Virus Limits for Businesses, Nursing Homes Eased in Michigan
The revised state health department order will take effect on March 5 and last through April 19.
The state also said families will immediately be able to visit nursing homes and other residential care facilities after being tested for COVID-19, unless the facility has had an infection within the previous 14 days. Visitations had been automatically prohibited in counties with high infection rates, but officials noted progress with vaccinations. All nursing home residents have been offered a first dose, and a vast majority have gotten both doses.
Restaurants and bars, now limited to 25% capacity inside, will have a 50% restriction up to 100 people max. A 10 p.m. curfew will shift to 11 p.m.
March 4, 2021 By Jessica Mathews & Jon King / news@whmi.com
An education committee chaired by a local lawmaker has been granted subpoena power to obtain state records and files by the GOP-controlled Senate.
Along party lines, the Senate on Wednesday adopted a resolution granting subpoena power to the Senate Education and Career Readiness Committee. It s been more than 15 years since legislative education committees have been granted such powers.
However, Committee Chair Lana Theis said the move is a natural progression from recent committee hearings, where lawmakers heard from students, athletes, parents, educators, administrators and government officials on the impact of what the Brighton Township Republican called âforced virtual learningâ and the need to return students to in-person education. âThrough no fault of their own, too many students are struggling academically, falling behind or, in some cases, have stopped participa
County GOP groups feel ‘betrayed’ by Michigan Republicans who went against grain
Updated Mar 04, 2021;
Posted Mar 04, 2021
(From left to right): Michigan Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake; U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph; and Rep. Peter Meijer, R-Grand Rapids. Photos courtesy of respective offices.Courtesy Photo
Facebook Share
Betrayal.
That’s the overwhelming sentiment GOP groups in various Michigan counties have expressed while admonishing powerful Republicans they once helped elect.
The “betrayal” comes in the form of officials turning their backs on former President Donald Trump, their own constituents or a combination of both, say local GOP delegates who condemned their representatives in Congress and the state Legislature.
Michigan House lawmakers want to make it easier for people to obtain records from the governor and the Legislature. But they ve pushed this rock up the hill before, only to see their efforts ignored in the Senate.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers in the House hope this legislative session is different. On Thursday, the House Oversight Committee reviewed 10 bills that would expand Michigan s open records law so that the highest elected leaders in the state would need to turn over some records when requested.
Chairman Steven Johnson, R-Wayland, and other lawmakers pointed to recent revelations about confidentiality agreements and payments between former state government officials and the office of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer as evidence the reforms are needed now more than ever.