The state will settle the lawsuits filed against it emanating from the Flint water crisis for $600 million, with most of that money going toward children exposed to the water that was tainted with lead and believed responsible for a deadly Legionnaires’ disease outbreak, Attorney General Dana Nessel announced this […]
Michigan News
Kinross man charged with four counts of murder in Wayne County
A former Kinross man who police say claimed responsibility for a quadruple homicide in Wayne County on Saturday turned himself in late Sunday amid questions over why previous charges against him were recently dropped. Raymond Lee Bailey, 37, was taken into custody by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and was expected to […]
State Unemployment Falls Sharply In July, Now Below National Average
Michigan’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 8. 7 percent in July from 14.8 percent in June though some of the drop could be attributed to uncertainty about the overall size of the workforce, the Department of Technology, Management and Budget said today. The workforce fell by 127,000 from June […]
Senate OKs School Plan With Union Support
The Senate today approved a plan agreed to by legislative leaders and the administration stipulating various requirements on attendance, testing and communication with students for schools as they begin the 2020-21 academic year amid the new coronavirus pandemic. While the four legislative leaders and Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced Friday they […]
Whitmer extends Michigan’s COVID-19 emergency through Sept. 4
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has extended her order declaring a state of emergency through Sept. 4, allowing her to keep intact COVID-19-related powers that were set to expire Tuesday. By Sept. 4, the state of emergency will have been in place for 178 days or almost half of the year. The new […]
Governor Whitmer Signs Executive Directive Recognizing and Addressing Racism as a Public Health Crisis, Creates the Black Leadership Advisory Council
Today Governor Gretchen took action to elevate Black voices in state government, signing Executive Order 2020-163, which creates the Black Leadership Advisory Council. The governor also signed Executive Directive 2020-9, recognizing racism as a public health crisis and taking initial steps to address it within state government. Under the Executive […]
Michigan AG Concedes Defeat On Enbridge Tunnel
Enbridge Energy won a major victory Wednesday when Attorney General Dana Nessel unexpectedly reversed course and declined to appeal a Court of Appeals ruling holding that a 2018 law setting up an authority to oversee the construction, maintenance and operation of a tunnel beneath the Straits of Mackinac to house […]
Whitmer to reimpose limits in Northern Michigan
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is pulling back the reins in Michigan’s northern regions that have so far enjoyed looser COVID-19 restrictions than lower Michigan but also reopening Detroit’s three casinos. Whitmer issued an executive order Wednesday that reopens the casinos at 15% capacity Aug. 5.The order also reimposes restrictions starting Friday for […]
Wolf population rises in the Upper Peninsula
State wildlife officials say the wolf population in the Upper Peninsula remains “healthy and stable.” The Department of Natural Resources completed its biennial wolf survey between December and March. Cody Norton is a DNR large carnivore specialist. He says the survey estimates there are at least 695 wolves in the […]
$600 Weekly Federal Benefit Ending July 25
The Unemployment Insurance Agency today provided information to Michigan workers on the expiration of the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (PUC) program, which has been providing an additional $600 benefit each week to those receiving unemployment benefits. Michigan’s weekly unemployment benefit of up to $362 will continue for those eligible for […]