Experts say the Oakland County prosecutor took an unusual step by charging the parents of the alleged shooter at Oxford High School with involuntary manslaughter. Prosecutor Karen McDonald says she did so in part because the 15-year-old suspect had easy access to a firearm bought by his parents. Now Democratic State Sen. Rosemary Bayer, whose..
Whitmer rolls out themes on pre-State of the State tour
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is on a statewide tour to pre-sell and fine-tune the State of the State she will deliver next week. The governor made stops in Royal Oak and Warren. In Macomb County, the governor said she wants pandemic recovery plans to create more opportunities for minority- and female-owned businesses. She also said she..
National Day of Racial Healing event “geared toward progress” and creating equitable systems
The W. K. Kellogg Foundation has hosted its annual Day of Racial Healing for six years. The foundation’s president and CEO, LaJune Montgomery Tabron says the event follows the Martin Luther King holiday so the civil rights leader’s life of service can be used to inspire action. Tabron says racial healing is needed for racial..
Liberals need to center race and class in political conversations, says Roosevelt Institute’s CEO and president
After ignoring the topic of race for a long time, there is a new debate emerging in Democratic political circles: How should liberals deal with the topic of race in politics? Should they lean into it, and push hard for not only racial justice but a pervasive racial consciousness, potentially shaping a nation dedicated to..
Michigan House cancels session amid COVID-19 surge
COVID-19 is canceling votes and meetings this week in the Michigan House of Representatives. House Speaker Jason Wentworth said Monday that a number of lawmakers and staff members have tested positive for the coronavirus or been exposed to someone who’s tested positive. “Unfortunately, the same COVID wave that is spiking across the country is now..
Michigan Democratic legislators to announce gun storage bill package
Michigan Democratic legislators said Monday that they plan to introduce a bill package designed to encourage safe firearm storage. Sponsors said the bills would apply to gun owners who have children present in the home. They would include penalties for when unsafe storage leads to injury or death. State Sen. Rosemary Bayer (D-Beverly Hills) said..
University of Michigan Board of Regents fires President Mark Schlissel
The University of Michigan Board of Regents voted Saturday morning to remove Mark Schlissel as President of the University of Michigan, effective immediately. The Board has named former U-M president Mary Sue Coleman as Interim President. The vote comes after an investigation into whether Schlissel was having an inappropriate relationship with a university employee. The..
Michigan secretary of state and attorney general are investigating whether fake electors broke law
State officials — including Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Attorney General Dana Nessel — say they’re looking into whether people who tried to flip the results of the 2020 presidential election in Michigan broke any laws. “Yes. I do think laws were broken here and I do think there needs to be some sort..
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services deploys additional assistance to help Henry Ford Health System during the latest COVID-19 surge
A federal medical team will remain on-site for at least 45 days at Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital due to a surge of COVID-19 infections. Bob Riney, chief operating officer for Henry Ford, says federal help is needed and wanted during the latest surge of COVID-19 in the state. “But the reality is, we're grateful that..
Michigan unemployment agency director says state is attempting to recoup money from fraudulent claims
Billions in fraudulent unemployment claims paid out during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic was the subject of a joint House and Senate Oversight Committee Thursday. According to an independent audit, of the $8.5 billion paid out fraudulently, some of it went to people impersonating others while the majority went to people using their own name to sign up for unemployment. It’s unclear if those people were attempting to defraud the system or..