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Neighbor States’ ‘Uncontrolled Growth’ Justifies COVID Lockdown? Data Says Not

Director of Michigan Department of Health and Human Services out on a limb with claim

Tom Gantert | January 16, 2021

Part Of A Pattern: Farmington Cop’s Pay Went From $92k In 2019 To $141k In 2020

New series shows government employees thriving during pandemic while many private workers suffer

Tom Gantert | January 15, 2021

State Health Experts’ Comments Suggest Its Virus Models Not So Good

Appears their projections missed a November spike in fatalities

Tom Gantert | January 15, 2021

Will Restaurants Reopen Feb. 1?

Mixed messages and more confusion from the governor

Michael Van Beek | January 14, 2021

Mixed messages and more confusion from the governor

Only 200 Signed Up, But Traverse City’s Government Broadband Wants To Borrow $18 Million More

New pitch includes potential for energy savings

Dawson Bell | January 14, 2021

Number Of State Government Jobs Up As Michigan Crushes Its Restaurant Industry

One-third of all restaurants here may be toast, but government keeps growing

Tom Gantert | January 13, 2021

State’s Biggest Teachers Union Repaying COVID Grant It Shouldn't Have Received

Federal CARES Act benefit was intended for struggling small businesses, not big unions

Dawson Bell | January 13, 2021

Citing the American Revolution ... Baraga County Officials Revolt Against State COVID Orders

Upper Peninsula community’s leaders point to their oath

Tom Gantert | January 12, 2021

Metrics Appear To Meet Goals Specified To Reopen Michigan

Fewer COVID cases in hospital, fewer confirmed new daily cases, fewer positives in those who get tested

Tom Gantert | January 11, 2021

Fewer Workers At This Michigan City Collected More During Pandemic

New series on how government workers have fared covers Jackson this time

Tom Gantert | January 11, 2021

State COVID Citation Dampens The Fun At This Family Fun Center

Tom Gantert | January 9, 2021

What Policies Actually Matter To COVID?

Lockdowns may just give illusion of control, at great social and economic cost

Michigan Capitol Confidential Staff Reports | January 8, 2021

24,836 In Michigan Got COVID Shots Wednesday

174,749 statewide have been immunized

Tom Gantert | January 7, 2021

Michigan Hospitals At Pre-COVID Occupancy Levels

ICUs 75% occupied

Tom Gantert | January 7, 2021

State Health Department Calls On Athletes To Enter Four-Week Bubble

Only limited contact with others for two weeks before and after an event

Tom Gantert | January 7, 2021

Restaurant In Trouble For Letting A Single Family Use A 100-Person Room

The law’s the law, says state health department

Dawson Bell | January 6, 2021

Small Town UP Diner Attracts Big Crowd To Protest Ongoing Lockdown

More attended nearby Houghton event than live in establishment’s hometown

Tom Gantert | January 5, 2021

There They Go Again? U-M Looks To Be Dodging Open Records Accountability

Hide the substantive discussions, bury requestors in chitchat and already-published material

Tom Gantert | January 5, 2021

31 Bars And Restaurants Lose Liquor License For Epidemic Lockdown Offenses In 2020

Michigan Capitol Confidential Staff Reports | January 4, 2021

Pandemic Linked To Spike In Missed Votes By Michigan Legislators

Increase appears modest, given the circumstances

Tom Gantert | January 4, 2021

CapCon’s Top 10 Stories Of 2020

COVID-19 dominated the news, but it wasn’t the only topic of great interest

Tom Gantert | January 2, 2021

Restaurant Owner Pushed To The Edge By Lockdowns

‘Every attempt we made at compliance was not enough’

Sandy Malone | January 1, 2021

Three Times More Got COVID Vaccine On Dec. 29 Than Tested Positive In Michigan

Tom Gantert | December 31, 2020

Restaurant And Bar Tent Adds Three Walls Too Many For Health Department Officials

