More than 80 charging outlets for electric vehicles will be installed across Michigan, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced last week.
Read MoreCharge Up Michigan to Fund 88 New Charging Stations for Electric Vehicles
Author: Jordyn Pair
Michigan House Passes Bill Barring Legislators from Voting on Measures That Have a Conflict of Interest
The Michigan House of Representatives passed a bill on Thursday that would bar legislators from voting on legislation where they could have a conflict of interest.
Read MoreMichigan House Passes Bill Barring Restrictions on Graduation Ceremonies
Michigan schools may soon be allowed to host graduation and commencement ceremonies, regardless of executive health orders.
Read MoreOhio Representatives Appeals to Michigan Senate to Keep Line 5 Open
Ohio state Rep. Brian Baldridge (R-90-Winchester) spoke before the Michigan Senate last week to encourage the state to keep Enbridge Line 5 operating.
Read MoreMichigan Restaurant Owner Loses Franchise with Big Boy for Breaking Pandemic Restrictions
The owner of a restaurant in Sandusky, Michigan, says it is being “forced to terminate” its contract with the Big Boy franchise over its decision to stay open despite pandemic restrictions.
A recent order from the state of Michigan has closed indoor restaurant dining in the state from November 18 to December 8. It also closed in-person learning for college and high schools, movie theaters, bowling alleys and arcades. The order additionally cancels group fitness classes and organized sports.
Read MoreMichigan Legislators Chatfield, Shirkey Reportedly Invited to White House for Meeting with Trump
President Trump has reportedly invited Republican Michigan state legislators to visit the White House amid a campaign to overturn election results in the state.
An official familiar with the matter confirmed that the president will be meeting with Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, (R-16-Clarklake) and House Speaker Lee Chatfield (R-107-Levering) on Friday, according to The Detroit News.
Read MoreRepublicans Claims Canvassers Bullied, Threatened into Certifying Wayne County Results
Republicans are claiming that the Wayne County canvassers reversed course in certifying the election results on Tuesday nights as a result of attacks and violence launched at them.
The Board of Canvassers in Wayne County, Michigan, had originally voted 2-2 along party lines, a tie that meant election results could not be certified. Later that same night, the Republican canvassers flipped their vote, voting instead to certify the election results unanimously.
Read MoreTrue the Vote Requests Election Data from Michigan Departments
A voters’ rights organization aimed at protecting American elections has requested data from several Michigan departments to determine the possibility of illegal votes counted in the 2020 election.
True the Vote, which is aimed at ensuring election integrity, has requested data from the Michigan Department of State, Michigan Department of Corrections and Wayne, Washtenaw and Ingham Counties.
Read MoreGreenwald Pushes Back on Claims He Left The Intercept For Money
Glenn Greenwald is pushing back against the idea that he resigned from The Intercept as a marketing ploy, saying he gave up a huge salary, as well as a team of lawyers and a security detail for a legal fight currently ongoing in Brazil.
Greenwald, the co-founder of The Intercept who resigned on Thursday, said he gave up his job in response to censorship by the outlet’s editorial staff about a story critical of Hunter and Joe Biden. In the piece, Greenwald went after both the Biden family and the media, saying the latter refused to ask important questions and seek the truth due an affinity for the Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden.
Read MoreGlenn Greenwald Resigns from The Intercept Over Censoring of Biden Piece
Shortly after resigning from The Intercept on Thursday, Glenn Greenwald published the article whose censoring he said caused him to step down in the first place.
Greenwald announced on Thursday that he would be leaving The Intercept, the publication that he co-founded in 2014, due to censorship from editorial staff over a piece critical of Joe and Hunter Biden.
Read MoreTrump, Whitmer Spar on Twitter Over Michigan Supreme Court Ruling
President Trump on Wednesday praised the Michigan Supreme Court’s ruling overturning Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s emergency powers, calling it a “big win” for the state.
The Michigan Supreme Court on Friday struck down Whitmer’s emergency ruling, saying the governor had issued her numerous executive orders pertaining to coronavirus restrictions unconstitutionally, rendering them null.
