Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus outbreak in Michigan on Friday, May 15, 2020:
-- When should Michigan's K-12 schools reopen? And what will that look like? Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Friday that a plan is the works. READ MORE
-- The state health department reported 497 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, and 38 new deaths. That brings the totals to 50,079 cases and 4,825 deaths in the state throughout the pandemic. Saying she wants to put the numbers in perspective, the governor noted that nearly enough people have died to fill Detroit's Fox Theater. MORE HERE
-- A Detroit man is is facing up to 20 years in prison after prosecutors say he threatened to kill Gov. Whitmer and Attorney General Dana Nessel. "You can disagree with their positions or their methodology, but you absolutely cannot act as this defendant allegedly acted..." MORE HERE
-- Republicans who control the Michigan Legislature on Friday urged a judge to strike down stay-home orders, and others related to the coronavirus, saying Gov. Whitmer trampled their authority. LATEST HERE
-- Still gotta have your petunias, begonias, hanging baskets and flats despite the pandemic? Detroit's much-anticipated annual Eastern Market Flower Day — which would have been this Sunday — has been canceled. However, there are a couple of options for shoppers. DETAILS HERE
-- As clashes continue to rage about what's safe to open and when it should be opened across the country, suburban Sterling Heights quietly released its own multi-phase plan for what reopening city business will look like. MORE HERE
-- Saying, "all jobs are essential," the organizer of protests that have drawn the national media and thousands of angry residents to Lansing in recent weeks are putting together another display of dissatisfaction with Gov. Whitmer's stay-home order. This time, it's about hair. DETAILS
-- During Thursday's re-open rally at the Michigan Capitol, video shows a dispute between protesters before police intervened. "A man with an ax showed up, somehow causing much more chaos and fear than the multiple men with guns." READ MORE
-- A militia group that brought guns to the rally said they weren't there to protest the governor's order. "We are here to keep the peace and make sure everybody has a right to peacefully assemble. We are here to make sure that everybody here stays peaceful." READ MORE
-- Defying a wave of layoffs that has sent the U.S. job market into its worst catastrophe on record, at least one major industry is making a comeback: Tens of thousands of auto workers are returning to factories that have been shuttered since mid-March due to fears of spreading the coronavirus. READ MORE
-- No one's in class right now, but if the Mitten State was in a room with a chalkboard at the front of it, a great big D- would be circled on it. Why? Because that's the grade the entire state just got from Unacast for its current efforts to stay home and follow social distancing guidelines to avoid spread of COVID-19. DETAILS
-- He's been in business for 59 years and went 6 weeks without a paycheck. A Michigan barber who refused to keep his shop closed has had his license suspended. "Our whole constitutional system and everything's getting turned on its head — all in the name of good intentions." READ MORE
--- More than 31,000 state employees will be impacted by a belt-tightening move by the government Michigan due to COVID-19. Non-managers will be forced to take two layoff days period, which is expected to save the state around $80 million. DETAILS HERE.
-- Another big event in Michigan is officially off due to the virus. Officials at the Mackinac Bridge Authority says the annual Labor Day Bridge Walk is canceled. Organizers cite safety of all involved, It is expected to return in 2021. The event has taken place since 1958, the year after the bridge opened to traffic.
-- Crowd-funded billboards seen around metro Detroit are encouraging everyone in Michigan to reopen their businesses next week — regardless what the governor's executive orders say. The man behind the push is calling it "Take Yourself To Work Day." READ MORE.
-- As coronavirus orders gradually ease, the Detroit Archdiocese says Catholic mass is set to resume on May 19 — with some health and safety guidelines in place. DETAILS HERE.
-- Officials at MGM Grand say things will look a lot different when they are finally able to reopen in Detroit. MGM on Tuesday released a seven-point safety plan for facilities that include the MGM Grand Detroit casino. READ MORE.
-- Whitmer says she knows Michiganders have a lot of questions about the state's response to COVID-19. At a news conference earlier this week, she offered answers to the top six questions her office is asked the most. READ MORE.
-- Tens of thousands of Michiganders are now deemed survivors of the coronavirus. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is reporting 22,686 people are considered recovered from COVID-19 after surviving 30 days post diagnosis. This number includes all people who tested positive for the virus on or before April 8. MORE
-- How soon will you feel comfortable dining out? A bar and restaurant group in Michigan is asking Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to let them reopen on May 29, laying out a plan to do it safely. READ MORE.
-- Many businesses have temporarily closed their doors as the coronavirus pandemic rages on, but there are plenty of restaurants still open across metro Detroit for carryout and curbside pickup. Hungry? CHECK THE LIST.
-- The three main symptoms of coronavirus are fever, cough and shortness of breath. In order to mitigate risk of spreading COVID-19, everyone is encouraged to take action to reduce the spread, including: wash your hands often with soap and water or use hand sanitizer; avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands; cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing; avoid handshakes; avoid contact with people who are sick; and stay home when you are sick. Officials are urging social distancing -- staying at least six feet away from other people -- to help flatten the curve.
This is a rapidly evolving situation. Stay tuned to WWJ Newsradio 950 where we will remain live, local and committed to bringing you the latest information during this outbreak. >>LISTEN LIVE!
