State News

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer is calling for the legislature to act quickly to continue extended unemployment benefits… “Hundreds of thousands of hardworking people who head up families and need to put food on the table will lose their unemployment benefits if the legislature doesn’t act in the next few days. …

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services continues to fill in the vacuum created by the dissolution of Whitmer’s COVID-19 safety executive orders. Yesterday, Director Robert Gordon directed school districts to post information about probable or confirmed school-associated COVID-19 diagnoses prominently on the district website within 24 hours.  Guidelines …

Michigan’s November election results likely won’t be finalized until the Friday of election week. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson spoke in Lansing yesterday… “Now, it may be sooner, but we want to manage those expectations and we want all watching our election to be patient as our clerks work methodically, …

U.S. Senator Gary Peters is in isolation because of COVID-19 concerns. The Michigan Democrat was seated close to Republican Senator Ron Johnson at a recent Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee meeting. Johnson has since tested positive for COVID-19. Peters says he’s since tested negative, is feeling fine, and …

Although the Michigan Supreme Court has struck down Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s emergency authority to manage the COVID-19 pandemic, don’t expect anything to change immediately.  Whitmer has 21 days from the release of the decision last Friday to request a re-hearing. Typically, court orders do not take effect until after appellate …

State employees now have the option of taking up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave, following the birth or adoption of a child. The new policy took effect when the new fiscal year began yesterday. Governor Gretchen Whitmer said the birth or adoption of a child requires time and …

Governor Gretchen Whitmer is wishing President Donald Trump and his wife Melania a speedy recovery, following their COVID-19 diagnoses. In a statement released this morning, Whitmer noted that the virus doesn’t care if you’re rich or poor, a Republican or a Democrat, young or old. She added that she hopes …

The most hard-hit COVID-19 counties in Michigan are now all in the Upper Peninsula. Six counties are currently in the “Code Red” category – Houghton, Baraga, Iron, Dickinson, Menominee and Delta. Iron County is being hit the hardest, with a rolling average of 115 new infections per week, adjusted per …

Michigan begins its 2020-2021 fiscal year today with a budget in place, and none of the controversy that consumed last year’s process. Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed the budget into law yesterday.  Despite the COVID-19 pandemic that has reduced tax revenues and increased state expenses, base funding for K-12 schools, community …

Michiganders are lining up quickly to take advantage of the new Futures for Frontliners program. The initiative provides a tuition-free pathway for essential workers who do not have a college degree to obtain one, or earn a technical certificate. Since the program launched just over two weeks ago, more than …