Read MoreWhitmer Asks Michigan Supreme Court To Clarify Ruling Takes Effect Oct. 30, Republicans Say Order Effective Immediately
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Monday asked the state’s Supreme Court for clarification that its recent order overturning her emergency powers does not take effect until October 30.
The ruling, mandated October 2, struck down the statute under which Whitmer had been issuing coronavirus emergency orders, nullifying the orders and saying that their issuance had been unconstitutional.
Read MoreMichigan Supreme Court Overturns Whitmer’s Emergency Powers
The Michigan Supreme Court on Friday struck down Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s coronavirus orders, following months of back and forth between the Democratic governor and the Republican legislature.
The court said that Whitmer cited authority for her multitude of executive orders from a 1945 law that is unconstitutional, the Emergency Powers of the Governor Act of 1945. Republicans said Whitmer should used have a 1976 law, which requires legislature approval to continue after any emergency declaration lasting 28 days, ClickOnDetroit said.
Read MoreMCC to Host Trump 2020 Cannonball Run on October 11
The Michigan Conservative Coalition (MCC) has announced the Michigan Trump 2020 Cannonball Run, a Trump rally taking place on October 11.
The rally’s route will stretch from the Ohio and Indiana borders via Interstate-75 and US 131, respectively, and will end at the Mackinac Bridge. Participants are asked to their cars, trucks, van, motorcycle or other highway-legal vehicle to enter their closest highway entrance to drive on either I-75 or US 131 along the route. The MCC’s suggested drive is for one hour north and then reverse course and drive an hour south.
Read MoreWhitmer Extends State of Emergency Order Until October 27
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer extended Michigan’s state of emergency order on Tuesday, pushing back its end date until October 27.
Whitmer originally declared a state of emergency in Michigan on March 10 in response to the coronavirus pandemic and has continuously extended it since then. She also extended four other executive orders that protect people in prison and long-term care facilities, those who are working in establishments that sell food, and those who are considered at-risk.
Read MoreFormer Michigan Secretaries of State Sue Benson Over Absentee Ballot Counting
Two former GOP secretaries of state are suing current Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson over a recent ruling that allows the department to count absentee ballots that arrive after Election Day.
Michigan Court of Claims Judge Cynthia Stephens ruled earlier this month that absentee ballots postmarked for November 2 can still be counted as valid even if they arrive up to two weeks after polls close on Election Day, a temporary rule for this election that goes against normal procedure, which generally allows absentee ballots to only be counted if they arrive before 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Read MoreWhitmer Relents, Signs New Executive Order Re-Opening More Gathering Places
Michigan movie theaters and performance venues will soon be allowed to reopen, according to an executive order signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
The order, which also amends coronavirus safety mandates in schools, will allow a variety of previously closed entertainment venues, including indoor theaters, cinemas, performance venues, arcades, bingo halls, bowling centers, indoor climbing facilities and trampoline parks, to reopen statewide on October 9.
Read MoreMDHHS Publishes Trick-or-Treating Guidelines, Even As CDC Recommends Against It
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) released guidelines for trick-or-treating on Thursday, going against guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which recommended against the activity entirely.
In addition to standard coronavirus safety guidelines such as mask-wearing and social distancing, the MDHHS also recommended that homeowners passing out candy use duct tape to mark six-foot distances leading from where the candy is, distributing candy on a disinfected table to limit direct contact and handing out candy in an open space. For trick-or-treaters, it suggested participating in one-way trick-or-treating and only going to houses with safety measures in place.
Read MoreHouse Education Committee Approves Legislation to Increase Access to Apprenticeship Programs
The Michigan House of Representatives Education Committee approved legislation that increases accessibility to apprenticeship programs in high schools on Thursday.
The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Ben Frederick (R-85-Owosso), brings Michigan apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs in line with federal workforce mandates so federal funding can be used.
Read MoreWhitmer Signs Orders Wednesday to Make Michigan Carbon Neutral by 2050
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed two executive orders on Wednesday aimed at making Michigan carbon-neutral by 2050.
The first order creates an advisory council within the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) called the Council on Climate Solutions, which will be tasked with developing and implementing the MI Healthy Climate Plan. The second order creates EGLE’s Office of Environmental Justice Public Advocate, which will “ensure fairness for and representation from underserved communities,” the governor’s office said.
