LANSING Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Tuesday unveiled a $5.6 billion plan to combat and recover from the coronavirus pandemic, proposing the use of billions in federal relief and $575 million in surplus state funds.
Gretchen Whitmer
LANSING, Mich. (AP) Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Tuesday unveiled a $5.6 billion plan to combat and recover from the coronavirus pandemic, proposing the use of billions in federal relief and $575 million in surplus state funds.
The request will go to Michigan’s Republican-led Legislature on Wednesday, less than a month after Congress and President Trump enacted additional COVID-19 aid that will flow through states and fund priorities such as vaccine distribution, testing, tracing, higher food assistance benefits and new rental assistance.
A major facet of the Democratic governor’s proposal would allocate $300 million in state dollars nearly $2 billion when federal funding is counted to help K-12 schools offer the option of in-person instruction by March 1 and to address pandemic-related learning loss. Districts with higher numbers of disadvantaged students or those with disabilities would receive more money.
(The Center Square) – After media reports hyped "armed protests" in Lansing, some businesses boarded up windows, and Mayor Andy Schor issued news releases telling residents to stay away from
State capitols tighten security, brace for unknown as far-right groups plot shows of strength
Members of the National Guard are seen behind a security fence at the U.S. Capitol on Friday. (Washington Post photo by Salwan Georges)
Published January 17. 2021 1:35AM | Updated January 17. 2021 2:03AM
Griff Witte, Tim Craig, Peter Whoriskey and Kayla Ruble, The Washington Post
State capitols nationwide locked down Saturday, with windows boarded up, National Guard troops deployed and states of emergency preemptively declared as authorities braced for potential violence Sunday mimicking the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by a mob of pro-Trump rioters.
The extraordinary show of security at statehouses that are normally lightly guarded reflected the anxious state of the country ahead of planned demonstrations. It came just days before the presidential inauguration, an event normally rich with pageantry but one that this year has become a possible pretext for insurrection.