Government

Whitmer mum on health chief’s resignation, sports ban

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Monday refused to discuss the circumstances surrounding the abrupt departure of Michigan’s health director during the coronavirus pandemic, including whether she asked for his resignation. The Democratic governor also declined to set a date for the return of youth contact sports, despite growing pressure after her administration extended the ban through Feb. 21, three months after …

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Michigan restaurants can open at 25% capacity – February 1st

Michigan restaurants and bars can reopen for indoor dining at 25% capacity and with a 10 p.m. curfew starting Feb. 1, and concessions can resume at casinos, movie theaters and stadiums, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Friday. The state health department’s coronavirus restrictions were loosened again amid a continued drop in cases and hospitalizations. They will be effective for three weeks, …

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Branch County – Mother dies, husband and 5 children hurt after buggy crash

A woman has been killed and her husband and five children hurt after the horse pulling their buggy veered in front of a pickup truck in Branch County. Barbara Jo Schwartz, 39, died at an Indiana hospital following the 8:50 a.m. Friday crash in Algansee Township, according to Branch County sheriff’s deputies. The family was thrown from the buggy which struck the fender of …

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Ice fisherman drowns in Lake Michigan in Upper Peninsula

A 64-year-old man drowned in a Lake Michigan bay when his off-road vehicle hit open water, authorities said. Edward Lester of Garden was at Big Bay De Noc, off Delta County, for ice fishing Thursday. Ice in the area was 4 to 5 inches thick but “recent high winds caused the crack to open,” said Lt. Eugene “Skip” Hagy of …

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Cass County Deputy Saves Dog That Had Fallen Through the Ice

Sheriff Richard J Behnke reports that deputies of the Cass County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call for help in the 56000 block of White Temple Road in Penn Township on Wednesday. The caller advised the Cass County Dispatch that a dog had fallen through the ice in a pond and was unable to get out. Deputy Taryn Shields responded …

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Michigan to distribute $58.5 million in grants to businesses

Relief is coming to Michigan businesses after a board last week approved $58.5 million in grants for economic losses due to the coronavirus pandemic that has strained the state’s economy. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer last month signed into law a spending plan to help repair the economic impact from the coronavirus. It included an allocation to the Michigan Strategic Fund under the Michigan …

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Small group of armed protesters dwarfed by police at Capitol

A small group of gun-toting demonstrators rallied Sunday outside of Michigan’s Capitol building near a sizable presence of law enforcement officers on high alert after this month’s deadly storming of the U.S. Capitol. About a dozen protesters openly carried guns, including some who promoted the anti-government “boogaloo” movement, a slang term adopted by the pro-gun extremist movement that is a reference to …

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Guard activated at Michigan Capitol amid increased security

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer activated the National Guard, the state police continued to augment its presence at the Capitol and crews installed a 6-foot, chain-link fence around the 142-year-old building before expected protests ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration. The Legislature on Friday also canceled session next week, citing law enforcement’s concerns about “credible threats regarding events” at the Capitol. Michigan …

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Teen guilty of murder when he was 13 sentenced to 63 years

A teenager who was 13 when accused of killing another youth in northern Indiana was sentenced Thursday to 63 years in prison. Alphonso James III, now 16, was convicted of murder in the death of 18-year-old Jaren Minies in Elkhart on Sept. 12, 2018. Minies was shot multiple times during a dispute over a gun, money and a video game system. He …

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Michigan restaurants likely can offer dining Feb. 1

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Wednesday she hopes to let restaurants reopen for indoor dining on Feb. 1, as her health department extended a two-month ban by an additional two weeks while letting non-contact sports resume this weekend. The plan is to allow dining with mitigation measures, capacity limits and a curfew. Organized non-contact sports and group exercise classes can start …

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