- Joined
- Apr 25, 2020
Full video:Michigan, USA
Another protest was held at the state capitol today. About 150-300 people showed up, depending on the news source. No major events, but plenty of clickbait, including:
A scuffle between protestors that started over the optics of holding a doll with a noose around its neck.
Police confiscated an axe. The axe-owner complied peacefully.
A person in a Pikachu costume holding a rifle.
(archive)
Unlike at some previous protests, the legislature was not in session today.
Detroit News (right-wing) (archive)
Lansing State Journal (part of USA Today's network, so I presume left-wing, though I don't read them and can't say for certain) (archive)
Another from the LSJ, with more pictures (archive)
Oral arguments are scheduled tomorrow in the Republican-controlled legislature's lawsuit against Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D)'s alleged overreach of her emergency powers.
SHUTDOWN SHOWDOWN
Shelter-in-place order from Tuesday March 24 toMonday April 13.Friday, May 1, Friday, May 15, May 28May 1, maybe? (archive) (executive order saved on KF) . The Republican-controlled legislature has refused to extend Governor Whitmer's emergency authority. Governor Whitmer insists her emergency orders are all still in effect (Rundown on the laws).
State attorney general Dana Nessel (D)is also leaving enforcement of the stay-at-home order to local discretion until the courts weigh in on it (archive). Shehas stated Governor Whitmer's orders are valid and are to be enforced (archive). The legislature is not calling for civil disobedience at this time (archive).
The legislature has filed a lawsuit against the governor (archive). The defense must submit arguments by May 12, and oral arguments will be heard May 15 (archive).
State senate leader Mike Shirkey (R) is also supporting a petition drive to change the law. Such a petition would require 340,047 signatures to be collected. It would be veto-proof if approved by the legislature, and would go on the next general election ballot if denied by them (archive 1, archive 2, archive 3).
U. S. Rep Paul Mitchell (R - The Thumb) has filed a lawsuit independently against Governor Whitmer, in federal district court. Link, pdf on KF. He has also founded a committee to work on the petition recommended by Sen. Shirkey.
There have been at least nine other lawsuits against Governor Whitmer's actions during this crisis, mostly regarding the shut-down order, in various stages of progress and in various courts (summary of eight of them).However, "all deadlines applicable to the commencement of all civil and probate actions and proceedings" are suspended until the end of the states of emergency and disaster. Executive order, and thus in limbo. (archive).
OTHER SHUTDOWNS
Recap from NPR
Major protest at the State Capitol April 15 (A&N thread). Minor protest outside Governor's Mansion April 23 (archive). Protest at the State Capitol April 30 (A&N Thread). Protest at the capitol May 14 (archive).
The Big Three Auto manufacturers (Ford, GM, Chrysler) have closed all factories in the USA, putting well over 150,000 workers out of work. This figure does not include workers at supplier factories, which were also obliged to close. (archive) (archive) (archive). Auto manufacturing expected to resume May 18. (archive)
ECONOMY AND MISCELLANY
Over 1 million unemployment claims filed = 10% of the total population of the state, nearly 25% of the workforce (Archive - April 16).
Massive phone-tracking project reveals Michigan travel is slowly creeping back up (website).
Car crashes are down, fatal car crashes are down, and overall death is actually down. (archive - April 12)
FREE STUFF!
Evictions suspended while the state of emergency lasts(archive) Executive order. May or may not still be valid.
Water will be turned back on for all households while the crisis lasts(archive) Executive order. May or may not still be valid.
HEALTH CARE
Hydroxychloroquine banned by governor's order (archive). Nevermind LOL! Now she's asking the federal government for it and claiming the ban was a mistake in the first place. (archive). Detroit-area hospitals are testing the drug's effectiveness as a preventative on first responders and health-care workers (archive). Article on results, May 8 (archive).
Elective surgeries are banned. Maybe? Who knows. If/when in effect, abortions were not included in the ban (thread).
At any rate, hospitals are resuming elective surgeries.
Up-to-date count of available hospital beds, etc. in the State (the Detroit area is "Section 2, North and South.")(government website)
State of affairs May 5 - about half as many hospitalized cases and ICU cases as on April 12 (archive).
Detroit field hospital, capacity 1,000, closed. Never had many more than 20 at any time. (archive, May 7).
LAW AND ORDER
All localities given more discretion to release prisoners early(archive). It was an executive order. Who knows if it's still valid?
Lansing (the capitol) police are not physically responding to minor crimes such as larceny, property damage, and break-ins to unoccupied buildings, including garages. Other police are adopting similar policies (archive) (archive).
Detroit shootings up, but most other crime down (archive - April 30); Muskegon police report crime is up (archive).
Breaking the lockdown is a misdemeanor, punishable by $1500 fines and 90 days jail time. (Still valid???) Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D) has stated there will not be a "ramp up" of police enforcement (archive). The attorney general has left it to local law enforcement to close businesses, as her hands are full with price-gougers and con artists (archive).
The police cannot, at present, pull drivers over simply for being out during the shutdown (archive). Multiple sherrifs from the rural north to Detroit suburbs have stated they will not be enforcing parts or the entirety of the order (archive).
OFFICIAL DEATH TOLL
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services reviews deaths and adds overlooked cases to the count three days a week: Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Recovery counts are updated on Saturdays.
35 deaths were added today.
Detroit Metro (pop. 3,860,000 total; 1,796/sq. mi.; 694/sq km):*
32,954 confirmed / 3,799 dead
32,356 confirmed / 3,747 dead yesterday
(i.e. 52 new deaths, down 18 from this day last week)
Normal Detroit Metro Death Rate: 104 per day.**
Other Michigan (6,120,000; 65/sq. mi.; 25/sq km):
16,628 confirmed / 988 dead
16,035 confirmed / 967 dead yesterday
(i.e. 21 new deaths, down 2 from this day last week)
Normal not-Detroit Death Rate: 167 per day**
All Michigan (9,990,000; 103/sq. mi.; 40/sq km):
49,582 confirmed / 4,787 dead
48,391 confirmed / 4,714 dead yesterday
(i.e. 73 new deaths, down 20 from this day last week, down 17 without adjustments)
Normal Michigan Death Rate: 271 per day.**
Death toll doubled since: April 19.
We have been (were?) locked down since: March 24 (until April 30?),
Masks have been mandatory in stores since: April 27 (until April 30?).
Detroit Metro Daily Deaths Last Seven Days:
36 / 69*** / 18 / 15 / 69*** / 25 / 27*** = 320***
State Government site, daily - today's archive;
State Gov site, total, includes breakdowns by sex, age, race and ethnicity - today's archive.
*Here defined as the City of Detroit, and Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne Counties, minus state and federal prisoners, who are not counted towards any county's cases, but are kept in categories of their own.
** As of 2018.
*** 67, 19, and 35 statewide deaths, respectively, were added on these days upon State review. Presumably most were in Detroit, but I don't know exactly how many.
One Ann Arbor man allegedly killed by his roommate in a Corona-related dispute (archive). The suspect has been released from custody while the investigation continues (archive).
One Flint security guard allegedly murdered for telling a woman that her daughter needed to wear a mask in a dollar store. Multiple suspects are in custody (archive, A&N thread).
Highlighted clips:

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer hopes to allow small gatherings in Michigan after May 28
The Michigan governor answered questions from an MLive reporter Thursday, May 14, 2020 about COVID-19.