State News

Extended unemployment benefits will continue in Michigan – for now. Governor Gretchen Whitmer yesterday signed the bills recently passed by the state house and senate that will keep the extended benefits in place through the end of the year. Whitmer called for the legislature to make the extension from 20 …

A new member of Michigan’s Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission is expected to be named this morning. Independent commissioner Glenn Shaw resigned last weekend, citing changed personal circumstances that would not allow him to fulfill his obligation. Shaw had been named to the commission September 23rd, to replace original member James …

With the official count now closed, Michigan appears to have performed fairly well in the U.S. Census. Federal officials say our self-response rate of 70 percent – those who either reported their household information online, or by mail – was the eighth-best in the nation. Keweenaw County didn’t help much …

Extended unemployment benefits will continue, under legislation approved by the Michigan House and Senate. Working into the early hours this morning, Republican legislative leaders agreed to remove the tie-bar that attached the benefits to legislation that would shield businesses from COVID-19 lawsuits. The bills will replace the gubernatorial executive orders …

A group of leading infectious disease specialists has gone public, imploring Michigan Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey to reconsider his position on COVID-19 protections. Shirkey has opposed mask mandates, which are strongly encouraged by the Centers for Disease Control, and other health experts. Instead, he’s gone public with his desire …

Governor Gretchen Whitmer has signed legislation that will allow more people with criminal convictions to have their records cleared. Among the provisions is an opportunity for those convicted of marijuana offenses to have their records expunged, if the offenses they committed would now be legal under the state recreational marijuana …

The legal cases against those facing state charges in the alleged attempt to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and attempt to overthrow the state government have begun. • Paul Bellar of Milford is being held in South Carolina, where he is awaiting extradition; • Shawn Fix of Belleville was arraigned …

We’re learning more about the alleged attempt to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. 13 men have been arrested in connection with the plot. Six face federal charges, and seven face state charges. Officials say two right-wing militia groups planned to kidnap the governor from her vacation home in the northern …

Federal and state officials say they’ve broken up a plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. This afternoon, state Attorney General Dana Nessel said the elaborate scheme was allegedly coordinated by a right-wing militia group called the Wolverine Watchmen…” [NESSEL]. It’s not immediately clear how many people have been arrested. …

The Michigan Department of State is calling foul on a video distributed by the Michigan Republican Party. Text accompanying the video says it shows a ballot drop box in the City of Lansing, left unlocked. An accompanying statement from Michigan Republican Party Chair Laura Cox says she’s “outraged at the …