State News

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 …

Governor Gretchen Whitmer has extended Michigan’s ongoing State of Emergency to October 27th. Whitmer has used the State of Emergency to issue executive orders to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. In an interview Tuesday morning on KBear 102.3, Whitmer said the orders have helped Michigan come back from being one …

There will be no repeat of last year’s contentious state budget battle. Wednesday, Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Republican legislative leaders announced that they had agreed on a financial plan for the next fiscal year. The $62 billion dollar outline was quickly approved by both the House and the Senate. …

U.S. Representative Jack Bergman has been named as a National Ambassador to the President’s Roadmap to Empower Veterans and End a National Tragedy of Suicide (PREVENTS) Task Force. Bergman is a retired U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant General, and has prioritized veterans’ issues during his time in Congress. September is National …

United States Senator Gary Peters has called on President Donald Trump to delay naming a nominee for the Supreme Court. While eulogizing the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Senate floor yesterday, Peters said the government has more urgent matters., and should focus exclusively on COVID-19 relief. President Trump …

The new sign in front of the former Lewis Cass state office building in Lansing was unveiled yesterday. In June, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed an executive order renaming the facility the “Elliott-Larsen Building.” State of Michigan Image The designation honors former Republican State Representative Melvin Larsen and former Democratic State …

The State of Michigan is suing manufacturers of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, collectively known as PFAS. PFAS were used in hundreds of products, ranging from food packaging to water-repellent fabrics to non-stick cookware to firefighting foam. They can cause health problems in humans, and they take so long to break …

The application period to request an absent voter ballot for the November 3rd general election is now open. All registered voters can apply for an absent voter ballot – no reason is needed. County and city clerks will begin mailing out regular absentee voter ballots on September 24th. A ballot-tracking …