Costs the establishment its liquor licence

Tom Gantert | December 30, 2020

Public Schools In Traverse Bay Area Purchase Social Justice Program

Vendor is company created last May

Tom Gantert | December 29, 2020

400,000+ COVID Cases, But Michigan Officials Tracked Giuliani’s Like Bloodhounds

Trump’s lawyer a key figure at state House Republican hearing

Tom Gantert | December 28, 2020

Ann Arbor Schools Latest To Stop Giving Failing Grades During Pandemic

Tom Gantert | December 26, 2020

Government Leaders On COVID Rules: Do What I Say, Not What I Do

People will notice

Tom Gantert | December 24, 2020

Michigan Not Exceptional: Recent COVID Trend Same As Neighboring States

Facts don’t support Whitmer’s ‘very different experience’ claim

Tom Gantert | December 23, 2020

State Budget 2022: Not Too Early to Cut Corporate and Industry Handouts

Michigan needs a fair field for all and favors for none

Michael D. LaFaive | December 22, 2020

Michigan needs a fair field for all and favors for none

Highest Number Of COVID Vaccine Doses Administered in Michigan On Monday

Tom Gantert | December 22, 2020

Another Example Of State’s Aggressive COVID Enforcement

Restaurant skirting restrictions attracts inspectors

Tom Gantert | December 22, 2020

Former Gov. Jennifer Granholm Oversaw Parade Of Failed Green Energy Boondoggles

Would-be energy secretary’s record not promising

Jarrett Skorup | December 21, 2020

Undercover State COVID Investigators Wouldn’t Take No For An Answer

State investigators persisted in trying to enter after informed restaurant only open for takeout

Tom Gantert | December 21, 2020

Elaborate Propane Commission Scheme May Be About Pipeline Shutdown

Another voice for industry that serves more than 300,000 in state

Dawson Bell | December 19, 2020

Largest School Districts In Michigan Haven't Opened Classrooms

They’re limiting more than 200,000 students to online instruction only

Tom Gantert | December 18, 2020

Ivy League Public Health Dean Praises Michigan With False Ohio COVID Claim

Ohio put in place a curfew, among other ongoing rules

Tom Gantert | December 18, 2020

Under Current COVID Restrictions Michigan Could Have 5,600 Fewer Restaurants In Six Months

Tom Gantert | December 17, 2020

Gov. Whitmer: Blame The People When Case Numbers Up, Take Credit When They Drop

Tom Gantert | December 16, 2020

Ann Arbor Parents And Some Medics See Union Behind School District's Refusal To Open

District’s response to online learning failures is to eliminate D and F grades

Dawson Bell | December 16, 2020

Michigan Restaurant Workers Slammed Harder Than Other States

Tom Gantert | December 15, 2020

Granholm’s Green Energy Boondoggles No Bar To Selection As Biden’s Energy Secretary

Former Michigan governor finally gets gig 12 years after pitching herself to President-elect Obama

Tom Gantert | December 15, 2020

Family Restaurant On Brink Fought The Lockdown Law

Now sanctioned by other laws, including suspended liquor license

Sandy Malone | December 14, 2020

Michigan Workers Among Hardest Hit By Pandemic-Related Income Losses

We’re fifth worst, with 17.8% of workers harmed

Tom Gantert | December 12, 2020

Jan. 1 State Minimum Wage Hike Likely Suspended Due To High Unemployment

State's 10.2% unemployment rate elevated by epidemic and lockdowns

Tom Gantert | December 11, 2020

Michigan Workers’ Incomes Up Since Right-To-Work Became Law

Union activists’ ‘right to work for less’ snarks had it exactly backwards

Tom Gantert | December 11, 2020

State Board Of Education Vice President Repeats Erroneous Charter School Slam

No, they can’t pick and choose from students

Tom Gantert | December 11, 2020

Reopen Classrooms or Send Money to Families

State needs to rethink education funding priorities

Ben DeGrow | December 10, 2020

State needs to rethink education funding priorities

‘Science Settled’ On Indoor Dining?

