Michigan unemployment benefits expanded to 59 weeks for some workers
by Paula Gardner (Bridge) Some jobless workers in Michigan could qualify for up to 59 weeks of unemployment benefits due to a federal extension triggered by the state’s high unemployment rate due to COVID-19. An additional 20 weeks of benefits are now possible for the laid-off workers who qualified for benefits through the state’s regular program paid […]
Small business confidence inches up in Michigan. Will sales follow?
By Paula Gardner (Bridge) Michigan’s small business owners are expressing more confidence that they’ll survive the coronavirus pandemic, but also say pressures facing them remain acute. Six months into the global health crisis, the state’s smallest employers say their biggest worry is lost sales, according to a recent survey by the Small Business Association of […]
Michigan dam safety program underfunded, understaffed, slow to enforce
by Kelly House (Bridge) Michigan’s dam safety program suffers from a “culture of minimal enforcement” and lacks the time, staff and budget to properly do its job. That’s the conclusion of an independent review team tasked with scrutinizing Michigan’s dam safety program in the wake of the May 19 Edenville and Sanford dam failures that […]
Bills to wipe criminal records clean pass Michigan Legislature
by Riley Beggin (Bridge) Bills that would likely make hundreds of thousands more Michiganders eligible to have their criminal records wiped clean passed the state House Thursday with bipartisan support. They are now on their way to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s desk, where they are expected to be signed into law. The package would dramatically change […]
Whitmer: Michigan movie theaters can open and K-5 students must wear masks
by Riley Beggin (Bridge) Movie theaters, performance and event venues, arcades, bowling alleys and more will be allowed to reopen on Oct. 9 after months of being closed, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Friday afternoon. In a separate order issued Friday afternoon, the governor also announced all students in K-12 schools must wear a face […]
MSU, U-M, Wayne State presidents: Don’t expect in-person classes until fall 2021
by Ron French (Bridge) College classes likely will remain virtually all online for another year at the University of Michigan, Michigan State University and Wayne State University, the presidents of the three colleges said Thursday. While those predictions are not set in stone, MSU President Samuel Stanley, Wayne President Roy Wilson, and U-M president Mark […]
Michigan State, U-M change reporting to disclose more campus COVID cases
by Robin Erb (Bridge) Two days after the Ingham County health officer called out large differences in COVID case counts at Michigan State University — her department tallied more than twice what MSU reported — the university has updated its website to reflect the larger number. The Michigan State coronavirus tracker web page as of […]
Whitmer orders Michigan schools to tell the public about COVID cases
by Robin Erb, Ron French (Bridge) Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed an order Friday that requires Michigan schools to notify the public when there are coronavirus cases among students or staff. Though light on detail, it appears to suggest more immediate, real-time public reporting on COVID-19 outbreaks at schools. The order doesn’t specify how quickly news […]
After Breonna Taylor decision, protests still outpace legislation in Michigan
by Ted Roelofs (Bridge) As protests in Michigan and across much of the country intensified this week after a grand jury did not indict police in the death of Breonna Taylor, police reform measures in Michigan remain stalled in the Legislature. A frustrated Detroit activist said he’s just about lost hope that Michigan politicians will […]
How do Michigan universities compare on COVID outbreaks? Hard to tell
by Sammy Sussman (Bridge) ANN ARBOR—The University of Michigan’s COVID-19 Data webpage is sleek, interactive and fashioned in the school colors of maize and blue. On the site, students, parents and the public can see the number of coronavirus cases reported on campus each week since March, COVID tests given per week and positivity rates […]
