State News

They can’t agree on a budget, or how to fix the roads, but there is one important issue that Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer and legislative Republicans can agree on – it’s not nice to steal people’s mail. You might think that stealing mail has been illegal in Michigan for all …

The State has emailed layoff notices to most of Michigan’s government workers. The layoffs that would be caused by failure to approve a new budget are far from certain, but law requires advance notice. About 30,000 of the state’s 48,000 employees would be sent to the bench if budget negotiations …

If you qualified for a home heating credit on your 2018 Michigan Income Tax, there could be a check in your mailbox soon. The state wound up with an extra $6.5 million in that fund. They did the math, and the 288,000 taxpayers who received the credit will get a …

A former Michigan state representative will probably not spend time in jail, after pleading no contest to a charge of trying to have a state employee help cover up his extramarital affair. Todd Courser has been sentenced to 12 months of probation, along with 45 days in jail. He can …

For the first time in a dozen years, members of the United Auto Workers have struck General Motors. Union employees walked off the job at 11:59 last night. The strike includes 46,000 union members at 55 GM facilities in the United States. Union contracts with Ford and Fiat Chrysler have …

The State of Michigan has rolled out a new form for reporting elder abuse. The Elder Abuse Task Force headed by Attorney General Dana Nessel and Supreme Court Justice Megan Cavanagh introduced the form this week, calling it Michigan’s first standardized system to help law enforcement prosecute elder abuse crimes. …

The State of Michigan will join other states in a potential deal with Purdue Pharma over the damage caused by its drug OxyContin. Attorney General Dana Nessel confirmed the decision yesterday, saying the move would be better for the state than trying to pursue an individual settlement. The arrangement would …

With bipartisan talks at a standstill, Michigan’s Republican-led House and Senate moved forward yesterday with budget proposals of their own. Bills approved by various committees would provide little increase for higher education, a larger boost for K-12 education, and a significant boost for clean drinking water funding. Democratic Governor Gretchen …

The fragile budget truce between Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Michigan legislative Republicans broke down late yesterday. The refrain is a familiar one – Republicans say Whitmer walked out of negotiations; Whitmer accused them of negotiating in bad faith, after taking a two-month vacation. More specifically, Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey …

Michigan’s most iconic hotel has been sold. The Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island is being taken over by a private equity firm called KSL Capital Partners. The announcement was made yesterday by hotel chairman R.D. (Dan) Musser III, whose family has owned the historic hotel since the 1930s. Musser will …