Government

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer defended the extension of Michigan’s stay-at-home order as the “best weapon to defeat” the coronavirus in a newspaper opinion piece Sunday and signed two more executive orders related to the pandemic. Her comments came as the state reported 41 new deaths for a total of 3,315 statewide. Michigan has had 37,778 COVID-19 cases, including 575 reported Sunday, …

More than 50% of inmates tested at a Michigan prison have been infected with the highly contagious coronavirus and at least 11 have died, officials reported. Lakeland prison in Branch County in southern Michigan continues to be a hot spot. It has a large share of the system’s older prisoners. The Corrections Department said 1,411 prisoners had been tested at …

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Friday lengthened her stay-at-home order through May 15, while lifting restrictions so some businesses can reopen and the public can participate in outdoor activities like golf and motorized boating during the coronavirus pandemic. The measure immediately replaces one that was scheduled to expire next week. Michigan has nearly 3,000 deaths related to COVID-19, behind only New York and New Jersey …

Republicans who control the Michigan Legislature said they will meet Friday to pass bills to rein in the emergency powers of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and create a committee to oversee the state’s response to the coronavirus outbreak, a dramatic strike against the Democrat amid the health crisis. A spokeswoman for Whitmer promised a veto and said Republicans were “playing dangerous …

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer made clear Wednesday that she will extend her stay-at-home order beyond April 30 and that some form of it will be in effect for a “long time” in Michigan, hinting that people age 65 and older and those with chronic lung problems may face restrictions longer than others. The governor said she hopes to say more on …

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Monday said the state is working with major retailers to open more drive-thru sites to test as many as 1,000 people a day for the coronavirus, especially people who don’t have symptoms but still are required to work outside their home. “Robust testing is essential to have confidence about our strategies for safely reducing risk and …

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Monday compared the fight against the cornonavirus to the sacrifice needed during World War II, criticizing protesters who flocked to the Michigan Capitol last week to denounce her weeks long restrictions against work and gatherings. “President Trump called this a war and it is exactly that. So let’s act like it,” Whitmer, a Democrat, said. …

After a two-week shutdown on the U.S. 131 redevelopment project in Three Rivers, crews will return to the construction site today to continue the job, according to the Michigan Department of Transportation. Concerns related to the coronavirus prompted the two-week hiatus, though state officials said weather delays would have resulted in a few lost days over the period. With the …

An armed robbery was reported Saturday night at about 9:30 at Northside Beverage, located at 135 North Main Street in Three Rivers. Police say the suspect entered the store while the clerk was in the back office. The suspect went behind the counter and grabbed alcohol and cigarettes, and emptied the cash register. As the clerk came from the back, …

Michigan’s governor said Sunday she was eager to loosen businesses restrictions while also avoiding new flareups of the coronavirus illness that has killed more than 2,300 people in the state. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said a lack of virus testing supplies is delaying such steps but maintains most residents support her actions despite a protest drawing thousands of people to the Michigan Capitol this past …