Michigan forces 700,000 to re-qualify for unemployment benefits: What to know
By Paula Gardner (Bridge Michigan) The deadline was this past weekend for nearly 700,000 people in Michigan to once again validate their eligibility for federal unemployment benefits paid to them since April 2020. They learned in a recent letter from the state’s Unemployment Insurance Agency that eligibility criteria has been changed, in some cases more than a year […]
Flush with money but still no Michigan budget deal: What you need to know
By Arjun Thakkar (Bridge Magazine) Ah, summer in Michigan, the season for barbecues, black flies … and budget problems in Lansing. Completing next fiscal year’s state budget should have been easier this year, with the state flush with federal dollars and the Legislature vowing to complete a deal by July 1. But that deadline is […]
Is the Michigan vaccine lottery working? Depends how you define success.
By Mike Wilkinson, Robin Erb (Bridge Magazine) As Michigan doles out $50,000 in daily lottery winnings to encourage people to get a COVID-19 vaccine, health officials across the state told Bridge Michigan they have seen no evidence of a surge in vaccine interest. Instead, vaccination rates continue to ebb, they said. “We did not see […]
Michigan Republicans to drop signature-matching provision in election bill
by Sergio Martínez-Beltrán (Bridge Michigan) A proposal that would have required poll workers in Michigan to verify the signatures of every voter before casting a ballot will no longer be considered, the measure’s sponsor told Bridge Michigan Thursday. Last month, the Republican-controlled House passed legislation along party lines that would require the Michigan Secretary of State to provide […]
190K in Michigan live with Alzheimer’s. FDA taps brake on new drug.
By Robin Erb (Bridge Magazine) A controversial new drug to treat Alzheimer’s will now be limited only to those in the earliest states of the disease. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration Thursday changed its June decision that would have made Aduhelm available to nearly anyone with Alzheimer’s — a wide-open invitation to some 6.2 million Americans living […]
Michigan Supreme Court won’t delay redistricting map deadline
by Sergio Martínez-Beltrán (Bridge Michigan) The Michigan Supreme Court on Friday denied a request from the state’s redistricting commission to extend the deadline this year for the body to draw new state political maps. The order itself was a single paragraph, saying merely that the court “is not persuaded that it should grant the requested […]
People ignore drowning warnings, so Michigan may close Great Lakes beaches
by Makayla Coffee (Bridge Michigan) Red flags fly above the sand of Michigan’s Great Lakes beaches warning when the waves are dangerous, but that’s not always enough to stop swimmers from entering the risky water. Now state officials may increase pressure on people who ignore their warnings: Closing the beaches and ticketing anyone who steps into the […]
At Michigan SOS, walk-up service does not mean you can walk in
By Jonathan Oosting, Sergio Martínez Beltrán (Bridge Magazine) LANSING—Amid continued customer complaints and confusion, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson on Wednesday announced extended branch hours in an attempt to clear a pandemic-related service backlog by October. But there still is no guarantee that “walk up” customers will be able to take a new photo […]
Expanded outdoor dining ‘here to stay’ in Michigan restaurants after COVID
by Arjun Thakkar (Bridge Michigan) Winter is normally a busy season for Laine Van Dyken, general manager of Uccello’s Ristorante in downtown Grand Rapids, as celebratory dinners, holiday parties and wedding celebrations keep the restaurant full. All of these events had to be cancelled last year as indoor dining capacity at Uccellos was drastically cut […]
Delta variant is increasing in Michigan, prompting coronavirus surge fears
By Mike Wilkinson (Bridge Michigan) Michigan’s top public health officials worry that rising numbers of the Delta coronavirus variant may spark another surge of COVID-19 cases. The variant, which has triggered waves of new cases in India, the United Kingdom and southeast Asia, has increased in Michigan for the past three weeks, with cases detected […]