Tom Gantert | December 10, 2020

State Health Department Head Blames Residents For High COVID Numbers

But nearby states show similar pattern even without strict lockdowns

Tom Gantert | December 9, 2020

Family Says Clumsy COVID Orders, Isolation, Caused Dad’s Decline And Death

Dawson Bell | December 9, 2020

CDC Says Make Schools Last To Close, First To Reopen; Teachers Union Says That’s Immoral

How dare parents ‘hoard’ opportunity for their children, fumes East Lansing union local

Tom Gantert | December 8, 2020

State Health Department Extends Current Michigan Lockdown Until Dec. 20

Tom Gantert | December 7, 2020

Michigan Businesses Nation’s Hardest Hit By Government Lockdowns

Nearly one-third here were closed; national average is less than 20%

Tom Gantert | December 7, 2020

City Rationing Of Open Records Requests May Be A Legal Stretch

Inkster says it’s a protective measure

Dawson Bell | December 7, 2020

Michigan’s Early December Virus Spike Mirrored Nationwide

Restrictions ordered Nov. 18 did not stamp out the spread

Tom Gantert | December 5, 2020

Figures Indicate Michigan Small Business Crushed By Pandemic And State Response

More than one-third have closed, potentially forever for many

Tom Gantert | December 4, 2020

Another Michigan Restaurant’s Liquor License Suspended For COVID Noncompliance

Tom Gantert | December 3, 2020

COVID-19 Guidelines Changing For How Long People Have To Quarantine

Tom Gantert | December 3, 2020

Michigan Cities Want To Collect Income Tax From Nonresidents Working At Home

Opponents push back, citing closed and canceled facilities and services during epidemic

Dawson Bell | December 3, 2020

State Pulls More Liquor Licenses, Encourages Individuals To Report COVID Violators

Tom Gantert | December 2, 2020

Whitmer Says ‘Don’t Travel,’ State Agency Spends Tax Dollars Encouraging It

Tom Gantert | December 2, 2020

No Lockdown On Taxpayer-Funded Tourism Spending

Even though the resort interests that benefit are throttled by COVID restrictions

Dawson Bell | December 2, 2020

Michigan, National, Worldwide COVID Trends Look Similar

How big a role does policy play?

Tom Gantert | December 1, 2020

Governments, Officials, Media Making People, Not Virus, The Enemy

The ACLU warned about this in a 2008 report on the Bush administration’s epidemic plans

Tom Gantert | November 30, 2020

Average Michigan Corrections Department Employee Took 28.5 Days Off With Pay Last Year

Tom Gantert | November 28, 2020

MDOT Spokesman: Rebel Drivers, Libertarians Spiking Traffic Deaths

Michigan State Police say cause for increase in crash fatalities still unknown

Tom Gantert | November 27, 2020

Four Bars And Restaurants Fined And Three Others Have Liquor Licenses Suspended For COVID Violations

Tom Gantert | November 25, 2020

Education Nonprofit Repeats, Again, Unsupported Claim About School Funding

It claims poor and minority schools in Michigan get less, when they actually get more

Tom Gantert | November 25, 2020

State Health Department: Speak Up Or We Cremate A Deceased Loved One

Tom Gantert | November 24, 2020

Nearly A Million Were Unemployed In April; Down To 168k In Michigan As Of Nov. 7

Tom Gantert | November 24, 2020

Michigan Taxpayers Still On Hook For $5.3 Billion To Corporations In Next 10 Years

Tom Gantert | November 23, 2020

Report in Medical Journal: For K-5, 'Little Reason To Believe Virtual Learning' Effective

Report finds teachers union’s preferred COVID response will shorten children’s lives

Tom Gantert | November 23, 2020

Lockdown Costs Include Suicidal Thoughts Up, Kids’ Life Expectancy Down

Locked-out children also losing years of life expectancy

Tom Gantert | November 21, 2020

Whitmer Tells Scary COVID Story Thursday; State Warns Against Panic Friday

Governor, after 11 family members and friends all caught virus at card game: ‘Their story is not unique’

Tom Gantert | November 20, 2020

Throttled-Down Gyms Say State Has The Wrong Outbreak Target

Officials haven’t shown updated evidence

Dawson Bell | November 20, 2020

State Will Rely On Individuals To Report More Than Two Households At Thanksgiving

