Henry Ford Health System is optimistic that the worst of the omicron-fueled COVID-19 wave is over. The number of patients hospitalized due to COVID-19 systemwide at Henry Ford has dropped below 500 for the first time in weeks, from 551 on Monday to 499 on Thursday. Hospitalizations are dropping at Beaumont Hospital as well. Positivity rates are..
Hamtramck District Court judge apologizes for wishing jail on man with weedy yard
HAMTRAMCK, Mich. (AP) — A Hamtramck District Court judge has apologized for wishing that she could send a 72-year-old immigrant with cancer to jail for a weedy property. “I acted intemperately. I’m very embarrassed that I did so,” said Alexis Krot, a judge in Hamtramck’s District Court. “I apologize to the person who appeared before..
“The Birds Aren’t Real” movement hopes parody can save us from false conspiracies
The Gen Z-fueled "The Birds Aren't Real" movement says birds are all actually government drones sent to surveil us from the skies, the streets and in our own backyards. Sound ridiculous? Well, it is. And that’s the point. "What I find most interesting is it's an attempt to change peoples' beliefs about conspiracy theories by..
Why it was important for Wayne County prosecutor, activist to clear backlog of rape kits
In 2009, 11,000 untested rape kits were found sitting in a Detroit Police Department storage room. Some of them had been there for over 20 years. Last year, the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office announced that the backlog had been cleared. Earlier this week, a local activist and the Wayne County Prosecutor were honored by the..
Ruth Ellis Center will open a brand-new mixed use community development on Detroit’s northwest side
The Ruth Ellis Center was created as a safe haven for the LGBTQ plus community in Metro Detroit in 1999. This June, a new location on the city's northwest side will open, expanding the services offered including a pharmacy and medical building to assist LGBTQ plus youth and the neighborhood. Ruth Ellis was born in..
Auditor General: It’s not “fair” to say COVID-19 deaths in Michigan long-term facilities were underreported
Legislative Republicans are accusing Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services of intentionally minimizing the number of COVID-19 deaths in Michigan’s long-term care facilities. There’s no evidence that’s true — and there’s no indication in an Auditor General’s report that a Whitmer executive order to have some nursing homes take in COVID-positive patients led to more deaths. For the long-term care facility related deaths or linked deaths, we knew the..
Michigan State Police report on disparities in traffic stops just the beginning in addressing the problem, says civil rights leader
An independent study conducted by Michigan State University researchers found that Black drivers are pulled over more than any other racial group in the state. The results also showed Black and Hispanic drivers are more likely than White and Asian drivers to be arrested after a traffic stop. Michigan State Police Director Col. Joe Gasper says..
The Capitol insurrection and the rise and fall of American militias
Leading up to the 2020 presidential election, there was a rise in activity by anti-government groups. Members of multiple militias in Michigan are charged in a plot to attack police and kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Then came the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Federal prosecutors believe it was set up — in..
New book “Let’s Talk About Hard Things” explores how to have difficult conversations during the pandemic and beyond
We’re two years into a pandemic that has killed more than 850,000 Americans and disrupted all facets of life. And the places that so many of us enjoy and turn to for solace — schools, churches, bars — have become more restricted and sometimes scary. All of these changes have taken a toll on our..
Firing of Mark Schlissel was “major development” that helped pave way for $490 million settlement with Anderson survivors, MLive reporter says
Mark Schlissel is no longer the president of the University of Michigan. After seven years, the University of Michigan Board of Regents fired Schlissel this past weekend after an investigation showed that he had an inappropriate relationship with a university employee. This comes just one year before Schlissel was set to retire from the university..