Michigan News

Michigan joined 22 other states and the District of Columbia Wednesday in filing an environmental protection lawsuit.   As we hear from Rick Pluta, state Attorney General Dana Nessel wants to preserve fuel economy standards set during the Obama administration.

Michigan lost more than a million jobs from March to April, largely due to COVID-19 related layoffs.  As we hear from Rick Pluta, that led to a record-setting 22.7% state unemployment rate.

There was another rally Thursday at the state Capitol to protest Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s continued use of emergency powers to slow the spread of COVID-19.  We have more from Rick Pluta.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer says she has health and safety concerns about future protests at the state Capitol.  As we hear from Rick Pluta, the next known demonstration is supposed to happen Thursday.

The Michigan State Capitol Commission has delayed a decision on whether to ban the open-carry of firearms in the building.  As we hear from Michigan Public Radio’s Rick Pluta, the commission called for further study first.

The Legislature’s Republican leaders are suing Governor Gretchen Whitmer.  They say she’s exceeded her emergency authority to deal with the COVID-19 health crisis and violated the state constitution.  We have more from Rick Pluta.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer says protests at the state Capitol where demonstrators displayed Confederate flags and swastikas don’t represent most Michiganders.  She defended the state and her efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 on national television.  We have more from Rick Pluta.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued new executive orders Thursday to extend Michigan’s COVID-19 state of emergency for another four weeks.  That was after Republicans in the Legislature refused her request to extend the emergency through May 28th.  The Legislature’s Republican leaders say they are ready to go to court to block future use of the emergency powers the governor has exercised to address the coronavirus crisis.  We have more from Michigan Public Radio’s Rick Pluta.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer rolled out a plan Wednesday to help health care staff, retail workers, and delivery people pay for college or job training.  We have more from Rick Pluta.

The state Senate was in Lansing Tuesday and, as we hear from Rick Pluta, the Republican-controlled chamber adopted resolutions asking Governor Gretchen Whitmer to reconsider aspects of her stay-at-home orders.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer has issued a new COVID-19 executive order.  This order sets rules to help manage the re-opening of some businesses and recreational activities.  We have more from Rick Pluta.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer is expected to outline plans Friday to lift some travel restrictions and to allow some businesses to resume operating – even if it’s at just partial capacity.  Many Republicans in the Legislature have been unhappy with how Whitmer’s used her authority during the COVID-19 crisis.  GOP leaders have called a special Friday session to vote on measures to place new restrictions on her emergency powers. Rick Pluta reports.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer says details will be released soon on her plans to re-start parts of the state’s economy.  As we hear from Rick Pluta, Whitmer says she wants the plans to allow more activities to resume in phases.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer says she will announce plans soon to allow some businesses to re-open and to permit more public gatherings.  As we hear from Rick Pluta, Whitmer says the state is preparing the next phase of its response to the COVID-19 emergency.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer says her strict stay-at-home order and the shutdown of many businesses appears to be slowing the spread of COVID-19.  We have more from Rick Pluta.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s expanded stay-at-home order has passionate supporters and ardent critics.  It’s being challenged in federal court.  And foes of the order are planning a rally today at the state Capitol.  Their plan is to have a caravan of cars and trucks drive around the four blocks that surround the building.  That will allow them to register their objections without violating the order.  We have more from Michigan Public Radio’s Rick Pluta. 

Attorneys won’t be in the Michigan Supreme Court chambers this week as they argue cases.  As we hear from Rick Pluta, the state’s highest court has moved arguments online due to the COVID-19 crisis.

Two lawsuits seek the release of medically vulnerable immigrants being detained in three county jails in Michigan by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.  Rick Pluta has more.

The state Senate leader says he wants to start planning now to allow some businesses to resume operations amid the coronavirus crisis.  Rick Pluta reports.

The Legislature convened Tuesday to adopt a resolution extending Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s emergency authority to address the COVID-19 health crisis.  We have more from Rick Pluta.

State lawmakers will return to Lansing today for the first time since March 17th.  They expect to vote on a resolution to extend Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s emergency powers to deal with the coronavirus crisis.  Rick Pluta explains.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer says the doors to school buildings are locked for the rest of this school year.  This is not a surprise.  It just makes permanent an earlier order that temporarily closed schools.  That was to buy time to come up with plans to address the rapid spread of the coronavirus.  But the governor says it won’t be safe anytime soon for students and teachers to return to school.  We have more from Rick Pluta.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer has asked the Legislature to extend her authority to deal with the coronavirus crisis.  We have more from Rick Pluta.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer is expected to sign an executive order this week with more details on the state’s plans for schools amid the COVID-19 outbreak.  As we hear from Michigan Public Radio’s Rick Pluta, schools have been closed since March 16th.

School officials will have to make some tough decisions very soon about the rest of the school year.  One of them is whether to send layoff notices to teachers and other school staff who aren’t working.  That would save money for later in case the school year is extended to make up for days lost due to the COVID-19 outbreak.  School officials have sent a letter to Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Legislature.  They’re asking the state to provide some certainty to parents, school staff, and students.  We have more from Rick Pluta.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer has signed a new executive order that further limits gatherings of people.  As Rick Pluta reports, the order took effect at midnight and lasts until April 13th. 

An Eastern Michigan University graduate is stuck out of the country and in quarantine amid the global coronavirus pandemic.  As Daniel Boothe reports, a Muskegon woman is begging for help in bringing her 23-year-old son home from Peru.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer continues to issue emergency orders that close public places in an effort to contain the spread of the new coronavirus

The governor closed schools for three weeks with the expectation that they would re-open April 6th.  That order can be extended and that now appears likely.

That leaves students, families, administrators, and teachers in limbo.  And they’re wondering how to ensure students are getting the education they deserve under this new reality.

We have more from Michigan Public Radio’s Rick Pluta. 

A state board has approved $20 million in grants and loans to help small businesses affected by the COVID-19 outbreak.  As Rick Pluta tells us, the money is largely directed toward businesses ordered to shut down or scale back their operations.