Michigan officials faced violent threats well before U.S. Capitol siege
by Madeline Halpert (Bridge Michigan) After pro-Trump rioters stormed Washington’s Capitol to disrupt an Electoral College vote count, several public officials and security experts in Michigan said they aren’t surprised by the mayhem. Wednesday’s siege at the Capitol followed weeks of post-election threats to public officials in Michigan and other battleground states that left many […]
Thousands of Michigan health workers are turning down COVID vaccines
by Robin Erb, Mike Wilkinson (Bridge Michigan) Thousands of health care workers across Michigan who would be first in line for a coronavirus vaccine are declining to take it, potentially slowing efforts to curb a pandemic that has killed over 352,000 nationally and more than 12,600 in Michigan. In Wayne County, just over half of […]
Gov. Whitmer urges Michigan schools to offer in-class learning by March 1
by Ron French (Bridge Michigan) Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Friday urged Michigan schools to offer all K-12 students an option of returning to classrooms by March 1. The guidance was not an order — local school districts will continue to be allowed to make their own decisions about what is best for their communities — […]
After chaos, democracy affirmed, as challenges to Michigan, other states fail
by Jonathan Oosting, Madeline Halpert (Bridge Michigan) President Donald Trump’s desperate campaign to overturn the Michigan election failed again late Wednesday in Congress, where Senate Republicans refused to join a House objection to the state’s Electoral College count. Shortly before midnight, after the Capitol was secured following violent riots, more than 70 House Republicans formally […]
Michigan’s $3.5B road plan on track despite pandemic, state official says
by Jonathan Oosting (Bridge Michigan) LANSING — The coronavirus may leave Michigan with less tax revenue to fix local roads, but it isn’t slowing down Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s $3.5 billion bond plan to rebuild state highways and bridges, according to Department of Transportation Director Paul Ajeba. Traffic volumes plummeted precipitously in the early days of […]
At nearly 12K deaths, COVID to be No. 3 cause of death in Michigan in 2020
by Mike Wilkinson (Bridge) By month’s end, the death toll from COVID-19 will approach 12,000 in Michigan, making it the No. 3 cause of death this year behind heart disease and cancer. It’s a staggering number, especially since the coronavirus wasn’t attributed to any deaths in the state before March 16. The novel coronavirus moved […]
Michigan locks up children for truancy, defiance, other noncriminal acts
by Jodi S. Cohen and Duaa Eldeib, ProPublica (Bridge) In Michigan, judges have sent children to locked detention centers for refusing to take medication or failing to attend online class. For testing positive for using marijuana. For repeatedly disobeying their parents. Even as other states move toward reforms focused on keeping nonviolent juvenile offenders in […]
‘Nobody’s coming.’ How COVID is changing everyday life in Bay City.
by Ron French, Paula Gardner, Mike Wilkinson (Bridge) BAY CITY — The cars began arriving at 6:45 pm, driving slowly down Center Avenue and parking along the edge of Wenonah Park in downtown Bay City. The Christmas tree lighting ceremony on the day after Thanksgiving is an annual event for families in this traditionally blue-collar […]
What COVID relief deals in Lansing, Washington mean for Michigan families
by Paula Gardner, Jonathan Oosting (Bridge) With only days remaining until unemployment benefits would end for hundreds of thousands of Michigan residents, new state and federal legislation just needs to be finalized to send more money to jobless workers. Michigan’s Legislature on Monday approved a $465 million spending bill for coronavirus relief; it now moves […]
Did Michigan health orders slow COVID? Probably. But how much is debatable.
by Mike Wilkinson (Bridge) When Michigan’s health director, Robert Gordon, last week announced continued restrictions on some businesses and the relaxation of them on others, he touted continuing decline in case numbers statewide. Comparing COVID-19 numbers, he pointed out that Ohio’s case counts were substantially higher than those in Michigan, despite being almost identical in […]
