Local Government
A Senate probe found Lucido sexually harassed women. Now he’s running for Macomb County prosecutor.
State Sen. Peter Lucido (R-Shelby Twp.) says he will run for Macomb County prosecutor this fall. This announcement follows a state Senate sexual harassment investigation this month that resulted in Lucido losing his position chairing the Senate Advice and Consent Committee, which oversees key gubernatorial appointments. Lucido serves on Michigan’s Elder Abuse Task Force, the […]
Nessel charges Democratic Macomb Co. Prosecutor Eric Smith with embezzlement
Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith, former County Treasurer and state Rep. Derek Miller (D-Warren) and two others have been charged with a number of felony crimes including embezzlement, misconduct in office and conducting a criminal enterprise. Investigators estimate the total amount of money embezzled related to these crimes since 2012 is around $600,000. Democratic Attorney […]
COVID-19 has made immigrants fear seeking care, while Asian Americans feel Trump made them ‘targets’
The phones have been ringing off the hook at the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center. The voices coming through are a chorus on repeat: I’ve been laid off. What do I do now? How do I feed my family? Am I eligible for unemployment? Will I be deported if I go to the doctor? What do […]
Michigan reports 787 COVID-19 cases, 5 deaths
As of 10 a.m. Saturday, there are now almost 790 positive cases of COVID-19 in Michigan, although state officials believe the actual number of cases is much higher. That count is a 238-case increase from Friday morning, and comes with the addition of two more deaths since then; one in Oakland County Friday evening and […]
Coronavirus threatened to shut down March is Reading Month. So educators got creative.
A year ago, classrooms of students would be lined up in desks or sitting in circles on the floor while teachers read their favorite books aloud in celebration of March is Reading Month. But this year, amid the COVID-19 pandemic that closed schools and libraries, everyone is getting creative to ensure that students are still […]
Michigan Press Association wary of Whitmer electronic meeting order during COVID-19
A new state directive on how public bodies should conduct meetings during a pandemic quickly garnered praise from the Michigan Municipal League (MML) and Democratic lawmakers, while the Michigan Press Association (MPA) and GOP state leadership expressed concerns about public transparency. As part of the state’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on […]
Hanna-Attisha: 80% of Flint kids exposed to lead in water have learning disorders
Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha tells “60 Minutes” on CBS that early testing results show that 80% of children exposed to lead during the Flint water crisis will require services for a language, learning or intellectual disorder. The Flint doctor, who rang the alarm in 2015 about kids with high lead levels after the state-appointed emergency manager […]
Report: SE Michigan govts. commit ‘highway robbery’ against Detroit drivers
Attorney Geoffrey Leonard recalls meeting with two African-American Detroit clients who had been ticketed for running through an Allen Park stop sign, which was obstructed by a tree. Same intersection. Different day. Different motorists. “The cops clearly had a practice of waiting there to pull over drivers,” Leonard, a nonprofit Detroit Justice Center (DJC) staff […]
Whitmer, Duggan reverse course on water shutoffs amid coronavirus concern
In an apparent change of mind, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) announced on Monday a plan that will restore water service in Detroit at “no initial cost to customers” for the duration of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Last week, Whitmer’s administration and state health department […]
GOP bill to quash local gun buyback efforts passes state House
Michigan’s GOP-led state House made quick work of new legislation to preemptively block local gun buyback efforts, securing a 58-49 vote on the bill during Wednesday’s legislative session. House Bill 5479 had been introduced by state Rep. Annette Glenn (R-Midland) just last month. It passed out of the House Judiciary Committee without amendment on Tuesday […]
Whitmer creates task forces to tackle coronavirus
While Michigan has yet to see a confirmed case of coronavirus (COVID-19), special task forces are being created to prevent the spread of the disease if it were to appear in the state. Local and state-level health organizations have also highlighted their teamwork when it came down to testing what turned out to be a […]
As Michigan preps for coronavirus, groups demand end to Detroit water shutoffs
Citing heightened concerns over public health risks, a coalition of Michigan-based social justice organizations released a letter Friday calling on Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to force an end to water shutoffs in Detroit. The groups, led by the People’s Water Board Coalition, say continuing to shut off water for Detroit-area residents who haven’t paid their bills […]