Read MoreMore Than a Third of Michigan Voters Have Requested Absentee Ballots
A third of active Michigan voters have requested absentee ballots so far, a spokesperson from Michigan’s Secretary of State (SOS) office announced on Tuesday.
More than 2.39 million Michigan voters have requested ballots, more than 31 percent of the 7.7 million people registered to vote in Michigan and 35 percent of the state’s 6.7 million active voters, according to state data released by the SOS. Detroit City has requested the highest number of absentee ballots at 109,561 ballots, followed by Ann Arbor City at 40,786 ballots and Sterling Heights City at 32,083.
Read MoreTrump Includes Michigan Judge on SCOTUS Shortlist
President Trump has pointed to several female judges — including a Michigan judge — to fill the seat of the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, according to an interview he gave on Fox News’s “Fox & Friends.”
Ginsburg passed away on Friday at age 87. She had served on the U.S Supreme Court for 27 years and was championed as a solid liberal vote.
Read MoreMichigan Judge Rules Absentee Ballots That Arrive up to Two Weeks After Election Day Still Valid
A Michigan state judge ruled on Friday that absentee ballots that arrive after Election Day can still be counted.
Michigan Court of Claims Judge Cynthia Stephens ruled that absentee ballots that are postmarked for November 2 can still be counted even if they arrive up to two weeks after polls close on Election Day, according to reporting from CNN and ABC News. Absentee ballots were previously only allowed to be counted if they arrived before 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Read MoreTrump, Benson Spar on Twitter Over Misprinted Overseas Ballots
President Trump and Michigan’s Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson sparred on Twitter on Thursday after overseas ballots incorrectly listed a Libertarian candidate in the spot of Vice President Mike Pence.
The Bureau of Election alerted clerks on Tuesday after it was discovered that more than 400 overseas ballots had listed Libertarian vice presidential candidate Jeremy Cohen instead of Pence, according to The Detroit News. The bureau asked clerks to notify the recipients of the ballots and issue corrected ones.
Read MoreUM, MSU Excited to See Football Return, Fans Have Mixed Reactions
Michigan sports fans had mixed reactions after the Big Ten conference announced it would be bringing back football this year, while conference leaders rejoiced.
The conference, which had originally postponed playing because of the coronavirus pandemic, announced on Wednesday that it will resume games on October 24, according to ESPN.
Read MoreMichigan Begins Identifying Schools with COVID-19 Outbreaks
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has begun publishing coronavirus outbreak information broken down by school building.
The state had previously been confirming regions in which outbreaks were taking place at schools, but not identifying the individual schools or school districts.
Read MoreGEO Votes to Extend UM Strike for Another Five Days
The University of Michigan Graduate Employees’ Organization (GEO) voted on Sunday to extend its strike for another five days in protest of the university’s coronavirus regulations.
GEO said that the measure passed with 80 percent of the vote.
Read MoreTrump Goes After Whitmer at Rally, Saying She ‘Doesn’t Have a Clue’
President Trump slammed Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer during a rally on Thursday, saying that she “doesn’t have a clue.”
“Michigan has already gained and regained more than half of the jobs that it lost — and if your state was ever allowed to safely reopen by your governor, who doesn’t have a clue, just like Joe [Biden], you would have gained far more than that,” Trump said in a rally in Saginaw County, according to FOX 2.
Read MoreUniversity of Michigan Resident Advisers, Cafeteria Workers Join Strike
The resident assistants at University of Michigan have joined protests over the school’s coronavirus regulations, announcing earlier this week that they would be striking.
More than 100 residential advisers voted to strike in demand of increased coronavirus protections, hazard pay and additional communication about coronavirus statistics at the school, according to reporting by The Michigan Daily, the student newspaper for the University of Michigan. The strike began Wednesday morning and mostly impacts mailroom operations and lock-out services. Participating resident assistants will also not perform duty shifts, although they will informally enforce COVID-19 safety regulations.
Read MoreMichigan Bill Allowing Early Vote Counting Still Not Passed
A bill that would allow Michigan polling clerks to begin processing absentee ballots before Election Day is still in legislative limbo, Michigan Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey said, adding that the Senate continues to “finesse” the proposal.
