duggan said during […]

Michigan reports almost 2,500 COVID-19 deaths, including 5-year-old Skylar Herbert

By: - April 20, 2020

There are now 2,468 people who have died of COVID-19 in Michigan. A statewide coronavirus hotline is open 7 days a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1-888-535-6136. Information can be found on the DHHS website or the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention website. One of those deaths was 5-year-old […]

Whitmer: Facts, science will guide Michigan’s economic reentry when COVID-19 cases drop

By: - April 17, 2020

Updated, 7:23 a.m. 4/18/20 Michigan’s stay home order is in place until April 30 and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has not yet given a firm* timeframe for loosening regulations to stop the spread of COVID-19. On Friday, she did release some details about her plan to reopen Michigan’s economy, which she said is dependent on facts, […]