Michigan’s salons, barbershops, spas and nail salons are finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
On Friday, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced an executive order that will permit many of the state’s personal service businesses to reopen on Monday, June 15 with safety guidelines in place to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
The governor also announced that more businesses will be able to reopen next week in northern Michigan, including gyms, movie theaters, and event venues.
Businesses that are allowed to reopen must provide COVID-19 training to employees, develop a COVID-19 response plan, develop a self-screening protocol for employees, and keep employees 6 feet apart when possible or require them to wear masks when they can’t.
Friday’s announcements came as the state reported 284 new confirmed cases of coronavirus and 20 new deaths linked to the respiratory virus. Michigan’s average COVID-19 deaths reported per day is down to 30 -- the lowest seven-day moving average since March 27.
Below is a look at more of the most recent developments in the COVID-19 crisis in Michigan:
Michigan restaurants can reopen June 8 – but many won’t be ready
Like the hands on a clock, Bone Island Grille Owner Karen Drushal could count on her early-rising regulars to sit at the same tables for breakfast every morning.
When Bone Island reopens at 8 a.m. Monday, June 8, nearly three months after the Jackson restaurant closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, things will be different. Some of those regulars won’t be there, and the tables will be rearranged for social distancing.
But as restaurants across the state get the green light to reopen their dining rooms, Monday signifies a symbol of recalibrated normalcy.
“Well, we can’t hug them,” Drushal said. “But we’ll give them a smile in our eyes and a nod in our elbow.”
Thousands of Michiganders have marched through tears and tear gas to protest police brutality. Are we finally ready for real change?
Day after day for the past week, people have been marching in Detroit to protest the death of George Floyd and police brutality against African Americans.
They’ve been marching in Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, Lansing, Flint and Kalamazoo. In Bay City, Saginaw, Battle Creek, Muskegon, Jackson and Benton Harbor.
In the Detroit suburbs of Troy, Warren, Rochester Hills and Birmingham. In the picturesque downtowns of Traverse City, Marshall and Holland.
“This is historic. The whole damn city is here," said Johnie Franklin, at Saturday’s march in Flint Township, which drew hundreds. "This is for anyone who was ever silenced. This is for all of us. We just wanted to be heard. We wanted to have a conversation ... and after today, I know we’ve been heard.”
340,000 Michigan unemployment accounts flagged for potential fraud
Hundreds of thousands of people in Michigan have had their unemployment accounts flagged and payments interrupted as a massive fraud operation has hit the state’s unemployment system.
During a video call with reporters Friday, Jeff Donofrio, Director of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity revealed an estimated 340,000 Michiganders have had their accounts flagged as the state investigates possible fraud throughout its system.
“Unfortunately, many of these are legitimate claimants, whose economic lifeline is now tied up due to this criminal scheme. Our priority continues to be identifying and paying legitimate claimants the benefits they need and deserve,” Donofrio said.
Expanded Michigan food assistance program will go through June
Michigan’s expanded food assistance program, which has benefited approximately 350,000 families in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, is being extended through June.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced the news Friday, June 5. State officials previously approved the additional food assistance for March, April and May and have now extended it with approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service.
Eligible clients will see additional food assistance benefits on their Bridge Cards by June 30, with payments beginning for some households on June 20.
Gov. Whitmer responds to lack of social distancing at protests against police brutality
No cases of coronavirus have been traced back to protests in Michigan, state officials said Friday, one day after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II took part in a “peaceful unity march" through Highland Park and Detroit.
Some Michiganders who observed photos and video from the event have noted that the governor, who has consistently called for residents to wear masks and keep 6 feet apart to reduce the spread of COVID-19, did not observe that during the march.
On Friday, June 5, Whitmer was asked about the march and if health officials have concerns that the recent protests will lead to an increase in the state’s cases of coronavirus.
Grand Blanc High School Class of 2020 celebrated at unique drive-in commencement ceremony
“Sometimes you never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.”
Those words from Dr. Seuss, which served as the class motto for the Grand Blanc High School Class of 2020, resonated a little louder for the nearly 650 graduates who witnessed their final year come to an abrupt due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Seniors didn’t have the chance to cheer on their basketball team as they made a run for the state championship, participate in robotics competitions or band performances, attend prom, share hugs on the last day of classes, or walk across the stage to receive their diplomas.
1 in 7 Michigan small businesses unsure they’ll survive pandemic
Most small businesses in Michigan are anticipating a sales decline of at least 10% because of the COVID-19 pandemic and one in seven aren’t confident they’ll survive it at all.
That’s according to a new Small Business Association of Michigan survey of nearly 600 small businesses across the state.
A majority of small businesses surveyed also said they’re ready to reopen safely. The survey, conducted between May 26 and June 2, showed 90% of businesses are confident in their ability to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace and 75% said they already have a requisite COVID-19 preparedness and response plan in place.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer rejects Republican invite to testify in coronavirus response probe
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer sent and informal RSVP to a state Republican-led congressional committee that is probing decisions the governor made throughout the coronavirus pandemic: She’s not coming.