The bill is sponsored by Sen. Ruth Johnson (R-14-Holly), who is a former secretary of state and chair of the Michigan Senate Elections Committee. It calls for allowing clerks to begin processing, but not counting, ballots before the election, according to The Associated Press.
Read MoreMichigan Launches Ambassador Program To Guide Businesses Through Coronavirus Guidelines
Michigan state employees will visit businesses one-on-one to help them reopen safely under a swath of COVID-19 safety guidelines.
The program, launched by the Department of Labor and Economic and the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA), features ambassadors that will visit businesses to help them navigate through safety guidelines and regulations. Unlike their MIOSHA counterparts, these ambassadors will not issue penalties or citations.
Read MoreUniversity of Michigan Graduate Student Employees to Go on Strike
The graduate student union at the University of Michigan has voted to go on strike beginning Tuesday, the group announced on Monday.
The Graduate Employees’ Organizations represents Graduate Student Instructors and Graduate Student Staff Assistants at Ann Arbor-based University of Michigan.
The four-day strike is protesting the university reopening for in-person classes during the coronavirus pandemic and has the potential to be reauthorized for a longer work stoppage. The union called the strike a “historic moment.”
Read MoreDeVos Tells Michigan Schools Not to Expect Federal Testing Waivers
Michigan schools should not anticipate waivers to allow schools to skip statewide testing for the upcoming school year, according to a letter sent by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to State Superintendent Michael Rice.
Rice and State Board of Education President Casandra Ulbrich had, in light of the continuing coronavirus pandemic, requested waivers from DeVos that would allow Michigan schools to skip student assessments typically required federally.
Read MoreMichigan Conservative Coalition to Host ‘Back the Blue’ Event in Frankenmuth
The Michigan Conservative Coalition (MCC) will be holding a MAGA Back the Blue event on September 13 that will feature a classic car and biker cruise and a flyover in Frankenmuth, Michigan.
The event, which will run from noon to 4 p.m., will be raising money for the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund and local law enforcement K-9 Units. The Trump Unity Bridge, a touring support team for President Trump, will also be in attendance.
Read MoreMichigan Gyms to Reopen September 9, Whitmer Announces
Michigan gyms and pools will be able to reopen starting on September 9, thanks to an executive order signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Thursday.
The order will allow organized sports practices to resume and gym facilities and pool usage to reopen, with certain safety restrictions in place.
Read MoreMichigan to Publish Which Schools Have Coronavirus Outbreaks
Michigan will begin identifying K-12 schools that have coronavirus outbreaks beginning on September 14, a state spokesperson told BridgeMI on Tuesday.
Up to this point, the state has been confirming the regions in which the outbreaks are occurring, but have not provided more specific information, such as the specific school districts in which the outbreaks are located.
Read More86 Percent of Michigan Schools to Offer In-Person Learning
Eighty-six percent of school districts in Michigan will offer some or all in-person instruction at the beginning of the school year, according to a study conducted by Michigan State University (MSU).
The study, released Friday, showed that 59 percent of Michigan school districts will be offering in-person schooling five days a week and 27 percent will be offering it at least two to three days a week.
Read MorePrison Union Calls for Removal of Michigan Prison Director for Coronavirus Response
A union representing Michigan prison officers has called for the removal of Corrections Department Director Heidi Washington due to the state’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic inside prisons.
According to a letter obtained by the Detroit Free Press, the Michigan Corrections Organization says it has lost confidence in Michigan leadership.
Read MoreDepartment of Justice Requests Nursing Home Data on COVID-19 Deaths from Michigan
The Civil Right Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has requested information about COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes from the state of Michigan.
The request, made on Wednesday, will help the department determine if it will open up an investigation under the federal Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act, which will identify if the state orders requiring coronavirus-positive patients to be admitted to nursing homes were responsible for the deaths of residents.
Read MoreTwo Michigan Residents Charged with Defrauding $1.8 Million in Unemployment Scam
Two Michigan residents have been charged in a criminal complaint for their alleged role in defrauding $1.8 million in unemployment benefits from the state.