Tom Gantert | November 19, 2020

Shutting Down Pipeline Will Be Costly, Analyst Warns

Among the costs: $3,400 annually for extra heating bills; one-time expenses of $3,500 to $25,000

Dawson Bell | November 19, 2020

Confusing Logic, Winter Edition: State COVID Order Permits Skiing But Not Outdoor Ice Skating

Tom Gantert | November 18, 2020

No Evidence Michigan Supreme Court Case Led to Spike in COVID

Cases were already rising and began spiking everywhere

Tom Gantert | November 18, 2020

Michigan at Significant Risk of a 2021 Tax Hike

DC Firm Lays Out Factors That Drive Tax Hikes Around the Country

James M. Hohman | November 17, 2020

DC Firm Lays Out Factors That Drive Tax Hikes Around the Country

About Legal Action Against Gov. Whitmer

A statement from the Mackinac Center

November 17, 2020

A statement from the Mackinac Center on current litigation considerations against Gov. Whitmer

Federal Official Would Deprive These Workers Of Right To Fire Their Union

They’re appealing after he shut down their union decertification vote

Dawson Bell | November 17, 2020

Restaurants Say New Lockdown Will Just Drive 'Super-Spreaders' Underground

Association says safer to let people gather and dine where safety rules are enforced

Tom Gantert | November 16, 2020

Republican State Rep Seeks Whitmer Impeachment Despite Slim Chances

Impeachment would need two-thirds supermajority vote in state Senate

Tom Gantert | November 16, 2020

State Of Michigan: Two Weeks Of Self-Quarantine Before Heading To Gatherings

For Thanksgiving, you would have had to enter isolation last Thursday

Tom Gantert | November 16, 2020

State of Michigan Cites Large COVID Rise To Cancel Extended Family Thanksgiving Gatherings

No more than two households or 10 people can gather

Tom Gantert | November 15, 2020

State’s Chief Medic: Be Smart And Loved Ones May Not Be Dead Next Thanksgiving

Tom Gantert | November 13, 2020

ACLU Had Been Concerned Pandemic Plans ‘Resorted To Punitive, Police-State Tactics’

In 2008 group called for ‘voluntary social distancing measures rather than mandatory quarantines’

Tom Gantert | November 13, 2020

Less Road Funding from the Road-Fixing Governor

State spending up, but not for roads

James M. Hohman | November 12, 2020

Despite running on fixing the roads, state spending on roads is down under Gov. Whitmer

Bipartisan Bills Ease Occupational Licensure Mandates For Veterans

Service members and vets licensed in other states could work in Michigan, too

Tom Gantert | November 12, 2020

Report: Give Local Governments More Money, But Don’t Ask Taxpayers

That’s the gist of a new study on local government finance in Michigan

Jarrett Skorup and James M. Hohman | November 11, 2020

New study misleads on fiscal issues facing local governments in Michigan; simply calls for higher taxes

Common Sense Licensing Reforms for Military Families a Good Start

Occupational licensing a needless barrier to jobs for too many

Jarrett Skorup | November 11, 2020

Occupational licensing a needless barrier to jobs for too many

COVID Targets The Old In Michigan

87% of fatalities are age 65 and over in last month; 37% older than 84

Tom Gantert | November 11, 2020

Blight Or Government Overreach?

Zoning for historic preservation a source of conflict for Northville building owner

Sandy Malone | November 10, 2020

Pfizer Has A Vaccine, Wants Distribution To Start By Thanksgiving

Tom Gantert | November 9, 2020

Leading Scientists Condemn Lockdowns, Call For ‘Focused Protection’

25% of adults 18-24 have considered suicide during the pandemic

Tom Gantert | November 9, 2020

Whitmer Still Blaming State Supreme Court For COVID Spike

Ohio cases also rising, but no pandemic-related court rulings there

Tom Gantert | November 7, 2020

Spread Out And Keep It Down! Government Rules For Thanksgiving Gatherings

Tom Gantert | November 6, 2020

Post Office Investigating Claim Employees Were Ordered To Backdate Late Ballots

Tom Gantert | November 6, 2020

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