“So at this point, we are in a legal battle and I don’t think that testifying in front of the committee makes a lot of sense,” Whitmer said during a Friday, June 5 press conference, “so I won’t be accepting that invitation.”
‘Am I still going to get the full experience?’ Students facing uncertainty at Michigan’s small colleges
Fadi Koria will be a first-generation college student at the University of Detroit-Mercy in the fall.
He can’t talk to his parents about what their college experience was like because they didn’t have one. Adding the coronavirus pandemic into the mix creates even more unknowns for Koria, but he’s staying positive knowing he will still get an education.
“I don’t even know what my experience is going to be like on the first day of college, but I’m just happy because I want to get started with the next steps toward my future,” said Koria, a graduate of Warren’s Cousino High School.
“The main concern is that, am I going to get the full experience like a regular student in previous years? Am I still going to get the full experience, the full education that I’m supposed to get as a freshman?”
AMC movie theaters may not survive pandemic, company warns
The largest movie theater chain in the United States warned this week that it may not survive the coronavirus pandemic that caused what was meant to be temporary theater closures.
AMC, with 1,000 theaters in the United States and Europe, said it has enough cash to reopen its theaters this summer as planned, the Associated Press reports. However, if it’s not allowed to reopen, it will need more money, which it may not be able to borrow.
“Due to these factors, substantial doubt exists about our ability to continue as a going concern for a reasonable period of time,” AMC wrote in a regulatory filing. The publicly traded company is controlled by Chinese conglomerate Dalian Wanda.
Ann Arbor YMCA will hand out free produce boxes to anyone who stops by
During the first distribution, the Ann Arbor YMCA gave away its entire supply of produce.
The nonprofit is handing out free produce boxes to people in need during the coronavirus pandemic. The weekly distributions began from 3 to 6 p.m. Thursday June 4, at 1500 S. Huron Road in Ypsilanti Township, the future site of the East Washtenaw County YMCA branch.
The effort is in participation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmers to Families Food Box program, which aims to distribute agricultural products to people in need, according to a news release. Ann Arbor YMCA also hopes to work with nearby nonprofits to help distribute the produce.
Muskegon County campgrounds reopen for the season
Muskegon’s public campgrounds reopened on Friday as the state begins to emerge from widespread closures to combat the spread of coronavirus.
“We’re pleased to be able to reopen the Muskegon County Park campgrounds because we know our visitors and residents want to get out and safely enjoy the great outdoors in Muskegon County,” Muskegon County Administrator Mark Eisenbarth said in a prepared statement.
As part of the reopening, shared areas like restrooms and park offices will be regularly sanitized and disinfected. Campers with RVs will be encouraged to use facilities within their vehicles, rather than on the campgrounds.
Hit hard by pandemic, Ann Arbor public parking system faces big cuts
Huge revenue hits to Ann Arbor’s public parking system due to the COVID-19 pandemic mean the Downtown Development Authority must trim its budget.
DDA officials outlined a strategy this week, including $3.4 million in cuts for the current fiscal year and $11.4 million in possible reductions for the next fiscal year starting July 1.
Cuts are being made recognizing there’s likely to be reduced parking demand for quite some time, said Jada Hahlbrock, DDA parking services manager.
Detroit Zoo’s outdoor mask policy has some people furious: The Zoo explains why
The Detroit Zoo has received a lot of backlash on social media over its new outdoor face mask policy as it gets ready to open this Monday after being closed for the last few months due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Zoo will first reopen to members only by reservation on Monday, June 8, but some people say they won’t be coming back anytime soon if they have to wear a mask outside.
“Asking people to wear masks outside is untenable. Asking small children to wear mask is not acceptable,” wrote one commenter on Facebook. “I guess we will see how many people pass out when its 95° out and nice and humid. I guess I will continue to support other zoos that do not require a mask,” wrote another commenter. “Yeah nope still not wearing a mask and neither are my kids good luck getting people to do this,” wrote another.
‘Tremendous amount of grit in Jackson,’ will help economic recovery, mayor says
Cory Mays would walk around downtown Jackson with his mask on, stopping to talk to business owners in their empty stores.
Mays, executive director of Jackson’s Downtown Development Authority, kept an eye on businesses closed during the novel coronavirus pandemic and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s stay-home order.
No businesses he knows of downtown have permanently closed since the start of the order that temporarily closed a lot of small businesses and forced restaurants to serve to-go orders only.
Michigan’s La-Z-Boy announces plant closure, cites coronavirus pandemic
A Michigan-based furniture maker announced the closure of its Mississippi manufacturing plant.
La-Z-Boy Inc. on Thursday said would permanently close its upholstery manufacturing facility in Newton, the Associated Press reports.
The Monroe, Michigan-based firm cited the impact of the coronavirus pandemic in its decision.
More Michigan coronavirus coverage, here
PREVENTION TIPS
In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.
Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.
Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while inside enclosed, public spaces.
Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.