Jermaine Rose, 41, is an employee of the State of Michigan’s Unemployment Insurance Agency whose duties include processing and verifying the legitimacy of unemployment insurance claims. Beginning in May, Rose allegedly used his employee access to authorize payment on hundreds of fraudulent claims, specifically overriding “fraud stops” on claims that had been flagged by the state computer system as potentially fraudulent.
Read MoreWhitmer Reportedly Lone Governor Preventing Big 10 Football
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer could be a “major roadblock” to the start of the Big 10 football season, according to Ohio State insider Jeff Snook.
The Spun reported that Snook is saying that Whitmer against University of Michigan playing football.
Read MoreMichigan Fines Businesses More Than $33,000 for Coronavirus Safety Violations
Six Michigan businesses were fined more than $33,000 after they failed to follow safety protocol designed to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the state announced on Friday.
The businesses were fined under “general duty” citations through the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA), rather than through any of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s executive orders. The “general duty” clause requires employers to provide a workplace free from recognized harms and carries a fine of up to $7,000.
Read MoreMichigan Announces 13 Commissioners to Redraw District Voting Lines
Michigan has announced the 13 citizens who will be in charge of redrawing Michigan’s congressional and legislative boundaries for the next decade, drawing their names in a random selection process on Monday.
The Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission is made of four Democrats, four Republicans and four people not associated with either party.
Read MoreWhitmer Calls for Unity, Bashes Trump’s COVID-19 Response in DNC Speech
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer called for unity and for Americans to “rally together” to fight the coronavirus during a speech at the Democratic National Convention on Monday night.
Before her speech even began, however, Whitmer was caught mouthing an expletive on a live feed.
Read MoreWhitmer Orders Coronavirus Testing in Prisons
Michigan jails and prisons will now have to adopt testing protocols for inmates, according to an executive order signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Saturday.
The order says that Michigan Department of Corrections must conduct testing at entry, transfer and release of any prisoner, as well as suspend transfers from jails that do not have similar protocols.
Read MoreMichigan, Ford, FEMA to Donate Four Million Masks to Vulnerable State Residents
The state of Michigan, Ford Motor Company and the Federal Emergency Management Agency will be partnering to provide four million free masks to Michigan residents who are vulnerable to COVID-19, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced on Friday.
Masks will be given to low-income residents, seniors, schools and homeless shelters through the MI Mask Aid program, which is part of the Mask Up Michigan campaign. The program aims to get masks to vulnerable populations, including minority residents who have been adversely impacted by the pandemic as a result of racism, the governor’s office said.
Read MoreThree Women File Lawsuit Against Michigan Over ‘Tampon Tax’
Three Michigan women have filed a lawsuit against the Michigan Treasury Department on Tuesday in order to stop taxation of feminine hygiene products like tampons, citing gender discrimination and the 14th Amendment of the Constitution.
Emily Beggs, Claire Pfeiffer and Wei Ho filed the lawsuit on August 11 in the Court of Claims, according to MLive. The lawsuit says that collecting taxes on feminine hygiene products is discriminatory based on the 14th Amendment, which protects against “intentional inequalities.”
Read MoreMore Than $37 Million in Grant Funding Available to Close Technology Gap, Provide Mental Health Support in Schools
School districts seeking additional funding to help offset the coronavirus pandemic can now apply for a grant from the Education Equity Fund.
The fund, created by the Michigan Department of Education, is aimed at helping to close the technology gap and provide mental health services for students and staff.
Read MoreWhitmer Lashes Out at President Trump for ‘Cutting’ Unemployment Benefits
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer lashed out at President Trump in a statement on Sunday after the president cut the enhanced federal unemployment benefit from $600 a week to $400 a week after Democrats in the House failed to make a deal with the Republican-controlled Senate on the matter.
Trump signed four executive orders on Saturday, one of which lowers the enhanced unemployment benefit by a third through the end of the year, with states being required to contribute $100, according to MLive. Unemployed Americans originally received $600 per week through the CARES Act, which expired July 31.
Read MoreWhitmer Extends Declaration of Emergency to September 4
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer extended the emergency and disaster declaration on Friday, pushing the orders back until September 4.
Whitmer’s previous emergency declaration was set to expire on August 11.
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